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The sprint excitement and hot weather made the race unforgettable in the 75th Formula 1 season.
The 75th anniversary season of the Formula 1 World Championship has entered its final quarter. Of the remaining six races, four will take place across the Atlantic, with the marathon kicking off in Austin, Texas, USA. Due to high temperatures, the FIA required drivers to use cooling vests, while Pirelli selected the hardest C1 tire for this stage.
During the sprint weekend, only one practice session was held. McLaren’s Lando Norris posted the fastest time. In the sprint qualifying, Max Verstappen narrowly beat Norris by just 0.071 seconds, securing his 10th career sprint pole. Oscar Piastri finished third, with Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) in fourth. Ferrari drivers’ weak performance disappointed the fans.
Saturday’s sprint was dramatic from the start. In the first corner, Piastri and Hülkenberg collided, causing Oscar, Norris, and Alonso to retire from the race. Verstappen maintained the lead to claim his 13th sprint victory. George Russell (Mercedes) and Carlos Sainz (Williams) joined him on the podium.
In the qualifying session, Verstappen dominated all sessions, securing his 7th pole of the season and 47th of his career. Lando Norris narrowly beat Charles Leclerc by 0.006 seconds in the final attempt, giving McLaren the front row.
At the start of the race, Leclerc rose to second on red tires while Verstappen kept the lead. Virtual Safety Car periods and strategic changes added tension to the pace. Norris’ pace improved, but the red tires degraded quickly. With five laps to go, the British driver overtook Leclerc for second place. Verstappen claimed his 5th victory of the season in Austin and the 68th of his career.
Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc. Leclerc was voted “Driver of the Day” by the fans. Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, Nico Hülkenberg, Oliver Bearman, and Fernando Alonso completed the top ten.
Although Oscar Piastri leads the championship with 346 points, the gap is closing: Lando Norris is 14 points behind, and Max Verstappen is 40 points back. In the Constructors’ Championship, only 10 points separate second place.
The next stop of the season is Mexico. The excitement continues...
