US Grand Prix: Norris on pole as Verstappen hit by Russell red flag
McLaren driver Lando Norris took pole position for Sunday's United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, after the final round was cut short by an accident for Mercedes driver George Russell.
That left Max Verstappen having to settle for P2 on the grid in the Red Bull ahead of an all-Ferrari second row consisting of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, while Oscar Piastri will line up in fifth alongside Russell.
It was a disastrous session for Russell's team mate Lewis Hamilton, who missed the first cut meaning he will start tomorrow's race from 18th on the grid once an engine penalty demotes RB's Liam Lawson to the back.
Just hours after the end of a frantic Austin sprint race, the drivers were ready to embark on a whole new qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas, this time to decide the grid for Sunday's US Grand Prix. Max Verstappen was arguably favourite to claim the honours again, but the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc looked determined to ensure that didn't happen.
Q1: Verstappen and Leclerc set the early pace as Hamilton misses first cut
When the lights at the end of pit lane went green to get proceedings underway, Williams' Alex Albon was first to hit the road on a set of used soft tyres, there being a free choice of compounds this session. Also quick to get going was Valtteri Bottas whose sprint race had ended in flames after the rear brakes of his Sauber caught fire.
Fernando Alonso took an early lead over Bottas, Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu, but soon it was a 1:34.029s from McLaren's Lando Norris that took point on the timing screens. Sainz was nearly a tenth slower with his run, while Leclerc's first time was deleted for exceeding track limits. Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly also lost their times, allowing Oscar Piastri to slot into third place in the McLaren.
These were just opening feints. Verstappen soon went top by three tenths while his Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez took third, but it wasn't a good start for Mercedes with Russell opening in 13th and Hamilton just 17th on three-lap old tyres. Conversely a new set of tyres allowed Gasly to go top while Nico Hulkenberg blossomed in P3 ahead of Liam Lawson, as the track picked up grip and speed which soon allowed Leclerc to jump to the top.
Tsunoda was yet to set a time after his first effort was deleted, but he finally did enough to get into the second round. That left Hamilton in serious trouble, and a mistake in turn 12 on his final run meant his time was only fast enough for P16 meaning he was out. Repairs following a front suspension failure in the sprint race were blamed for missing the cut.
Verstappen's best time at the chequered flag was 1:33.046s to put him ahead of Leclerc. Lawson was a surprise third from Russell, Gasly and Sainz followed by the two Haas cars. Eliminated along with Hamilton were both Williams of Albon and Franco Colapinto and the two Saubers of Bottas and Zhou.
Q2: Verstappen stays quickest with Sainz second as Tsunoda and Hulkenberg miss out
When the track reopened for a second round business, there was a short delay before Verstappen was first to make a move and set a target of 1:33.052s on used tyres for the rest to aim for. Perez was four tenths of a second behind his team mate despite using new tyres, giving a gap for Gasly to settle into with Sainz then going third.
With eight minutes remaining, Norris took charge using a new set of tyres to go two tenths quicker than Verstappen. Piastri couldn't quite beat the Red Bull but went half a hundredth behind the Dutch driver for third, with Russell into P4 ahead of Gasly. Those left in the drop zone were Leclerc, Ocon, Alonso and Lance Stroll. Given his inevitable grid penalty, Lawson sat this one out and concentrated instead on helping his RB team mate Tsunoda, but still couldn't boost him into Q3.
First to come back out for his last Q2 run was Verstappen and he duly went three tenths ahead of Morris to reclaim the top spot by three tenths with a lap of 1:32.584s. Also improving was Leclerc who went third, and even when subsequently pipped by Norris that still saw him safety through to Q3. Ocon also made up time but remained outside the top ten, as were Tsunoda, Hulkenberg and Stroll who all missed the cut, as well as Lawson who didn't set a time in lieu of his penalty.
Q3: Norris takes pole from Verstappen after red flag for Russell
Norris, Sainz and Leclerc were all quick to make a move on fresh tyres to commence the top ten pole shootout. The McLaren came out on top in that initial skirmish on a time of 1:32.330s, with Sainz three tenths back in second. Piastri took fourth while Russell was fifth ahead of Gasly and Kevin Magnussen. Verstappen came out late and duly went second despite a relatively mediocre final sector, while Perez' time was deleted for running wide leaving him in tenth.
Alonso bided his time time until there was little traffic on track, and his lap was good enough for P8 putting him ahead of Magnussen. Verstappen was soon back out on track again despite a near-miss on pit lane with a potential unsafe release for Gasly.
After dodging that, Verstappen didn't get a chance to show what he could do before the session was red-flagged for Russell losing the rear end of the W15 and going off at turn 19. That prevented Perez setting any time in Q3, leaving him starting from P10 on Sunday's grid.
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