US GP: Verstappen secures Sprint Race win with ease with 8s over Hamilton

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen cruised to victory, in his usual dominating fashion, as the Dutch world champion won the race with over eight seconds in hand over Mercedes Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen squeezed his former 2022 championship rival, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, on the run to turn one where the Dutchman was able to retain the lead and secure his inevitable victory. 

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton secured a second-place finish at the sprint race as the seven-time world champion continues to hunt down Red Bull’s Sergio Perez for second in the driver’s championship.

George Russell was given a three-grid grid drop ahead of the United States sprint race after the Mercedes driver was deemed to have impeded the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc during the Sprint Qualifying session.

Sainz was the only driver to start the sprint on the soft compound tyres, the rest of the pack opted for the medium compounds.  

US GP: Verstappen pole redemption as top three separated by 0.069s

How the race unfolded…

As the lights went out, Verstappen darted across the track immediately to block off the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc’s advantage on the run up to turn one, on the inside. As the Dutchman crossed the circuit, he pushed his fellow competitor to the edge of the circuit and left the two in a tight position to curl around the opening corner.

Verstappen managed to maintain his lead, ahead of turn one, but Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton went off the circuit to avoid a collision with the Monegasque. Despite this, the British world champion returned to the circuit and overtook Leclerc to snatch second place.

By the end of the opening lap, the order amongst the top three stood as; Verstappen, Hamilton and Leclerc.

Hamilton takes responsibility for Turn 1 incident with Russell in Qatar GP

From there, Verstappen was able to control the pace of the car all the way to the end. Hamilton attempted to eat into the gap to Verstappen, remaining in the DRS range. However, it was not to be as the Dutchman edged out his gap over the Mercedes driver.

Mercedes’ George Russell found himself in hot water once more, with the stewards, as he slipped by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri on lap three. In the build-up to the move, for seventh place, the Mercedes driver ran wide on the exit of turn 16 and off the circuit. When Russell returned to the circuit, he held onto his speed to complete the move.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly saw the illegal move happen in his position behind the two drivers as they battled. The French driver immediately voiced his disapproval over his team radio stating ‘Russell overtook off the track.’

Pirelli to continue as F1 sole tyre provider until 2027

The stewards had deemed Russell had left the circuit and gained an advantage, and imposed a five-second time penalty on the #63 Mercedes.

In a fairly lacklustre sprint race, after the opening laps, Verstappen clinched the victory in Austin with eight seconds in hand over second-placed Hamilton who, himself, had a comfortable gap over Leclerc in third.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was the only retirement of the race as the Canadian reported over the radio that he needed to pit because he had ‘no brakes’ working on his car.

Top eight: 

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

4. Lando Norris, McLaren

5. Sergio Perez, Red Bull 

6. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

7. Pierre Gasly, Alpine

8. George Russell, Mercedes

That’s all for the article: US GP: Verstappen secures Sprint Race win with ease with 8s over Hamilton!

Read more Formula 1 here:

• US GP: Verstappen pole redemption as top three separated by 0.069s
• US GP: Leclerc gains F1 pole after Verstappen exceeds track limits
• Haas F1 sports new one-off livery for US Grand Prix
• Pirelli to continue as F1 sole tyre provider until 2027
• Hamilton takes responsibility for Turn 1 incident with Russell in Qatar GP
• Verstappen secures Qatar GP win to round of championship-winning weekend

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.