Max Verstappen has won 11 of the 16 sprint races ever held.

Max Verstappen led from start to finish to win the United States Grand Prix sprint race and send the championship momentum back his way.

The Dutchman went into the weekend having failed to win in the last nine F1 races – eight grands prix and one sprint – and keeping one eye over his shoulder to a charging Lando Norris but added another two points to his lead with victory in the shortened race.

Max Verstappen secures sprint victory in Austin

Having won 10 of the 15 sprint races ever held, Verstappen was always the favourite once he secured pole but Norris’ great start allowed the McLaren to move from P4 and directly behind Verstappen, potentially setting up a race for the lead.

But as the 19-lap progressed, Verstappen increased his advantage, pushing Norris out of DRS range and then keeping a comfortable gap until the chequered flag.

While the minimal points on offer in a sprint race mean there is little movement in the championship table, it is a statement win from a Red Bull team that had struggled into the autumn break.

With his 11th sprint victory secured, Verstappen will now head back into his team’s garage to plan how they will repeat the trick in quali later on Saturday and then the race on Sunday.

There was also time for a costly mistake from Norris who locked up in the final lap and allowed his former team-mate Carlos Sainz to take second.

Lower down the grid, George Russell, having had a bad start, held off the Ferraris who began to fight amongst themselves and allowed the Mercedes driver some momentary breathing room but Sainz was soon on the attack, taking the last podium spot in lap 9.

Having overcooked his tyres, Russell was also vulnerable to Charles Leclerc who moved into P4.

Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton had a quiet race in sixth while the two Haas cars made good on their quali performance to add three points to their season total.

Behind the Haas cars, Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda produced an almighty tussle with the Mexican eventually winning out to finish ninth to Tsunoda’s 11th.

While Norris finished on the podium, it was less good news for Oscar Piastri who finished 10th having started 16th but did so with a five-second penalty for pushing Pierre Gasly off the track.

New boy Liam Lawson finished 16th while both Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon will hope for better in the rest of the weekend’s events, finishing 18th and 17th respectively.

US GP Sprint race results in full

1 Max Verstappen, Red Bull

2 Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +3.882

3 Lando Norris, McLaren +6.240

4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +6.956

5 George Russell, Mercedes +15.766

6 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes +18.724

7 Kevin Magnussen, Haas +25.161

8 Nico Hulkenberg, Haas +26.588

9 Sergio Perez, Red Bull +29.950

10 Oscar Piastri, McLaren +37.059

11 Yuki Tsunoda, VCARB +38.363

12 Franco Colapinto, Williams +39.460

13 Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +41.236

14 Pierre Gasly, Alpine +41.995

15 Esteban Ocon, Alpine +42.804

16 Liam Lawson, VCARB +44.008

17 Alexander Albon, Williams +44.564

18 Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +46.807

19 Zhou Guanyu, Sauber +52.842

20 Valtteri Bottas, Sauber +54.476