Lando Norris concedes Max Verstappen and the Ferraris were too quick in sprint

Lando Norris claimed he had no chance of holding on to second place after he was passed by Carlos Sainz on the final lap of Saturday’s sprint race in the United States to allow Max Verstappen to increase his championship advantage.

Verstappen extended his points lead over Norris from 52 to 54 ahead of Sunday’s main event after he led from start-to-finish at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas to claim his first win in nearly four months.

Norris started fourth before a fine start elevated him to second. The British driver appeared on course to finish runner-up to limit the damage to Verstappen to just one point, only to see Sainz sneak through at the first corner of the 19th and concluding lap. Norris then came under threat from Charles Leclerc but managed to cling on to third.

“I didn’t think I would ever be able to get Max,” said Norris. “We have struggled a bit all weekend and my chances were tough.

“At the end of the race, the Ferraris were on another level compared to us. I did my best to hang on but there was pretty much no chance I could.

“No matter what I would have done, Carlos was coming past. My tyres were completely finished. I put too much stress on the tyres, and I paid the price that way. But I am happy we finished third after I started fourth. We just don’t have the pace this weekend.”

Prior to Saturday’s event at a sun-cooked Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen had not won in his last eight races. However, the Dutch driver was back to his all-conquering best in Texas by sealing a fine win.

Starts have not been Norris’s forte this season but the championship contender nailed his getaway to move up from fourth to second at the opening corner.

Verstappen bolted to his left to cover off George Russell on the uphill charge to the first bend while Norris hugged the apex to cruise past Leclerc and draw alongside Russell.

Norris then held his nerve to fight his way clear of Russell through the ensuing series of fast-sweeping jinks, with Verstappen now in clear sight.

However, Red Bull have brought an upgrade to the US, and Norris, who won so impressively at the previous race in Singapore, was unable to match Verstappen’s speed.

On lap six, he came under pressure from Russell before managing to keep his compatriot behind.

At that stage, Russell would have harboured ambitions of a podium finish but his race unravelled on lap 10 when he lost out to Sainz, and then Leclerc to drop to fifth – the British driver complaining his front-left tyre was “toast”. He would finish there, one place ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Back at the front and McLaren were hopeful Norris could yet launch an assault on his title rival.

A message from Norris’ race engineer, Will Joseph, said: “Verstappen is potentially damaging his rear tyres a bit more than we are.”

But Norris never got near to Verstappen and then, under pressure from Sainz, carried too much speed into the first corner on the last lap to allow the Spaniard ahead.

Leclerc came within centimetres of taking Norris out after he lost control of his Ferrari on a tense final lap.

Both Norris and Leclerc survived to fight another day, but it was Verstappen who was the man smiling at the end as he claimed his first win of any sort since he raced to sprint glory in Austria on June 29.

Qualifying to determine the starting grid for Sunday’s main event takes place at 5pm local time (11pm BST).