2025 United States GP Sprint Race: Full Report & Highlights

Max Verstappen claimed a composed win in a dramatic Sprint Race at the 2025 United States Grand Prix, surviving two Safety Car periods and first-lap chaos that wiped out both McLaren drivers. The Dutchman’s win, his 13th career Sprint victory, came after a clean getaway from pole, followed by a fierce but measured duel with George Russell, who finished just 0.395s behind. Carlos Sainz completed the podium for Williams, a stunning comeback after limited running on Friday, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five for Ferrari. The result tightened the 2025 F1 World Championship picture as Verstappen clawed back valuable points amid McLaren’s misfortune.

The drama erupted instantly at Turn 1, as Oscar Piastri was tagged by Nico Hülkenberg’s Kick Sauber, sending the Australian into a spin that collected Lando Norris. Both McLarens were forced to retire on the spot, a double blow for the team leading both championships.

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Hülkenberg dropped down the order after front-wing damage, while Fernando Alonso was also eliminated after contact in the same melee. The Safety Car was immediately deployed to clear debris scattered across the track. On the restart at Lap 5, Verstappen held firm against Russell, while Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton, and Albon battled behind. Rookie Kimi Antonelli, confirmed as a Mercedes driver for 2026 earlier in the week, began making moves from midfield, eventually climbing into the points.

At Lap 8, Russell attempted an audacious move on Verstappen into Turn 12, both cars briefly running wide before rejoining, with the Red Bull retaining the lead. “What was that?” came Verstappen’s radio response, though the stewards opted against further investigation. As the race settled, Hamilton overtook Leclerc for fourth in a clean but assertive move, while Bearman and Antonelli fought for the final points-paying position. However, Bearman’s battle earned him a 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage off-track, dropping him out of the top eight. The final twist came on Lap 16, when Lance Stroll locked up and collided with Esteban Ocon, taking both out and triggering a second Safety Car that would ultimately end the race.

Verstappen led the field home under yellow flags, followed by Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Leclerc, Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda, while Antonelli inherited the final point in eighth after Bearman’s demotion. Behind them, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly just missed out in P9 and P10. A quarter of the grid failed to finish, including both McLarens, Alonso, Ocon, and Stroll, a costly setback for Norris and Piastri’s championship ambitions.

As the chequered flag fell at COTA, Verstappen’s blend of aggression and control reminded the field that the reigning champion’s fight for the 2025 F1 World Championship is far from over, and that Red Bull’s grip on race-day execution remains as sharp as ever.

2025 United States GP Sprint Race Results

2025 United States Grand Prix Sprint Race, 18 October 2025