Max Verstappen boosts F1 title lead with United States GP sprint win
Max Verstappen wins sprint with Lando Norris third to extend F1 championship lead by two points.
Max Verstappen extended his F1 championship lead over title rival Lando Norris with a controlled victory in the United States Grand Prix sprint race.
The Red Bull driver and reigning world champion never looked under threat on his way to a comfortable victory which maintained his record of winning all four sprint races to have taken place so far this year.
A charging Carlos Sainz surged past Norris on the final lap to claim second, and crucially take a point off the Briton, who had gained two places off the line with a brilliant start.
Norris managed to hold off the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc to take third, despite nearly colliding with the Monegasque during a squabble right at the end of the 19-lap race.
Verstappen’s 11th sprint triumph since the format was introduced in 2021 has seen him increase his advantage over Norris by two points. The Dutchman’s gap is now 54 points with six grands prix and two sprint races remaining.
George Russell lost ground at the start and struggled with his tyres as he slipped back to fifth, just ahead of Mercedes teammate and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg completed the points scorers in seventh and eighth as Haas moved level on points with midfield rivals RB in the battle to secure sixth place in the constructors’ championship.
Sergio Perez missed out on points in ninth for Red Bull, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri recovered from 16th to finish 10th.
Qualifying for Sunday's United States Grand Prix takes place at 11pm BST.
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