Norris Secures Pole Position for Las Vegas Grand Prix
Lando Norris has secured pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, continuing McLaren's strong form. Max Verstappen will start second, with Carlos Sainz in third. The qualifying session saw a surprising Q1 exit for Lewis Hamilton, adding significant intrigue to Saturday's race. Rookies Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar also delivered impressive performances, making for an unpredictable grid.
Lando Norris continued his strong run of form by taking pole for the Las Vegas Grand Prix with a 1m47.934, just ahead of Max Verstappen. Carlos Sainz will start third ahead of George Russell, with Oscar Piastri fifth following a late incident with Isack Hadjar. Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, Hadjar, Charles Leclerc, and Pierre Gasly completed the top ten.
Why it matters:
- The Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying showcased McLaren's rising competitiveness, with Lando Norris securing pole position.
- The result sets up a thrilling race, highlighting the evolving pecking order in Formula 1.
- Unexpected eliminations, including Lewis Hamilton in Q1, add an element of unpredictability to the race.
The details:
- Pole Position: Lando Norris (McLaren) clinched pole with a time of 1:47.934.
- Front Row: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) will start alongside Norris in second place.
- Top 5: Carlos Sainz (Williams) qualified third, followed by George Russell (Mercedes) in fourth, and Oscar Piastri (McLaren) in fifth.
- Q3 Surprises: Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) in sixth and Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) in eighth, both rookies, delivered impressive performances.
- Notable Eliminations - Q2: Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber) were among the drivers who failed to advance past Q2.
- Shock Q1 Exit: Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) was surprisingly eliminated in Q1, starting last on the grid.
By the numbers:
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | | :--- | :------------- | :-------------- | :------- | :------- | :------- | | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:55.473 | 1:51.379 | 1:47.934 | | 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:53.458 | 1:51.593 | 1:48.257 | | 3 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:54.873 | 1:51.144 | 1:48.296 | | 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:53.144 | 1:50.935 | 1:48.803 | | 5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:54.544 | 1:52.126 | 1:48.961 | | 6 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:54.828 | 1:51.621 | 1:49.062 | | 7 | Fernando Alonso| Aston Martin | 1:53.739 | 1:51.865 | 1:49.466 | | 8 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:55.613 | 1:51.120 | 1:49.554 | | 9 | Charles Leclerc| Ferrari | 1:54.814 | 1:51.952 | 1:49.872 | | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:54.432 | 1:51.760 | 1:51.540 | | 20 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:57.115 | | |
What's next:
- The Las Vegas Grand Prix race is scheduled to begin at 8 PM local time on Saturday (3 PM AEDT Sunday).
- All eyes will be on Norris to see if he can convert his pole position into a victory, especially with Verstappen starting right beside him.
- The performance of drivers starting further back, like Hamilton, will be a key storyline as they attempt to carve through the field on the unique Las Vegas street circuit.