Qualifying for the Austin GP saw Max Verstappen take his seventh pole position of the season. McLarens couldn't help but struggle, perhaps suffering too much from the accident they were involved in during the sprint. Ferrari was completely different from yesterday: Leclerc managed to take third place, while Hamilton finished fifth. Mercedes, however, were further back.
Qualifying begins in Austin: McLaren ready just in time
After a explosive sprint, track activity begins again. Almost all the drivers line up in front of the red light in the pit lane. Everyone, except the two McLarens, with the mechanics that they finish working on Piastri's car right on the heels of qualifying for the Austin GP. The green light was on at 11:00 PM Italian time, but the clock was ticking very quickly. In fact, Isack Hadjar lost control of his car at Turn 6, or at the end of the snake, violently impacting against the barriers. red flag, with the very disappointed French driver abandoning his car. Tomorrow, therefore, he will start from the back.
After almost ten minutes under red flag conditions, what we saw at the start of these qualifying sessions was repeated: all the drivers lined up in the pit lane, ready for the green light. Only Hamilton remained in the pits: The English driver preferred to wait until qualifying resumed with the tire warmers still on his tires. The drivers began to set their fastest times: Ferrari starts well, with Hamilton third and Leclerc firstVerstappen second, then Sainz, Alonso and PiastresMercedes only seventh and eighth, with Russell and Antonelli respectively.
Norris sets out for his first timed lap, but in turn 7 he slightly loses control of his car and is forced to abort the lap. He immediately relaunches himself and finally takes the seventh time behind his teammateWith two minutes to go, Mercedes takes over the scene: Russell first and Antonelli second, but their primacy does not last long because Verstappen takes the lead in the times. Meanwhile, the battle rages on behind the scenes to avoid elimination. Albon ends up out (after a good lap cancelled due to track limits), Bortoleto, Ocon, Stroll and the injured Hadjar. Worth noting is the great tour of gasly, who managed to qualify in seventh position.
Verstappen is still in front of everyone in Q2
Qualifying for the Austin GP resumes. The track is improving and the cars are progressively lowering their times compared to the start of the first heat. The first driver to set a valid time is Oliver Bearman of Haas. The Englishman is however immediately overtaken by Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz, while Lawson, Russell and the two Alpines. However, the ranking is precariously balanced: Piastri is fifth, while Norris is second. But in front of everyone, there is always him: Max Verstappen. They also launch the two Ferraris, which seem more competitive than yesterday's disastrous day. Leclerc finishes behind the Dutch world champion, while Hamilton moves into fourth.
Three minutes from the end The pilots are engaging in a second attempt launched, especially important for those in the elimination zone. Among them was Russell, who improved his performance but did not go beyond sixth position. The riders at the back, however, are struggling to improve. Hulkenberg, Lawson, Tsunoda, Gasly and Colapinto were thus eliminated.. You save Bearman in tenth position, while Piastri, note, is only eighth. Meanwhile, while all the already qualified drivers have returned to the pits, Lewis Hamilton sets out for another fast lap, probably to have a better feeling with the chosen setup. In the end, however, the seven-time world champion he aborts his attempt and returns to the pits.
For pole it's still McLaren against Verstappen
The drivers are preparing to take to the track. Everyone is using soft tyres, as they did in Q1 and Q2. Only Alonso, Sainz, and Piastri are using them, and the latter seems to be struggling significantly compared to Norris and Verstappen so far. The Australian, in fact, with his first attempt, places himself behind Bearman, first driver to have set a time in the last heat. Keep an eye on the Mercedes too, who, with Russell and Antonelli, finished first and second. The Silver Arrows, however, were forced to move down the rankings: Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are ahead of them, with the Dutchman in provisional pole position. The first attempt was a poor one for Ferrari: Leclerc spins at the final corner and Hamilton goes wide at Turn 1.
The two Reds thus choose to be the first to take to the track for the second and final qualifying session of the Austin GP. Verstappen, however, chose to join the other nine drivers in this Q3The Dutchman, however, waited too long and failed to cross the finish line before the flag. Meanwhile, Leclerc takes second place, while Hamilton is fourth. Piastri's difficult weekend continues, as he finishes in sixth place. Norris managed to take second place by 6 seconds over Leclerc, thanks to a great third sector. Russell was fourth, Hamilton fifth and Antonelli seventh.
Despite failing to score a second attempt, Max Verstappen took his 47th pole position in career and the seventh in this championship, thanks to a 1:32.510.
