Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen clinched the United States Formula One Sprint victory at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, marking his first win in nearly five months. This win bolsters Verstappen’s lead in the Formula 1 season championship and staves off advances from McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Norris, who started from fourth, quickly advanced to second, trailing Verstappen for most of the 19-lap race. However, a crucial error on the final lap’s first turn allowed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to seize second place, relegating Norris to third. This slip cost Norris a valuable point, leaving him 54 points behind Verstappen with six grand prix and two sprint races remaining in the season.
Verstappen, seeking his fourth consecutive championship, maintained control from pole position and crossed the finish line with a nearly four-second lead. Reflecting on his victory, Verstappen remarked, “Feels a bit like old times.”
The sprint win is a confidence boost for Red Bull, indicating possible improvements to a car Verstappen has criticized as “undrivable” at times this season. Despite a four-week autumn break, Norris had been closing the gap in the championship standings over recent months. Verstappen’s last triumph was the Austrian Grand Prix sprint in June, with his most recent grand prix win occurring a week earlier in Spain. Meanwhile, Norris secured two wins and three podium finishes, helping McLaren surpass Red Bull in the constructor’s championship.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s main event, Norris expressed caution about his ability to compete with Verstappen and the Ferraris, stating, “I did the best I could. I didn’t think we had the pace on Max and the Ferraris.”
As Formula 1 resumes, the competition intensifies with Verstappen back on top while Norris and McLaren look for opportunities to close the championship gap.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/19/red-bull-max-verstappen-wins-us-grand-prix-sprint-race.html
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