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Verstappen takes pole position: exciting sprint in Austin!
Max Verstappen secures pole position for the sprint at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. Exciting qualifying on Friday!
Verstappen takes pole position: exciting sprint in Austin!
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the sprint at the US Grand Prix in Austin, which takes place on Saturday. The Dutch driver of the Red Bull Racing team was 71 thousandths of a second faster than McLaren driver Lando Norris in qualifying, which took place on Friday (local time) at the Circuit of The Americas. Oscar Piastri, the current World Championship leader, achieved the third fastest time in the second McLaren car. The 100 kilometer sprint will start at 7 p.m. CEST.
After qualifying, Verstappen was pleased with his team's performance and is optimistic about the upcoming race. Since the summer break, the reigning world champion has gained 63 points and is increasingly becoming a serious threat to Piastri. However, only eight points are up for grabs in the sprint race, which increases the pressure on McLaren drivers Norris and Piastri, who are competing directly with each other in the championship race.
Qualifying results
The starting positions for the sprint race were filled as follows:
| Place | driver | team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 4 | Nico Hulkenberg | Clean |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 7 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari |
| 8 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 9 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 10 | Alex Albon | Williams |
Behind this group are important drivers such as Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls, who starts from 11th place, as well as Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll. Liam Lawson only finished 15th after failing to set a time in SQ2. Another notable incident was Yuki Tsunoda's elimination in the first qualifying round.
Sprint rules
The sprint format in Formula 1 has been revised several times in recent years to make the racing experience more exciting. In 2024, for example, the format will be expanded to include two parc fermés, which will prevent the team setup from being changed after the sprint race. Competitors use both medium and soft tires in different phases of qualifying.
The distribution of points in the sprint is clearly structured: The winner receives 8 points, the second place 7 points, while every driver up to eighth place receives one point. This regulation has greatly influenced the teams' strategies and will certainly play a decisive role on Saturday when the drivers fight for the best positions.
For Verstappen and the competition, the sprint in Austin will not only be another competition, but also an opportunity to collect valuable points in the championship race. The anticipation for the race is great and all eyes are on the track. The fight for pole position could be crucial for the outcome of the race.
For more information about developments in the sprint format and upcoming race weekends, see the articles from crown, ESPN and Motorsport magazine.