Max Verstappen pushed so hard in his recovery dri🍷ve to finish second in the United St🍒ates Grand Prix that he “destroyed” a pair of his Formula 1 racing boots.

The Red Bull driver, who started from 18th on the grid following a penalty for taking on a new gearbox after damaging his suspension during qualifying, charged through the order to ꦦfinish second behind Ferrari’s Kimi Rai𒐪kkonen.

Verstappen jumped Valtteri Bottas in the pit stop window and later gained a place on Lewis Hamilton when the championship leader was forced into a two-stop strategy, before closing onto the back of Raikkonen, who held on for a popular vi🐎ctory.

“It was a bit unexpected but a good start, a good first lap, and then very quickly we were back into P5, P4 a꧋nd we could just follow the leaders and we had really good pace," Verstappen said. 

“We made the right call to 🌠undercut Valtteri and from there onwa💯rds we could do our own race.

“I think in the end we could put a bit of pressure on but unfortunately in the last three or four laps I ran out of tyres on the Supersꩲoft compared to the guys on the soft around me.

“But I’m still very happy. I destroyed my shoe - I think I was pushing a bit hard but it felt good.”

Verstappen was also forced to defend from Hamilton in the closing stages as the Briton looked to move himself into a position to win the title, but the Dutchman was ab🌄le to hold on in a thrilling battle in the f🎶inal sector.

Reflecting on the duel, Verstappen said: “At that time I was really struggling with the rear tyres. I locked up through Turn 12 and then there was a go🔯od fight through th🍸e Esses.

“Then Lewis𝓰 came close and yeah, we had a fe🍨w corners where I had to close the door a little bit. Then he tried around the outside – but I was on the edge already in the fast corners so I was just sliding a lot.

“I saw also that Lewis ra🎐n out of room and then, of course, if you go a bit wide you get a lot of marbles on the tyres so it takes like a lap before they have grip again. So happy to finish second.”