The 2025 United States Grand Prix began with a stunning qualifying session in Austin, Texas. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen grabbed pole with a blistering lap of 1:32.510. Lando Norris came close but had to settle for second. His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri struggled and managed only sixth.
Charles Leclerc took third for Ferrari, just ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton secured fifth, splitting the two Ferraris. Rising stars Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman impressed in seventh and eighth. Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso completed the top ten. At the back, Lance Stroll faced a grid penalty after a Sprint collision, and Isack Hadjar failed to set a time after a Q1 crash.
Sprint Race Turns into Disaster for McLaren
Saturday’s Sprint race saw drama from the first corner. Verstappen made a clean start and led easily. Behind him, the two McLarens collided in Turn 1 after Piastri clipped Nico Hülkenberg’s Sauber and hit Norris. Both McLaren cars retired on the opening lap, ending their chances instantly.
Verstappen’s victory earned him eight points, closing his championship gap to Piastri to 55 and to Norris to 33. The stewards did not investigate the crash, following their first-lap incident policy. George Russell finished second after a bold but failed move on Verstappen. Carlos Sainz took third, giving Williams another podium this season.
A five-lap safety car cleared the debris. When racing resumed, Verstappen stayed in control until the end. Hamilton passed Leclerc to take fourth. Alex Albon claimed sixth for Williams, followed by Yuki Tsunoda, who climbed 11 places. Kimi Antonelli finished eighth after Bearman was penalized for leaving the track.
Stroll Penalized After Late Collision
The Sprint ended under a safety car after Lance Stroll hit Esteban Ocon at Turn 1. Both cars were forced to retire. Stroll received a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race. The crash capped off a chaotic Sprint that reshuffled the championship standings.
Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, first blamed Hülkenberg for the McLaren crash but later changed his mind. “In the heat of the moment, I was upset,” he said. “But I don’t think Nico was at fault.” The incident marked McLaren’s second teammate clash in three weeks, following Norris and Piastri’s contact in Singapore.
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Austin Braced for High Stakes Race
Race day arrived with huge anticipation. Toto Wolff of Mercedes joked that if there was “carnage,” he hoped it happened ahead of his cars. Conditions were hot and dry, with an air temperature of 27.6°C and track at 44.4°C. Gusty winds made the first sector tricky.
Verstappen and Norris chose medium tires. Leclerc started on softs, while Hamilton went for the opposite strategy. Drivers at the back, like Albon and Ocon, started on hards to extend their stints. Tire strategy promised to play a key role in Sunday’s outcome.
Austin GP Secures Long-Term Future
Off the track, Formula 1 confirmed that the United States Grand Prix will stay at the Circuit of the Americas until 2034. F1 president Stefano Domenicali said the event has become one of the sport’s “biggest spectacles” since its debut in 2012. The announcement ensures that Austin remains a cornerstone of the F1 calendar for the next decade.
As the lights go out, all eyes are on Verstappen and Norris on the front row. After Saturday’s chaos, McLaren must stay clear of trouble. Verstappen, meanwhile, looks ready to tighten the title race with another flawless performance.