Verstappen Wins 2025 US Sprint as McLaren Duo Collide

Max Verstappen won the 2025 US Sprint as McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided. 

Verstappen led from lights to flag to take victory from George Russell who finished second after McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were eliminated in an opening corner collision, before the race finished behind the safety car following a collision between Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon.

Williams’ Carlos Sainz finished third from Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda and Andrea Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top eight finishers.

In the standings, Piastri remained 22 points clear of Norris but reigning champion – Verstappen cut his title deficit to 55 points.

At lights out, Verstappen got a lightning start ahead of Norris who ran deep into turn 1 but just behind him, Piastri turned sharply into the opening corner which sent Hulkenberg into Alonso, whilst he rebounded from the contact unavoidably into the side of Norris to put both McLaren drivers and Alonso out of the sprint.

The safety car consequently was deployed until the end of lap 5 and once racing resumed the next lap, Verstappen headed Russell who attempted an inside move at turn 12 on lap 8 but braked too deep and the pair ran wide with Verstappen re-emerging in the lead.

Verstappen subsequently sprinted away to take victory from Russell and Albon after the race finished behind the safety car following a lap 16 collision between Ocon and Stroll, after the latter broke too deep into turn 1 and clipped Ocon into a spin.

Hamilton finished fourth after he passed Leclerc on lap 9 into turn 12 after a mistake from the Monegasque.

Albon, Tsunoda and Bearman completed the top eight finishers, but Bearman received a five-second time penalty for defending from Antonelli off track, which dropped the Brit to 15th and Antonelli inherited the final point.

F1 now turns its focus to US GP Qualifying at 4pm CST (10pm UK Time) today (18 October).