AUSTIN, Texas

As Formula One descended upon Austin for the U.S. Grand Prix, one pressing question lingered in the air: Could Max Verstappen make history with the greatest comeback in the sport?

By the time the F1 sprint race hit the second corner, that prospect started to feel almost like a certainty.

Verstappen secured the top spot in the sprint race qualifiers, just ahead of rivals aiming for the championship. Lando Norris took second place, followed closely by championship leader Oscar Piastri in third. The real challenge lay ahead at the notoriously tricky corner after the steep 133-foot climb at Circuit of the Americas.

Ultimately, it was about survival on the track.

Verstappen got off to a strong start, maintaining his lead into the first corner. Yet behind him, chaos unfolded. Norris struggled from the start, which opened a window for Piastri, who attempted to slip past his teammate. Complicating matters, both Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg were also vying for position on the inside. Something had to give.

And it did, involving the two McLarens and Alonso.

As Hulkenberg clipped Piastri’s MCL39, the Australian driver found himself airborne briefly before crashing into Norris. Following the initial collision between Sauber and McLaren, Hulkenberg’s C45 also made contact with the rear of Alonso’s Aston Martin, eliminating Piastri, Norris, and Alonso from the sprint.

The start was undeniably chaotic.

With the safety car deployed, McLaren teammates watched from the sidelines.

Upon the race’s resumption, Verstappen expertly navigated the restart, keeping George Russell at bay. However, a two-car incident at Turn 12 on lap eight nearly posed a significant threat. Russell tried a risky inside maneuver on Verstappen but lost control, causing both to sway off track.

From the cockpit of his RB21, Verstappen remarked, “Buddy, what was that? He completely missed the corner.”

After that close call, Russell fell back, struggling to keep within DRS range of Verstappen. By lap 12, the gap had widened to over two seconds, indicating that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Red Bull driver was well on his way to victory.

A collision between Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon at Turn 1 on lap 16 activated the safety car again, which all but secured Verstappen’s triumph. The only remaining tension arose when Oliver Bearman, who lost his lead after going off track in a clash with Kimi Antonelli, received a 10-second penalty, pushing him out of the points in the unofficial results.

Ultimately, all eyes were on Verstappen. His victory, along with eight crucial points, positioned him only 33 points behind Norris and 55 points behind Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

He commented to Jenson Button after the race, “It was a good start, but of course, the incident in turn one brought out the safety car.”

“I think we need to improve the race trim a bit more,” Verstappen added, looking ahead.

Tomorrow, the stakes rise even higher as a winner will take home 25 points.

Here are the preliminary results from the American Grand Prix F1 sprint race: