F1 LIVE | Brundle finds Sprint crash culprit, Wolff praises Verstappen

Good day and welcome to F1 LIVE, GPblog’s each day reside weblog, the place you will study of the most recent F1 tales of Wednesday, twenty second October 2025.

Martin Brundle feels the System 1 championship chief, Oscar Piastri, was ‘predominantly’ at fault for the chaos on the opening lap of the Dash at the USA Grand Prix.

Piastri made contact with Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg at Flip 1, which precipitated the Australian’s automotive to bounce into his teammate, Lando Norris.

This precipitated each McLarens to retire as their title rival Max Verstappen went on to take full benefit and win the Dash.

Verstappen has now closed the hole to Piastri to only 40 factors with 5 rounds to go. The Dutchman has additionally gained three of the final 4 occasions.

Brundle defined in his column on the Sky Sports activities web site: “The Piastri crash in flip one was unlucky, however I consider he was predominantly guilty. This nook rises steeply by 40 metres, may be very extensive on the entry level however slim on the apex, and solely a bit wider on the exit, albeit with some scruffy run-off area if required.

“This zone invitations and promotes contact, by no means extra so than at first when the pack is shut.”

Oscar Piastri within the US paddock – Photograph: Race Photos

Wolff adamant Verstappen is extra ready mentally for title battle

Verstappen is pushing for his fifth consecutive world championship and has the momentum with him within the battle.

The Dutchman has been making use of extra strain to McLaren for the reason that summer season break and dominated the USA Grand Prix.

Verstappen took pole place in Austin and benefited from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc moving into second place forward of Norris.

Mercedes CEO and group principal Toto Wolff feels that Verstappen has a key psychological edge over McLaren’s drivers.

He informed GPblog: “I have been in an analogous scenario with two drivers combating for a championship, and the specter of one other one catching up. Again within the day, it was Max, I consider, after which it was Sebastian [Vettel] in that hunt.

“The underdog at all times has a bit little bit of a neater psychological benefit due to the likelihood. The chances are undoubtedly in opposition to Max. For those who have a look at the likelihood, that’s very low, one DNF can change the whole lot, and I feel that impacts the driving as properly.”

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