Carlos Sainz in the spotlight after Austin performance

Max Verstappen may have won the driver of the day vote at the US Grand Prix, but he has incurred the wrath of Red Bull's motorsport advisor Dr. Helmut Marko

The young Dutchman retired from the race with a gearbox problem but a stand out moment in his race was when he pitted, despite there being no call from the team for him to do so.

"We have 80 engineers and strategists, but it's all useless if a driver decides alone to come into the pits," Austrian Marko told Bild newspaper.

Instead it was another driver in the Red Bull family who was the subject of praise - Verstappen's former Toro Rosso team mate Carlos Sainz.

"I think with performances like Austin, and many other messages he has sent this season, Carlos has a very long future in F1," Spanish pundit Antonio Lobato told El Mundo.

Sainz's father agreed, telling Marca: "I think it was his best race since he has been in F1."

Red Bull supremo Marko, who dblocked a swtich to Renault for the Spaniard was also singing the praises of the 22-year-old

"It was the best race I've seen him do in F1," he said.

The highlight of Sainz's race was his duel with compatriot Fernando Alonso, leading Spanish newspaper AS to brand him as the two-time world champion's "worthy successor".

"I think Fernando is still the best driver on the grid," Sainz said, "but I'm also very happy because I think I put everything I have and more into our fight."