AUSTIN, Texas – Max Verstappen secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix, surpassing McLaren’s Lando Norris, while championship leader Oscar Piastri found himself in a challenging sixth place.
Verstappen’s lap time of 1:32.510 at the start of Q3 was enough. Red Bull didn’t send him out for a final attempt, but it wasn’t necessary. Norris finished 0.291 seconds behind the leader at the Circuit of the Americas.
The front row of the grid gives Verstappen and Norris the opportunity to close the gap with Piastri in Sunday’s qualifying.
It was good. I think in each segment the car was very strong. Trying to do a lap here can sometimes be tricky. It’s also very hot, very windy. And then, in that first sector, having a tailwind is a challenge.
Max Verstappen
Verstappen added: “The first lap in Q3 was good. I managed to improve a bit compared to Q2. Unfortunately, then I couldn’t do my last run. It was a bit messy with the out laps, but fortunately… we didn’t need it. So, for us, again, a very strong result.”Max Verstappen logró su séptima pole de la temporada.Norris commented: “Yesterday I was quite comfortable. And I don’t know if everyone else has improved a bit or if today’s wind hurt us a bit more, but we both struggled today to do the laps and be as fast as this guy. So, we were pushing. And I’m very happy with second place. It could have been worse, but there was no chance we could get pole today.”
Verstappen had already added eight points to the McLarens by winning the sprint race. In that race, Piastri collided with Norris after contact with Nico Hülkenberg, which left them out of the race.
Verstappen’s victory in the short event means he arrives at Sunday’s main event 55 points ahead of Piastri and 33 points ahead of Norris.
Verstappen has finished ahead of both McLaren drivers in the last three races. He will seek to replicate his start in the sprint, with a clean start that allows him a clean race to Turn 1.
The championship leader, Piastri, struggled throughout the day and finished half a second off Verstappen’s time.
The Australian driver, whose form has faltered since the summer break, will face a difficult race on Sunday to minimize damage, with Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton starting between him and Norris.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli was seventh for Mercedes, ahead of qualifying star Oliver Bearman, who will start eighth for Haas.
Carlos Sainz, who achieved a popular third place in Saturday’s sprint race, qualified ninth ahead of his Spanish compatriot Fernando Alonso.
The session featured a red flag, with Isack Hadjar suffering a heavy accident in the early moments of Q1. The French rookie was unharmed in the accident, but will start from the back of the grid.
