Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen wins US Grand Prix sprint title | Real Time Headlines

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the United States Grand Prix sprint on Saturday to claim his first victory in nearly five months and hold off McLaren’s Lando Norris in the championship leading advantage. formula one racing Season championship.

Norris jumped from fourth to second at Circuit of the Americas, remaining in Verstappen’s sights for 18 of 19 laps at Circuit of the Americas. But Norris made a costly mistake at the first turn on the final lap, causing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to slip to second.

Finishing third instead of second put Norris in a crucial moment in the title race. With six grands prix and two sprint races left in the season, he is now 54 points behind Verstappen.

Verstappen is chasing his fourth consecutive title. He started from pole position on Saturday and was never threatened by the lead. He won by nearly four seconds.

“It feels a bit like old times,” Verstappen said.

Qualifying for Sunday’s main event takes place later on Saturday. Verstappen has won the United States Grand Prix the past three years but has not started from pole position since 2021.

The sprint victory should restore confidence to Red Bull, who have improved a car that Verstappen has often called “undriveable” and a “monster” this season.

Formula 1 returns from its four-week autumn break this week, with Norris steadily chasing Verstappen in the driver’s championship.

The once-dominant Verstappen has not claimed a win of any kind since the Austrian Grand Prix sprint in June, with his last grand prix win coming a week ago in Spain.

Norris took two wins and a further three podiums in the period, closing the gap on Verstappen while McLaren edged Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

Norris said Sunday’s race with Verstappen and Ferrari would be difficult for him.

“I tried my best,” Norris said after the sprint. “I don’t think we have the speed to match Max and Ferrari.”