Oscar Piastri and title rival Lando Norris were both knocked out of the sprint after a tangle with Nico Hulkenberg at turn one. Photo: CLIVE MASON
New Zealand Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson has avoided some first lap carnage to finish ninth in the sprint race at the US Grand Prix in Texas as both McLaren's collided and were forced to retire.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri and title rival Lando Norris were both knocked out of the sprint after a tangle with Nico Hulkenberg at turn one.
Piastri's car was hit by Sauber's Hulkenberg at the first corner and pitched onto Norris, who had been on the front row of the grid.
The safety car was deployed, with debris across the track.
RB's New Zealander driver Liam Lawson and Alpine's French driver Pierre Gasly. Photo: RONALDO SCHEMIDT
"Someone just wiped me out, I'm out," said Norris, who stopped on track.
Piastri, 22 points clear of his teammate at the top of the standings, made it back to the pit lane but retired with a broken suspension.
"That was terrible. Neither of our drivers to blame there," McLaren boss Zak Brown told Sky Sports television.
"That's some amateur-hour driving by some drivers up there at the front, 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."
Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race from pole ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and Williams' Carlos Sainz.
Starting from 15th on the grid, Racing Bulls driver Lawson made some good passes to get to 9th, finishing just one place outside the points.
His teammate Isack Hadjar came 12th.
There was also a safety car later in the race when Aston Martin's Lance Stroll crashed into Haas' Sebastian Ocon in a corner.
- Reuters / RNZ
