After the break since the Singapore GP, Max Verstappen retook the lead in Sprint qualifying for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, taking the pole position with an exceptional lap. The Dutchman beat George Russell by just 12 thousandths, in an intense and hard-fought session. Despite the uncertainty of how much he could push, Verstappen praised the performance of his Red Bull, expressing satisfaction at being back at the top. The aim now is to win the Sprint and extend his lead in championship.
A positive day for Red Bull
Verstappen, immediately after qualifying, expressed his satisfaction with the result: “We had a good day. Sprint qualifying is always complicated because you alternate between medium and soft tyres, and you never know how much you can really push. Today, however, the car worked well, I am very happy with the result.” A result that comes after a difficult phase of the season for the Austrian team, which had to deal not only with the growing competitiveness of its opponents, but also with the controversy related to alleged technical irregularities.
Despite the suspicions and rumours circulating in the paddock, Max kept calm and focused only on the track: “The pace today was very good, and this circuit is incredible to drive. The asphalt is a mix of new and old, but it’s the same for everyone. Tomorrow we will try to do our best in the Sprint, but our real goal remains the race on Sunday.”
The return to pole after a long wait
The Sprint pole was particularly significant for Verstappen, who admitted he missed a top result: “It’s been a while since I was at the top, so I’m really happy. To get pole after weeks of dealing with technical difficulties and the T-Tray case it's a great satisfaction."
The Dutchman then added how difficult it is to find the right balance in Sprint qualifying: “The sessions are short and you have to make quick decisions about how much to risk. It’s never easy to understand how much you can push to the max, but today we managed to do that.”
A look at Sunday's race
While the Sprint is important, Verstappen made it clear that the real focus remains Sunday's race: “We still have some work to do, but we are on the right track. Today was a good step forward, but we need to focus on the main race. We want to maximise the points up for grabs and try to consolidate our position in the championship.”