Max Verstappen made a return to winning ways after clinching the United States Grand Prix Sprint race victory ahead of Carlos Sainz and title rival Lando Norris.
Held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, the 2024 United States Grand Prix sprint race unfolded over 19 intense laps providing fans with a thrilling spectacle that set the stage for the main event.
From the outset, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen demonstrated his dominance by converting his pole position into an early lead after he executed a flawless start, maintaining control as he navigated the first corner.
The Dutchman’s early pace was impressive allowing him to establish a gap over his competitors almost immediately. By the end of Lap 1, he was already 1.3 seconds ahead of Lando Norris, who had made an impressive start from fourth on the grid.
Norris’s rapid ascent was noteworthy; he darted inside and maneuvered around George Russell to secure second place by Turn 2. However, while he initially kept pace with Verstappen, tyre management became crucial as the race progressed.
By Lap 5, Verstappen had extended his lead to 1.3 seconds, effectively putting Norris out of Drag Reduction System (DRS) range. The battle behind was equally captivating as Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were locked in a tight battle for positions.
Eventually Sainz managed to overtake Leclerc after a series of close exchanges with the move allowing the Spaniard to begin his charge towards Norris, while Russell struggled with tire degradation and fell back in the pack.
As the race approached its midpoint, Verstappen maintained a comfortable lead while Norris battled to manage his rear tires.
Meanwhile Sainz kept up his impressive speed, overtaking Russell for third place on Lap 9 with Leclerc following suit a lap later, as Russell’s tires began to overheat after his attempts to pass Norris.
By Lap 15, Verstappen had established a two-second lead over Norris again after responding to any challenges from behind. However, as the race entered its final stages, Sainz began to close in on Norris.
The tension escalated dramatically on the final lap when Norris who was struggling with tyre management experienced a lock-up at Turn 1, allowing Sainz to slip past into second place.
Despite losing second place in such a critical moment, Norris managed to fend off Leclerc’s attempts to overtake him for third place. The McLaren driver’s defensive driving ensured he finished on the podium but left him reflecting on what could have been.
Finishing fourth was Charles Leclerc, who had shown competitive pace throughout but ultimately could not make a decisive move against his teammate or Norris in the closing stages.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top six for Mercedes; however, their performances were somewhat disappointing given expectations prior to the race. Russell finished fifth while Hamilton came in sixth after failing to make significant gains during the sprint.
The Haas team also had a noteworthy outing with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg finishing seventh and eighth respectively. Their results were crucial as they helped Haas climb in the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounded out the top-10.
