Max Verstappen Clinches Pole Position At The US Grand Prix, Leading Red Bull's Charge

Max Verstappen expressed relief after securing pole position at the United States Grand Prix without needing a final run. His strong performance in Austin followed an impressive sprint win. Verstappen finished 0.291 seconds ahead of Lando Norris, boosting his pursuit of a fifth consecutive Drivers' Championship title. Oscar Piastri, who leads Verstappen by 55 points, will start sixth on Sunday.

Both McLaren drivers faced challenges after repairs were needed due to a collision during the sprint race on Saturday. Despite this, Verstappen's car performed well throughout qualifying. He noted the tricky conditions with high temperatures and strong winds, especially in the first sector. "Having a tailwind is challenging," he remarked, highlighting

the difficulty of maintaining downforce.

Verstappen couldn't complete a final flying lap in Q3 due to outlap issues but still secured pole position. "The first run in Q3 was good; we just managed to improve a little bit from Q2," he explained. The wind had shifted compared to the previous day, creating a full-on tailwind that affected downforce and car stability.

Charles Leclerc secured third place for Ferrari and will start alongside George Russell on the second row. Russell recently won the Singapore Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri finished between Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli, while Ollie Bearman of Haas, Carlos Sainz of Williams, and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin completed the top ten.

Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull didn't make it to Q3, finishing 13th. Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls experienced a significant crash early in qualifying and will start from the back of the grid.

Leading the field to green on Sunday #F1 || #USGPpic.twitter.com/8UB8gqYzIzOracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 18, 2025

Qualifying Results Overview

The top ten qualifiers are as follows:

Position	Driver	Team
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull
2	Lando Norris	McLaren
3	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari
4	George Russell	Mercedes
5	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari
6	Oscar Piastri	McLaren
7	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes
8	Oliver Bearman	Haas
9	Carlos Sainz < td >Williams < tr >< td >10 < td >Fernando Alonso < td >Aston Martin < / table > Verstappen's pole position strengthens his championship bid as he leads into Sunday's race with confidence. The challenging conditions tested drivers' skills, but Verstappen's performance demonstrated his ability to adapt and excel under pressure.