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F1 United States Grand Prix 2025

F1 fans direct blame for controversial US GP sprint crash

Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso were all involved in a dramatic crash in the sprint at the Circuit of the Americas — but who was at fault?

Piastri in the air Cota Sprint
Article
To news overview © XPBimages

Oscar Piastri has been found at fault by a plurality of F1 fans for the contentious first lap crash in the sprint at the United States Grand Prix.

Turn 1 at the Circuit of the Americas is a difficult corner to navigate, with a pinch point and multiple lines that can be taken through the left-hander atop a steep hill.

It makes for fascinating racing and drama-filled starts, as Piastri, Lando Norris, Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso all found out during the one-third distance event at COTA.

Behind polesitter Max Verstappen, Norris had placed his McLaren on the inside of his team-mate, which caused Piastri to try a cut-back in his MCL39.

However, Hulkenberg and Alonso were both there. It triggered contact between the trio, and the Australian was shunted into Norris, forcing all four into a very early retirement.

It was deemed a racing incident by the FIA, but when put to F1 fans to apportion blame, a plurality felt Piastri was responsible for the collision.

In a recent poll by RacingNews365, almost 40 percent of respondents placed fault with the F1 drivers' championship leader.

Cast against the backdrop of Norris' recent "repercussions" for the intra-McLaren contact at the Singapore Grand Prix, it will be intriguing to see how the Woking-based squad handles this latest incident.

The constructors' champions have already confirmed there will be a review, but what will the outcome be?

Check out the full results from the latest poll by RacingNews365 below!

Who was to blame for the Lap 1 Austin sprint race crash?

Answer Share of vote
Lando Norris 7.00%
Oscar Piastri 39.68%
Nico Hulkenberg 22.41%
Fernando Alonso 3.19%
Nobody - it was a racing incident 27.72%

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ADJUSTED 2025 F1 United States Grand Prix starting grid after penalty