Max Verstappen will start from the head of a Formula 1 grid for the first time in almost four months on Saturday after he took pole position for the Sprint at the United States Grand Prix, with title rival Lando Norris only fourth.
At the start of a weekend in which Red Bull’s car has proved the centre of attention off the track, Verstappen coped the best with having only one hour of practice running to prepare for the Sprint event’s first competitive session and pipped Mercedes’ George Russell to qualifying’s fastest time.
Saturday’s short 19-lap race – which starts at 7pm live on Sky Sports F1 and offers eight points to the victor – will mark the first time that F1’s championship leader has started from a pole position since the Austrian GP on June 30, the season’s last Sprint weekend.
The final leading car to take the chequered flag in SQ3, Verstappen uncorked a well-judged 1:32.833 lap of the Circuit of the Americas to pip Russell – who had been one of the first cars onto the track in the session a few minutes earlier – to the fastest time by 0.012s.
But Norris, who trails Verstappen by 52 points in the world championship and knows he needs to up his recent rate of gains if he is to overhaul the Dutchman before the end of the season, was a disappointed fourth and will share the second row with third-quickest Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
There was drama at the end of SQ1 as Alex Albon styled out a huge 360 spin and Oscar Piastri was knocked out after having his lap time deleted
In a further unexpected disappointment for Constructors’ Championship leaders McLaren, Oscar Piastri qualified only 16th after losing his final fastest time in SQ1 due to a track limits infringement at Turn 19.
Rivals Red Bull then lost Sergio Perez in SQ2, the under-pressure Mexican again not doing enough to make the top 10 and qualifying 11th.
Lewis Hamilton ended up seventh but felt pole could have been his had it not been for a yellow flag on his SQ3 lap at Turn 12.
The five-time Austin victor had lapped four-tenths quicker than team-mate Russell through the lap’s first sector but his attempt fell apart in the middle sector after encountering a yellow flag when Williams’ Franco Colapinto went off the track ahead of him on the road, forcing the Mercedes to slow down before then running slightly wide under braking at the next corner.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Anthony Davidson was at the SkyPad to take a closer look at how Franco Colapinto’s yellow flag impacted Lewis Hamilton’s Sprint qualifying lap.
That left Hamilton also behind fifth-placed Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari and Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, who impressed yet again in qualifying to take sixth.
Kevin Magnussen backed up his team-mate’s effort to take eighth in the second Haas, putting the Dane ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Colapinto, who outqualifyed team-mate Alex Albon en route to the top 10.
Norris rues ‘shocking’ run to fourth as Verstappen capitalises
Prior to the near month-long break in the F1 season before Austin, Norris had outscored Verstappen in each of the previous four races – headlined by runaway wins in Zandvoort and Singapore.
But the McLaren driver’s Austin weekend has begun disappointingly after he qualified a quarter of a second away from his pole-winning title rival.
“I’m P4, so not a great day,” said Norris, who finished in the same position in practice.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lando Norris describes his lap as ‘shocking’ which resulted in the McLaren driver making only P4 in the Sprint Qualifying at the USA GP.
“I’ve been struggling the whole day, honestly, with the balance and the set-up.
“In a way, I’m happy with P4 because I felt like it could have been a lot worse. But my lap was shocking.”
By contrast, Verstappen – who has not won any of the last eight races – was happy with his start to a weekend in which Red Bull are aiming to shift the championship momentum back in their favour armed with revisions to their car’s engine cover and floor edge.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Max Verstappen felt it was a ‘positive day from lap one’ as he claimed pole position for the Sprint at the USA GP.
“The whole day the car was working well,” said the Dutchman, who completed a Sprint-Grand Prix victory double at last year’s Austin race.
“I’m happy to be first, it’s been a while, so happy with today.”
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live United States GP schedule
Saturday October 19
6pm: United States GP Sprint build-up
7pm: United States GP Sprint
8.30pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
10pm: United States GP Qualifying build-up*
11pm: United States GP Qualifying*
(Sunday) 1am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the United States Grand Prix
Sunday October 20
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: United States GP build-up*
8pm: THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX*
10pm: Chequered Flag: United States GP reaction
11pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event (Sunday’s race build-up from 7.15pm)
Watch the whole United States GP Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime