United States GP - Sprint Race

Hello @Stratastic
Oct 19, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Jan 30

F1 cars on track with an overlay of the United States GP circuit outline.

Pirelli United States GP

Sprint Race

October 19, 2024

Max Verstappen celebrated a strong victory at the U.S. Grand Prix sprint race, boosting his lead over rival Lando Norris by two important points. The 19-lap sprint gave fans a sneak peek of what to expect in Sunday’s full race, and for Verstappen, it marked his first win since the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

Verstappen’s Strong Performance

Verstappen finished 3.8 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who took second place. After the race, he expressed his happiness, saying, "I'm happy, it's been quite a few races where it was more like just looking behind, never really being able to attack. And then now, finally, the car definitely had just more performance. I could push a bit harder. So, very happy with today."

This win is crucial for Verstappen as it gives him a boost after a few disappointing races. He acknowledged the strong competition, noting that "Ferrari was also very quick" and mentioned that his team’s performance felt much better: "It just feels a bit more together. And I think that is what we have been lacking."

Norris and Sainz in the Mix

Lando Norris started fourth but quickly moved up to second by Turn 2. Unfortunately for him, he finished third after losing his spot to Sainz on the last lap. Norris said, "I'm happy with the race result and a good amount of points. There has been a few races where the starts were bad, and today was good with a good first corner. I did the most I could; I didn't think I had the pace on Max or the Ferraris."

The standings now show a 54-point gap between Verstappen and Norris, with the chance for a big points change in the U.S. Grand Prix on Sunday, where the top ten finishers will earn full points.

A Close Race

Sainz made a strong push, passing his teammate Charles Leclerc on Lap 5 and George Russell on Lap 9 before overtaking Norris. He described his late move, saying, "Towards the end, I started to struggle with the tyres but I saw Lando also struggling. I saw that if I could get into DRS I would have my chance to finish in P2. And we made it stick into Turn 1, and the end was a fun one."

Leclerc also tried to pass Norris but was blocked by Norris’s defensive driving in the last part of the race. Russell finished fifth, followed by Lewis Hamilton and the Haas drivers, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, who took the final points.

What’s Next

With just five races left in the 2024 season, the competition is getting intense. Verstappen’s sprint victory sets the stage for an exciting U.S. Grand Prix, and both he and Norris will be looking to make the most of their performances as they race for the championship.

As fans prepare for the main event, one thing is clear: the battle in Formula 1 is heating up, with every point counting as drivers aim for success in the final stretch of the season.