F1 United States Grand Prix — Sprint Qualifying Report & Full Timesheet
- Racing Statistics
- 1 day ago
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Circuit of the Americas, Austin — Friday, October 17, 2025 (local)
Max Verstappen delivered again in Austin, taking Sprint Pole with a blistering 1:32.143 to head Saturday’s grid. The Red Bull driver edged Lando Norris by just 0.071s, while Oscar Piastri locked out third for McLaren. It was a tougher evening for Yuki Tsunoda, who ended the session 18th after getting caught in traffic during his push laps.
Headlines
Verstappen makes it three straight Sprint poles in Austin
The world champion was razor-sharp through COTA’s high-speed sweeps and final sector, banking a 1:32.143 to secure his third consecutive Sprint pole at the venue, narrowly ahead of Norris.
McLaren strong, Piastri a step back
McLaren’s pace translated into P2 and P3, but Piastri couldn’t quite match Norris, trailing his teammate by roughly three-tenths in SQ3 and struggling to find that last bit of rotation and traction as the track evolved.
Hulkenberg shines for Sauber
Nico Hülkenberg stunned the midfield with P4 and a 1:32.645, giving Sauber a prime launchpad for the Sprint.
Mercedes vs Aston Martin — fine margins
George Russell (P5) and Fernando Alonso (P6) were split by just 0.022s in a tight SQ3 fight where getting the softs into the window made the difference.
Ferrari on the back foot
Lewis Hamilton took P8 and Charles Leclerc P10 as Ferrari wrestled with balance in a high-downforce window that didn’t quite pay off. The team will be looking for overnight tweaks ahead of the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying.
Tsunoda mired in traffic
It unraveled for Yuki Tsunoda in SQ1; traffic compromised his best attempts and he wound up P18. The Racing Bulls duo also missed SQ3, with Isack Hadjar 12th and Liam Lawson 15th.
Full Results — Sprint Qualifying (SQ1 / SQ2 / SQ3)
Pos | No | Driver | Team | SQ1 | SQ2 | SQ3 |
1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:33.363 | 1:33.163 | 1:32.143 |
2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:33.224 | 1:33.033 | 1:32.214 |
3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:33.889 | 1:33.271 | 1:32.523 |
4 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:34.236 | 1:33.577 | 1:32.645 |
5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:34.653 | 1:33.462 | 1:32.888 |
6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:34.737 | 1:33.951 | 1:32.910 |
7 | 30 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Williams | 1:34.239 | 1:33.652 | 1:32.911 |
8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:34.226 | 1:34.012 | 1:33.035 |
9 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:34.472 | 1:33.831 | 1:33.099 |
10 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:34.913 | 1:33.938 | 1:33.104 |
11 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:34.414 | 1:34.018 | — |
12 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:34.243 | 1:34.241 | — |
13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:35.144 | 1:34.258 | — |
14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:34.988 | 1:34.394 | — |
15 | 55 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:34.603 | No time | — |
16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:35.159 | — | — |
17 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:35.246 | — | — |
18 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:35.259 | — | — |
19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:36.003 | — | — |
20 | 98 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | No time | — | — |
Note: “No time” indicates the driver did not set a lap in that segment.
What it means for the Sprint
With Verstappen up front and McLaren in hot pursuit, the opening lap could be decisive into Turn 1’s steep left-hander. Hülkenberg’s P4 gives Sauber a genuine points shot, while Ferrari will need race-trim pace to move forward. Tsunoda faces a recovery mission from P18—clean first laps and an early tyre window could be his best play.
Results from FP1 earlier today:
How to watch the USA GP Sprint Race?