P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen raises McLaren warning after US GP sprint triumph
Max Verstappen expressed concerns over Red Bull’s race pace at the United States Grand Prix, questioning their ability to challenge McLaren strategically. Despite his comfortable race win on Saturday, he believes Red Bull needs to improve to fight the competition. Verstappen resisted early pressure from Mercedes’ George Russell in the sprint race, with McLarens facing disappointing early exits due to a first-lap incident caused by Oscar Piastri. This setback puts Verstappen 55 points behind Piastri with six races left. Looking ahead, Max acknowledges the necessity to enhance the handling of his RB21 for qualifying against the McLarens. While not getting involved in title race discussions, he emphasizes the importance of improving race trim to maintain competitiveness.
