Texas in October hits different. You’ve got the humidity cooling down just enough to not melt, the smell of barbecue wafting over from the fan zones, and 400,000 people packed into COTA. But honestly, the 2024 United States Grand Prix wasn't just another race on the calendar; it was the weekend the hierarchy of Formula 1 basically flipped on its head.
Charles Leclerc won.
That sounds simple, right? But the way he did it—leading a Ferrari 1-2 with Carlos Sainz—was a statement that the Scuderia had finally fixed the tire degradation issues that had haunted them for years. While everyone was busy looking at the title fight between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, Ferrari just drove away. It was clinical. It was quiet. It was terrifying for their rivals.
The First Corner Chaos and Why It Mattered
Start sequences at the Circuit of the Americas are legendary because of that massive climb up to Turn 1. It’s wide. It’s steep. It invites disaster.
Lando Norris started on pole. He needed a win to keep his championship hopes alive against a Max Verstappen who hadn't won a Grand Prix in months. But as the lights went out, Max did what Max does. He lunged. He forced the issue. Norris, perhaps being a bit too cautious about track limits or contact, left the door open.
They both went wide.
This is where Charles Leclerc showed why he’s a tactical genius. While the two title protagonists were squabbling for real estate on the outside of the hill, Leclerc took the inside line, hugged the apex, and vanished. By the time they reached the downhill Esses, the Ferrari was gone. It was a classic "while two dogs fight over a bone, the third runs away with it" scenario.
Max settled into second, but the Red Bull RB20 wasn't the dominant beast we saw at the start of the season. It looked nervous. Jumpy. Verstappen was wrestling that car through the triple-apex right-hander like he was trying to tame a wild animal. Meanwhile, the McLarens of Norris and Oscar Piastri were playing the long game, banking on their superior race pace that had been the talk of the paddock since Miami.
The Strategy War: When Hard Tires Became Gold
Strategy at COTA usually revolves around managing the heat, but in 2024, it was all about the "undercut."
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Carlos Sainz was the first of the leaders to pull the trigger. He pitted early, switching to the Hard compound tires. It was a bold move because it forced him into a massive stint to reach the end, but the "out-lap" pace was so high that he jumped Verstappen easily.
Ferrari had the pace.
People often criticize Ferrari’s strategy team—sometimes fairly, sometimes not—but in Austin, they were perfect. They didn't overthink it. They knew their car was kind to its tires, a massive departure from the 2023 season where they’d eat through rubbers in ten laps.
What happened to Mercedes?
We have to talk about Lewis Hamilton. It was a weekend to forget for the seven-time champ. He spun out early at Turn 19, beaching his Mercedes in the gravel. It was weirdly similar to George Russell's crash in qualifying. The Mercedes W15 looked "peaky." One minute it was the fastest car on track, the next it was spinning into the scenery because of a gust of wind or a tiny bump in the asphalt. It’s that lack of predictability that has been the story of the ground-effect era for the Silver Arrows.
The Controversy: Verstappen vs. Norris Part II
The final ten laps of the 2024 United States Grand Prix are what everyone remembers. It’s what dominated the headlines for weeks.
Lando Norris was on much fresher tires than Max Verstappen. He was closing the gap at nearly a second per lap. The McLaren was clearly faster. But passing Max is like trying to take a steak away from a hungry lion. He knows every trick in the book. He knows where to place his car. He knows exactly how much "gray area" the FIA stewards will allow.
At Turn 12, the end of the long back straight, Norris made his move.
He went around the outside. Max stayed on the inside, braked incredibly late, and both cars ended up off the track. Norris completed the pass while outside the white lines.
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The debate raged instantly.
- Did Max force him off?
- Did Norris gain a lasting advantage?
- Who reached the apex first?
The stewards gave Norris a five-second penalty. It was controversial because Max also left the track, but according to the "Driving Standards Guidelines," because Max had his nose ahead at the apex, he "owned" the corner. It felt harsh to McLaren fans. It felt like a masterclass in defensive manipulation to Red Bull fans.
Honestly, it showed that Lando still lacks that "killer instinct" or perhaps the "dark arts" knowledge that Max has refined over a decade. If Norris had stayed behind and tried again on the next lap with DRS, he probably would have cleared him legally. Instead, he lost the podium to Max and took a massive hit in the points standings.
The Midfield Heroes and the "New" Points Scorers
While the drama was happening at the front, some incredible stuff was going on in the back.
Liam Lawson. Remember that name? He was back in the RB (formerly AlphaTauri) replacing Daniel Ricciardo. He started from the back of the grid because of engine penalties and carved his way through the field to finish in the points. It was a statement drive. He wasn't just there to fill a seat; he was there to audition for Sergio Perez’s job.
Then you had Franco Colapinto in the Williams. The young Argentine was a revelation. He drove a mammoth first stint on the Hard tires, holding off more experienced drivers and eventually scoring a point. The "Colapinto-mania" was real in the grandstands.
Technical Reality: Is the Red Bull Era Over?
Looking back at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, it’s clear the RB20 had hit a development ceiling. Adrian Newey’s departure was already the talk of the town, and the car's balance issues were glaring.
The floor upgrades Red Bull brought to Austin helped—they were faster than they had been in Singapore—but they weren't the class of the field anymore. Ferrari and McLaren had caught up.
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Ferrari’s upgrade package, specifically the front wing and the floor modifications they introduced earlier in the European season, finally clicked on the bumpy Austin surface. The car wasn't just fast; it was stable. It could ride the bumps better than the McLaren, which struggled with the transition from high-speed to low-speed corners.
What Most People Got Wrong About Austin
A lot of analysts claimed McLaren "bottled" it.
I don't think that's true. They had the fastest car in clean air, but they struggled in the "dirty air" behind the Red Bull. The McLaren MCL38 is a sensitive beast. It needs airflow to generate that massive downforce. Once Lando got stuck behind Max, his front tires started to overheat, and he lost that edge.
Also, we shouldn't overlook the Haas team. At their home race, Nico Hulkenberg was "best of the rest" for a good chunk of the weekend. Their update to the sidepods and floor edges actually worked. It’s rare for a small team to bring an upgrade that delivers exactly what the wind tunnel promised, but Haas did it.
The Aftermath and the Title Race
This race basically settled the momentum. Even though Max didn't win, the fact that he outscored Norris in both the Sprint and the Main Race was the "nail in the coffin" for the 2024 title fight.
But for Ferrari? It was a rebirth. It put them back into the fight for the Constructors' Championship, something nobody thought possible after their mid-season slump.
Actionable Insights for F1 Fans and Analysts
If you're looking to understand why the 2024 United States Grand Prix mattered for the future of the sport, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the Apex: The FIA's "Driving Standards" are evolving. The Austin incident between Max and Lando has forced a rewrite of how stewards judge "leaving the track and gaining an advantage." Pay attention to the "apex rule" in future races; it’s the new legal battleground.
- Ferrari’s Tire Longevity: The Scuderia is no longer a "Saturday car." Their race pace is now their strongest asset. When looking at betting odds or fantasy F1 picks, don't just look at qualifying. Ferrari is built for the long haul now.
- The Rookie Resurgence: The performances of Lawson and Colapinto in Austin proved that the "talent gap" between the veterans and the F2 graduates is smaller than ever. The 2025/2026 grid will likely be much younger because of what we saw at COTA.
- Track Limits are a Design Flaw: Austin's "painted" track limits are a nightmare. Expect to see more "gravel strips" or "deterrent curbs" implemented at COTA in the coming years to prevent the kind of officiating mess we saw in 2024.
The United States Grand Prix remains the crown jewel of the American F1 expansion. It’s a "real" racing circuit that punishes mistakes and rewards bravery. While Miami is about the glitz and Vegas is about the spectacle, Austin is—and always will be—about the racing.