Max Verstappen has taken pole position for the Formula 1 sprint race at the United States Grand Prix, edging out Lando Norris in a closely fought qualifying session in Austin, Texas.
World Championship leader Oscar Piastri secured third place, finishing more than three-tenths behind the Red Bull driver. The surprise of the session came from Nico Hülkenberg, who put in a strong performance to claim fourth on the grid.
Chaotic start to qualifying
The first qualifying segment ended in confusion as several drivers failed to cross the start-finish line in time to complete their final laps. Among those caught out was Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, who missed his last attempt and was knocked out in Q1.
In Q2, Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli was pushed out of the top ten in the closing moments by both Ferrari drivers, missing a spot in the final session by the narrowest of margins.
Hülkenberg shocks the field
In the decisive Q3 session, Hülkenberg stunned with a lap time competitive with the top contenders. Still, Verstappen ultimately came out on top, clocking a 0.071-second advantage over Norris to secure his pole position for the sprint. The session saw most front-runners complete just one flying lap, adding extra pressure to deliver when it mattered most.
Technical troubles in practice
Earlier in the day, Verstappen had only managed fifth place in the single free practice session. That session was marked by technical issues across the grid — both Ferrari drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, faced gearbox problems, while Esteban Ocon suffered from brake troubles.
The sprint race on Saturday will determine the grid positions and points before Sunday’s main Grand Prix, with Verstappen once again starting from the best possible spot.
