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US Grand Prix 2021: Shaq hijacks Formula 1 in ‘awkward’ moment

Everyone was making the same joke as NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal stole the show in a hilarious moment at the United States Grand Prix.

Tyson OttoTyson Otto
@tottodtsport
6 min read
October 25, 2021 - 9:12AM

Max Verstappen has extended his lead in the Formula 1 world championship to 12 points after a dramatic United States Grand Prix on Monday morning.

Red Bull took the honours on the back of an early pit stop gamble — which paid off massively.

The race got off to a hot start with Hamilton jumping Verstappen off the line — but the early drama was all undone a few laps later when Red Bull pulled the rug our from under Hamilton with their first stop.

Hamilton got close enough to have a nibble at his championship rival in the final laps, but Verstappen never really looked like coughing up the lead.

Aussie Daniel Ricciardo finished P5 after a heated battle with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Sainz accused the Aussie of a “dirty” move late in the race when the pair made contact.

Ricciardo’s fifth-placed finish has seen him cut the gap to Sainz on the championship standings.

Ricciardo is now 18 points behind the Spaniard in the fight for seventh in the championship standings.

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Race winner Max Verstappen. Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images/AFP.
Race winner Max Verstappen. Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images/AFP.

McLaren teammate Lando Norris finished eighth and has now dropped behind Sergio Perez in the championship race.

Red Bull had two men on the podium with Perez finishing third.

Red Bull, however, were overshadowed during the podium celebration when NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal popped up to present the victory trophy.

The 2.1m colossus made a grand entrance into pit lane in a comical, open-top hot rod.

But it was the sight of the 49-year-old standing behind the podium between Verstappen and Hamilton that has caused the most chatter on social media.

Shaq loomed as a huge figure standing eye ball to eye ball with the two drivers, despite the pair standing on podiums.

Shaquille O'Neal on the victory podium. Photo: Twitter, @ZiggoSportF1.
Shaquille O'Neal on the victory podium. Photo: Twitter, @ZiggoSportF1.

Some described the scene as “awkward” when he was ushered onto the podium — only to stand there with nothing to do before the Dutch National Anthem was played.

Plenty of F1 commentators found it too difficult to ignore the impulse to make the joke about Shaq finishing the race in P1.5.

Shaq also shook hands with Lewis Hamilton after handing the trophy to Verstappen.

Hamilton admitted after the race, Red Bull were simply too strong across the weekend.

“Firstly congratulations to Max, he did a great job today,” Hamilton said before the podium celebrations.

“It was such a tough race. Got a good start and gave it absolutely everything but at the end of the day they just had the upper hand this weekend.”

Shaq presents Max with the trophy. Photo: Kayo.
Shaq presents Max with the trophy. Photo: Kayo.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Verstappen on the team radio after the victory: “Sheer class Max, that was classy. What a drive. What a drive”.

He admitted after the race he was beyond nervous about the team’s early stop strategy that ultimately decided the race.

Verstappen won the race by just 1.3 seconds.

The crucial moment may have been lap 54 when Hamilton was bizarrely 0.5 seconds slower, despite being on a charge with the fresher tyres.

The championship now heads to Mexico in two weeks — a venue that has traditionally been friendly to Red Bull.

Read on below to see how the drama unfolded.

Verstappen holds off Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton got too within one second behind race leader Max Verstappen on fresher tyres with the finish line in sight.

Verstappen, however, took it easy on his tyres earlier in his final run, in an attempt to keep them fresher for when Hamilton eventually made his move in the final laps of the race.

The critical moment of the Grand Prix arrived and departed without drama as Verstappen fended off his rival to win in America for the first time.

Ricciardo accused of ‘dirty’ move

Daniel Ricciardo is racing wheel to wheel with Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz.

On lap 43 the pair made contact with Sainz attempt to overtake the Australian around the outside of a turn.
Sainz has been behind Ricciardo the entire race since the opening lap.

Daniel Ricciardo's contact with Carlos Sainz. Photo: Twitter, @F1.
Daniel Ricciardo's contact with Carlos Sainz. Photo: Twitter, @F1.

He has never been close to re-taking the P5 spot he lost to the McLaren driver at the start of the race.

Sainz was not happy with the line Ricciardo took in the turn defending his place.

“That got a bit dirty, he did that on purpose,” Sainz said.

Hamilton eating away at Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap of the race on lap 41, cutting Max Verstappen’s lead to less than six seconds.

Their game of cat and mouse has set up an epic battle to the finish line with the Mercedes driver on the fresher tyres.

Hamilton’s crazy radio quip before final pit stop

Max Verstappen pitted on lap 30 with the Red Bull on a very different strategy to rival Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton eventually responded on lap 38, giving him fresher tyres in the run to the chequered flag.

Daniel Ricciardo also pitted after seeing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz attempt an undercut — and the McLaren driver was able to hold on to his place after the Ferraris put in a slow pit stop.

Ricciardo rejoined the race in P6 behind Valtteri Bottas — but the Mercedes driver still needs to pit.

Red Bull’s gamble to pit Verstappen early has gifted him the race lead, but it leaves him vulnerable to holding off Hamilton — who will be on fresher tyres — at the end of the race.

Hamilton does not seem flustered.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was heard telling the world champ on team radio: “We are racing for the win”.

Hamilton responded: “Leave it to me bro, thanks”.

Hamilton rejoined in P2, eight seconds behind Verstappen.

Ricciardo under threat after dropping behind

Daniel Ricciardo has dropped 14 seconds behind Charles Leclerc and is now struggling to hold off Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz in the battle for P5.

McLaren teammate Lando Norris is also just a few seconds behind the Australian.

At the front of the grid, Lewis Hamilton has cut Max Verstappen’s lead to just three seconds.

Red Bull gives Lewis Hamilton an ‘uppercut’

Red Bull squeezed Mercedes into a costly error when Lewis Hamilton was forced to pit just four laps after Max Verstappen had been called into the pits early by his team to attempt an undercut.

Hamilton was forced to cut his first run after just 14 laps because of the threat of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

The world champion rejoined the race six seconds behind Verstappen.

Lewis Hamilton clawing his way back. Photo: F1.
Lewis Hamilton clawing his way back. Photo: F1.

“That was more of an uppercut than an undercut,” veteran F1 journalist Mark Gallagher posted on Twitter.

After 20 laps, the race order showed:

1. Max Verstappen

2. Lewis Hamilton

3. Sergio Perez

4. Charles Leclerc

5. Daniel Ricciardo

Verstappen gambles after 10 laps

Max Verstappen came into the pits on lap 10, triggering half the field to follow his lead.

Verstappen had been breathing down Lewis Hamilton’s neck, but gambled on the early stop to try and undercut his Mercedes rival when he complained about hot brakes.

It ended up paying off for Red Bull with Lewis Hamilton eventually dragged into the pits four laps later. He rejoined the race behind Verstappen in P2.

Daniel Ricciardo also came in one lap later and rejoined the race in P7, behind Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen who elected not to pit.

Wild start to US Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton snatched the race lead in the bolt to Turn 1 when Max Verstappen appeared to get a slow start off the line.

Hamilton battled Sergio Perez through the first couple turns before Verstappen got past his Red Bull teammate to settle in behind Hamilton at the end of the first lap.

Daniel Ricciardo was locked in a fierce battle with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and teammate Lando Norris. He climbed up to fifth and then fell back to seventh as the trio jostled wheel to wheel.

Ricciardo eventually snuck through and settled into the race in P5.

Daniel Ricciardo with Carlos Sainz. Photo: Twitter, @F1.
Daniel Ricciardo with Carlos Sainz. Photo: Twitter, @F1.

“It’s all happening,” Sky Sports commentator David Croft said.

Replays showed Perez gifted his place to Verstappen.

Late drama rocks US GP

There were fears some late car drama may have cost Pierre Gasly his spot on the grid as mechanics worked frantically on his machinery just minutes before lights out.

Thankfully for the AlphaTauri driver, a quick sensor change was all that was needed and he was good to go.

Ricciardo’s golden pre-race antics

Adopting an American accent isn’t all Daniel Ricciardo had planned for his race weekend in Austin.

The Aussie rocked up to the pre-race parade rocking a Texas Longhorns singlet, tight black jeans and cowboy hat as he played up to the locals in the crowd.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/formula-one/us-grand-prix-2021-live-updates-results/news-story/25abf53fa079c206b0c85be765301bae