F1 | Sprint Qualifying | US GP | Verstappen takes third consecutive Sprint Pole at COTA - Motorsport

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The F1 US GP Sprint Qualifying saw Max Verstappen claim his third consecutive Sprint pole in Austin. He will look forward to tomorrow to try to take Sprint victory.

The F1 US GP 2025 kicked off with a single practice session that saw McLaren’s Lando Norris emerge fastest, setting the tone for a packed weekend of action. FP1 featured early dramas, including a red flag for debris, gearbox concerns for Carlos Sainz, and a hydraulics issue for Charles Leclerc.

As drivers switched to softs late in the session, Norris stamped his authority with a blistering 1:33.294, edging out Nico Hülkenberg and Oscar Piastri in the final minutes. The US GP Sprint Qualifying saw teams with minimal data to fine-tune their set-ups before Saturday grid positions were set.

Lights out for SQ1

The US GP Sprint Qualifying got underway with teams wasting no time. The Racing Bulls duo led the charge, with Isack Hadjar ahead of Yuki Tsunoda out of the pit lane.

Charles Leclerc’s earlier hydraulics concerns appeared resolved, though the Ferrari driver remained in the garage initially. He eventually ventured out, posting a 1:35.347. Track temperatures climbed to 44 degrees Celsius, while air temperature rose to 33 degrees. Tyre management loomed large with just medium tyres available.

Hadjar set the opening benchmark at 1:34.856, quickly bettered by those behind. Gabriel Bortoleto had his first flying lap deleted for track limits at Turn 19, an early warning sign.

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets with three minutes remaining, his 1:34.140 leading the pack. Track evolution promised further improvements as drivers prepared final attempts.

The pit lane became congested as cars queued for their last runs. Two minutes remained on the clock. Leclerc, Gasly, Ocon, Colapinto, and Bortoleto all needed improvements.

Eliminated in SQ1

As the chequered flag fell, Tsunoda and Bortoleto were left without a final attempt. Gasly and Leclerc scraped through into SQ2 by the narrowest of margins.

Tsunoda’s early exit proved particularly disappointing compared to Red Bull stablemate Max Verstappen’s progress. The result adds further scrutiny to Red Bull’s driver lineup decisions heading into next season.

The bottom five at the end of SQ1: Oliver Bearman (P16), Franco Colapinto (P17), Yuki Tsunoda (P18), Esteban Ocon (P19), Gabriel Bortoleto (P19).

Lights out for SQ2

SQ2 at the US GP Sprint Qualifying saw Max Verstappen led the charge out on track for SQ2, recording a 1:33.163. Championship leader Oscar Piastri managed only a 1:33.371 on his opening run. Teammate Lando Norris topped the session early with a 1:33.033, showcasing the strong form that earned him pole position last year.

Charles Leclerc, the 2024 US GP winner, struggled to find his rhythm at COTA.

With two minutes remaining, the elimination zone featured Lance Stroll, Nico Hülkenberg, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Pierre Gasly. Lawson ran wide over the kerbs at Turn 1, leaving him with 80 seconds to salvage a lap.

As the chequered flag flew, Lawson could only manage P11 despite going wide. Hadjar scraped into P10 as both Williams drivers missed the flag. They sat fifth and sixth without completing final runs. Norris and Verstappen remained in the pits as time ticked down, confident in their safety.

Leclerc dropped to P13 as lap times tumbled. Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton both faced elimination. A tense final sector saw Leclerc climb to eighth, dropping Hamilton out temporarily. Hamilton then crossed the line in P10, knocking out his Mercedes replacement by just 0.006 seconds.

Eliminated in SQ2

The bottom five at the end of SQ2: Kimi Antonelli (P11), Isack Hadjar (P12), Pierre Gasly (P13), Lance Stroll (P14), Liam Lawson (P15).

Lights out for SQ3

US GP Sprint Qualifying’s SQ3 saw George Russell led the charge on soft tyres. Russell set the opening benchmark at 1:32.888. Carlos Sainz and Albon followed 0.023s and 0.211s behind.

Hülkenberg flew to provisional pole with one minute remaining, going 0.243s clear of Russell. An impressive lap from the Kick Sauber driver. Leclerc could only manage fifth, behind the Williams cars. Lewis Hamilton fared slightly better in P4. With everyone improving, the Ferrari drivers began dropping down the order.

Norris stormed to provisional pole, four tenths up on Hülkenberg. Piastri couldn’t match his teammate, settling for P2, three tenths down.

Verstappen delivered when it mattered and clocked 1:32.143, ahead of Norris. This is Verstappen’s third consecutive Sprint pole in Austin. Piastri rounded out the top 3.