The Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) conquered this Friday his third pole position of the season in an exciting classification in the United States Grand Prix of the Formula 1which will be raced on Sunday in Austin, while the brand new three-time champion, the Dutch Max Verstappen, fell to sixth place on the grid.
Leclerc showed a dominant pace by recording the fastest lap in 1.34.723, beating the Frenchman driver by one tenth. McLaren, Lando Norrisand the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) in third place.
Carlos Sainz was fourth in the other Ferrari, followed by George Russell in the second Williams and Verstappen, who had taken pole before it was annulled due to exceeding the track limits of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, at turn 19.
It was the 21st pole position of Leclerc’s career and gives him the chance to thwart Verstappen’s bid for his 50th career Formula 1 victory.
Behind an annoyed Verstappen, who complained on the team radio, the Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon took seventh and eighth place, followed by the Mexican Sergio Pérez in the second Red Bull and Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren.
The session began with splendid sunshine and a track temperature of 42 degrees, with the air at 35 degrees, conditions that challenge the tires and the cars in the always hot state of Texas.
In Q2, Mercedes set the pace until Verstappen took the lead in a close fight that saw nine cars separated by less than four tenths, before their second laps saw Ferrari shine again.
Leclerc edged out Verstappen, followed by Hamilton and Sainz, while Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, Zhou Guanyu and his Alfa Romeo teammate Valtteri Bottas, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Daniel Ricciardo, in the second Alpha Tauri, were eliminated.
All this left 10 vehicles from five teams in the final round of Q3.
Leclerc led the opening laps, followed by Hamilton by 0.056 seconds, with Verstappen third and Sainz fourth. Russell’s lap was eliminated for exceeding track limits, leaving him in tenth place.
The United States GP, the eighteenth stage of the season, is the fifth race this year that has a sprint format. With the short races, the Grand Prix qualifications are brought forward to Friday and determine the Sunday grid.
Saturday’s day is dedicated to the sprint, which has its own classification. Only the first eight in this race score points (from eight for first to one for eighth).
Source: Ambito
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