Acura's return to Formula 1 came with wins for Honda and Red Bull
This was the first time we saw Acura logos on an F1 car in over a decade.
It's been a hot minute since we last saw the Acura logo on a Formula 1 car. But at the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas this weekend, Acura was on prominent display. Good thing, too, since Honda Red Bull driver Max Verstappen drove his butt off to take the win in Austin -- with a big ol' Acura logo on his car's wing.
The last time we saw Acura logos on a Honda F1 car was back in 2007, during the Canadian Grand Prix, with drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jensen Button. Before that, it was on the visors of Honda F1 drivers from 1989 through 1992, including those of legends Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, and at both the US and Canadian Grands Prix.
After taking pole position during qualifying on Saturday, Verstappen quickly fell behind Mercedes-Benz driver Lewis Hamilton. The two traded places a few times throughout the race, with Verstappen ultimately finishing first -- his eighth win of the year.
While Verstappen came in first, teammate Sergio Perez took third and had a significant issue with his car.
"The pressure was on for the whole race and not knowing how quickly Lewis would catch up," Verstappen said in a statement. "I actually thought I had a decent start, but Lewis had an even better one."
Verstappen's Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, finished third in Austin. That's impressive in its own right, but especially so considering a major issue Perez had with his car.
"I wasn't feeling great before the race and then my drink system stopped working on the first lap and with the hot weather ... it was very physical and a pretty tough afternoon," Perez said. "I was struggling massively and by lap 20 I was done, so it was a shame I couldn't keep up with Max and Lewis." Still, when the checkered flag waved after 56 laps, Perez managed to hold his position. "That was the hardest and longest race of my life," he said.
The next race on the Formula 1 calendar will take place in Mexico City on Nov. 7. Both the Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri teams will be there, with Verstappen and Perez working hard to bring Honda -- and Acura -- to victory once again.
