Lando Norris secured pole position in a challenging Las Vegas qualifying session ahead of tomorrow’s Grand Prix.
Photo: Sam Bloxham
Before the weekend began, heavy rain swept through Las Vegas, with some parts of the city even experiencing flooding. Although today’s qualifying wasn’t as wet as the previous days, it still made things difficult for the drivers. Track grip was extremely low, and teams decided to start the session on blue full-wet tyres — the very ones they tried to avoid using all year.
Right in Q1, Lewis Hamilton was unexpectedly knocked out. According to him, he simply couldn’t get the tyres into the proper operating window. He thus becomes the first Ferrari driver to start from last place since the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Despite the water on track and the lack of grip, there were no red flags or major crashes. The only notable incident came from Alex Albon, who slid in the penultimate corner and brushed the wall. Fortunately, he was near the pit lane and could safely bring the car back without interrupting the session.
Despite the tough conditions, championship leader Lando Norris claimed pole position. Max Verstappen will start alongside him, and somewhat unexpectedly, Carlos Sainz secured third place for Williams. George Russell joins them in fourth, while Norris’s main title rival — Oscar Piastri — will start only from fifth.