Norris claims pole as Russell crash denies Verstappen
Lando Norris took pole at the US Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen's strong lap was cut short after George Russell's crash brought an early end to qualifying.
Lando Norris secured a surprise pole position for the United States Grand Prix, edging out Max Verstappen in a qualifying session cut short by George Russell's crash.
The McLaren driver set the fastest time just before Russell's accident in the final moments of Q3, preventing any last-minute improvements.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc locked out the second row for Ferrari, while Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five.
In a shock result, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1, qualifying 19th in his Mercedes.
The session was marked by several incidents, including a near-collision in the pit lane between Verstappen and Pierre Gasly, which is under investigation.
Russell, who crashed at the penultimate corner, will start sixth if his car can be repaired without penalties.
The grid promises an exciting race with Norris aiming for his first Grand Prix victory.
United States Grand Prix Qualifying Results
| Pos | Driver | Time | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | 1:32.330 | McLaren | |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | 1:32.361 | Red Bull | 0.031 |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz Jr | 1:32.652 | Ferrari | 0.322 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | 1:32.740 | Ferrari | 0.410 |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | 1:32.950 | McLaren | 0.620 |
| 6 | George Russell | 1:32.974 | Mercedes | 0.644 |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | 1:33.018 | Alpine | 0.688 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | 1:33.309 | Aston Martin | 0.979 |
| 9 | Kevin Magnussen | 1:33.481 | Haas | 1.151 |
| 10 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | ||
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | ||
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | ||
| 13 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | ||
| 14 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | ||
| 15 | Liam Lawson | RB | ||
| 16 | Alex Albon | Williams | ||
| 17 | Franco Colapinto | Williams | ||
| 18 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | ||
| 19 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | ||
| 20 | Guanyu Zhou | Sauber |
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