Austin rewind: Three memorable moments from the United States Grand Prix
22 October 2026Formula 1 returns to Austin for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, with the Circuit of the Americas having played host to plenty of unforgettable moments since joining the calendar in 2012.
From Lewis Hamilton's final victory for McLaren to a championship-deciding showdown and Kimi Räikkönen ending a five-year wait for a win, here are three of the most memorable moments from the United States Grand Prix.
1. 2012: Hamilton and Vettel vie for victory
Vettel had secured pole position for Red Bull at the inaugural Circuit of the Americas race, and controlled the early stages, but Hamilton kept the pressure on, gradually reducing the gap to the reigning World Champion.
The decisive moment came on Lap 42, when Vettel lost valuable time navigating a backmarker through the opening sector, allowing Hamilton to close right onto the back of his Red Bull.
With the benefit of DRS, Hamilton swept past Vettel on the long straight towards Turn 12 and took the lead. Despite Vettel's best efforts to fight back, Hamilton held on to take his 21st and final win for McLaren by less than a second.
2. 2015: Hamilton seals his third World Championship
Three years later, Lewis Hamilton returned to Austin with an opportunity to secure his third Formula 1 World Championship, but Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg was determined to keep the title fight alive.
Hamilton took the lead following an aggressive move on polesitter Rosberg at Turn 1. With changing track conditions and several Safety Car interruptions, the pair traded positions throughout an unpredictable race.
Rosberg eventually reclaimed the lead and looked on course for victory, but a late Safety Car brought Hamilton back into contention on fresher tyres. With just eight laps remaining, Rosberg lost control of his Mercedes on the exit of Turn 12, running wide and allowing Hamilton to slip through into first place.
Hamilton held on to take his tenth win of the season, securing his third Drivers' Championship with three rounds remaining, but it was a certain hat-throwing incident in the post-race cooldown room that would become even more memorable.
3. 2018: Räikkönen ends his five-year wait for victory
Kimi Räikkönen arrived at the 2018 United States Grand Prix having not stood on the top step of the podium since the 2013 Australian Grand Prix, but the Finn was about to bring that long wait to an end.
Starting second for Ferrari, Räikkönen made a strong getaway and passed pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton into Turn 1, taking the lead of the race. Hamilton remained a threat throughout, but an early pit stop left the Mercedes driver on a different strategy, allowing Räikkönen to regain the advantage as the race entered its closing stages.
The Ferrari driver still had work to do, with Max Verstappen closing in behind after charging through the field from 18th on the grid. Despite the pressure, Räikkönen kept his cool and crossed the line just 1.281 seconds ahead of Verstappen, ending a 114-race run without a victory, to take the 21st and final win of his career.
