Max Verstappen qualifies on pole at the US Grand Prix ahead of F1 world title rival Lewis Hamilton in thrilling session

Max Verstappen will have the slight upper hand on his title rival Lewis Hamilton at the United States Grand Prix after qualifying on pole.

Charles Leclerc fastest in Q1

For the crazy nature of Texas, it was a very quiet Q1. It was the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc who set the fastest lap of the session ahead of the two Red Bulls of Verstappen and Sergio Perez. It was a disappointing session for the Mercedes team as Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas could only set a time good enough for eighth and ninth.

The ones who we lost from the session were Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, Kimi Raikkonen, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin. 

Max Verstappen shows his speed in Q2

In Q2, the trio of Hamilton, Verstappen and Bottas went out for their first laps on the medium tyre, but Perez went out on the soft tyres. Verstappen’s first lap was three tenths faster than anyone else, showing the strong pace to come later. 

Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda were the only drivers to finish in the top 10 on the soft set of tyres, with the other of the top 10 drivers being on mediums, which is the preferred tyre to start on.

We lost Esteban Ocon, Sebastian Vettel, Antonio Giovinazzi, Fernando Alonso and George Russell from the session.

Nail-biting finish in Q3

The wind picked up for Q3, with fans having their sombreros fly off their head. It was Perez who stormed around on the first set of laps, setting the fastest lap early on ahead of Verstappen, much to the delight of the American crowd. 

But it was the two in the championship fight who showed why they are at the top. It was the Red Bull of Verstappen who took pole position, two tenths ahead of Hamilton. 

Perez, in anti-climatic fashion, could only find third place. Bottas qualified in fourth but will start ninth on Sunday as a result of a grid penalty for an engine change.

And then it was a Noah’s Ark of teams. The two Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz will start fourth and fifth, with the two McLarens of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris in sixth and seventh.

Finally, the Alpha Tauris of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda qualified ninth and 10th, but due to Bottas’ grid penalty they will be split to eighth and 10th respectively.

By Charlie Parker