• Red Bull driver extends lead in title race to 54 points
• Norris is first on the grid for Sunday, Verstappen second

It was first blood to Max Verstappen, as the Formula One championship run-in opened with the Red Bull driver enjoying his first win since June and his most comfortably controlled drive since then, with a victory in the sprint race at the US Grand Prix. However, his title rival Lando Norris returned fire later in the day, taking pole position for Sunday with Verstappen second on the grid.

The sprint race was an impressively dominant victory at the Circuit of the Americas. After beating Norris into third, Verstappen extended his championship lead and demonstrated the Red Bull is once more on fine form. Norris lost second place to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on the final lap but made up for it in qualifying.