LISTEN: The F1 Nation crew at this tense tussle in Texas and what it means for the title race

After the pulsating return of Formula 1 to the USA, Max Verstappen now has “two fingers on the championship cup” with a 12-point lead in the title race after his first victory since Zandvoort and Damon Hill.

But as the 1996 champion knows, it’s only over – and five more races in this exciting season.

On this week’s F1 Nation podcast, Damon, Natalie Pinkham and Tom Clarkson share their thoughts on a tense tussle in Texas and answer F1 burning questions: Why didn’t Mercedes win Sunday’s race at what appeared to be Friday’s pace, what was key to Red Bull’s aggressive racing strategy, and how thirsty would Sergio Perez have been after a Grand Prix without a drink system?

READ MORE: 6 US Grand Prix Winners and 5 Losers – Who Got the crowd in Austin?

There are also reactions to the incredible Austin atmosphere, Ferrari’s close battle with McLaren, Fernando Alonso’s dice with his old title rival Kimi Raikkonen, the W-Series finale and the amazing sight of NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who is above the F1 -Podium enthroned.

Listen to the podcast here or in the player below – and if you have a question you’d like to ask ’96 Champ Damon, please record it as a voice memo and send it to askdamonhill[at]Gmail[dot]with.