George Russell secured pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in a thrilling qualifying session, with Max Verstappen, poised to become the champion, finishing fifth, just ahead of Lando Norris.
As the last driver to complete a lap in Q3, Russell clocked a time of 1m32.312s, surpassing Carlos Sainz, who had initially held the top spot after an impressive performance. Earlier in the session, Russell had set a time of 1m32.811s before the final round of tire changes, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton unfortunately had to abandon his lap due to a mishap at Turn 14.
The intensity in Q3 escalated as Charles Leclerc briefly moved to the top with a time of 1m32.783s, followed by Sainz, who improved further to claim provisional pole. However, Russell’s final effort secured him the front-row position, edging out Sainz.
Pierre Gasly made an excellent showing, clinching third place on the grid, which allowed him to split the two Ferraris. Verstappen and Norris rounded out the third row, with Yuki Tsunoda and Oscar Piastri following closely in seventh and eighth, respectively. Nico Hulkenberg was ninth, finishing nearly a second behind Russell, while Hamilton could only manage tenth after losing control at Turn 4, leading to a deleted lap time.
Qualifying concluded on a dramatic note when Franco Colapinto crashed heavily at Turn 16. Fortunately, most drivers had already completed their runs, mitigating potential delays. The Argentine driver’s crash caused significant damage to his Williams, exacerbating the team’s repair expenses.
Esteban Ocon narrowly missed breaking into the top 10, while his teammate Gasly advanced dramatically to eliminate Kevin Magnussen from contention. Zhou Guanyu made a rare appearance in Q2, securing 13th place, with Colapinto’s accident relegating him to 14th. Liam Lawson had to abandon his final lap attempt, ending in 15th.
Sergio Perez faced a disappointing qualifying, finishing in 16th place, hindered by traction issues with his Red Bull RB20. Both Aston Martins struggled, as neither made it past Q1, with Lance Stroll marked as the slowest performer following a power unit issue. Alex Albon and Valtteri Bottas also failed to progress, with Bottas set to start at the back due to a grid penalty.
This thrilling session sets the stage for an exciting race in Las Vegas, with Russell showcasing his impressive lap times and determination, raising expectations for an exhilarating Grand Prix.
Summary:
George Russell achieved pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix after a competitive qualifying session, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly. Max Verstappen secured fifth place, while Hamilton had a challenging session, finishing tenth. Franco Colapinto’s crash ended Q2 early, impacting some drivers. With such fierce competition, fans can look forward to a captivating race.