Image: Cameron X @CxmeronCc
Benjamin Foster | Staff Writer with Agencies
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Sprint race at the United States Grand Prix after a dominant performance in qualifying. The Red Bull driver outpaced both McLaren cars, earning his 10th career Sprint pole and once again demonstrating his mastery in short-format events. Lando Norris took second place, narrowly beating his teammate Oscar Piastri, who will start third. Nico Hülkenberg impressed with a strong fourth-place finish for Sauber.
The Mercedes pair had mixed results. George Russell secured fifth, while Kimi Antonelli was eliminated in SQ2 and will start from 11th. Ferrari also struggled, with Lewis Hamilton in eighth and Charles Leclerc rounding out the top ten.
Williams enjoyed another positive qualifying session with both drivers inside the top ten. Carlos Sainz will start seventh, just behind Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin, while Alexander Albon will take ninth.
Gabriel Bortoleto endured a disappointing session. The Brazilian had his first lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 19 and was then caught in traffic during the final minutes, preventing him from setting a competitive time. As a result, the Sauber driver will start last on the grid.
The Sprint race for the United States Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, October 18, at 2 p.m. Brasília time.
How the Sprint Qualifying Unfolded
SQ1 (12 minutes, top 15 advance)
Drivers were required to use medium tyres during SQ1. Max Verstappen set the early pace with a 1:34.140 lap, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri followed closely behind. Lewis Hamilton briefly led before being pushed back to third. Several drivers struggled with track limits, including Bortoleto, whose lap was deleted. A chaotic final minute saw many drivers caught in traffic, leading to eliminations for Ocon, Tsunoda, Colapinto, Bearman, and Bortoleto.
SQ2 (10 minutes, top 10 advance)
Verstappen again topped the timesheets early on, but Norris edged ahead by 0.130 seconds. Piastri, Russell, Sainz, and Albon filled the next spots. The Ferrari drivers hovered near the elimination zone, and Antonelli was knocked out after an error on his final lap. Hamilton scraped through in tenth, while Leclerc managed eighth. Eliminated in this phase were Antonelli, Hadjar, Gasly, Stroll, and Lawson, whose final lap was deleted.
SQ3 (8 minutes, fight for pole)
George Russell initially set the pace with a 1:32.888, with Sainz just 0.023 seconds behind. Nico Hülkenberg briefly held provisional pole with 1:32.645 before being beaten by Norris and Piastri. However, Verstappen delivered a flawless lap of 1:32.143 to secure pole position for the Sprint, extending his record in the short-format sessions.
Sprint Grid for the 2025 United States Grand Prix
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Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:32.143
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Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:32.214
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Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:32.523
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Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:32.645
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George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:32.888
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Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:32.910
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Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:32.911
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Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:33.035
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Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:33.099
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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:33.104
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Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:34.018
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Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:34.241
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Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) – 1:34.258
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Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:34.394
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Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – no time
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Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:35.159
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Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Renault) – 1:35.246
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Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:35.259
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Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:36.003
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Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) – no time
With Verstappen once again leading from pole, fans can expect an intense Sprint showdown at the Circuit of the Americas, where strategy and tyre management will play a crucial role in determining the outcome.