Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris by 0.071s margin to F1 sprint race pole in US GP, with Oscar Piastri rounding the Top 3.
SQ1:
The first part in sprint qualifying in F1 US GP at Circuit of the Americas saw drivers mandated to use the medium tyres, but Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto had his lap time deleted after the first run due to track limits at Turn 19. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly had a moment too but was able to catch it.
It was traffic chaos in the end which meant several were left high and dry in the end. The biggest to lose was Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, who couldn’t make it on time to end up 18th after his first lap of 1m35.259s. Replays showed him fighting with Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson, who made it in.
Haas’ Esteban Ocon (1m356.003s) couldn’t make it as well to be 19th, with Bortoleto unable to set a timed lap. A late push from Gasly dropped Haas’ Oliver Bearman (1m35.159s) to 16th, with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto (1m35.246s) 17th ahead of Tsunoda and Ocon.
At the front, McLaren’s Lando Norris ended up on top with a 1m33.224s lap ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri in third. The traffic chaos also caught out Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, but the Brit’s initial lap in fourth did not cause any harm.
SQ2:
The second part in sprint qualifying in F1 US GP saw the teams continue on the medium tyres as four drivers opted for a one-lap strategy, when the rest opted for double run. But it didn’t work for Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson, who had a moment at Turn 1.
He was 11th but track limits at Turn 19 had his lap time deleted. It was a scrape through for both the Ferrari drivers in the Top 10 at the last attempt. In fact, Hamilton’s final push dropped Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli (1m34.018s) in 11th, as replays showed a minor mistake on his quick lap.
Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar (1m34.241s) was 12th from Gasly (1m34.258s), Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll (1m34.394s), who also made a mistake. At the front, Norris led the way with a 1m33.033s lap ahead of Verstappen and Piastri – which was same Top 3 as SQ1.
SQ3:
The final run in sprint qualifying in F1 US GP saw mandated soft tyre running as Mercedes’ George Russell went early along with the Williams pair. Once they were done with their run, it was Hulkenberg at the front before the Top 3 gunners came through in their attempt.
Norris went the quickest by a margin after his 1m32.214s lap, but Verstappen came through and went quicker by 0.071s to set a 1m32.143s lap to take F1 sprint pole in US GP ahead of Norris and Piastri (1m32.523s), as Hulkenberg secured his best result in fourth after his 1m32.645s lap.
Russell’s early lap of 1m32.645s was enough for fifth, as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (1m32.910s) slotted in sixth from Williams’ Carlos Sainz (1m32.911s), Hamilton (1m33.035s), Williams’ Alexander Albon (1m33.099s) and Leclerc (1m33.104s) in the Top 10 – where they were covered within 0.961s margin.
Here’s Lando Norris on top in FP1 of F1 US GP: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/fp1-norris-leads-hulkenberg-and-piastri-during-sole-austin-practice-session.3odoUQfECZyw2QLdbexIpT
