US Grand Prix: Norris on pole as Verstappen hit by Russell red flag
10/19/2024 07:15 PM
Lando Norris took pole position for Sunday's United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, after the final round was cut short by an accident for Mercedes driver George Russell.
That left Max Verstappen settling for P2 on the grid with an all-Ferrari second row consisting of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, while Oscar Piastri will line up in fifth next to Russell.
It was a disastrous session for Russell's team mate Lewis Hamilton, who missed the first cut meaning he will start tomorrow's race from 18th on the grid. An engine penalty means that RB's Liam Lawson will drop to the back.
Just hours after the end of a frantic Austin sprint race, the drivers were ready to embark on a whole new qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas, this time to decide the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix. Max Verstappen was arguably favourite to claim the honours again, but the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were determined to ensure that didn't happen.
Q1: Verstappen and Leclerc set the early pace as Hamilton misses first cut
When the lights at the end of pit lane went green to get proceedings underway, with Williams Alex Albon first to hit the road on a set of used soft tyres., there being a free choice of compounds this session. Also quick to get going was Valtteri Bottas whose sprint had ended in smoke and flames after the rear brakes of his Sauber caught fire at the finish but seemingly without lasting harm done.
Fernando Alonso was one of the early leaders ahead of Bottas, Esteban Ocon and Zhou Guanyu, but soon it was a 1:34.029s from McLaren's Lando Norris that took point on the timing screens. Sainz was nearly a tenth slower with his run while Leclerc's first time was deleted for exceeding track limits. Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly also lost their times, allowing Oscar Piastri to slot into third.
But these were just opening feints, and soon enough Verstappen went top by three tenths of a second and his Red Bull team mate Perez took third. It wasn't a good start for Mercedes with Russell opening in 13th and Hamilton just 17th on three-lap old tyres.
A new set of tyres allowed Gasly to go top while Nico Hulkenberg blossomed in P3 ahead of Liam Lawson as the track picked up grip and speed, but Leclerc and Tsunoda yet to set a time. When he did, Leclerc went to the top but Tsunoda was still struggling to get a valid time in. Also in serious trouble was Hamilton's; a mistake in turn 12 meant his latest time was only fast enough for P16, meaning he had emphatically missed the cut. Repairs for a front suspension failure in the sprint race was to blame.
Verstappen's best time at the chequered flag was 1:33.046s to put him ahead of Leclerc with Lawson third from Russell, Gasly and Sainz followed by the two Haas cars. Missing the cut were both Williams of Albon and Franco Colapinto along with the two Saubers of Bottas and Zhou, as well as Lawson who spent much of Q2 towing Tsunoda.
Q2: Verstappen stays quickes with Sainz second as Tsunoda and Hulkenberg miss out
When the track reopened for second round business there was a short delay before Verstappen was first to make a move and set a target time of 1:33.052s on used tyres for the rest of the field to aim for. Sergio Perez was four tenths of a second behind his team mate despite using new tyres, giving a gap for Gasly to settle into with Sainz then third fastest.
With eight minutes to go, Norris took charge using a new set of tyres to go two tenths quicker than Verstappen. Piastri couldn't quite beat the Red Bull but went half a hundredths behind Verstappen for third with Russell then moving into P4 ahead of Gasly. Those in the drop zone were Ocon, Alonso, Stroll and Leclerc, with Lawson set to sit this one out and help his RB team mate Tsunoda in light of his inevitable grid penalty sending him to the back of the grid regardless.
First to come back out for his last Q2 run was Verstappen and he duly went three tenths ahead of Morris to reclaim the top spot by three tenths with a lap of 1:32.584s. Also improving was Leclerc who went third, and even when pipped bhy Norris that still saw him safety through to Q3. Ocon also made up time but remained outside the top ten, as were Tsunoda, Hulkenberg and Stroll who all missed the cut as well as Lawson who didn't set a time.
Q3: Norris takes pole from Verstappen after red flag for Russell
Norris, Sainz and Leclerc were all quick to make a move on fresh tyres for the top ten pole shootout. The McLaren came out top in thst battle with a time of 1:32.330s with Sainz three tenths back in second. Piastri took fourth with Russell was fifth ahead of Gasly and Magnussen. Verstappen came out late and went second after a relatively mediocre final sector, while Perez' time was deleted for running wide.
Alonso bided until time when there was less traffic on track and his lap was good enough for P8 ahead of Magnussen. Verstappen was soon out after a near-miss with a potential unsafe release for Gasly, but he didn't get a chance to show what he could do before the session was red-flagged for Russell losing the rear end and going off at turn 19 which prevented Perez setting a time leaving him in P10.
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