US Grand Prix sprint: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collide as Max Verstappen wins in Austin

The crash was a gift for Verstappen; McLaren has always emphasized that despite its significant deficit, it remains a threat in the championship, especially as Red Bull has returned to form in recent races.

The crash took out the safety car for five laps and after the restart Verstappen was chased by Russell, who made a bold move into Turn 12 on lap seven, before a late dive resulted in both going off the track.

Verstappen retained his position and soon began to pull away and took control of the race.

Sainz wasn’t a threat to Russell, but Hamilton had to watch his mirrors.

The seven-time champion driver overtook teammate Charles Leclerc on the eighth lap after the Monegasque pilot lost control of his high-speed Esses car early in the lap.

Leclerc passed Esses and cut into one of the corners, which allowed Hamilton to close in. He then went through the straight as Leclerc pulled him over from the inside towards the edge of the track.

Leclerc tried to fight the slower corners in the stadium section but Hamilton held out.

Leclerc was fifth, Williams’ Alex Albon was sixth and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda was seventh.

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took the final point after a 10-second penalty for Haas driver Oliver Bearman, who attempted to pass at Turn 12 towards the end of the race and was judged to have gained an advantage by leaving the track.

Bearman was in disbelief when told of the penalty by his team during the race, obviously feeling that Antonelli’s late move had forced him off the track.

The race ended with another safety car after Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll T-boned Esteban Ocon’s Haas into the first corner, leaving his team facing a major repair job on both cars in the interim ahead of grand prix qualifying at 22:00 BST.