Max Verstappen secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix sprint race on Friday with a last-gasp effort, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris in a tightly contested qualifying session in Austin, Texas.
The Red Bull driver clocked a best lap of 1 minute, 32.143 seconds, beating Norris by a mere 0.071 seconds. Norris had appeared set to claim the top spot before Verstappen’s final, decisive run.
McLaren demonstrated strong pace throughout the session, particularly in the final sector of the circuit. Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, secured third place, 0.380 seconds behind Verstappen.
Verstappen acknowledged the competitive nature of the session, stating that “everything is very tight in all sectors.” He expressed anticipation for the sprint race and satisfaction with his qualifying performance.
This marks Verstappen’s second consecutive sprint pole position at the U.S. Grand Prix, which is the 19th of 24 rounds in the current season.
German driver Nicko Hulkenberg of Quick Sauber delivered a surprise performance, qualifying fourth, half a second adrift of Verstappen. George Russell of Mercedes placed fifth, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in sixth.
Verstappen has shown consistent form recently, with two victories and two second-place finishes in his last four races. He has also secured victories this season in races where he started from the front of the grid.
The reigning world champion emphasized the importance of the initial moments of Saturday’s sprint race. “I will try to have a good start, the first corner is important,” he said.
The sprint race, comprising 19 laps, is scheduled for Saturday, followed by the main race qualification. The United States Grand Prix will then take place on Sunday.