Both McLaren drivers involved in United States GP sprint crash amid dramatic start to Austin weekend

The 2025 Unites States Grand Prix sprint race opened with immediate drama as both McLaren drivers were caught in contact at the very first corner of the race. 

Max Verstappen started from pole with a strong launch, defending the inside of Turn 1 as the cars accelerated up the hill from the startline. But as the cars clumped under braking, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris made contact at the apex after Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg hit the championship leader. 

"Someone just wiped me out, I'm out," Norris said, unaware that it was his own team-mate who hit him. 

"Piastri tried to tuck underneath Norris but goes up on two wheels after hitting Hulkenberg," Martin Brundle said during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast. "It's a first corner drama."

LAP 1/19

What a DRAMATIC start to this Sprint, with a first corner collision between the top-two in the championship! :scream:#F1Sprint#USGPpic.twitter.com/eVRnFjzFuZ

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 18, 2025

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown was quickly asked to comment, with him swiftly diverting any blame away from his drivers.

"That was terrible. Neither of our drivers to blame there," he told Sky Sports F1.

"That's some amateur-hour driving by some drivers up there at the front, (they) whacked out two guys.

"I want to see the replay again but clearly Nico Hulkenberg drove into Oscar and he had no business being where he was, he went into his left-rear tyre.

"It looks like it was just limited to suspension damage, so hopefully it's relatively easy to fix."

Both McLaren drivers, as well as Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who was also caught up in the drama at Turn 1, were forced to exit the race as yellow flags were waved while track marshals cleared up the resulting debris. 

Lando Norris, McLaren crash

"McLaren will now learn nothing about tyre degradation, ride height and skid blocks," Brundle added. "All things you could do with learning for tomorrow's race."

With just four hours until qualifying for the grand prix, the race is on to make sure these cars are repaired and ready to go again this busy weekend. 

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