MAX VERSTAPPEN will start the F1 US Grand Prix on pole after a dramatic qualifying session in Austin.
The Red Bull star leads the Driver’s Championship by just six points and will line-up on the front of the grid alongside nearest rival Lewis Hamilton.
- Race: 8pm TONIGHT
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
- Live stream: Sky Go/NOW TV
- Grid: 1st Verstappen 2nd Hamilton 3rd Perez 4th Bottas 5th Leclerc
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
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HAMILTON PUZZLED BY STRUGGLE
Lewis Hamilton admits he is puzzled why his Mercedes failed to match Max Verstappen in practice.
Title leader Verstappen and fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Perez line up first and third on the grid for tonight’s US GP, with Hamilton sandwiched inbetween.
Hamilton said: “I don’t know. “It started off good, and then bit by bit they have got faster.
“I don’t know if we’ve got slower but it has been a real struggle with the car compared to normally when we’re here.”
SAINZ PAINS
Scuderia Ferrari star Carlos Sainz explained why he’s in a less-than-ideal predicament ahead of the US Grand Prix.
The Spaniard also explained why it wasn’t a “gamble” to start on softs.
Sainz said: “No, no, not a gamble – just a compromised situation that we saw that we wanted to do the soft first and then beat the lap time on the medium, and then the track got a bit slower at the end of Q2.
“No one improved in the second run. And we had reserved the medium for the second run and normally it’s quicker but this time it was slower because the wind picked up.
“So we need to analyse what we could have done differently there because it obviously puts us on the back foot.”
TAKE IT TO THE MAX
Max Verstappen meanwhile quickly brushed the topic of the pair colliding under the carpet.
The title rivals went wheel-to-wheel in practice on Friday, with the Dutchman showing seven-time world champion Hamilton the middle finger.
Although Verstappen insisted: “I don’t see why we have to keep bringing this up.
“It is not like we are the only ones who have touched in this sport.
“These things happen, unfortunately. But we are on the front row again and everyone is just expecting a great race and as drivers, that is what we expect, too.
“We will be professional.”
FINGERS CROSSED
Lewis Hamilton has revealed he is hoping he makes it to the second corner as he lines up next to rival Max Verstappen on the front row of the grid this evening.
Hamilton trails Verstappen by just six points in the title race, with another hotly contested battle expected today.
Speaking in a post qualifying press conference, the Brit said: “I hope we make it through turn one and we get a good race.
“It is all fun and games. We are going to have fun, and give it everything as you would expect. It is no real difference to any other part of the season.”
‘UPPER HAND’
Mercedes driver Valteri Bottas expects a tight battle with Red Bull when lights go out later today.
That’s despite Red Bull being better in qualifying.
He said: “Yesterday they looked OK, but nothing amazing, so they found more than we did overnight.
“For me the car felt a lot better than it did yesterday, but Red Bull made a bigger step with performance and they definitively had the upper hand today.
“I still think that race pace-wise it will be quite similar.”
MORE FROM NORRIS
“We do have a good car, just today Ferrari were that little bit ahead.
“It wasn’t like they were four or five tenths ahead, they were just a little bit ahead, so I think we have a chance, especially with Carlos on the softs, but the softs aren’t a bad tyre so it’s not like he’s just going to be shocking and they made a terrible move.
“I think he’s going to have an advantage on at least the first half of the first stint, so there’s still things that they’ve gained from starting on the softs, but I think in the long run hopefully we can pip them”
NORRIS REACTS
British superstar Lando Norris felt he could have beaten Carlos Sainz but for errors late in his final lap
Norris said: “We were kind of expecting to be ahead of the Ferraris, they made a good step today compared to where they were yesterday.
“So I guess we didn’t get our hopes up yesterday but they made a good jump from yesterday to today. We were still competitive, we were still not bad, but they were just quicker.
“Not an easy day, I didn’t feel it was too bad. I made a couple of mistakes – just the last two corners I overcooked a little bit – so I probably lost a couple of positions there but it happens and I’ll make up for it tomorrow”
HUNTERS
McLaren stars Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris have warned their opponents that they will race like “hunters” in the US Grand Prix despite trailing behind the Ferraris.
Ricciardo said: ““Q1 was probably the best lap of the session.
“It was where I felt probably the most comfortable. The medium, I didn’t feel that great.
“It was a little hairy, although I’m happy to start the race on that tyre, but on one lap I didn’t really get comfort on that. Then back to the softs in Q3 was better.
“So very close to Carlos, when the gap’s that small that’s definitely achievable but I think Charles was maybe two tenths up the road and I don’t think we had that in Q3.
“I want to say obviously we want to be ahead but we’re close enough to not be discouraged, and we’ll be the hunters tomorrow”
GETTY IMAGES MORE FROM SAINZ
Carlos Sainz discussed whether he has an advantage heading to the US Grand Prix as he starts the race on the faster compounds.
Sainz said: “For the first 10 metres, yes; after one corner, you want mediums.
“There’s one positive but a lot of negatives in that sense, so a bit on the back foot going into tomorrow.
“But we’ll try our best and see what we can do differently”
SAINZ REACTS
Scuderia Ferrari star Carlos Sainz explained why he’s in a less-than-ideal predicament ahead of the US Grand Prix.
The Spaniard also explained why it wasn’t a “gamble” to start on softs.
Sainz said: “No, no, not a gamble – just a compromised situation that we saw that we wanted to do the soft first and then beat the lap time on the medium, and then the track got a bit slower at the end of Q2.
“No one improved in the second run. And we had reserved the medium for the second run and normally it’s quicker but this time it was slower because the wind picked up, so we need to analyse what we could have done differently there because it obviously puts us on the back foot going into tomorrow”
LECLERC THRILLED
Scuderia Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is “very happy” that he beat both McLarens in quali.
Leclerc said: “Very happy with today and with the whole weekend to be honest.
“But especially with today, because, personally, it hasn’t been easy today.
“In FP3, the first run went very, very well, and then in the second run of FP3 we tried something and I lost completely the confidence in the car and I was struggling a lot with the rear end of the car.
“So in Q1, we decided to do a bit of a different plan, do it going for a bit more laps than usual, and that helped me gain the confidence back in the car.
“And then we went into Q2, did that great lap with the medium in the first run, which helped us to go into Q3 with those medium tyres – and Q3 went very well so very happy that both of our cars have outqualified the McLarens, which was the goal today”
MORE FROM PEREZ
Sergio Perez is confident about Red Bull’s chances but expects a “pretty long race”.
Perez added: “Still, I think we are in a good position.
“I think it’s going to be a pretty long race tomorrow so not too concerned about the qualifying; I think there is plenty of opportunities for tomorrow.”
“We haven’t had the year that we were hoping [for]; the adaptation has been longer than expected but we’ve been working flat out and yes, we can see the progress and yes, I can just expect to keep getting better”
GETTY IMAGES PEREZ REACTS
Red Bull star Sergio Perez believes his qualification spot is fair, even though he came close to a front-row start.
Perez said: “I was just into my own thing – I knew there was some time to find so I felt like this could be my day, you know?
“Unfortunately I didn’t put it all together there in the end where it counted.
“Yes, it was pretty tense but I think I knew it was all down to the final chance: how much I was able to find.
“I was on a pretty good lap; I think in Turn 1 itself I was able to find a couple of tenths.
“I just couldn’t keep it up completely throughout the lap and didn’t get 100 per cent out of the car today.
“I think Max [Verstappen] did a fantastic job, same as Lewis [Hamilton], so we finished where we deserved today, I think”
MORE FROM VERSTAPPEN
“To show this pace already in quali is positive for the race but I still expect it to be a tough balance.
“They still have good straight-line speed, but again, it’s going to be really warm, it’s going to be hard on tyres a lot of wear, so that naturally makes it more interesting.
“It’s so closely matched that if you miss one tiny detail or if you just can’t bring it together for whatever reason, you just miss out, and that’s what happened to us, for example, in Turkey”
NOT WORRIED
Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen is not worried ahead of the US Grand Prix after earning the front slot.
Verstappen said: “I’m not worried about what happens behind me, I just have to focus on myself.
“I don’t see why we always have to keep bringing this up.
“It’s not like we’re [Verstappen and Hamilton are] the only ones who have touched in this sport and these things happen, unfortunately.
“But I think we are on the front row again and everyone is expecting a great race and that is what we also expect as drivers, and we really want to have a great race”
RACE ORDER
Lewis Hamilton is going to start second on the grid behind Max Verstappen, who took the front slot.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez will be third and breathing down Hamilton’s neck during the US Grand Prix.
Verstappen will be counting on Perez’s help as Valtteri Bottas is ninth due to an engine penalty
Charles Leclerc is fourth and Calros Sainz lines up in fifth in their Ferraris
GETTY IMAGES MORE FROM HAMILTON
“It was quite exciting out there. In the end it was spitting and I was not too sure if I’d hold on to the lap time.
“I guess the start will be what people like to see tomorrow and I hope to have a good start and we work as a team to get the best result possible”
HAMILTON PROMISE
Lewis Hamilton missed out on pole by 0.209 seconds but promised to fight back in today’s race.
Hamilton said: “I gave it everything I had.
“It was a struggle out there but I was happy with the last lap.
“I will now give it everything tomorrow and the mindset is that I want to win the race and give these guys a fight”
MAX POWER
Lewis Hamilton was pipped to pole for the US Grand Prix as title rival Max Verstappen took the front slot on the grid.
Hamilton recovered after a slow start and looked to have taken pole until Verstappen snatched it from his grasp at the death.
It was the Red Bull man’s eight pole in the last 11 races as he looks to increase his advantage in the title race over the Mercedes star, which currently stands at six points.
The British star, who apologised to his team having missed out on pole by 0.209 seconds, has promised to fight back in today’s race
RED BULL DOES IT AGAIN
Driver’s Championship leader Max Verstappen will start the US Grand Prix 2021 on pole.
Was it ever in doubt? Well, for a few minutes it looked like it could be.
Sergio Perez has been quick throughout practice and brought his A-game once again when it mattered.
But he’ll have to make do with third on the grid after an excellent last lap from Lewis Hamilton snatched second in a dramatic conclusion to Q3.
Brilliant drama in qualifying and the perfect scene-setter for tomorrow’s showpiece.
8pm BST – right here. Don’t be late.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE POSITION!!
Hamilton in 2nd, Perez in 3rd. Well that was fun – and here’s the rain.
HAMILTON TAKES PROVISIONAL!
But Verstappen and Perez still to put in their times…
Q3 DRAMA
There’s a lot of Mexican support in the stands and they went crazy as Perez pipped Verstappen to the provisional.
Perez has NEVER had a pole in his F1 career, remember. It could be a dream day for him.
Red Bull looking the business, Mercedes need a huge final effort here to make the front row.
PEREZ TAKES PROVISIONAL POLE
What a lap from the Red Bull man!
Verstappen takes P1 for all of about 10 seconds, as his teammate crosses the line to huge cheers.
Mercedes have it ALL to do here…
TEN FOR TEN
10 minutes to go, 10 drivers out on the track.
It’s time to decide pole for the 2021 US Grand Prix.
All the usual suspects involved and there are a number of Union Jacks flying proudly in the packed stands.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
