AUSTIN, Texas — In a thrilling turn of events at the United States Grand Prix, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen clinched victory in the sprint race on Saturday, marking his first win in almost five months. This victory was crucial in maintaining his lead in the ongoing Formula 1 championship despite McLaren’s Lando Norris closing in effectively throughout the race.

Norris launched from the fourth position at the start, quickly settling into second place and shadowing Verstappen during 18 of the 19 laps at the Circuit of the Americas. However, a critical error during the final turn on the last lap allowed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz to overtake him, relegating Norris to third place. This shift in position cost Norris a significant point in the championship battle, leaving him 54 points behind Verstappen with only six grand prix races and two sprint races left in the season.

Verstappen, aiming for his fourth consecutive title, began the race from pole position and was never seriously challenged. He finished with a comfortable margin of nearly four seconds ahead of Sainz, echoing sentiments of dominance reminiscent of his past performances. “Feels a bit like old times,” Verstappen remarked after his win.

Aside from the excitement of the sprint, qualifying for the main event on Sunday was also scheduled on Saturday. Verstappen has had a strong track record at the U.S. Grand Prix, having secured victory in the last three editions, although he last started from pole in 2021. The recent win may bolster Red Bull’s confidence as they continue to fine-tune a car that Verstappen has alternately deemed “undrivable” and “a monster” at various points during the season.

Formula 1 returned from a four-week break with Norris intensifying his pursuit of Verstappen in the drivers’ championship. The Dutch driver, who had not claimed any victory since the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix in June and the grand prix in Spain the week prior, witnessed Norris achieve two wins and three podium finishes during the same period, thereby narrowing the championship gap. In addition, McLaren has managed to surpass Red Bull in the constructors’ championship during this time.

Despite his impressive performance, Norris acknowledged the challenges he faced against the speed of Verstappen and the Ferraris for Sunday’s main event. “I did the best I could,” he stated after the sprint race, expressing doubts about matching the pace of Verstappen and his competitors.