Verstappen rules F1 title fight "all about the details"

Max Verstappen believes the 2021 Formula 1 drivers' championship will be decided 'by the details' after scoring his first United States Grand Prix victory.

Arriving at the Circuit of the Americas, Mercedes and Hamilton were tipped for success with the seven-time champion previously victorious five times at the venue.

First practice backed up this picture with Mercedes holding a nine-tenth advantage to Red Bull but across the weekend the margin shrunk with Verstappen taking pole on Saturday.

Despite Hamilton fighting his way past into turn one, an aggressive strategy allowed Verstappen to retake the initiative and stretch his lead to 12 points in the drivers' standings.

Asked how much confidence the win gave him with five races to go, Verstappen replied: "This doesn’t really change a lot because it’s all about the details - I always say it - so a win doesn’t give me more confidence or whatever.

"We are all confident within the team that we can do a really good job – but we need to nail the details and we have to start over again in Mexico, to try to get the best out of our whole package."

On the details Red Bull aced across the weekend, Verstappen explained: "First of all, I think the turnaround from Friday to Saturday with the car, I think we found a better set-up.

"But then again also to the race. We, of course, start on pole, we lose the [lead] and we went aggressive on strategy and it paid out.

"But it can also very easily swing, if you go too early or if you’re not reacting in time so it’s really tough out there when it’s so close between two teams."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Fernando Alonso returns to McLaren, insider reacts: 'It opened my wounds'

• 9 minutes ago

F1 legend delivers brutal V8 verdict after FIA engine U-turn

• 1 hour ago

Max Verstappen Red Bull fear grows after key figure exit

• 2 hours ago

McLaren hit back over Lewis Hamilton's F1 upgrade claims

• 3 hours ago

F1 News Today: Lewis Hamilton tipped for bombshell announcement, Horner causes uproar

• Today 07:42

Lando Norris reveals honest take on F1 rival's title win: 'This is sick what is this?!'

• Yesterday 22:42