George Russell’s crash abruptly ended the qualifying at the United States Grand Prix, creating winners and losers on the grid. The British driver lost control in the penultimate corner, spinning into the barriers and triggering double yellow flags. This forced all drivers to slow down, cutting short their final qualifying attempts at the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin.
The timing played perfectly into the hands of Lando Norris, who had already posted a quick lap, narrowly beating Max Verstappen. Lando Norris’ early effort proved crucial as Max Verstappen looked on pace for pole but was unable to complete his final lap due to the incident.
Max Verstappen had been gaining on Norris, shaving two-tenths off in the first sector, but the yellow flags prevented him from finishing his lap. Carlos Sainz, running a slower lap, secured third place without challenge. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc was left frustrated as he lost a shot at jumping ahead of his teammate.
Oscar Piastri, who struggled with pace all weekend, took fifth, while Russell provisionally secured sixth, though potential gearbox damage could result in a grid penalty.
Charles Leclerc’s Furious Response to Russell Crash in US GP Qualifying
The Ferrari man, like the other drivers, received a call from his engineer to slow down following George Russell’s incident, prompting an angry reaction. Onboard footage shows the Monegasque driver slamming his steering wheel in frustration, as it marked the first time Carlos Sainz had outqualified his Maranello teammate since the Hungaroring race in July.
Charles Leclerc’s frustration was evident as he shouted ‘for **** sake’ over the radio. Despite the disappointment, Ferrari’s strong form in the Sprint suggests the Monegasque driver will remain competitive on race day.
During the Austin Sprint race, Carlos Sainz overtook Lando Norris on the final lap to claim second, though Ferrari’s intra-team battle earlier in the race prevented them from applying more pressure on eventual winner Max Verstappen.
Martin Brundle defends Lando Norris after Charles Leclerc criticism
Charles Leclerc had hoped to follow Sainz and secure a double podium for Ferrari in the Sprint, but his duel with Norris for third led to some controversy. Leclerc accused Norris of “moving under braking” during a near-miss at turn 15, but Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle defended Lando Norris, calling it fair racing.
Martin Brundle noted that Lando Norris braked “extremely early” to defend against Charles Leclerc, but the stewards reviewed the incident and found no rule violations. Meanwhile, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner suggested the Monegasque driver could learn from Lewis Hamilton’s calm demeanor when Hamilton joins Ferrari next year. Although Charles Leclerc’s outburst was understandable, Lewis Hamilton’s mastery of controlling emotions in the car is something Charles Leclerc could benefit from.
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