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Max Verstappen Claims Thrilling United States GP Pole as Oscar Piastri Stumbles
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Highlights
- Max Verstappen secured pole with a 1:32.510 lap in Austin
- Lando Norris finished second, 0.394 seconds behind Verstappen
- Charles Leclerc recovered to third after early Q3 spin
- Oscar Piastri qualified sixth, struggling on older Q3 tires
- George Russell fourth; Stroll faces five-place grid penalty
- Yuki Tsunoda eliminated in Q2, citing impeding on last lap
Max Verstappen takes pole for the United States Grand Prix with a commanding 1:32.510 at the Circuit of the Americas.
The Red Bull driver converts Sprint momentum into qualifying control, despite his second Q3 attempt ending after a missed timing mark.
Lando Norris lines up second, 0.394s adrift, with Charles Leclerc recovering to third following an early Q3 spin.
Verstappen’s 1:32.510 stands as the session benchmark after his final run is aborted for a missed timing mark.
George Russell secures fourth for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton is fifth after a Turn 1 lock-up compromised his initial push lap.
Oscar Piastri takes sixth. McLaren splits tyre strategy, and his older Q3 set limits grip on the first run.
Kimi Antonelli is seventh, ahead of Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz, and Fernando Alonso completing the top ten.
Norris finishes 0.394s behind, while Leclerc rebounds to third despite an earlier spin.
The points picture tightens. If the race mirrors qualifying, Verstappen trims the deficit to Oscar Piastri to 38 points, with Norris 12 behind the McLaren leader.
Q2 turns on fine margins. Yuki Tsunoda is eliminated in 13th and complains of impeding by Liam Lawson and an Alpine on his final lap.
Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine pair Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, Lawson, and Tsunoda exit in Q2. Verstappen tops the segment from Leclerc and Norris.
The session begins with a red flag. Isack Hadjar crashes at Turn 6, ending his running and reshaping early run plans.
Lance Stroll receives a five-place grid penalty for a Sprint incident with Esteban Ocon.
Track limits enforcement is relentless. Multiple laps are deleted, with Alex Albon and Stroll among those affected as drivers probe COTA’s high-speed margins.
Stroll’s penalty reshuffles the midfield order. Ocon exits in Q1, as does Gabriel Bortoleto, compounding Alpine’s qualifying difficulties.
The stewards’ stance on impeding and limits shapes risk profiles. Teams adapt out-lap spacing and preparation to avoid traffic and deletion jeopardy.
Red Bull’s execution is decisive, but McLaren’s long-run pace remains a threat. Verstappen’s pole increases pressure as the title battle heads into Sunday.
Tsunoda cites last-lap impeding in Q2 after missing the cut by crucial tenths.
Visual Summary
Verstappen POLE!
US Grand Prix Qualifying
Circuit of the Americas
Circuit of the Americas
⏱️ 1:32.510 vs 1:32.904
MV
Verstappen
Pole Position
LN
Norris
+0.394s
CL
Leclerc
3rd (Spin)
OP
Piastri
6th • Lost pace
Verstappen explodes into pole just as McLaren eyes the title lead!
Circuit drama: Hadjar crash 💥 | Tsunoda blocked 🎤 | Stroll penalty ⬇️
Next up: Texas showdown
Next up: Texas showdown
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
