Lando Norris had a perfect start to lead the US Grand Prix at the end of the first lap.
The Briton charged inside Charles Leclerc and eventually took a 1.7-second lead. as Carlos Sainz improved to third place.
Further along, Oscar Piastri and Esteban Ocon touched in the first sector but both kept going, even if they suffered minor damage.
Piastri got off to a great start moving from 10th to sixth behind Max Verstappen, who gained ground on George Russell from the start.
Ocon’s nightmare
Despite its continued release, Ocon very quickly fell back in the standings in Alpine, which did not help the hopes of a good points start for the team starting second seven and eight.
Ocon’s left front tire hit the side of Piastri’s McLaren, causing the car to escape without significant damage, while the French driver had to withdraw.
Pierre Gasly maintains his team’s ambitions in ninth place after losing to Sergio Perez’s Red Bull.
Yuki Tsunoda moved into the top 10 at the end of the first round after struggling through the field in the opening lap.