Lando Norris clinched pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix amidst challenging wet conditions, while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton experienced a disastrous qualifying session, ending up last on the grid.
The British McLaren driver posted the fastest time during Friday’s qualifying session at the Las Vegas Street Circuit, securing his spot at the front for the 22nd stage of the Formula 1 season. Norris finished ahead of four-time world champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, driving for Red Bull.
Spanish driver Carlos Sainz (Williams) qualified third. Norris’s Australian teammate, Oscar Piastri (McLaren), will start in fifth position.
Norris extended his championship lead over Piastri under the difficult, wet track conditions. He outpaced his teammate by nearly a second in qualifying. Norris currently holds a 24-point advantage over Piastri, with 83 points still available this season.
Meanwhile, British Mercedes driver George Russell, last year’s winner in Las Vegas, qualified fourth, posing a challenge for Piastri’s efforts to recover in the race.
Further down the grid, New Zealander Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) secured sixth place. He was followed by Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) in seventh and French driver Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) in eighth.
Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) will start ninth, just ahead of French driver Pierre Gasly (Alpine) in tenth.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Haas) qualified 13th, starting directly in front of his English teammate Oliver Bearman.
Lewis Hamilton, the British seven-time world champion now with Ferrari, endured a difficult session. He was hampered by the weather conditions and failed to complete a single competitive lap in qualifying. Hamilton reported over his radio that he “couldn’t get the tires warm,” leading to his 20th and last-place start.