Verstappen – Photo: Instagram
Max Verstappen, from Red Bull, secured victory in the sprint race of the United States Grand Prix in Formula 1, held this Saturday (18) at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. The Dutchman, who started from pole, earned eight crucial points in the championship after a start marked by a collision between McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who both retired. The incident at Turn 1 also affected Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg, while the race ended under safety car due to another crash between Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon.
The 19-lap sprint highlighted Verstappen’s dominance on the Texas track, where he held the lead from the start. Piastri, the championship leader with 336 points, and Norris, with 314, saw their advantage reduced to 55 and 33 points, respectively, after the setback. The race underscores the tight battle in the 2025 season, with six races remaining.
FIA stewards classified the initial crash as a racing incident, with no penalties applied.
- Verstappen crossed the finish line under safety car, securing first place.
- George Russell, from Mercedes, took second place after the restart.
- Carlos Sainz, from Williams, finished third, marking his second sprint podium this year.
Decisive start reshapes sprint order
The sprint’s start exposed coordination flaws at McLaren, as Piastri attempted to overtake Norris on the inside at Turn 1. The contact caused irreparable damage to both cars, forcing their immediate retirement. Alonso, hit by Hulkenberg, who was touched by Piastri, also left the track with a destroyed front wing.
Hulkenberg returned after pit repairs but lost valuable positions. Russell seized the opportunity to take second, while Sainz moved from seventh to third. Leclerc, from Ferrari, gained six positions in the initial chaos, climbing to fourth before being overtaken by Hamilton.
Debris scattered across the track triggered yellow flags, and the safety car remained for five laps for cleanup.
Restart tests Verstappen’s defense
After the initial neutralization, the restart on lap 6 saw Russell pressure Verstappen with DRS on the main straight. The Dutchman defended his position, forcing the Briton off the racing line, but stewards deemed it a racing incident. Hamilton then overtook Leclerc to claim fourth, securing Ferrari in the points zone.
Sainz maintained a steady pace behind Russell, benefiting from lower wear on medium tires. Albon, from Williams, emerged in sixth after opportunistic overtakes in the midfield. Red Bull’s conservative strategy preserved Verstappen’s lead, who managed gaps without errors.
Tsunoda, from Red Bull’s junior team, scored in seventh, while Antonelli completed the top eight in his competitive Mercedes debut.
Late crash triggers final safety car
On lap 17, Stroll braked late at Turn 1 and collided with Ocon, damaging both cars and prompting the second safety car. The move, deemed erroneous by race control, ended the sprint without a restart, with the checkered flag waved virtually. Stroll and Ocon retired, adding to the race’s seven retirements.
Verstappen secured an uncontested victory, while Russell and Sainz completed the podium. Hamilton finished fourth, ahead of Leclerc, who faced scrutiny for possible yellow flag infringement but escaped punishment. The series of incidents raised the total retirements to seven, a record for 2025 sprints.
Updated standings boost championship fight
Piastri remains in the lead with 336 points, but the American weekend exposes McLaren’s vulnerabilities in tight starts. Verstappen, now at 281, claims his 13th sprint win and pressures rivals in Austin, a track favorable to Red Bull.
Norris lamented the internal contact, while Piastri attributed the error to three cars converging. Alonso criticized the lack of space at the turn, noting damage that compromises his qualifying for the main GP.
- Leader Piastri: 336 points, 22 ahead of Norris.
- Norris: 314 points, misses chance to extend lead.
- Verstappen: 281 points, gains 8 and closes to 55 from the top.
The qualifying for the GP is at 6 PM Brasília time, setting Sunday’s grid.
Key retirements in Austin
The Circuit of the Americas recorded the highest number of retirements in a sprint since 2023, with seven drivers out. Turn 1, known for aggressive moves, saw four incidents, including McLaren’s double crash and Stroll-Ocon. Alonso, the third affected, had his points streak broken for the second time this month.
Hulkenberg, despite returning, finished 13th after a wing change. Colapinto, from Alpine, crossed in 14th, holding his own in the chaos. Bearman, from Haas, scored in 15th, while Bortoleto, from Sauber, finished 11th without incidents.
Gasly avoided trouble and finished 10th, earning points for Alpine. Hadjar, from Racing Bulls, placed 12th, behind Lawson.
Full sprint results highlight points
Verstappen leads with 8 points, followed by Russell (7), Sainz (6), Hamilton (5), and Leclerc (4). Albon (3), Tsunoda (2), and Antonelli (1) complete the points zone. Lawson and Gasly share ninth and tenth, with one point each.
The retirements of Stroll, Ocon, Norris, Piastri, and Alonso resulted in zero points. The race distributed 17 points in total, standard for the format, and boosts Verstappen’s championship score to 281.
Lawson, from Racing Bulls, advanced from 16th to ninth, while Hulkenberg recovered limited ground.
