Although Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, probably intended it as a joke that the Silver Arrows are the champions of the dirty tracks, and when the asphalt strip is cleared, others can come, but he probably did not think in his wildest dreams that they would dominate the weekend in Las Vegas from the first moment to the end of qualifying. In Friday’s free practice sessions, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was the king – he won both practice sessions – before George Russell took over this role from him on Saturday.
Because the British driver of Mercedes not only proved to be the fastest in the third free practice of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas, but also won the qualifying session on Saturday, so he will start from the front in Sunday’s race. This is the third pole position of the 26-year-old driver this year and the fourth of his career.
“Honestly, we absolutely did not expect this.” It’s unbelievable that we’re back on pole and that we’ve been so fast all weekend. I knew in the last lap of Q3, this is important, it doesn’t matter what came before. I’m very happy, but we have to examine why we are so fast this weekend, because it really came as a surprise to us – said Russell after qualifying, whose tactic of starting and finishing his fast lap last, because the grip of the track his level favored him.
Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari’s Spanish driver, will be able to start next to Russell, and the Spaniard, who is leaving the team at the end of the year, aims to finish one place ahead tomorrow to strengthen Ferrari’s chances in the constructors’ battle. The Spaniard did not think that the car would be so good in qualifying.
“It was a tough, tight time trial.” We were a bit closer to pole than expected, I thought we were, but then George was very fast at the end. But I am very happy, we are in a good position for tomorrow. I was also second last year, but I started from 12th place because of the famous manhole cover incident. This year I’m also starting from second place, so let’s see if I can do better this time. If we were close today in qualifying, then tomorrow we may have a chance to win. This will be the goal, but because of the overtaking and the strategy, Sunday will be different, Sainz explained.
Pierre Gasly, the French driver of Alpine, surprisingly grabbed the third grid, who continued the form seen in Brazil, where he finished third behind his teammate Esteban Ocon at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
“It’s the first time something like this has happened, it’s simply unbelievable!” So far, we have not managed to qualify for the top three. It was an incredible lap, especially on this track. I felt like I ran an outstanding lap, but when I was told in my ear that it was third place, I felt amazing. I am very happy – said the very happy Gasly
Defending champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s Dutch driver, who is driving to his fourth world championship victory in a row, can only start from fifth place, while his only overall rival, the British Lando Norris (McLaren), will start right next to him. In the first two free practice sessions on Friday, Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Cup winner from Mercedes, was unable to run a really good lap in the third stage of qualifying, so he will only be able to start the race from the 10th position.
Qualifying was stopped for about 20 minutes because Franco Colapinto (Williams) crashed his race car into the concrete wall at the end of the second stage, which resulted in a large amount of debris on the asphalt. After the cleaning, qualifying could continue, and Colapinto was taken to the track hospital for a routine examination, but he got out of the race car on his own feet.
The 50-lap Las Vegas Grand Prix starts at 7 a.m. Hungarian time on Sunday.
The full starting order:
1. sor:
George Russell (brit, Mercedes)
Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spain, Ferrari)
2. sor:
Pierre Gasly (francia, Alpine)
Charles Leclerc (Monaco, Ferrari)
3. sor:
Max Verstappen (holland, Red Bull)
Lando Norris (British, McLaren)
4. sor:
Juki Cunoda (Japan, RB)
Oscar Piastri (Australian, McLaren)
5. sor:
Nico Hülkenberg (German, Haas)
Lewis Hamilton (brit, Mercedes)
6. sor:
Esteban Ocon (France, Alpine)
Kevin Magnussen (Dan, Haas)
7. sor:
Chou Kuan-yue (Chinese, Sauber)
Franco Colapinto (Argentine, Williams)
8. sor:
Liam Lawson (NZ, RB)
Sergio Pérez (Mexican, Red Bull)
9. sor:
Fernando Alonso (Spain, Aston Martin)
Alexander Albon (Thailand, Williams)
10. sor:
Valtteri Bottas (Finn, Sauber)
Lance Stroll (Canadian, Aston Martin)
Source: magyarnemzet.hu
