LAS VEGAS GP – George Russell beats Carlos Sainz to pole by just under a tenth, Max Verstappen fifth ahead of Lando Norris
George Russell has beaten Carlos Sainz by just under a tenth to take pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver set a 32.312 in the closing moments of Q3 to put himself ahead of the Spaniard in a session which saw drama throughout. Mercedes have been in the mix all weekend but that didn’t help Russell’s teammate Lewis Hamilton who only managed tenth.
Russell set a benchmark of a 32.811 on his first run in Q3 with Ferrari putting on the pressure, but throughout the hour Mercedes showed impressive pace to top all three sessions which was defined once again by a rapidly improving track. Russell hit the wall on his first run and needed a change of front wing, but he stayed collected and demanded to be sent out last to ensure he got the best of the track conditions.
Since claiming three victories in four races before the summer break, Mercedes has struggled to compete for podiums and therefore it came as quite a significant surprise when they topped all three practice sessions under the lights of Las Vegas. However, they have often been competitive in practice before falling away when it matters most, so doubt remained even as Russell topped Q1 before Hamilton went fastest in Q2.
Ferrari had been expected to be in the mix for pole and will be again in the Grand Prix, they have suited the conditions perfectly in practice and look to have the edge on the long runs. They have been particularly strong at street circuits with wins in Melbourne, Monaco as well as being in the mix in Baku and Singapore.
Pierre Gasly continued Alpine’s strong finish to a tough season going third and splitting the two Ferraris, he was a quarter of a second off Sainz and ahead of Charles Leclerc by over a tenth. Leclerc, who took pole last year, also aborted his first run and his final attempt had a poor first sector, but there is the question if he got a lap together could he have fought for pole.
Russell said “Honestly absolutely not [think we would have that pace], it’s incredible to be back on pole, we’ve been so quick all weekend and I just knew coming into the last Q3 lap it’s going to be the one that counts, it doesn’t matter what has happened before then. We’ve got to do some deep dive to understand why it’s been so quick so far this weekend because it’s a real surprise.”
Sainz said, “It was a tight quali; a bit closer to pole than I was expecting. Actually, I had pole and then George was very, very quick at the end. But I’m very happy. I think we are starting in a good position for tomorrow compared to last year – I was P12 on the grid because of the famous drain cover.”
Gasly added, “It’s unbelievable honestly we didn’t think we would be able to achieve a top three in qualifying. It was an incredible lap especially around this track when you’re flirting with the walls everywhere through the lap and there is a lot of adrenaline and excitement. I knew crossing the line it was a good lap but when they came on the radio telling me I was lining up in third tomorrow, it’s just amazing and I’m really happy.”
Max Verstappen was fifth a hundredth ahead of his championship rival Lando Norris, who he needs to finish ahead of in the Grand Prix to take a fourth consecutive championship. Norris needs to finish three points ahead of the Dutchman with two rounds remaining in the Middle East. Red Bull looks this weekend once again to be on the back foot.
Following Thursday’s practice there had been suggestions that Red Bull had brought the ‘wrong wing’ to Vegas, team principal Christian Horner dismissed that, explaining that they – unlike some rivals – simply don’t have an event-specific low-downforce version of the part. But Verstappen never appeared to have the speed to challenge Mercedes, but crucially was able to edge out Norris and make the prospect of the title being won in Las Vegas a realistic one.
Norris said “The top three were out of reach, the Mercedes have been quick all weekend that’s clear, Ferrari have been with them. Red Bull and ourselves have been a decent chunk behind and that showed today. We expect a little bit more than where we were that’s for sure, it could have been if the lap came together but we were just struggling at every corner with something different, one lap it works and the next lap it doesn’t.”
Yuki Tsunoda put in a brilliant lap to split the McLarens, he was two hundredths behind Norris and ahead of the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri by four thousandths. Nico Hulkenberg was ninth going half a tenth faster than Hamilton. McLaren’s disappointing session and main rival Ferrari having both cars in the top four with strong pace, puts the team under pressure in the constructors.
The second Mercedes failed to get both laps in Q3 together and made errors on both his timed runs but had looked strong up to that point and looked to be Russell’s biggest challenger for pole, the seven-time champion had gone over two-tenths faster in Q2 and was four tenths off in Q1.
Hamilton, the most successful driver in qualifying throughout his career, had also been caught out by conditions thanks to Franco Colapinto’s crash at the end of Q2.
Esteban Ocon was fastest of the drivers knocked out in Q2 which was brought to an early conclusion after Colapinto crashed his Williams. The Argentine clipped the barrier on the exit of City Centre Plaza Chicane (Turn Sixteen), which brought out the red flag and virtual wrote off his Williams.
Ocon had been unable copy teammate Gasly who in the closing moments of the session got out of the middle part, that left him ahead of Kevin Magnussen by seven hundredths and Guanyu Zhou. Colapinto’s crash left him fourteenth half a second ahead of Liam Lawson.
It was another Q1 knockout for Sergio Perez he missed out by eight hundredths, the Mexican struggling for grip leading to a lack of confidence. But Red Bull struggles are more prominent with him behind the wheel, but he was a tenth ahead of Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin team having a tough Friday night, as Lance Stroll was twentieth after a power unit component change following a stoppage in FP3.
Alex Albon was knocked out after his time was deleted for track limits, leaving him eighteenth nearly two-tenths behind Alonso and ahead of Valtteri Bottas. However the Finn will start last because of a five place grid penalty. Stroll completed the field.
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