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Formula 1 United States GP

Austin Sprint preview: Verstappen's fair chance to extend consecutive Sprint winning streak

If one thing has been consistent this season for Verstappen, it's his Sprint wins. But other champ hopefuls could use a win in this weekend's sprint as a way to close in the points gap.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari and Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Jock Clear, Ferrari, Oliver Bearman, Reserve Driver, Ferrari and Haas F1 Team, James Vowles, Team Principal, Williams Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team, Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, with Romain Grosjean

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Helmets of Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, in the cockpit

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, in the cockpit

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Franco Colapinto, Williams, Gaetan Jego, Williams Racing Race Engineer

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

The flag of the United States of America

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, NASCAR star Jeff Gordon swap helmets

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team, in the Team Principals Press Conference

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, in the Team Principals Press Conference

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team on stage

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Former NASCAR star Jeff Gordon poses with an Aston Martin Pirelli Hot Laps car

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team, Raoul Spanger, Manager of Nico Hulkenberg

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Leo Neugebauer in the Haas F1 Team garage

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, with Gene Haas, Owner and Founder, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Mick Schumacher, Reserve Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Mechanics push Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Alex Albon, Williams FW46

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Sprint pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Sprint pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, celebrates in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, receives his Sprint Qualifyiing Award from Leo Neugebauer, German Track and Field athlete

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Neugebauer, German Track and Field athlete

2024 United States Grand Prix - Friday

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will aim to continue his dominant Sprint run at this weekend in Austin. Of the 15 Sprints since 2021, the reigning World Champion has come out on all but five occasions with Valtteri Bottas having won two, and Sergio Perez, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri all having come out on top once a piece.

A win at Saturday's 2pm ET Sprint would mark Verstappen’s sixth successive Sprint win — and his eighth in two years. The Dutchman qualified on pole for the Sprints in both Miami and Austria earlier this season, while he rallied back from fourth in China to take the win.

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris will hope he can continue to eat away at Verstappen’s 52-point championship lead over him this weekend — starting with the Sprint.

Sprints have been something of an Achilles heel for this year’s championship hopeful, who has yet to gain a position on his Sprint qualifying spot in the subsequent Sprint race in the current format. In fact, the last time Norris improved on his qualifying spot in the subsequent Sprint was back in Austria two years ago. Thankfully for Norris, he’s been in top form in recent races, winning from pole in two of the last four Grand Prix, and finishing in the top four in each.

As for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who currently sits third in the championship standing, just 34 points behind Norris, Austin is another opportunity for him to finally come out on top in a Sprint. He came close in Miami, finishing second behind the 'Flying Dutchman' before a disappointing seventh-place finish in Austria. It is worth noting, however, that the Monegasque has gained positions in the last four Sprint Races.

If history is anything to go by, then another driver to keep an eye out for could be Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time World Champion’s five wins at COTA are the most in the series, while last year, he rose from third to second in the Austin Sprint Race. Sprint races have been a mixed bag for Hamilton this season, finishing second in China before 16th and sixth placed finishes in Miami and Austria respectively. But given his track record, and coming off of a Fall break, perhaps the 39-year-old can conjure up something special in Texas once more.