The United States Grand Prix qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas has just concluded. Here’s a complete recap of the key moments and the full starting grid for tomorrow’s race, which promises to be as exciting as the Sprint. Tune in tomorrow at 21:00 Central European Time.
Q1 summary and results
The opening session delivered an immediate shock: just three minutes in, Isack Hadjar suffered a heavy crash in the Snake section, destroying his car and ending his qualifying immediately. Following the red flag, surprisingly, Charles Leclerc set the fastest time, with Max Verstappen ahead and Lewis Hamilton in third. The McLarens struggled early on, with Lando Norris forced to abort his first lap and only managing seventh on his second attempt, while Oscar Piastri stayed ahead.
On the final runs, the evolving track allowed most drivers to improve. Verstappen took the top spot, followed closely by the Mercedes duo. Nico Hulkenberg was a standout, finishing sixth in Q1. McLaren faced significant challenges, with their drivers only 12th and 13th, while Yuki Tsunoda ended 14th. A surprise came from Alexander Albon, whose lap was deleted for exceeding track limits, leaving him second to last, allowing Colapinto to advance to Q2.
Drivers eliminated in Q1: Bortoleto, Ocon, Stroll, Albon, and the crash-affected Hadjar.
Q2 summary and results
The second session followed a similar pattern: Verstappen immediately went to the top, closely pursued by Leclerc, just two-tenths behind. Hamilton appeared to have found a good rhythm, while Oscar Piastri struggled, losing over half a second on his first run. Norris began closing in on the front row.
During the final attempts, the track reached its performance peak. George Russell benefited the most, moving up to sixth after missing out on his first attempt with used tires. Nico Hulkenberg couldn’t make a breakthrough, but Oliver Bearman impressed by advancing to Q3. Most top drivers aborted their laps, with Verstappen remaining untouchable while his teammate had a disappointing session.
Drivers eliminated in Q2: Hulkenberg, Lawson, Tsunoda, Gasly, and Colapinto.
Q3 summary and results
The final session delivered a spectacular show. At the end of the first runs, Verstappen led the field with a super lap, followed by Norris almost four-tenths slower. Ferrari struggled, with Hamilton locking up in Turn 1 and Leclerc spinning at the final corner, leaving them with the slowest provisional times. Oscar Piastri also faced difficulties, a second behind Max on used tires. Mercedes appeared rejuvenated, with Russell and Antonelli occupying the provisional second row.
On the final attempts, both Ferraris improved, with Leclerc briefly taking provisional front row. Then came a dramatic twist: Verstappen couldn’t make a final run before the checkered flag. Norris snatched the provisional front row by just six thousandths of a second, lining up next to Max, who remained untouchable. Oscar Piastri continued to struggle, losing half a second and starting only sixth.
Full qualifying results and starting grid for tomorrow
The complete grid sets the stage for an exciting United States Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen on pole, Norris joining him on the front row, Leclerc leading the second row, and championship leader Oscar Piastri having work to do from sixth. Stay tuned for what promises to be an action-packed race at Austin.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1m32.510s
Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m32.801s
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1m32.807s
George Russell (Mercedes) 1m32.826s
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 1m32.912s
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1m33.084s
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 1m33.114s
Ollie Bearman (Haas) 1m33.139s
Carlos Sainz (Williams) 1m33.150s
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 1m33.160s
Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) 1m33.334s
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 1m33.360s
Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) 1m33.466s
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 1m33.651s
Franco Colapinto (Alpine) 1m34.044s
Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) 1m34.125s
Esteban Ocon (Haas) 1m34.136s
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 1m34.540s
Alex Albon (Williams) 1m34.690s
Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) No time
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