In what could be the decisive Formula 1 race of the season, world championship leader Max Verstappen will start ahead of his pursuer Lando Norris. The Red Bull driver didn’t come close to George Russell as the fastest driver in qualifying in Las Vegas, but he was faster than Norris and starts the race from fifth place. McLaren driver Norris also starts from the third row of the grid with the sixth best time in qualifying.
Russell was fastest in the Mercedes with 1:33.186 minutes, which is the fourth pole position of his career. Next to him on the front row is Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari. In row two are Piere Gasly in the Alpine and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari. Nico Hülkenberg in the Haas starts the third-to-last race of the season from ninth place.
Verstappen can make his fourth world title perfect
Verstappen can seal his fourth world title in a row early in Las Vegas. Before the race on Saturday evening local time (Sunday 7 a.m. CET/Sky and RTL), he leads the standings with a 62-point lead over Lando Norris. With a win, the 27-year-old would be confirmed as champion, and overall he cannot lose more than two points to his British pursuer in the McLaren.
Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez was eliminated in the first part of the qualification. Franco Colapinto caused the first long delay of the race weekend with an accident in the second section. It was the next expensive incident for Williams; the team had already had to extensively repair both vehicles in Brazil.