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 an impressive 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 on track in SQ3, Verstappen uncorked a well-judged 1:32.833 lap to pip Russell – who had been the second car on the track a few minutes earlier – to the fastest time by 0.012s.
But Norris, who trails Verstappen by 52 points in the 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.
“I’m P4, so not a great day,” said Norris. “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.”
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Max Verstappen took Sprint pole and Mercedes’ George Russell sealed a surprise front row at the USA Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton ended up seventh but felt pole could have been his had it not been for a yellow flag on his SQ3 lap.
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.
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 was eighth in the second Haas ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Colapinto, who caught the eye again to make the top 10 after outqualifying team-mate Alex Albon.
Verstappen and Norris will start the 19-lap Sprint without their respective team-mates in close proximity.
McLaren saw Oscar Piastri drop out in SQ1 after a track limits violation at Turn 19 saw the Australian lose his final lap time, dropping him from the safety of the top 10 to a costly 16th place.
Sergio Perez, who remains under pressure for his seat next season despite ostensibly having a contract, then suffered fresh disappointment by missing out on a place in SQ3. He will start the Sprint from 11th, three places outside the points positions.
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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
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
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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