Max Verstappen wins US GP sprint race as Lando Norris makes heartbreaking error

held off championship rival to claim an impressive sprint race victory at the . The Brit locked up late on, conceding second place to Carlos Sainz.

Norris' afternoon got off to the perfect start. With George Russell defending from the threat of Charles Leclerc on the outside, the seas parted at Turn One and the Brit was able to gain two positions, putting him right on the gearbox of his championship rival.

The McLaren driver benefitted from the DRS advantage from the second lap onward, but Verstappen's pace was mighty out front. Behind the leading duo and the No.63 Mercedes, the two Ferrari drivers enjoyed a multi-lap scrap with Leclerc coming out on top.

Norris had his sights set on Verstappen out front, but the Brit first came under pressure from his compatriot Russell. The Mercedes racer made a bold move in the final sector, but his rival held his nerve to keep hold of second place.

After holding off the threat of Russell, Norris began closing on Verstappen while the Mercedes man fell into the clutches of Sainz and Leclerc, both of whom squeezed through in the space of just two laps.

Further back in the pack, there was plenty of action. Oscar Piastri was cutting through the field after starting in P16, but his charge was halted when he picked up a five-second time penalty for pushing Pierre Gasly off the track.

The Australian then found himself in an intense battle with Yuki Tsunoda, who had previously fought tooth-and-nail to hold off Sergio Perez - the man who he is aiming to replace at Red Bull next season.

Norris' race nearly unravelled late on. The Brit locked up at Turn One on the final lap with Sainz squeezing through, and he narrowly avoided a collision with Leclerc in sector three.

Out front, however, Verstappen went unchallenged. The Dutchman gained two points on his championship rival with his first victory since June, laying down a statement ahead of qualifying on Saturday evening.