Verstappen Dominates to Claim United States Grand Prix Pole Position
Max Verstappen continued his dominant Formula 1 form by taking pole position for the 2025 United States Grand Prix, beating Lando Norris by nearly three-tenths of a second.
Despite a chaotic end to qualifying — where Red Bull sent him out too late to attempt a final flying lap — Verstappen’s earlier benchmark proved untouchable. His 0.291-second advantage over Norris was enough to secure P1, underlining once again why he remains the biggest threat to McLaren’s title ambitions.
Verstappen’s performance came just hours after winning the Austin Sprint Race, marking a near-perfect Saturday for the reigning world champion.
“It was good — every segment the car was very strong,” Verstappen said after qualifying. “Putting a lap together here is tricky. The first run in Q3 was good, and even though I couldn’t complete my final one, we didn’t need it.”
Norris Narrowly Beats Leclerc for Second
McLaren’s Lando Norris once again proved to be Verstappen’s closest challenger, securing second on the grid just 0.006 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Norris admitted that his qualifying session was far from smooth:
“It was a bit more of a struggle today. Yesterday was comfortable, but I don’t know if it’s others improving or the wind changing — there was no chance of getting pole today. Hopefully, we’ll have a good race with Max tomorrow.”
Leclerc, who spun out of the final corner on his first run, rebounded to claim third. “It was a big surprise, especially since this weekend has been difficult,” the Monegasque said. “We still need to understand a few things about this car — the balance keeps changing too easily.”
Championship Leader Piastri Struggles to Find Pace
Championship leader Oscar Piastri endured a frustrating session, qualifying only sixth, 0.574 seconds behind Verstappen. After crashing with Norris earlier during the sprint, the Australian looked unsettled and uncomfortable in his McLaren.
“It was just a tricky session,” Piastri explained. “Didn’t really feel comfortable out there — the car was a little unpredictable. But it’s a long race tomorrow, and there’s room to make up ground.”
Piastri leads Verstappen by 55 points in the drivers’ championship heading into Sunday’s race, with Norris 22 points behind his teammate. But given Verstappen’s pace, McLaren’s title lead looks under growing threat.
Mercedes and Ferrari Improve, Hamilton Pleased With Progress
George Russell produced another solid qualifying performance, taking fourth place, while Lewis Hamilton put the second Ferrari fifth, just 0.105 seconds behind Leclerc.
“We made some progress today,” Hamilton said. “The car wasn’t quite right early in qualifying — I had massive understeer. We kept adjusting and it got better, but it’s hard to build confidence late in the session. Still, being third and fifth on the grid is a good step forward.”
Behind the top six, Kimi Antonelli impressed once again with seventh place for Mercedes, ahead of Oliver Bearman, who delivered Haas’s best qualifying result of the season in eighth. Carlos Sainz (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) rounded out the top ten.
Early Drama as Hadjar Crashes Out
Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar brought an early halt to qualifying after a heavy crash at Turn Six. The French rookie lost control and hit the barriers, bringing out the red flag and ending his session prematurely. He will start from the back of the grid on Sunday.
Verstappen’s Momentum Builds Ahead of Race Day
Verstappen’s pole lap further cements his status as the driver to beat in Austin. After dominating every session of the weekend, including the sprint, he’s perfectly placed to cut into Piastri’s championship lead.
McLaren, meanwhile, face what team principal Andrea Stella called a “brutal reality” — Verstappen’s resurgence could derail their bid for a first drivers’ title since 2008.
For Norris, Sunday’s race offers another chance to challenge Verstappen wheel-to-wheel, while Piastri must rediscover the pace that carried him to multiple wins earlier in the season.
With Ferrari and Mercedes closing in, and Red Bull looking revived, the stage is set for a thrilling showdown at the Circuit of the Americas.
🏁 United States Grand Prix Top 10 Qualifiers:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
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