Verstappen was not stopped by track limits this time. The three-time world champion dominated the sprint qualifying by a narrow margin

For the fifth time this season, Formula 1 has an unusual Saturday programme, with a sprint shootout followed by a 19-lap sprint race instead of the usual two free practice sessions. In sprint qualifying, Max Verstappen atoned for Friday’s hesitation.

Sprint qualifying has a slightly modified format compared to the traditional one. The individual qualifying sessions are shorter and the drivers are required to use a specific tyre compound in each session. Specifically, in the first and second qualifying sessions, drivers had to use medium-hard tyres and in the third session soft tyres.

The first part of qualifying

The only North Americans on the grid at the start were Sargeant and Stroll on the bottom positions. Not a single American stable did well. Haas didn’t push a single driver into the second session.

Stroll eventually escaped the crash and, along with Alonso, made up for Friday’s debacle. Frustrated with his performance was Cunoda. He lost two tenths to teammate Ricciardo, who returned from a wrist injury, and qualified nineteenth.

In addition to Haas and Cunoda, Bottas and Sargeant dropped out in the first qualifying session. The American driver will therefore start both races at his home Grand Prix in last place.

McLaren struggled somewhat surprisingly on the medium-hard tyres. Piastri missed the bottom five by just five hundredths.

The second part of qualifying

Seven drivers had only one shot at making the top 10, including Russell, who was forced to take this risk by a lengthy repair to his car. He and his teammate slipped into the third qualifying session in 8th and 9th respectively.

Ricciardo missed out on a top ten finish by just three hundredths. He will have Alonso alongside him in 12th place at the start. Aston Martin’s co-driver, Stroll, punctured his tyres on his second attempt and his first time, exactly one second slower than Verstappen’s, was not enough to advance.

Ocon and Kuan-yu also crashed out of the second qualifying session. The Alpine driver will be 13th on the grid, with the Alfa Romeo driver directly behind him in 15th place.

The third part of qualifying

With just eight minutes allotted for the battle for sprint pole position, it meant it would be a one-lap shootout on the long Austin circuit.

Already a three-time champion, Verstappen was the first to go for a quick lap. He kept his car between the white lines and took first place from Leclerc.

The top four, made up of four different stables, were separated by one tenth. Behind Verstappen and Leclerc on the grid will be the British row. Hamilton’s lap was three hundredths better than Norris’.

Piastri and Sainz will fill the third row, with Pérez and Russell qualifying behind them. Third qualifying was not at all good for Gasly, who lost more than half a second to ninth-placed Albon.

Source: F1TV