The events in Austin unfolded quickly, as only a few hours after the sprint race, qualifying for the US Grand Prix followed, which Lando Norris won.
In Q1, the trio of Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Sergio Perez dominated the field on the first fast lap. However, a few minutes later, Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, and Carlos Sainz took the lead, and finally, Verstappen, Leclerc, and the returning Liam Lawson completed the top three in Q1. Among those eliminated, surprisingly, were Lewis Hamilton, the two Williams, and the Stake Alfa Romeo cars.
In Q2, Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri led the way, and eventually Verstappen, Sainz, and Norris made it into the top three. The track condition continued to improve, the battle intensified, and at this stage, qualifying for the US Grand Prix seemed practically three-way. However, the two VISA RB drivers, Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, and Nico Hülkenberg, were unable to progress, and they withdrew from the rest of the competition.
After these events, the all-important Q3 was upon us, where it was almost impossible to predict who would emerge victorious! Accordingly, after the initial attempts, the order was Norris, Verstappen, and Sainz, but the time difference between the leading duo was almost inexplicably small. Verstappen started the final fast lap sensationally, but was unable to convert his speed into a result, as qualifying was "interrupted" due to an accident involving George Russell.
All this meant that Lando Norris took pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz!
