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      ‘Very tight’ – Lewis Hamilton’s claims Red Bull are guaranteed wins in next two F1 races rubbished by Christian Horner

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      RED BULL boss Christian Horner has rubbished Lewis Hamilton’s suggestion his team are assured of victory in the next two F1 races.Max Verstappen’s win in the US GP – traditionally a Mercedes stronghold – saw the Dutchman open up a 12 point lead in the championship.
      Horner does not believe Red Bull have an advantage in Mexico and BrazilCredit: EPA
      Afterwards, Hamilton admitted the races in Mexico and Brazil would be very difficult for his team to win based on Red Bull’s previous results there.
      However, Horner says those results count for nothing as this season’s title fight is too close to call.
      He said: “You’ve got to chuck the form book away. It’s very tight between the two teams.
      “Mexico has been a good track for us, but it’s been a good track for them as well, on occasion. So we don’t underestimate them.
      “You’ve got to attack. So 12 points is nothing, it can disappear very, very quickly, as we’ve seen previously.
      “So we’ve got to keep attacking race weekends and get the most out of them that we possibly can. And five to go, the pressure only gets bigger.”

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      Meanwhile, Horner says his team would not be seeking clarification from the FIA over Mercedes’s rear suspension.
      Sky pundits were excited to show pictures of the rear of Hamilton’s car seemingly moving up and down of his own accord in Texas.
      However, Merc and Red Bull both see no issue with its legality, with Horner saying his team would not be lodging a protest.
      He added: “We’ve never said we don’t think it’s legal, so therefore there’d be absolutely no reason to protest.
      “It’s something that has been used historically. We’ve seen it with them in the past.”
      Verstappen has edged ahead in the championship race with three consecutive podium finishes, but a strong finish from Hamilton could take it right to the wire.
      The season is set for a thrilling conclusion in Abu Dhabi on 12 December in what could be a championship deciding race, which Hamilton has already won a record five times.
      Redbull Racing celebrate Max Verstappen’s US Grand Prix win More

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      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s birthday party for Roscoe the bulldog with bone shaped cake and fancy dress

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      LEWIS Hamilton threw a lavish party for his “best friend” – his British bulldog, Roscoe.The racing champ rushed back to his dog after finishing in second place in the US Grand Prix in Texas on Sunday, to celebrate the hound’s ninth birthday.
      Roscoe celebrated his ninth birthday after Lewis Hamilton got back from the US Grand Prix
      Roscoe tucks into his birthday cakeCredit: INSTAGRAM/ADVENTURESINDOGTRAINING
      Roscoe appeared to fully enjoy his birthday celebrationsCredit: INSTAGRAM/ADVENTURESINDOGTRAINING
      Roscoe was pictured devouring a pricey, vegan, bone-shaped birthday cake covered with his name written on it in blue icing.
      Hamilton, 36, also shared videos online of his pooch surrounded by doggy pals who were dressed up wearing brightly coloured outfits and party hats for the occasion.
      The posts were made through his dog’s Instagram account, which boasts 414,000 followers.
      Alongside one video, Lewis pretended to be the dog and wrote: “It’s my’s birthdays today’s.
      “Hads the best times excepts whens my friends starteds to eats my cakes.”
      Responding to footage of the party on Twitter, one fan @carolthethird wrote: “Man got a better birthday than me this year.”

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      Last month, Lewis revealed Roscoe was his closest confidant.
      He said: “He’s my best friend. I can confide in him, and he brings me happiness every day.“
      “When I go training, he’s sad when I leave. And when I get back, he’s super happy.”
      He was criticised last year after revealing Roscoe was now a vegan, claiming that a plant-based diet had the dog acting “like a puppy again.”
      Lewis switched his dog’s diet after his other bulldog Coco died aged six following a heart attack last year.
      Roscoe was surrounded by pals for the event
      Hamilton with best pal Roscoe More

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      ‘It’s going to be tough’ – Lewis Hamilton admits next two F1 tracks are perfect for Red Bull rivals in title fight

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has admitted that it will be ‘tough’ to beat Red Bull at either of the next two grands prix.The Brit was edged out by rival Max Verstappen during a thrilling climax to the US Grand Prix yesterday.
      Lewis Hamilton has admitted that the next few weeks will be ‘tough’Credit: Reuters
      The Brit poses on the podium with his Red Bulls rivalsCredit: Alamy
      Verstappen’s win took him 12 points clear of Hamilton – the largest lead either rival has had in the Driver’s Standings since Silverstone in July.
      The seven-time world champion is still in the mix with five races remaining – but has admitted that the Red Bulls have the advantage in the next two GPs at altitude.
      Their battle recommences on November 7 in Mexico, before going to Brazil a week later.
      On the next two races, Hamilton, 36, said: “At least the next two tracks for sure, very strong circuits for Red Bull so it’s going to be tough, for sure.”
      The Mercedes star has split the last four Mexican Grands Prix with Verstappen.
      It’s believed that the higher altitude and thin air puts extra strain on engines, which could favour the Red Bull.

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      Hamilton did actually win the most recent edition of the Mexican GP in 2019.
      Verstappen triumphed in the two prior years, with Hamilton grabbing victory in 2016.
      It’s been a similar story in Brazil – with the more experienced star winning in 2016 and 2018 – before Verstappen’s victory in 2019.
      Expanding on his narrow defeat on Sunday, Hamilton added: “Unfortunately we weren’t quick enough to win the race today but yeah, we just look forward and take it one race at a time.
      “We have no idea… they are two circuits that are strong for Red Bull so we just try to minimise how strong they can be compared to us and see if we can do a better job.”
      Verstappen claimed that the pulsating last few laps in Texas were ‘fun’.
      Although Red Bull boss Christian Horner may disagree, after admitting that it felt like he ‘aged 25 years’.
      Hamilton triumphed last time out in MexicoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Watch Lewis Hamilton’s incredible reaction to meeting 104-year-old fan as he takes break from F1 title battle More

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      Christian Horner ‘aged about 25 years’ during Hamilton’s late charge at US Grand Prix as Red Bull boss feared the worst

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      CHRISTIAN HORNER has admitted that he ‘aged about 25 years’ during the climax to last night’s thrilling US Grand Prix.The Red Bull boss could only watch and hope as Max Verstappen was chased down by Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton.
      Christian Horner embraces Sergio Perez after the raceCredit: Getty
      Max Verstappen hoists his trophy into the airCredit: Rex
      While appearing faster than Hamilton in Austin, Texas – the Dutchman’s last pit stop came eight laps earlier than the Brit’s – giving the seven-time world champion fresh rubber for his epic late chase.
      Despite his ageing tyres, Verstappen somehow managed to stay out of DRS range as the race reached its crescendo, finishing just a second before his rival.
      Following the race, in which Red Bull’s Sergio Perez also grabbed third, Horner told Sky Sports that he ‘aged about 25 years’ during the closing stages.
      He then added: “I really didn’t think he was going to pull that off.
      “Lewis had eight laps newer tyres, and the first set of hard tyres that came off were pretty much down to the canvas.
      “We were thinking we’re not going to have much at the end here but Max managed that tyre in the last stint.

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      “You know Lewis at the end of the race is so strong and he had gone long and got himself an advantage.
      “I think to lose in the last few laps would have been really painful but Max held on, he did a great job, managed the job really smartly and had just about enough at the end there.”
      Verstappen himself described the last few laps as ‘fun’ and his victory ‘incredible’.
      He said: “Of course we lost out in the start so we had to try and do something else,.
      “The tyre wear is quite high around this track, we went aggressive and I was not sure it was going to work but the last few laps were fun. A bit sideways through the high-speed corners but super happy to hang on.
      We gave it everything we had and they were just quicker than us this weekend, for whatever reasonLewis Hamilton
      “It was exciting. The whole race the pressure was on, not knowing how quick Lewis was going to get you. It’s incredible to win here.”
      The crucial victory sees Verstappen go 12 points clear of Hamilton with just five races remaining.
      Hamilton, 36, said: “We gave it everything we had and they were just quicker than us this weekend, for whatever reason.
      “I thought for a second that we might be able to win the race.”

      🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
      Watch Lewis Hamilton’s incredible reaction to meeting 104-year-old fan as he takes break from F1 title battle More

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      F1 US Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen WINS despite Hamilton pressure to extend Driver’s Championship lead – reaction

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN held off a late charge from Lewis Hamilton to win a brilliant US Grand Prix.It’s was another epic tussle at the Circuit of the Americas, but the Red Bull driver edged out the Brit champion after 56 engrossing laps.

      Podium: 1st Verstappen 2nd Hamilton 3rd Perez

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

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      THE WINNING MOMENT
      Here is the moment Max Verstappen crossed the line to claim P1.
      What a drive, what a race, what a championship battle.
      Five races to go…
      🥇 Max Verstappen wins the #USGP 🏆The Red Bull holds off a late Hamilton charge to take the win! 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵! 🤯🥈 P2: Hamilton🥉 P3: PerezFull race results over at the #SkyF1 blog ⬇️📺 @SkySportsF1💻 https://t.co/dsFCYRqRzo#F1— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 24, 2021

      GLISTENING SILVERWARE
      The Red Bull team are in the long-horned car, the trophies are in hands and…
      Out comes the champagne as the three Red Bull reps spray each other and Lewis tries to join in.
      140,000 fans at the Circuit of the Americas enjoyed that one. And we certainly did, too.
      ANTHEM TIME
      Shaq and Lewis shake hands as the Brit comes out to stand on second spot.
      But now it is all about Verstappen as he takes the top spot and the caps are off for the Dutch national anthem.
      Oh, and Shaq is standing next to him… and is almost as tall!
      SHAQ IN STYLE
      Shaquille O’Neal delivers the winning trophy – and the big man does it in style.
      He arrives on a huge horned car – it really is quite bonkers – and ducks his way into the F1 garage.
      He is up to the podium ready for the drivers to come up.
      MAX THE WINNER
      Verstappen: “We lost out in the start so had to try something else. The tyre war is high on this track.
      “We went aggressive and I was not sure it was going to work but the last few laps were fun.
      “A bit sideways through the high-speed corners but super happy to hang on.
      “The fans have been incredible and amazing to see so many of you here. Hopefully we can do this for many years to come.”
      SERGIO STRUGGLING
      Perez describes that race as his ‘toughest race physically’.
      No wonder he is necking a huge can of Red Bull!
      LEWIS MESSAGE
      Hamilton: “Firstly congrats to Max, great job today it was such a tough race, they had the upper hand this weekend we couldn’t ask for more.
      “Thanks to my team: great pits stops, great hard work, what an amazing crowd, it’s an honour to perform here.
      “This is our acceptance into the US what a place to be, I hope we get more races out here, you can tell how good the fans are!”
      DOZEN DELIGHT
      Hamilton did hold on for the fastest lap which means the gap is 12 points.
      It was six just two hours ago.
      Just to reiterate how strong Hamilton and Verstappen were, Perez was third 42 seconds back!
      MAX CELEBRATES
      The Dutchman jumps out of his Red Bull car and runs straight into his team.
      What a moment for Verstappen. And what a moment for the championship race.
      Lewis, still in his helmet, looks pretty dejected as he gets out after pulling up behind the P2 sign.
      NINTCHDBPICT000688997673Credit: Getty
      COMMISERATIONS LEWIS
      Toto Wolff is on the radio to Hamilton.
      Wolff: “Brilliant drive, brilliant, brilliant drive.”
      ‘CRUCIAL DRIVE’
      Christian Horner said: “I’ve aged 25 years in that race. I didn’t think we could hang on.
      “We were out of tyres.
      “Mick cost us, he also gave us the DRS and alsmot gave me a heart attack.
      “A crucial drive.
      “It was big for us to beat Mercedes here. We know Lewis is a phenomenal driver around here.”
      VERSTAPPEN WINS
      What a pulsating race that was.
      Hamilton did so well to catch Verstappen but Verstappen does even better to hold his rival off and win.
      Red Bull are on the radio: “What a drive, masterful. That was classy.”
      MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX!
      Wow wow wow – Verstappen takes the chequered flag!
      LAST LAP
      Hamilton did not get DRS down the back straight and that might be the chance of a win over…
      LAST LAP
      Verstappen still leads…
      LAST LAP
      We are on to the last lap!
      Hamilton 0.9 seconds behind with DRS but Verstappen also gets DRS after the trouble with Schumacher.
      Can Verstappen hold on?!
      LAP 55
      Hamilton dipped below a second. It is back to 1.1.
      The wind is picking up to only add to the drama.
      The leaders have caught Schumacher at the back.
      Hamilton has a slight error at turn 11 and that has cost him.
      But Schumacher took a while to get out of the way and that has annoyed Verstappen who had to go through dirty air.
      LAP 54
      Verstappen is doing enough as things stand.
      He is still 1.1 seconds ahead and that means still no DRS advantage for Hamilton just yet.
      Can Lewis get inside a second?
      LAP 54
      Here. We. Go.
      Hamilton within 1.2 seconds now.
      But he is running out of time in this race to get past!
      1.1 now…
      LAP 53
      Hamilton has taken 0.4 seconds out of Verstappen’s lead and it is back to 1.5 seconds.
      Raikkonen has taken a spin into the gravel and drops to 12th.
      LAP 53
      Bottas is being held off by Sainz in the battle for sixth and Vettel is up to tenth.
      The dirty air is causing problems for Hamilton with Verstappen starting to pull away!
      Incredible stuff.
      LAP 52
      Or is Hamilton saving a bit to give it absolutely everything in the final couple of laps?
      There are just four to go… he hasn’t got long!
      Verstappen is holding his position and P1 for now…
      LAP 51
      Verstappen is still 1.7 seconds ahead – in fact that’s an increase in the lead – and has the Dutchman been clever and saved enough in the tyres to see him through?
      Hamilton wants to get inside a second for DRS.
      LAP 51
      Vettel is desperate to get in the points.
      He is still behind Giovinazzi and Raikkonen in his attempt to secure the last of the championship points.
      Alonso has been retired and that’s both Alpine cars out – it’s his rear wing that is the problem.
      LAP 49
      Hamilton is within two seconds now.
      Remember, his tyres are eight laps younger than Verstappen’s and it is coming down to the last few laps – as both teams predicted early on in the race.
      Credit: Getty
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      Max Verstappen holds off Lewis Hamilton in last-lap thriller at US Grand Prix to extend lead in F1 championship

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN won the US GP as this Texas shootout turned into a bigger nail-biter than Paul Scholes.They flocked to Austin in their thousands to see this race, as for the first time in its 70 year history, F1 finally looks to have cracked the American market.
      Nax Verstappen extended his overall lead to 12 pointsCredit: Getty
      Hamilton narrowly lost out to VerstappenCredit: Reuters
      Shaquille O’Neal hands Verstappen his winner’s trophyCredit: Getty
      Sure, the popularity of the Netflix series, Drive to Survive, has helped but so too has this epic fight between Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen for the title.
      And those fans were treated to a pulsating duel in the desert as Hamilton reeled in Verstappen’s advantage, creating a thrilling climax.
      Hamilton made a fantastic start from second on the grid and in his attempt to block the Mercedes man, Verstappen tried to cut him off going into Turn One.
      The two avoided contact as this time, unlike when they collided at Silverstone, Verstappen bailed out and was forced to go wide.
      That saw Hamilton shoot into the lead as Verstappen quickly regained his composure to settle down in second.
      However, with the bit firmly between his teeth, he would not let the rear of the Mercedes out of his sight and hung on the back of Hamilton’s gearbox.

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      In doing so, it damaged his tyres and Verstappen stopped for fresh tyres at the end of lap 11 of this 56 lap race and when he returned to the track he was in fourth place.
      Hamilton did stop three laps later but Red Bull’s decision to pull the trigger first saw Verstappen pull off the undercut and propelled him to first place, as Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc also stopped for tyres.
      But if there is anything we have learned from Hamilton over the course of his battle with Verstappen, he is determined to take the fight to the Dutchman.
      The fightback started around lap 27, as the Brit started to eat into Verstappen’s lead.
      Red Bull watched anxiously as Vertstappen’s lap times tumbled and decided to stop him again on lap 29 for a final stop.
      Red Bull had played their hand and the Mercedes staticians at their Race Support Room in their Brackley HQ calculated the numbers.
      It left Verstappen needing to nurse his tyres to the finishing line as his race was heavily compromised.
      Sensing a win was on the cards, Hamilton received a radio message from boss Toto Wolff, who told his driver he was racing for the victory.
      No further incentive needed, Mercedes left Hamilton out for as long as possible before pitting him from the lead on lap 37, giving him a fresh set of hard tyres to hunt down Verstappen, who was back in front as a result of the pitstop.
      It was a star-studded event with Logan Paul (right) in attendanceCredit: Getty
      Serena Williams was also in attendanceCredit: Getty
      O’Neal next to the car of Max Verstappen, who he later handed the winner’s trophy toCredit: Getty
      The thrilling climax began with the gap between the two at 8.8 seconds as Hamilton emerged from the pitlane.
      With 15 laps to go, that lead was sliced to 6.5 seconds. He then hit traffic as he struggled to pass the back markers.
      By lap 45, the gap was even further reduced to 3.7 seconds. With 10 laps to go, it was under three seconds.
      With five to go, it was down to two. It was nail-biting stuff as Hamilton closed in on his opponent.
      Two laps to go and the gap was under a second but Verstappen held his nerve and held off the threat of Hamilton.
      Another lap and the world champion would have caught him.
      But the Brit was magnanimous in defeat, saying after the race: “Firstly congratulations to Max he did a great job today.
      “It was such a tough race. I got a good start, gave it absolutely everything but at the end of the day, they just had the upper hand this weekend and we couldn’t really have asked for more.
      “A big thank you to my team, great work through the weekend.”
      Verstappen said: “Of course we lost out in the start and had to do something else and we went aggressive.
      “I was not too sure it was going to work and the last few laps were fun and I was super happy to hang on.”
      Megan Thee Stallion on grid in Austin, TexasCredit: Getty More

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      F1 US Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen on POLE, Hamilton second for TONIGHT’S big race – stream, TV, updates

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      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.
      Load more entries… More

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      in Motorsport

      Max Verstappen takes pole for US Grand Prix ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton for massive race in Texas

      by

      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 the Dutchman snatched it from his grasp at the death.
      Max Verstappen will start in pole position for the US Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      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 Hamilton, which currently stands at six points.
      Hamilton, who apologised to his team having missed out on pole by 0.209 seconds, has promised to fight back in today’s race.
      He 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.”
      Hamilton, who starts second on the grid behind Verstappen, will have Red Bull’s Sergio Prez breathing down his neck.
      And Verstappen is hoping that with Valtteri Bottas starting ninth due to an engine penalty, that he can back on Perez’s support.

      He added: “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.”
      Charles Leclerc will start in fourth and Calros Sainz will line up in fifth in their Ferraris.
      F1’s return to the United States – after last year’s race was scrapped because of the pandemic – has been greeted with spectacular enthusiasm.
      Verstappen will share the front row of the grid with title rival Lewis HamiltonCredit: Getty
      A bumper crowd of 120,000 watched qualifying, while 140,000 are expected for Sunday’s race.
      Miami will be added to the calendar next season with a third race on American soil – understood to be in Las Vegas – expected for 2023.
      A plethora of big names, including Hollywood actors Brad Pitt and Matthew McConaughey, 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams and Rory McIlroy will bring star appeal to the race.
      Racing legend Lewis Hamilton shows off his LA house More