Max Verstappen had to settle for second place in the qualifications of the United States Grand Prix, in Austin, behind a brilliant Lando Norris. Having taken pole in the Sprint Race, the Dutchman was determined to repeat the feat for Sunday's race, but a crash by George Russell put an end to his pursuit, leaving yesterday's poleman in second place on the starting grid.
A missed opportunity
Verstappen expressed his disappointment at the missed opportunity in his second attempt in Q3: “I lost a lot of time in Turn 19 on my first attempt, which was unfortunate. I knew I had another lap, but I couldn’t finish it because the yellow flags came out.” Russell’s accident blocked the final phase of qualifying, preventing the drivers from improving their times. “I think we would have had a good chance of getting pole. It’s a shame, but these things happen on track.”

Confidence in race pace
Despite qualifying second in Austin, Verstappen was optimistic about Sunday's race, highlighting the progress made on the car: “The potential was there, which is very positive. We made small changes to the car in the Sprint, and they were positive. Hopefully the same will happen tomorrow.” The Dutchman is aiming to use the Red Bull's good speed to put pressure on Norris and try to regain the lead.
The challenge continues
With qualifying now over, the duel between Verstappen and Norris continues in Austin. After the Dutchman's pole in the Sprint and the British driver's pole in the race, the two drivers are preparing for another close battle at the Circuit of the Americas. With a 54-point advantage over Norris in the drivers' championship, Verstappen wants to further consolidate his lead, but it will be essential to be able to overtake the McLaren driver in tomorrow's race.
Source statements: SkySportF1