2025 United States Grand Prix Recap

By Ryan Wu

Sprint Race Drama

It only took one race for McLaren to decide that the collision between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore might not have been entirely accidental before more drama unfolded. Starting from second and third place, Norris and Piastri collided once again, with both drivers out of the sprint race before the first lap was even completed.

Piastri made an aggressive move into Turn 1 that cut off Nico Hulkenberg, triggering a collision that sent his McLaren into the rear left of Norris’s car. The contact knocked both McLarens out of the sprint and cost the team valuable points.

Max Verstappen went on to win the sprint after holding off a strong challenge from George Russell, fresh off a new contract with Mercedes, who attempted an ambitious overtake on lap 12. Verstappen’s victory allowed him to close the championship gap by eight points.

The sprint also saw three additional retirements, as both Aston Martin drivers and Esteban Ocon failed to finish.

Title Race is Heating Up

Don’t look now, but Max Verstappen is only 40 points behind Oscar Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship with five races remaining. The Dutchman converted his pole position into his fifth win of the season, leading every lap and securing his third victory in the last four races. It was a flawless weekend for Verstappen, as he took pole for the sprint race, won the sprint, and then started from pole again for the main event.

The RB21 appears to have overcome many of the issues that affected Red Bull and Verstappen earlier in the season. The car has shown impressive pace since the summer break, and the team’s recent form suggests a strong resurgence. The pressure now seems to rest squarely on McLaren, which faces the challenge of managing its two competitive drivers while maintaining harmony within the team. Momentum has clearly shifted toward Verstappen, who also carries the advantage of experience as a four-time defending World Champion.

Lando Norris reduced the gap to his teammate with a second-place finish, and the top three in the standings are as follows:

Piastri – 346

Norris – 332

Verstappen – 306

Piastri cannot afford any more underwhelming performances like the one he had in Austin, where he failed to finish the sprint race, qualified sixth, and ended up fifth in the main event. If he hopes to become the first Australian World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980 with Williams, he will need to rediscover the form that put him at the top earlier in the season.

Leclerc Manages a Podium Finish While Hamilton Comes Close Again

Charles Leclerc battled with Lando Norris all race for second place, ultimately ceding the position and finished the race in 3rd. Lewis Hamilton’s first podium with Ferrari will wait at least another week as he came in 4th, around seven seconds behind Leclerc. This is Hamilton’s third 4th place finish of the year and he has five races remaining to cap off a frustrating campaign on a positive note for the Prancing Horses.

Rookie Report

Oliver Bearman once again scored points for Haas, finishing ninth as he did two weekends ago in Singapore. Liam Lawson narrowly missed out on the points, crossing the line in eleventh place. Kimi Antonelli finished thirteenth after qualifying seventh but was unable to recover following a collision with Carlos Sainz on lap seven.

Racing Refresh Driver of the Day

Max Verstappen, Red Bull

Final Points Finishing Positions

1st: Max Verstappen

2nd: Lando Norris

3rd: Charles Leclerc

4th: Lewis Hamilton

5th: Oscar Piastri

6th: George Russell

7th: Yuki Tsunoda

8th: Nico Hulkenberg

9th: Oliver Bearman

10th: Fernando Alonso

Next on the F1 Schedule:

Mexican Grand Prix: October 24th-26th