Verstappen Takes US Sprint Pole, Norris Fourth in Austin
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix sprint race in Austin, outpacing George Russell by just 0.012 seconds. Lando Norris, his closest title challenger, qualified fourth in the McLaren.
With Verstappen leading Norris by 52 points and six races remaining, every point counts. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took third, 0.226 seconds behind Verstappen, and Norris was 0.250 seconds off the pace in fourth.
Sprint Qualifying Highlights
The sprint qualifying session featured plenty of surprises and drama. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri faced a setback when his lap time was deleted due to exceeding track limits. As a result, he will start the sprint race in 16th position. Additionally, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez struggled in the second session and will start 11th.
Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh, finding himself between Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen. Despite the challenges, Hamilton remained optimistic about his team’s improvements, especially with their new upgrades.
The sprint race, offering eight points for the winner and scaling down to one point for eighth place, is scheduled for Saturday at 19:00 BST. This race is crucial for Norris, who needs to close the gap on Verstappen by nearly nine points per race.
Verstappen’s Return to Form
After failing to qualify fastest since the Belgian Grand Prix in July, Verstappen expressed relief at returning to pole. “We had a good day. The car was working well, and I’m happy to be first. It’s been a while,” Verstappen said.
McLaren has had one of the quickest cars on the grid in recent races, leading to Verstappen defending his championship lead. Since the Dutch Grand Prix in August, Norris has chipped away at Verstappen’s points advantage.
Norris Faces Challenges Despite Upgrades
Norris, who has been steadily closing the gap on Verstappen, was not satisfied with his qualifying performance. “Not very good. It’s been a struggle with balance and set-up all day,” he admitted. Despite this, Norris was relieved to secure fourth, given the challenges he faced. “In a way, happy with P4 because it could have been worse, but the lap was shocking.”
Norris also downplayed the significance of McLaren’s recent upgrades. “It’s not a new package. We’re pretty much where we deserve to be in terms of pace.”
Mercedes Enjoys Strong Results
Mercedes entered the weekend with high hopes for their latest upgrades, their first significant package in months. Russell, thrilled with his second-place finish, credited the team’s efforts. “It’s been a while since we’ve been on the front row. The car felt great with these upgrades, and we knew we had potential,” Russell said.
Both Russell and Hamilton went out early in the session, attempting to get ahead of the competition. However, Hamilton’s run was disrupted when Williams driver Franco Colapinto spun at Turn 12, causing yellow flags and forcing Hamilton to slow down.
Hamilton’s Frustration and Optimism
Hamilton believed that the yellow flags cost him pole position. “I was 0.4 seconds up before the yellow flag,” he said. Despite the setback, Hamilton remained positive about Mercedes’ improvements. “The team has made a step forward with the car, and the upgrade has clearly worked. We have another shot tomorrow.”
For more updates on the United States Grand Prix, visit BBC News.
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