Max Verstappen pips George Russell to claim the 2024 United States Grand Prix Sprint pole as title rival Lando Norris struggles with pace.
The United States Grand Prix Sprint pole marked a major achievement for the reigning world champion and his Red Bull Racing team, as it is their first pole since the Austrian GP in July.
Max Verstappen set a blistering time of 1:32.833, narrowly edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.012 seconds, a margin so slim that it highlights the intense competition among the top teams.
The Sprint Qualifying session held at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin unfolded over three segments: SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3. Each segment saw drivers pushing their limits in a bid to secure a favorable starting position for Saturday’s Sprint race.
In SQ1, Lewis Hamilton initially set the pace with a time of 1:33.647 on medium tires but later faced stiff competition from Charles Leclerc, who was just 0.193 seconds behind him. Verstappen also made his mark early on, positioning himself well within the top contenders.
However, it was a challenging session for McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, whose fastest lap was disqualified due to exceeding track limits, leaving him to start from a disappointing P16.
As SQ1 progressed, several notable drivers found themselves eliminated. Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon also struggled with pace that would see them start further down the grid alongside Sauber duo Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.
Meanwhile Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull Sergio Perez struggled to find his rhythm and finished just outside the cut-off for SQ2 in P11.
Moving into SQ2, Hamilton continued to impress but was soon joined by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Lando Norris as they battled for top spots. Verstappen strategically held back initially but soon unleashed his speed, clocking in at P2 behind Sainz.
The session saw some dramatic moments as drivers pushed hard for their final laps; however, Perez’s earlier struggles continued as he failed to advance along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, RB’s Liam Lawson and Aston Martin pair Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
The stakes were highest in the final segment, SQ3. Russell was the first out on track and set a solid time that seemed likely to secure him the United States Grand Prix Sprint pole before Verstappen’s remarkable final effort.
The Red Bull star executed a perfect lap under pressure to execute a flawless tire management strategy given that track conditions had cooled slightly throughout the day. Meanwhile the Mercedes driver had to settle for second after narrowly missing the top spot by 0.012s.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured third place on the grid, indicating that both Ferrari and McLaren were still competitive despite Red Bull’s resurgence.
Lando Norris finished a dismal fourth after expressing disappointment with his car’s balance during qualifying. He felt that despite being only 0.250 seconds off Verstappen’s time, he could have achieved better if not for issues with setup and handling.
The rest of the top ten included Carlos Sainz in fifth place and Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen in sixth and eighth respectively. Lewis Hamilton had to settle for seventh after encountering yellow flags during his final flying lap which hampered his chances of improving his laps.
RB’s Yuki Tsunoda was ninth as Williams’ Franco Colapinto rounded out the top ten with an impressive performance that marked a highlight for his team this season. His ability to break into the top ten is commendable given Williams’ struggles throughout recent seasons.
