Max Verstappen won the United States Grand Prix sprint ahead of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris. The drivers were very aggressive in this first event on American soil, in particular the Spaniard against his teammate Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen won the sprint with a lead of almost four seconds over his competitors. The Dutchman did not waver in the short race and is one of the favorites for pole position in the Grand Prix.
The Ferraris are also very fast this weekend. Dominant during FP1, the Italian single-seaters are the only ones not to be equipped with upgrades. Mercedes and McLaren, on the other hand, are a little behind their rivals.
Q1 – Hamilton does not do better than 19th
The drivers set off on the track without really hurrying. Fernando Alonso sets the first benchmark time of the session in 1’34″496. He is quickly beaten by Lando Norris in 1’34″029. Carlos Sainz fits behind the McLaren driver at 75 thousandths. Leclerc’s first time is canceled after the Monegasque exceeded the track limits. Max Verstappen lines up all the sectors and takes the best time in 1’33″690.
Nico Hülkenberg takes the second best time in 1’33″870, the German is however on new tires, which is not the case for the other drivers. Pierre Gasly takes the lead in the time sheet with a very good lap in 1’33″550, also on new tires.
There are five minutes left in this Q1 and the Mercedes are 16th and 17th. As the drivers come out for a final lap, Sergio Pérez is 10th and Oscar Piastri eighth. Lewis Hamilton only set a 16th time, a time which was ultimately erased due to track limitations. George Russell places himself in third position. The two Alpines, on the other hand, qualify for the rest of the session.
Eliminated in Q1: Albon, Colapinto, Bottas, Hamilton and Zhou
Q2 – Verstappen maintains control
Max Verstappen takes the track first, he improves his Q1 time and signs a 1’33″052. Pérez places himself behind in 1’33″487, immediately beaten by Carlos Sainz, then by Pierre Gasly who scores a 1 ’33″429. Alpine seems in very good form as Esteban Ocon takes the second sector record and achieves a 1’33″686 which places him in fifth position.
Lando Norris breaks the 1’32 mark and takes the best time, while his teammate takes third place. Charles Leclerc only recorded a 14th time on his first attempt. The Monegasque is the first to emerge five minutes from the end of the session. The Ferrari driver moves back into third position.
Gasly improves his time and climbs to seventh place, while his teammate does not do better than 11th and will therefore not progress to Q3.
Eliminated in Q2: Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Stroll et Lawson
Q3 – Norris takes pole after Russell crash!
The lights turn green in this Q3. Norris signs the best provisional time of this last session in 1’32″330. The two Ferraris settle behind the McLaren driver, while Verstappen registers the second time just 31 thousandths behind Norris. Russell achieves a sixth time, lost at the radio, he does not understand the behavior of his car, completely different from that of Friday.
The first beat of Pérez is deleted. There are less than two minutes left and the drivers take to the track one last time. But Russell comes to turn everything upside down after he misses in the last sector, the Mercedes driver crashes into the Tecpro at turn 19 and offers pole position to Norris! Max Verstappen will start second, Carlos Sainz third. Note also the seventh position of Pierre Gasly.
United States Grand Prix – Qualifying
Q1
Q2
Q3
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