Max Verstappen moves into world title picture after super Saturday in Austin

Max Verstappen moved further into the title picture by winning Saturday’s sprint and clinching a dominant pole position for Sunday’s race in Austin after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri suffered a costly collision.

The Dutchman charged to pole position in qualifying by almost three tenths from Norris as championship leader Piastri could manage only sixth to cap off a miserable Saturday for the Australian.

Norris was no match for Verstappen but will be heartened to have Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton between him and title rival Piastri on the grid for the 56-lap race as he seeks to cut the 22-point gap in the standings.

Verstappen’s victory in the sprint earlier on Saturday enabled him to draw within 55 points of leader Piastri – and 33 behind Norris – after the McLaren pair crashed into each other at turn one and were dumped out of the 19-lap dash.

The Dutchman, who has also finished ahead of the McLaren pair at each of the last three races, will likely need more McLaren chaos to fire himself fully into the title fight, but there are still 166 points to play for.

The build-up to the weekend has been dominated by the unspecified “consequences” imposed by McLaren on Norris after the team held him responsible for banging wheels with Piastri in Singapore a fortnight ago.

That minor tap paled into insignificance compared to the carnage at turn one of Saturday’s sprint at the Circuit of the Americas as Norris was left with only three tyres on his car.

Starting from third, Piastri attempted to cut back up the inside of his team-mate but turned into Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and, as a result, smashed into the rear left of Norris’ car.

Norris was spun round as his left-rear tyre was sent careering across the track. Piastri limped on briefly but suspension damage also put pay to his involvement.

Verstappen took eight points for the win ahead of George Russell and Carlos Sainz.

McLaren’s decision to involve themselves in the title fight by sanctioning Norris after Singapore, for a first-lap manoeuvre which was deemed legal by the FIA, will prompt questions over what they decide to do after this latest collision.

Many observers, including former world champion Jenson Button, felt Piastri made a risky move – one which ultimately resulted in the papaya pair colliding – which the team say is their only unbreakable rule.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown initially told Sky Sports from the pit wall: “That’s some amateur-hour driving by some drivers up there at the front.”

Brown later changed his view, taking blame away from Hulkenberg but did not specify who he held responsible.

Norris and team principal Andrea Stella also refused to apportion blame in the aftermath of the sprint, but McLaren appear to be in a muddle of their own making by attempting to police relations amid the heat of an team-mate title tussle.