Verstappen Snatches Sprint Pole at the Circuit of the Americas
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen delivered a stunning final lap to secure pole position for the sprint race at the 2025 United States Grand Prix, narrowly beating McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Austin.
With just 0.071 seconds separating Verstappen and Norris, the four-time world champion proved once again that his Red Bull resurgence is far from over. Piastri, the current championship leader, trailed his McLaren teammate by 0.309 seconds, rounding out the top three.
Title Race Heats Up as Verstappen Closes Gap
Despite sitting 63 points behind Piastri in the F1 drivers’ standings with six races remaining, Verstappen’s recent form — including two wins and a second-place finish in the last three rounds — has reignited Red Bull’s championship hopes.
“It was a nice qualifying — very close throughout all the segments,” Verstappen said after the session. “It’s about putting it all together. I still expect a tough battle tomorrow in the sprint, but that’s exactly what we want to see. The wind is gusty, and the track is bumpy, so the car can easily step out in high-speed corners.”
The U.S. Grand Prix sprint race begins at 18:00 BST on Saturday, with qualifying for Sunday’s main event following later that evening at 22:00 BST.
Norris: ‘Disappointed but Not Surprised’
McLaren’s Lando Norris was candid after losing out on pole by the narrowest of margins.
“I’m disappointed not to be on pole, but it’s not a surprise to be a bit slower than Red Bull lately,” Norris said. “A couple of small mistakes and catching a few bumps wrong — that’s the difficulty of this track. Otherwise, I’m happy with the lap.”
Teammate Oscar Piastri, who leads Norris by 22 points, described his own effort as “scruffy,” admitting he didn’t fully maximize the car’s potential.
“It was just a messy lap,” Piastri said. “Nothing major, but I didn’t really get it together. The pace in the car is good, so hopefully, I can tidy it up tomorrow.”
Hulkenberg and Sauber Stun with Sensational Fourth Place
The standout performance of qualifying came from Nico Hulkenberg, who delivered Sauber’s best result of the season by qualifying fourth — his first top-10 grid slot all year.
“P1 looked too good to be true, but we managed to keep it consistent,” Hulkenberg said. “The car hit the sweet spot, and the pace was there. Hopefully, we can hang on to it for the sprint.”
This marks Sauber’s strongest showing since Gabriel Bortoleto’s seventh place in Hungary earlier this year, signaling a much-needed turnaround for the Swiss outfit.
Alonso Impresses as Aston Martin Finds Form
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso also delivered a standout performance, securing sixth on the grid — Aston Martin’s best qualifying result since Hungary.
“Definitely happy,” Alonso said. “P6 is one of our best qualifying results this year. We’ve got Ferraris and Williams behind us — we’ll try to keep them there. The car felt great, and I found exactly the second I was asked for in the final run.”
Aston Martin’s form has fluctuated this season, but Alonso’s consistency in qualifying remains one of the team’s few bright spots.
Hamilton and Ferrari Struggle in Austin Heat
It was a disappointing session for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton only managing eighth, nearly a full second off Verstappen’s pace. His teammate Charles Leclerc rounded out the top ten.
“That was not the pace we expected,” Hamilton admitted. “It looked good in practice and Q1, but then it started to fall away. We need to understand where the time went.”
Leclerc, who suffered a gearbox failure during practice, echoed Hamilton’s frustration:
“It’s surprising to see who’s fast this weekend. Nico’s been quick all session, and we’ve struggled to find rhythm. It was a poor day for us.”
Top 10 – U.S. Sprint Qualifying Results
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
What’s Next: Sprint Race and Grand Prix Schedule
The F1 Sprint Race at the United States Grand Prix starts Saturday, October 18 at 18:00 BST, offering points to the top eight finishers — from eight points for the winner down to one for eighth place.
Sunday’s main Grand Prix begins at 20:00 BST, broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra, and the BBC Sport app, with full text commentary available online.
With Red Bull closing the gap and McLaren under pressure, all eyes will be on Austin to see whether Verstappen can turn sprint pole into a crucial victory — and perhaps reignite the title race once and for all.
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