Max Verstappen secured the Sprint victory and qualifying pole position in dominant fashion at the Circuit of The Americas, capitalizing on a devastating Turn 1 melee that eliminated both McLaren drivers on the opening Sprint lap and dramatically altered the championship landscape.
Nico Hulkenberg’s Kick Sauber tagged Oscar Piastri into the first corner, launching the championship leader into a spin that collected teammate Lando Norris, immediately retiring both papaya cars. Fernando Alonso was also caught up in the carnage, while Hulkenberg dropped to 15th after sustaining damage.
George Russell mounted a fierce Sprint challenge, attempting a bold Turn 12 overtake on Lap 8 that saw both drivers run wide. Verstappen rejoined ahead and questioned “What was that?” over the radio, though stewards deemed no investigation necessary. Russell ultimately finished second, 0.395s behind.
Carlos Sainz secured a brilliant podium for Williams in third, while Lewis Hamilton claimed fourth after defeating teammate Charles Leclerc in an intense Ferrari battle. The Sprint ended under Safety Car following Lance Stroll’s Lap 16 collision with Esteban Ocon.
Qualifying delivered more Verstappen dominance as the Dutchman secured pole with 1:32.510, leading Norris by 0.291s despite failing to reach the line for his final Q3 run. His initial effort proved unbeatable, showcasing Red Bull’s commanding form.
Isack Hadjar crashed heavily just minutes into Q1, hitting the barriers and bringing out red flags before finishing last. Track limits eliminated both Alex Albon and Lance Stroll, with the latter also facing a five-place grid penalty that drops him to the back.
Charles Leclerc survived a dramatic 360-degree spin into the final corner during Q3, recovering brilliantly to claim third just six-thousandths behind Norris. Oscar Piastri struggled to sixth after his Sprint retirement, admitting he “didn’t feel comfortable” in a session that highlighted the psychological impact of his earlier crash. For complete race coverage and all championship drama, stay tuned to Supercars.com.GH!