Qualifying Report & Results 2024 USA F1 Grand Prix

Event: USA Grand Prix
Track: Circuit of the Americas

Weather: dry  28.7°C
Tarmac: dry  38.4°C
Humidity : 39%
Wind: 11.5 km//h South

Lando Norris scored his 7th F1 pole position of his career during the 2024 USA Grand Prix qualifying session today. It was the 6th pole for the McLaren driver of the season and he will start from P1 for the first time on the Circuit of the Americas. It was the 162nd pole for McLaren.

Q1: Early Exits for Big Names

The qualifying session for the 2024 United States Formula 1 Grand Prix kicked off under the hot Austin sun, with teams eager to make their mark at the Circuit of The Americas. As Q1 unfolded, several big names found themselves in unexpected trouble. Lewis Hamilton, fresh off a strong showing in practice, shockingly failed to make the cut after his lap time was deleted due to track limits. He joined Valtteri Bottas and rookie Franco Colapinto on the sidelines, with Alex Albon and Zhou Guanyu also failing to advance. The Mercedes driver’s struggles left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads as to where the W15's pace had disappeared.

Q2: Tight Midfield Battle Sees More Surprises

The action heated up even more in Q2 as the midfield battle intensified. Charles Leclerc managed to escape the drop zone, pushing himself into the top spots, while his teammate Carlos Sainz looked particularly strong throughout the session. But for others, it was the end of the road. Nico Hulkenberg locked up early in his lap, costing him precious time, while Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, and Liam Lawson also fell short of reaching the final round. With only 10 drivers remaining, the stage was set for a thrilling showdown in Q3, with Norris, Verstappen, and the Ferraris all vying for pole position.

Q3: Norris Snatches Pole as Russell Crashes

Q3 turned out to be a nail-biter. Lando Norris, who had struggled throughout the weekend, pulled out an impressive lap to claim pole position for Sunday’s race. Despite being two-tenths slower than Max Verstappen in the first sector, Norris found pace in the later stages of his lap, setting a time that would prove unbeatable. Verstappen, the reigning champion, seemed poised to take pole with a strong opening sector but ultimately fell just 0.031 seconds short after a less-than-perfect final sector.

As the final moments of the session unfolded, George Russell crashed into the wall at Turn 19, bringing out double yellow flags and ending any chance for improvements from the rest of the grid. Russell’s crash meant that no one could challenge Norris’s time, securing his second pole of the season. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz continued his solid form by securing third place, with teammate Leclerc lining up alongside him on the second row. Oscar Piastri and Pierre Gasly also impressed, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively.

With Norris on pole and Verstappen right beside him, Sunday’s race promises to be a thrilling showdown between two of Formula 1’s brightest talents. The challenge for McLaren will be managing their tires after struggling with degradation during the Sprint race.

The quickest lap time of last years Sprint qualifying was a 1:34.538 min driven by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB19.

Quali Times 2024 USA GP

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