“It’s all about damage limitation now”: Lewis Hamilton feels that Max Verstappen has the upper hand in the Championship battle after the Red Bull driver’s win in Austin

"It's all about damage limitation now": Lewis Hamilton feels that Max Verstappen has the upper hand in the Championship battle after the Red Bull driver's win in Austin

Lewis Hamilton feels that his Championship hopes are in jeopardy following Max Verstappen’s victory at the US Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had a very closely fought battle at COTA this Sunday. However, it was the former who came on top after an aggressive strategy gamble paid off for him.

Hamilton is now 12 points behind the Red Bull driver, and the Briton does not feel confident going into the last five races of the season. The Briton admits that they have to expect a very tough battle to stop Verstappen from winning the title.

“We are going to the next two tracks which are very strong circuits for Red Bull. It is going to be tough,” Hamilton said. “We will just try and minimize how strong they can be compared to us, and see if we can do a better job.”

“I am trying not to think about it at the moment, but be happy with the job I did today. I am living in the moment and will take it one race at a time.”

Max Verstappen was just too quick for us, says Lewis Hamilton

Despite getting off to a dream start, Hamilton could not capitalize on it. The Mercedes driver struggled to get away, and Verstappen stayed on his tail for 10 laps before the latter decided to pit.

The strategy Red Bull had for the Dutchman was precarious, but his car’s overall performance and fantastic driving led to the 24-year-old winning his 8th race of the season.

“The goal was to get in the lead, and I finally got a good start,” added Hamilton. “I have not had as good a start like that for a long time. I was really happy with it.

“So, it was about staying clean, coming out ahead, and holding on to it. It felt good at the time, and like, ‘hey this is step one’, but they were just too quick.”

Hamilton and Verstappen resume their quest for the title in two weeks when F1 returns to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico.

Also read: “It’s been a real challenge”– Why are Red Bull suddenly quicker against Mercedes at COTA?

Post Edited By: Tanish Chachra
F1 Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Mercedes Red Bull US GP

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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