Austin, Texas — October 19, 2025: McLaren’s hopes of cruising to a clean one-two finish in the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship suffered a major blow at the United States Grand Prix sprint race, as teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris collided at Turn 1 — allowing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to seize victory and reignite his championship challenge.
The incident turned what McLaren boss Zak Brown had described as a “brutal” championship battle into a nightmare scenario, as Verstappen not only closed the gap in points but also captured pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.
Max Verstappen Back in the Title Hunt
Verstappen’s flawless sprint performance and dominant qualifying run underscored Red Bull’s resurgence late in the season. After winning two of the past three races, the four-time world champion now trails Norris by just 33 points and Piastri by 55, with six races and two sprints remaining.
McLaren, who secured the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore, have seen their early-season form falter. Since the Dutch Grand Prix in August, neither Norris nor Piastri has finished ahead of Verstappen.
Brown acknowledged Verstappen’s growing threat, telling BBC Sport:
“This Max guy is relentless. I’m focused on making sure he doesn’t get himself any more in the game than he already is. Our goal is a one-two finish in the championship, but we really don’t want that Max guy getting in the middle of our fun.”
Unfortunately for McLaren, Verstappen seems determined to do exactly that.
The Piastri–Norris Crash: A Costly Team Mistake
The defining moment of Saturday’s sprint came within seconds of the start. As the field funneled into Turn 1, Piastri attempted an inside move but made contact with Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, launching his McLaren into Norris’s car. Both orange cars were out on the spot.
Team principal Andrea Stella and Brown attributed blame partly to the drivers behind Piastri — Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso — for squeezing space. Piastri called it a “racing incident”:
“I was a long way from the apex, and the cars behind were going in deep. Could I have done something different? Maybe, but that would’ve meant letting two or three cars go by.”
However, many observers, including 1996 world champion Damon Hill, felt Piastri’s sharp cut-back was risky:
“My golden rule for the first corner was no sudden movements,” Hill said during commentary. “In a sprint start like that, you’re always asking for trouble.”
The result leaves McLaren searching for answers after consecutive driver collisions — first in Singapore, now in Austin — and a golden opportunity for Verstappen to exploit.
McLaren’s Focus: Regroup and Reset
After qualifying, Norris admitted emotions were still raw:
“It’ll be reviewed. Before qualifying isn’t the right time, but we’ll look at everything later. I just have to crack on and do my own thing.”
Stella echoed that sentiment, emphasizing calm analysis and teamwork:
“We’ve had a couple of chats with Lando and Oscar. The focus was on resetting. We’ll review it at the right time, and do it collaboratively. But I maintain — a bit more prudence from experienced drivers in good positions would have been helpful.”
Can McLaren Fight Back Against Verstappen?
McLaren’s once-commanding pace has faded. The team’s qualifying deficit of nearly 0.3 seconds to Verstappen — even without his final flying lap — shows Red Bull’s superior form.
Norris acknowledged the challenge ahead:
“It’s going to be difficult. Every lap we did today was 0.3 to 0.5 seconds off Max. He’s been quick everywhere lately. We’ll stay optimistic, but we know we’re the underdogs right now.”
Stella agreed, warning that Red Bull may now have the edge for the rest of the season:
“We need to be ready for Max and Red Bull being competitive — possibly the fastest — at every one of the remaining races.”
Looking Ahead to the U.S. Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix begins Sunday at 20:00 BST, with live coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website.
Verstappen starts from pole, with Norris alongside him on the front row. Piastri lines up sixth after struggling for balance in qualifying.
The question now: can McLaren recover from their internal misfortune — or will Verstappen’s late-season charge turn the 2025 title race on its head?
Leave a Reply