AUSTIN, Texas: Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari its first US Grand Prix victory since 2018 with a commanding drive Sunday, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen strengthened his lead in the F1 season championship with a podium finish awarded by a late penalty on McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Verstappen finished third after Norris was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track to pass Verstappen in the final laps.

Norris’ pass came after the two drivers had battled for the final podium spot and critical championship points over several laps and Verstappen had stubbornly refused to give ground.

Verstappen immediately complained after Norris passed him. The McLaren driver insisted Verstappen also left the track.

“It was a tough battle. I tied to do everything I could to keep him behind. To be on the podium is a good result,” Verstappen said. “I have my opinion (on the penalty). I’ll let the stewards do their thing.”

The penalty and fourth place finish may cost Norris dearly in the title chase. Verstappen stretched his championship lead over Norris from 54 points to 57 with five grand prix and two sprint races left.

Leclerc earned his third win of the season and Ferrari pulled a 1-2 finish with his teammate Carlos Sainz in second. Kimi Raikkonen had been the last Ferrari winner at the Circuit of the Americas in 2018.

“We couldn’t have dreamed for better,” Leclerc said. “It was a bit of a lonely race, but a good kind of lonely.”

The bigger battle was raging behind them. Verstappen and Norris tangled at the start and fought over every inch of the track in the final dozen laps.

Verstappen has not won a grand prix since June and Norris has steadily chipped away at his lead as the Red Bull car has faded. Yet Verstappen still stretched his lead by five points over the weekend by also winning Saturday’s sprint race.

Norris leaves Austin knowing he squandered a big chance to gain ground. He had even earned pole position for Sunday’s race.

Verstappen started right beside him and the fireworks between the drivers ignited in the first turn.

Both cars run wide, leaving room for Leclerc to pounce on the opening. The Ferrari driver jumped from fourth and straight into the lead, and quickly drove off for the victory.

Norris complained Verstappen forced him off the track. It was just the start of a scrap they would rejoin late in the race.

Verstappen said he “enjoyed the battle today” and had little sympathy for Norris losing the podium. Verstappen noted he was stripped of a podium finish in Austin in 2017 for a pass that was determined to be illegal.

“I just tried to remain calm and bring the car to the end,” Verstappen said.

That was key. Norris’ pace late in the race was good enough that he could have given the place back to Verstappen and tried to pass him again.

Instead, Norris chose to try to stretch the gap ahead of Verstappen to more than five seconds to nullify the penalty. He only got to 4.1 seconds.

“He defends by going off-track, he overtakes by going off-track. But I’m not going to complain. Max drove well and he defended well, we had a good race together. But the rules are the rules.” Norris told Sky Sport F1.

McLaren team principal Andre Stella said race stewards “interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport.”

“Both cars went off track so both cars gained an advantage,” Stella said. “It’s a shame because it cost us a podium.”

Hamilton misery

It was a race weekend to forget for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton who once dominated at COTA.

Hamilton’s race ended on the second lap after poor qualifying left him starting from 17th. He quicky shoot up to 12th, then spun his car into gravel and retired. It was the first time the seven-time champion failed to finish a race in the US

Hamilton was disqualified from his second-place finish in 2023 after his car failed a postrace inspection. Hamilton has five wins at COTA but none since 2017. He will race for Ferrari next season.

Sunday wasn’t a total loss for Mercedes. George Russell started in pit lane after a crash in qualifying and stormed through the field to sixth.

“Thanks to everyone for fixing the car. Drinks on me tonight,” Russell said over team radio.

Team title

The 1-2 finish has pulled Ferrari within eight points of Red Bull in the lucrative team constructors championship and within 48 points of McLaren.

“We are still targeting the (team) title,” Leclerc said. “It’s an optimistic goal, but that’s what we’re here for.”

BARCELONA: Red-hot Robert Lewandowski and Pablo Torre struck twice each as Barcelona hammered Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday to stay three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of next weekend’s Clasico.
Los Blancos beat Celta Vigo on Saturday to pull level with Hansi Flick’s side but Barca swiftly restored their advantage with a dominant display of attacking football.
Veteran striker Lewandowski reached 12 goals in 10 La Liga matches, his strikes sandwiching Pedri Gonzalez’s effort from the edge of the box, before substitute Torre added the fourth.
Stanis Idumbo grabbed a consolation for Sevilla in the final stages but Francisco Garcia Pimienta’s side were roundly beaten on his return to the club he spent nearly three decades with in various roles.
Torre finished the rout with a crossed free-kick which flew beyond Nyland and in at the far post.
Despite upcoming clashes against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Saturday’s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, Hansi Flick started arguably his strongest fit and available side.
The coach was able to name Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez and Gavi on the bench after injury, the latter sidelined since November 2023 following a knee operation.
Ansu Fati started for the first time this season after Eric Garcia felt discomfort in the warm-up, with Raphinha shifting into a central attacking midfield position.
Lamine Yamal, starting after recovering from a minor hamstring strain which saw Spain release him from international duty early, curled off target early on after a spritely burst past two Sevilla players.
The Catalans took the lead when Raphinha went down in the box under light contact from Peque, a former Barca youth player, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Lewandowski, stuttering in his run-up, sent Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland the wrong way to fire Barca ahead.
The 36-year-old striker is enjoying a second wind under Flick and leads Spain’s scoring charts with 12 strikes in 10 matches, twice as many as any other player.
Pedri soon doubled Barcelona’s lead from the edge of the box after the active Yamal set him up. The teenage Spain star then threaded through Lewandowski but Nyland made a fine save to deny him.
Polish veteran Lewandowski netted his second before the break by guiding home Raphinha’s drive from distance with a flick of his boot.
Suffering Sevilla were dealt more bad news before the break when explosive winger Chidera Ejuke limped off injured.
Raphinha fired home early in the second half but was offside, as Barcelona strolled, carving open the Andalucians at their leisure.
Yamal produced an outrageous shot from distance with the outside of his boot which Nyland clawed to safety.
Dodi Lukebakio struck at the other end on a rare Sevilla forray forward but had strayed offside.
Barca midfielder Pablo Torre rattled home the fourth with the aid of a deflection before Gavi made his first appearance in 11 months as a substitute with a few minutes remaining to a rapturous reception.
Idumbo pulled one back for Sevilla but Torre wrapped up Barcelona’s night with a stroke of fortune when his free-kick crept in at the far post.