Lando Norris LEADS United States GP as Oscar Piastri collides with Alpine

Norris on the podium in Japan — Photo: © LAT Images

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Norris LEADS United States GP as Piastri collides with Alpine

The Brit perfected the start and led comfortably at the end of lap one

Joe Ellis

Sunday 22 October 2023 21:10 Updated: 21:17

Lando Norris made the perfect start to lead the United States Grand Prix at the end of lap 1.

The Brit stormed up the inside of Charles Leclerc and was 1.7 seconds clear at the line as Carlos Sainz improved to third.

Further back, Oscar Piastri and Esteban Ocon made contact in the first sector but both continued on, albeit with some slight damage.

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Piastri had made a superb start to go from 10th to sixth behind Max Verstappen, who gained a place over George Russell at the start.

Ocon nightmare

Despite continuing to circulate, Ocon dropped down the order very quickly in the Alpine which does not help the team's hopes of good points having started seventh and eighth.

Ocon's front left tyre slammed into the side of Piastri's McLaren, which somehow escaped without significant damage, while the Frenchman had to retire.

Pierre Gasly kept the team's ambitions alive in ninth having lost out to Sergio Perez's Red Bull.

Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10 at the end of lap one having worked his way through the field on the opening tour.