Image: from Gerard Grouve Sport X @Grouve_Sport
Benjamin Foster | Staff Writer with Agencies
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the 2025 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix after a dominant qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. The Red Bull driver, who had already triumphed in both sprint sessions earlier in the weekend, clocked a stunning 1:32.510 to take his 47th career pole.
Lando Norris, continuing his close title fight with McLaren teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri, will start alongside Verstappen on the front row. Norris’s lap of 1:32.801 was just under three-tenths slower than the Dutchman’s benchmark. Piastri, meanwhile, could only manage sixth place on the grid, giving Norris an important opportunity to close the championship gap.
The second row will feature Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’s George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, will start fifth. Mercedes’s young prodigy Kimi Antonelli impressed once again, qualifying seventh, just ahead of Haas rookie Oliver Bearman in eighth. Rounding out the top ten are Carlos Sainz in ninth for Williams and Fernando Alonso in tenth for Aston Martin.
Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto endured a difficult session, failing to make it out of Q1 and settling for 16th. The Brazilian’s tough weekend followed an early exit in the sprint race.
Qualifying Breakdown
Q1:
The opening session was disrupted early after Isack Hadjar spun into the barriers in Sector 1, bringing out the red flag for nearly fifteen minutes. When the session resumed, Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc quickly set the pace. Verstappen ultimately topped Q1 with a 1:33.207, followed by Russell and Antonelli. Among those eliminated were Ocon, Stroll, Albon, Bortoleto, and Hadjar.
Q2:
Verstappen continued to dominate, setting a 1:32.701 lap time to lead Leclerc and Norris. Russell narrowly advanced to Q3 after improving late in the session, while Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Colapinto, and Gasly were knocked out.
Q3:
With the final twelve minutes to decide pole, Norris briefly took the top spot with a 1:32.904, only for Verstappen to respond with a blistering lap that was nearly four-tenths faster. Leclerc managed to edge into P3, just behind Norris, but neither could challenge Verstappen’s pace.
Starting Grid for the 2025 United States Grand Prix (Austin)
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Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:32.510
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Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:32.801
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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:32.807
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George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:32.826
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Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:32.912
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Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:33.084
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Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:33.114
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Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:33.139
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Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:33.150
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Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:33.160
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Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:33.334
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Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:33.360
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Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:33.466
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Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) – 1:33.651
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Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Renault) – 1:34.044
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Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:34.125
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Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:34.136
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Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:34.690
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Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – no time
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Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:34.540
With Verstappen once again starting from pole and Norris alongside him, Sunday’s race promises an intense battle at the front. Norris will be eager to capitalize on his strong qualifying to narrow the championship lead, while Verstappen looks to extend his dominance in Austin.
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