George Russell secured pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in a fiercely competitive qualifying session. Max Verstappen, who is on the verge of being crowned champion again, ended the session in fifth position, just behind his contender Lando Norris.
Russell’s time of 1m32.312s, set as the last driver in Q3, was pivotal in edging out Carlos Sainz, who had held the provisional pole earlier in the session. Russell had initially led the first runs with a time of 1m32.811s before switching tires for the final push. As the session progressed, Charles Leclerc and Sainz both surpassed Russell’s earlier time, putting the Briton’s standing in doubt. However, Russell stepped up for a final charge, ultimately clinching the top spot for the grid.
Pierre Gasly delivered an impressive performance, securing third place and managing to split the Ferrari duo of Sainz and Leclerc. Verstappen and Norris rounded out the third row, while Yuki Tsunoda took seventh ahead of Oscar Piastri. Nico Hulkenberg qualified in ninth, trailing Russell’s pole time by 0.750s.
Lewis Hamilton struggled during qualifying, unable to set a competitive time after an off-track incident. Despite commending his second lap, he lost control at Turn 4, leading to a lap-time deletion. Ultimately, Hamilton ended up in tenth place but noted that had he matched his earlier Q2 time, he would have claimed third.
The session was marked by a significant crash involving Franco Colapinto, which halted Q2. His Williams was heavily damaged after hitting the barriers, but most drivers had finished their final attempts before the crash. Esteban Ocon could not improve enough to reach the top 10, while Gasly’s last-minute effort eliminated Kevin Magnussen from contention. Zhou Guanyu impressively qualified thirteenth, while Colapinto’s crash left him fourteenth.
Sergio Perez faced another setback, failing to advance beyond Q1 due to grip issues with his Red Bull, leaving him in sixteenth place. Fernando Alonso also couldn’t make it out of Q1, alongside teammate Lance Stroll, who suffered from mechanical issues. Alex Albon and Valtteri Bottas were also eliminated early, with Bottas starting from the back due to a grid penalty.
This qualifying session illustrated both the competitive edge of the teams and the unpredictability of the sport, setting the stage for an exciting Las Vegas Grand Prix. Russell’s performance is a hopeful sign for fans as it showcases the potential for thrilling battles on race day. With such tight margins in qualifying and several drivers demonstrating pace, viewers can expect a captivating race ahead.