US Grand Prix: Verstappen wins Sprint as McLarens collide!

Max Verstappen took a vital step toward keeping his Formula 1 title hopes alive with victory in a chaotic United States Grand Prix Sprint — a race defined by first-lap carnage that wiped out both McLarens and reshaped the championship picture.

Just one race after their minor Singapore tangle, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri found themselves at the heart of another disaster, this time with costly consequences.

The opening lap at COTA’s steep Turn 1 delivered drama immediately, and Verstappen, starting from pole, was the only frontrunner to emerge unscathed.

• United States Grand Prix - Sprint Race results

Chaos at Turn 1

As Verstappen led the field uphill, Norris defended from Piastri on the inside, but the Australian attempted a cutback that brought him into the path of Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber, who was charging up the inside.

Hulkenberg was squeezed between Piastri and Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, triggering a chain reaction that saw Piastri flicked into Norris.

Both McLarens suffered terminal damage and retired on the spot. Alonso was tagged and out, while Hulkenberg limped to the pits for a new front wing. Behind them, Lance Stroll tangled with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, forcing both to pit.

The track was littered with debris, prompting a safety car that lasted until lap six — a pause that gave Verstappen breathing room but compressed the chaos behind.

Russell Pressures, Verstappen Holds Firm

When racing resumed, Verstappen managed the restart perfectly to stay ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes. Behind them, Williams’ Carlos Sainz emerged as a surprise contender in third, capitalising on the early melee to vault past both Ferraris.

Further back, Yuki Tsunoda delivered one of the drives of the day. The Red Bull driver stormed from 18th on the grid to seventh, astonishingly dragging a piece of Hulkenberg’s detached front wing under his car for several corners.

Verstappen, though leading comfortably, wasn’t entirely at ease. “The rear suspension doesn’t feel great,” he radioed, clearly frustrated with the RB21’s balance on COTA’s bumpy surface. His pace was solid rather than dominant, and Russell saw an opening on lap eight, lunging down the inside at Turn 12.

The Mercedes driver came close but overcooked the move, allowing Verstappen to escape — though not without a raised eyebrow.

Late Drama but No Change at the Front

Russell’s challenge faded in the second half of the 19-lap dash, while Hamilton made the only major move among the frontrunners, slipping past Charles Leclerc for fourth on lap nine.

The closing laps saw more drama courtesy of Stroll, who dived recklessly at Turn 1 on lap 16 and wiped out Haas’ Esteban Ocon. The incident brought out a second safety car and effectively froze the order to the finish.

Verstappen duly crossed the line to secure his seventh Sprint win, ahead of Russell and Sainz. Hamilton and Leclerc completed the top five, with Alex Albon giving Williams another strong finish in sixth ahead of Tsunoda.

Haas rookie Oliver Bearman initially claimed the final point in eighth, but a 10-second penalty for leaving the track in an earlier move dropped him to last, promoting Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

With the McLarens sidelined, Verstappen slashed the championship deficit to 55 points behind leader Oscar Piastri and 33 behind Norris, with six Grands Prix and two Sprints still remaining.

For Red Bull, it was a day of quiet satisfaction — and for Verstappen, a reminder that his title defence, improbable as it seemed weeks ago, is far from over.