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US GP SPRINT HEATS UP AS VERSTAPPEN TARGETS NORRIS

Max Verstappen takes Sprint pole for the 2025 US Grand Prix, edging out Lando Norris. The Red Bull star eyes a crucial victory in their championship rematch, targeting a strong start to hold off the McLaren challenge at COTA.

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Creator: Xavi Bonilla | Credit: Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

After taking pole position ahead of Lando Norris at the 2025 United States Grand Prix, Max Verstappen set the stage for an exciting Sprint Race. He acknowledges that he is eager to face his competitor as they get ready for a rematch from the previous year.

The Red Bull driver reaffirmed his title aspirations and set up another high-stakes battle with his closest championship rivals after defeating the McLaren star by a mere 0.071 seconds in a hotly contested practice at the Circuit of the Americas.

The two will face off in Turn 1 once more in what might be a rerun of 2024, with the Dutchman aiming to maintain his lead after Norris purposefully ran his rival wide during their race for the Formula 1 championship.

After feeling content with his landing pole position, Verstappen acknowledges that he is eager to face Norris in the October 18 United States GP Sprint Race because he knows a victory would bring him one step closer to a fifth world title.

Verstappen said to F1 TV, "It has been a pleasant qualifying." We were really close throughout every section; it is just a matter of trying to piece everything together when it counts at the end, which is difficult since you walk to the soft compound without any real reference.

"I think that is precisely what we want to see, but it worked out beautifully. I still expect tomorrow's Sprint to be a tough battle."

"I am content with now and looking forward to tomorrow."

In the latter part of the 2025 season, the three-time world champion has regained his vigour and is gradually catching up to the McLaren team of Norris and Oscar Piastri. 

His 1:32.143 Sprint Pole in Austin continues Red Bull's run of impressive qualifying results at the location, where the reigning champion has triumphed in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

The outcome, which comes after Verstappen acknowledged a challenging session with shifting weather, not only gives him the best starting position for Saturday's Sprint but also a crucial chance to close the title gap.

Verstappen went on to say, "The wind was coming up and down, quite gusty." Because of the track's extreme bumpiness, automobiles can quickly pass you at high speeds. 

"You have to leave a few margins here and there in a qualification like that, but today has been excellent for us." 

The secret to defeating McLaren in the Sprint Race is revealed by Verstappen.
In the meantime, Norris will start on the front row with the Red Bull driver in the hopes of turning his qualifying performance into a Sprint victory. 

With just 22 points between him and his teammate Piastri, the Briton is still engaged in a fierce title struggle.

The Sprint seems to be a potentially crucial point in Red Bull's season, as Verstappen closes the distance behind and McLaren's drivers concentrate on their own title battle.

The championship may shift back in favour of the reigning world champion going into Sunday's Grand Prix if the Dutchman turns his pole position into victory.

And he emphasises that the secret to holding off the McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris on Saturday is to make sure he reaches the first curve, rising sharply and opening into a wide braking zone, into the lead.

Verstappen stated, "Just aim to get off to a solid start." "I hope we have a decent pace in the race after this one, which is also a wide bend.

"But tomorrow we will find out."

With barely four-tenths separating the top three, Saturday's Sprint might be pivotal as the championship gets closer. Austin's Sprint is expected to be a pivotal event in a race that only appears to be getting more intense.

RED BULL STAY CALM, COOL, AND CONFIDENT DESPITE MCLAREN MOMENTUM

Red Bull's Laurent Mekies denies their 2025 car focus is due to 2026 PU concerns, calling it a strategic choice to improve development tools. As Lando Norris retakes the title lead, the F1 championship battle intensifies.

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Red Bull Unfazed by McLaren Rise - COURTESY/PHOTO

In Mexico, McLaren CEO Andrea Stella implied that Red Bull's choice to continue working on its 2025 vehicle was a reflection of a lack of clarity surrounding the upcoming Red Bull-Ford power unit.

However, that notion has been rejected by team manager Laurent Mekies and Dr. Helmut Marko.

Mekies stated it has nothing to do with 2026.

"We would have too many unanswered questions going into 2026 if we did not get the most out of this car by the end of the season. We made the decision to spend more money on this vehicle in order to fix its shortcomings and increase its speed.

It greatly increases our confidence in our 2026 tools, strategies, and techniques. Yes, the new project will require less time and effort, but it was a deliberate choice. Performance has nothing to do with it.

According to the Frenchman, the team's strategy is centered on comprehension rather than risk. "We think there will be a net benefit, so we are doing this. We can apply our methods to 2026 and are now verifying them. If it led to difficulties, we would not do it.

Yes, there is a cost, but we think it is worthwhile.

Red Bull's momentum was halted by Mexico as Norris resumed his winning ways, despite Verstappen's recent race surge. Despite replacing an unproductive Oscar Piastri as the championship leader, Verstappen actually cut his overall lead to 36 points.

Norris' resounding win was a welcome change for Stella. Verstappen is still a competitor, but we have the advantage in the next races, he stated.

We have demonstrated that we have a car that can win races and, in some situations, dominate, which has boosted confidence in the championship.

This is the most crucial element that permits Lando and Oscar to compete for the Drivers' Championship, the Italian engineer continued. It has to do with competitiveness, not mathematics. Although the previous races in Austin, Baku, Singapore, and Monza were challenging, we have now once again proven our strength.

In Mexico, Piastri's decline worsened, but Stella stayed positive. Oscar claimed that despite losing some points to Verstappen, he gained a lot of knowledge this past weekend. To make sure you are competitive in every situation during the last stretch, you make that kind of investment. We are stronger and more hopeful when we leave Mexico.

Marko of Red Bull concurred that the battle is still open. "It is no longer assured that one team dominates at a circuit, and there are still 116 points available," he remarked.

We still have a shot. Since Max is the center of attention, I hope the two McLarens stick to their fair play policy.

Verstappen's pace in Mexico, according to Marko, was more powerful than it seemed. In race trim, we knew we would perform better. Max compared himself to a hunting hound, saying that once he scents anything, all else vanishes and he attacks.

But at McLaren, the focus is already shifting from gearboxes to mentalities. Now at the top of the rankings, Norris is under increased scrutiny after the Mexican fans jeered him.

"The question now is whether Norris can take use of his second chance as title leader - or if things will turn unstable again," former Formula One driver Timo Glock told Sky Deutschland. Has he comprehended why the pressure was too severe for him earlier, why he couldn't drive freely back then?

The odds are on his side if he has and has figured out how to deal with it, Glock continued. It is easier said than done, though. It is a completely different picture once the helmet is on and the pressure increases.

JANNIK SINNER BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE DAVIS CUP REVERSAL

Jannik Sinner is standing firm on his decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup, showing frustration at repeated questions. The Italian star prioritises his off-season and 2026 Australian Open preparation over defending the title.

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Jannik Sinner Addresses Buzz Around His Davis Cup Future - PHOTO: EPA

When Jannik Sinner's decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup Finals next month was brought up again, he appeared a little miffed.

Top players commit to competing in the finals because of its scheduling, which runs from November 18 to November 23. They would only have a little more than a month off until 2026 starts if they played until late November.

During Team Italy's championship runs in 2023 and 2024, Sinner was their lucky charm. The nation's remarkable recent supremacy in the sport was established by the women's victories in the Billie Jean King Cup in 2024 and 2025.

Even if the 2025 finals will be placed in Bologna, Italy's chances of winning the Davis Cup for a third time in a row appear to be slim after Sinner declared he would not participate.

The four-time Grand Slam champion said he had previously won two Davis Cups with his Italian colleagues and that he planned to use the additional week to get ready for the Australian Open in 2026.

Nicola Pietrangeli, a fellow Italian legend and two-time French Open champion, was not pleased with Sinner's choice or his justification for it. He believes that modern players are more concerned with money than with patriotism and that it was disrespectful to their nation.

Sinner stated that while people have the right to their opinions, he did not wish to contribute anything further in reaction to the criticism. It is possible that the ATP world No. 2 assumed the topic would be abandoned at that point.

Rather, a reporter at the 2025 Paris Masters questioned Sinner about the possibility of changing his mind. It is still mathematically conceivable to finish as the year-end No. 1 because Sinner had stated that it would be impossible before Alcaraz's surprise defeat by Cameron Norrie in Paris.

Compared to his response to Pietrangeli's and others' criticism, Sinner's response was even more succinct and direct. The 24-year-old reiterated that he had nothing else to say and indicated the choice had been made.

"No, the choice has been made. However, I covered everything a few days ago.

Sinner's frustration with the inquiries surrounding his Davis Cup selection was evident. Even though it makes some sense, missing a home team event is an unavoidable consequence of being a top player.

Recently, Sinner criticised the four Grand Slams.


Sinner was irritated with the four Grand Slams in a different interview for not doing more to address concerns about prize money and other advantages, including healthcare and pensions, that were brought up by elite players earlier this year.

The Wimbledon champion this year expressed frustration that the major events wanted to address some other concerns before fully interacting with players and said that initially, encouraging conversations had not resulted in any follow-up steps.

Twenty elite athletes, 10 from the ATP and 10 from the WTA, wrote to the Grand Slams earlier this season to request a larger share of the money made to be distributed as prize money and other benefits.

It will be interesting to watch if the Grand Slams address those issues and make adjustments in 2026.

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