Max Verstappen takes US Grand Prix sprint success for Red Bull

Max Verstappen picked up victory for Red Bull in the F1 sprint event at the United States Grand Prix in Texas.

Having taken pole position in Friday’s sprint qualifying, the Red Bull saw the job through, keeping the chasing park at arms’ length for the 19-lap race at the Circuit of the Americas and taking victory and 8 points, with his main Driver’s Championship rival Lando Norris finishing third and taking 6 points.

Win in the sprint event was the first F1 event Max Verstappen has won since he won the sprint event at the Austrian Grand Prix back in June, which was also the last sprint race held in 2024.

Sergio Perez was unable to make it a double points finish in the sprint for Red Bull. The Mexican had started from 11th place on the grid, and was able to advance up to 9th, but in a race where only the top 8 score points, it meant that he did not pick up any, with Perez finishing over 3 seconds behind Nico Hulkenberg in the final points-paying position.

The result means that Verstappen extends his lead in the F1 Driver’s Championship ahead of the full United States Grand Prix later today, with the Dutchman now 54 points ahead of championship rival Norris, while he is also 89 clear of Charles Leclerc in third.

Perez remains 8th after not scoring points, with the second Red Bull driver 15 points behind George Russell in the position ahead and 82 points ahead of 9th placed Fernando Alonso.

In the Constructor’s Championship, Red Bull will enter it second, with the team on 483 points. They find themselves 39 points behind leaders McLaren and 30 ahead of third place Ferrari.

Late on Saturday, qualifying for the race saw both Red Bulls make it into the top ten. Verstappen was narrowly outqualified by Lando Norris, with a seemingly faster lap at the end interrupted when Russell crashed in the Mercedes, meaning nobody could improve their time going through the final sector.

Perez had his best lap time in Q3 deleted, and Russell’s crash meant he was unable to set a lap time at the end of the session, so Perez will begin the full United States Grand Prix from tenth position.