Max Verstappen will start the United States Grand Prix from pole position after a commanding performance in qualifying, following up his lights-to-flag victory in the Sprint race earlier in the weekend. Despite a timing error from Red Bull that denied him the chance to attempt a second timed lap in Q3, the four-time World Champion set a blistering 1m 32.510s with his first effort, comfortably edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris by 0.291 seconds. Championship leader Oscar Piastri struggled throughout the session and will start from sixth on the grid, while Norris secured second ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in third.
Max Verstappen 🦁 pic.twitter.com/lmk1koFYBk
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Q1 Drama and Early Red Flags
The opening phase of qualifying was dramatic, with Isack Hadjar crashing heavily at Turn 6, forcing red flags and a temporary halt to proceedings. Further disruption came when Lance Stroll and Alex Albon had their times deleted for exceeding track limits, dropping them to the back of the grid. Other midfield battles were tight, with drivers pushing their limits to secure advancement to Q2.
Verstappen’s pole marks his second front-row start of the weekend and underlines Red Bull’s dominant pace at the Circuit of the Americas. With Norris close behind and Leclerc and George Russell completing the top five, Sunday’s Grand Prix promises to be an exciting start to the closing stages of the championship. Fans will now turn their attention to race day, where strategy, tyre management, and track position will be crucial.
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