McLaren disaster as Norris & Piastri crash in US GP sprint race while Verstappen wins

Max Verstappen reduced his F1 championship deficit by a full eight points with victory in the United States Sprint where both McLarens crashed in the opening corner, taking each other out of the race.

The Red Bull driver was followed to the finish by George Russell in second and Carlos Sainz third, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

The McLarens were the victims of a Turn 1 melee that undermined F1’s claim to represent the pinnacle of motor racing.

Piastri got the better start of the two McLaren team-mates from third on the grid and pulled alongside Norris who started second, behind Verstappen.

Piastri braked earlier for the left-hand Turn 1, saw Norris sail by and then looked to dive down the inside at the exit.

But piling in behind were Nico Hülkenberg and Fernando Alonso. Collision was inevitable: Piastri’s McLaren was flipped onto two wheels by Hülkenberg’s right front tyre. The Sauber spun and swiped Alonso, who went on to retire, while Piastri slid into Norris, causing suspension damage for the championship leader and shearing off Norris’s tyre.

Hülkenberg’s loose wing was picked up by Yuki Tsunoda‘s Red Bull, which dragged it halfway around the track, scattering debris. When it eventually broke free, Hülkenberg was reunited with the wing — running over it as he limped back to the pits.

Behind them, Lance Stroll was in the middle of five cars attempting to take the first corner abreast and the Aston Martin inevitably got squeezed, losing its front wing in contact with Franco Colapinto, who suffered a puncture on his Alpine.

The safety car was brought out to enable marshals to clear the debris littering the circuit, and racing only resumed on lap six, with Verstappen leading a line-up that had been reshuffled as a result of the crash. Russell was second, then Sainz, Leclerc and Hamilton.

Russell kept Verstappen in his sights; the Red Bull driver saying that his Red Bull lacked pace once the safety car pulled in. “It took a few laps after the safety car to have decent pace,” he said. “We need to find out what’s going on there.”

Russell took his chance on lap eight, trying a lunge up the inside of Verstappen for the lead at Turn 12 but he ran off track, forcing the Red Bull wide as well. Both cars resumed their previous positions. “I knew you don’t get many opportunities with Max,” said Russell who accepted he’d been too far back.

An error from Leclerc on lap nine, gave Hamilton the opportunity to pass for fourth, and Ollie Bearman was also in fighting form, passing Kimi Antonelli for eighth on lap 11.

Unfortunately for the Haas driver, the battle continued and he defended the position by running off track, receiving a ten-point penalty for the move.

Russell was also warned that he risked a penalty after running off track twice at Turn 12.

But while the top positions were relatively settled, there was still time for a ridiculous move from Stroll who had no hope of passing Esteban Ocon at Turn 1 but tried anyway, surging down the inside and inevitably spearing into the Haas, taking both cars out of the race in a double retirement for Aston Martin.

The result was another safety car and a processional end to the race.

Verstappen now trails Piastri by 55 points in the title race.

*10sec penalty applied for gaining an advantage off track