Red Bull’s calculations f🙈orecasted that Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 tyres would run out of life before th🦄e end of Sunday’s United States Grand Prix, according to team boss Christian Horner.

Verstappen turned in a remarkable recovery drive from 18th on the grid to finish second in Austin, holding off a late charge from Lewis Hamilton to take second, just 1.🐼2s behind race-winner Kimi Raikkonen.

The Dutc♕hman successfully undercut Valtteri Bottas and also jumped ahead o꧃f Hamilton into second when Mercedes committed to a two-stop strategy following severe blistering on the Soft compound.

Running on an alternati▨ve strategy, Verstappen𝕴 managed 34 laps on Supersofts despite Red Bull’s fears the tyres would not go the distance.

“We run a whole bunch of simulations to try and monitor what’s going on with tyres and everything was telling us we were going to be out o☂f tyres with six laps to go,” Horner told Sky Sports F1.

“Speaking to Max, he seemed pretty confident he could manage it and it was just about managing 🐻in the high-speed corners to gℱet to the end of the race.”

Horner reckons Verstappen’s charging fightback and his defence from Hamilton in the clꦗosing stages highlighted all of his star q🌠uality.

“He’s beat༺en the poleman and to be racing for the lead at the end of the race there, defended against Lewis [Hamﷺilton] on a much better tyre, I mean what a drive,” he said.

🌠“This is vintage Max. He just will not give up. It was great racing, fair racing, between two hard racers and💙 that’s what the people turn their TVs on for to see.”

Asked ♍if there was a point Red Bull thought a win was possible, Horner rep🍨lied: “I think we always knew that there’s a lot of focus going on behind about Lewis and Kimi, and you could see the gaps getting closer and closer.

“I think perhaps without Lewis behind hi🤪m in the last few laps, he may well of had a good go.”