George Russell claimed a “surprise” pole for Mercedes in Las Vegas as Max Verstappen closed in on his fourth world title.
Verstappen took fifth on the grid for Saturday night’s race in Sin City, one place ahead of Lando Norris, the only man who can still deny him.
Norris must outscore Verstappen by at least three points to take the title race on to Qatar next week. Verstappen knows that if he finishes in front of the McLaren in Las Vegas, he will be crowned champion for a fourth year running.
Mercedes have been the surprise package all weekend. Lewis Hamilton topped both practice sessions on Thursday, while Russell went quickest in final practice on Friday.
Given their pace, Hamilton will be hugely disappointed to have taken 10th on the grid. The 39-year-old made mistakes on both of his runs in Q3.
Russell also made a small mistake on his first run in Q3, clipping the outside of Turn 5 and returning to the garage to change his front wing. But he managed to get back out in double-quick time to claim pole in 1min32.312sec
“Hats off to the guys in the garage because I thought I wasn’t going to make it back out,” he admitted later. “But we’ve been so quick all weekend. I knew if I did a clean lap it was going to be enough to secure a front row. We need to convert that into a win now.”
Russell – who now leads Hamilton 17-5 in qualifying this season – added it was a “big surprise” that Mercedes were so quick. “I’m scratching my head,” he admitted. “We need to nail down why.”
Russell went 0.098sec quicker than Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly will start third and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth, ahead of Verstappen and Norris in fifth and sixth.
08:00 AM GMT
And a reminder of the drivers’ standings
If Verstappen leaves Las Vegas with a 60-point lead (or more) over Norris then he is champion. Norris, then needs to finish ahead of him at least.
07:55 AM GMT
A reminder of those constructors’ standings
07:53 AM GMT
Lando Norris reacts to sixth
“No chance [of pole]. Probably just the top three, four out of reach. Both Red Bull and ourselves a decent chunk behind and that showed today. We expected a little bit more than where we were, that’s for sure. We’re struggling every corner with something different. It’s too much of a challenge with our car. When you’re trying to find lap time but also not go over the limit it’s a difficult balance.”
On the championship:
“I’ll do everything I can, of course. I’m not going to give up until the end even though the chances are extremely thin. It’s a long race, many things can happen. We’re quick in the straights so hopefully that can come to our advantage.”
07:51 AM GMT
Carlos Sainz speaks
07:49 AM GMT
Lewis Hamilton: ‘It is what it is’
“It is what it is, it’s been a good weekend so far. I’ll give it by best shot tomorrow but congrats to George. Conditions were great, it’s been really good all weekend. I’m really quite far back so I’ll just see what I can do from there. Degradation is going to be key, we had an eventful race here last year.”
Another tough session for Hamilton. He made mistakes on both of his runs and that was the difference. He has been making quite a few recently. As he has outright said, he is looking forward to this season being over and you can see why.
07:46 AM GMT
Toto Wolff speaks
“Our car just comes alive when there’s a lack of grip and when it’s cold and it’s good to see that. It’s a relative game, the feedback from our drivers is that it feels OK and you hear much more feedback from the other drivers that there is a lack of grip.
“Let’s see what we can do tomorrow. We haven’t really seen it, I think Leclerc was the quickest on a long run yesterday. This is really going to be about making sure the tyres don’t grain and taking from there. Any top team can win tomorrow.”
07:42 AM GMT
Speaking of constructors’ standings
A poor qualifying session by McLaren gives Ferrari a chance at closing down the gap to the leaders.
36 points the gap currently. If they finish where they start that gap would roughly halve to 18 points, depending on where the fastest lap point went. A lot of pressure on McLaren…
07:35 AM GMT
Gasly reacts to this third
It’s unbelievable. We didn’t think we’d be able to get into the top threw in quali. A lot of adrenaline, a lot of excitement. I knew it was a good lap… really happy. I was getting cold in the car, we had to wait so long before Q3 I just wanted to get going. The car felt great, it’s incredible for the team following the double podium in Brazil.
Another good opportunity for Alpine to score a hefty points haul tomorrow. They are in a fight with Haas and RB for sixth in the constructors and currently lead the former by three points and the latter by five.
07:32 AM GMT
Why Hamilton’s last lap time was deleted
07:31 AM GMT
Russell reacts to a fourth career pole
“Honestly, absolutely not. It feels incredible to be back on pole… I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap that was as what counts, it doesn’t matter what happens before then. We had to change the front wing, for a moment I didn’t think we [were going to make it]. You’ve got to put it on the table sometimes. I felt confident in myself, I knew if I did a clean lap it would be enough to secure a front row.”
07:26 AM GMT
That was a tight battle for the McLarens
Albeit they were fighting an RB and a Haas, rather than Ferrari and Mercedes. Just 0.054sec separated Norris in sixth from Hulkenberg in ninth. Not really sure what happened to them. That is a poor qualifying. Not sure if it’s their worst of the season but it surely must be their worst for quite a while.
07:25 AM GMT
Q3 – Classification
-
RUS 1:32.312
-
SAI +0.098
-
GAS +0.352
-
LEC +0.471
-
VER +0.485
-
NOR +0.696
-
TSU +0.717
-
PIA +0.721
-
HUL +0.750
-
HAM +15.794
07:24 AM GMT
GEORGE RUSSELL TAKES POLE POSITION FOR THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX
Yes he does! Less than a tenth of a second faster than Sainz but that is all it needs! A superb lap under pressure.
Hamilton only 10th making a mess of both laps. His second hot lap was deleted after the first one included a big mistake.
Sainz second, Gasly third in the end.
07:23 AM GMT
Q3 – Hamilton only 10th!
Sainz onto provisional pole! Gasly onto the front row for now…
Verstappen fourth! Russell is currently fifth… can he improve?
07:22 AM GMT
Q3 – Piastri improves to third
A consistent lap. Norris moves onto the front row but Leclerc goes onto provisional pole! Russell needs to find something here…
07:21 AM GMT
Q3 – Piastri a couple of tenths down in sector one
He lost time in the later part of the lap, I believe so that may not be a terrible time. Leclerc a long way back after sector one, too. Was there a mistake? These sector times are not getting much quicker. Norris three-tenths down on Russell after two sectors. Leclerc does go quickest of all in sector two, though…
07:20 AM GMT
Q3 – Final runs under way
Replays show Russell hit the wall on his previous run. Not heavily but it wasn’t exactly a light kiss, either.
A quick front wing change for George after his tussle with the wall
Both drivers head out with new Softs on
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 23, 2024
07:18 AM GMT
Q3 – Russell wants to be at the back of the pack on the final runs
There is a lot of lap time for most of these runners to find. Leclerc slid through turn seven and ended up a second down nearly.
07:17 AM GMT
Q3 – Order and gaps after the first runs
-
RUS 1:32.811
-
SAI +0.211
-
VER +0.404
-
NOR +0.426
-
PIA +0.709
-
GAS +0.814
-
HUL +0.960
-
LEC +0.986
-
TSU +1.246
-
HAM +15.295
07:16 AM GMT
Q3 – Verstappen looks in contention here
Well, after two sectors he does anyway. Still plenty of time left in this lap and indeed the session. Verstappen moves second, but 0.193sec off Sainz’s time.
Russell, though, beats them all and becomes the first man in Q3 to set a 1:32 lap time.
What happened to Hamilton’s lap? He locked up and went straight on somewhere… he returns to the pits having not set a representative lap time.
07:14 AM GMT
Q3 – It’s a 1:33.520sec for Piastri
Not a great lap, really. Much slower than where he was in Q2. Norris goes 0.283sec faster than Piastri. Leclerc is slower than both of them but Sainz is on a flyer…
Yep it is a fine lap. Sainz beats Norris by two tenths to move quickest of all.
07:13 AM GMT
Q3 – Piastri with a good first sector
Norris pretty much matches it, as does Leclerc. Sainz beats it, though, by about a tenth…
07:11 AM GMT
Q3 begins!
12 minutes. Not really sure who will get pole here. Mercedes look strong. If Russell or Hamilton nail their lap it will probably be one of them. We haven’t seen all McLaren have got, I do not think.
07:08 AM GMT
We are nearly ready go get going
Just over a minute until Q3 and the pole position shoot-out begins.
07:05 AM GMT
Barrier repairs completed
The track is just having a final sweep and then we should be under way shortly.
06:56 AM GMT
How Colapinto’s car currently looks
06:54 AM GMT
Sergio Perez speaks
“I did definitely want more from today. It felt like we were making progress but not enough. Tomorrow the race pace looks a lot more competitive than [it was] early on, so looking forward to it.”
06:51 AM GMT
A big effort to get those cars ready for this race
A shame that it ends like this.
We are also looking at barrier repairs here as well as the debris all over the track. That could be a significant delay.
06:48 AM GMT
A lot of debris to clear up
The start of Q3 will be delayed. By how long, not sure but I don’t think it will be that immediate.
06:45 AM GMT
Q2 – Classification
-
HAM 1:32.567
-
SAI +0.144
-
RUS +0.212
-
GAS +0.312
-
LEC +0.449
-
PIA +0.457
-
VER +0.518
-
TSU +0.522
-
NOR +0.532
-
HUL +0.547
ELIMINATED: -
OCO
-
MAG
-
ZHO
-
COL
-
LAW
06:44 AM GMT
Colapinto just clipped the wall on the inside…
And that spat him out into the barrier at the other end of the chicane, making a real mess of his FW46. The first crash of the weekend, remarkably.
06:43 AM GMT
Q2 – COLAPINTO CRASHES!
We cut to a camera showing the Williams sliding down the track with the front and rear caved in and the wheels all over the place. That is the end of his session and another expensive crash for a team who has had many of them this season and especially recently.
That will be the end of the session.
What happened, though?
06:41 AM GMT
Q2 – Piastri improves
He’s into fourth and 0.143sec off Russell who remains the fastest man. In fact he improves his lap time by a few tenths on his latest run. That said, Hamilton beats that shortly after.
Zhou puts in a lap good enough for 11th… for now.
06:40 AM GMT
Q2 – Top 10 and gaps
-
RUS 1:32.881
-
HAM +0.084
-
LEC +0.135
-
VER +0.204
-
NOR +0.218
-
PIA +0.256
-
SAI +0.267
-
HUL +0.392
-
TSU +0.603
-
MAG +0.640
Gasly, Colapinto, Ocon, Lawson and Zhou in the drop zone.
06:38 AM GMT
Q2 – McLaren not really anywhere in this session so far
Norris’s first sector on his latest hot lap isn’t brilliant and he is nearly half a second off after two sectors. Don’t know if he will abort this lap but it doesn’t look like he has. He does find some time in the final sector, though to move fifth from seventh.
06:36 AM GMT
Q2 – Five minutes remain
Russell has just moved fastest, Hamilton just behind him and Leclerc then moves into third. Sainz’s first hot lap was not brilliant. He is down in sixth 0.267sec off Russell. Not awful by any means, though.
06:34 AM GMT
Q2 – Looks like a competitive lap from Verstappen
He has not had many of those so far this weekend. He goes fastest of all by 0.051sec. So 0.052sec separating the top three and 0.188sec the top five.
These lap times will tumble, though.
06:33 AM GMT
Q2 – Early order
-
HAM
-
PIA
-
VER
-
NOR
-
HUL
-
TSU
-
MAG
-
RUS
-
GAS
-
COL
Ocon, Lawson, Zhou and the two Ferraris in the drop zone but the Ferraris have not set a lap time yet.
06:32 AM GMT
Q2 – Verstappen into third
Within a tenth of Hamilton. Piastri into second, within a thousandth of Hamilton. Good stuff, this. Enjoying it, even at this strange hour for a Stateside race.
06:30 AM GMT
Q2 – Hamilton leads the way
Hulkenberg 0.137sec behind him, just before Norris slots into second, a hundredth of a second or so ahead of the German Haas river.
06:30 AM GMT
Ouch
Bit brutal Formula One’s own Twitter account trolling Sergio Perez after his Q1 exit, posting a picture of the Mexican giving himself a thumbs-down on The Sphere. Sixth time this year Perez has gone out in Q1.
06:28 AM GMT
Q2 begins – 15 mins remain
Ferrari were the pre-weekend favourites but Mercedes seem to be the team to be over one lap so far.
06:26 AM GMT
Q2 is about to begin
It will be fascinating. It’s close up front and pretty much everywhere else, too.
06:24 AM GMT
Zhou’s best qualifying performance for quite a while
20th in the last eight races before this, but he is now through to Q2.
06:22 AM GMT
Q1 – Classification
-
RUS 1:33.186
-
HAM +0.039
-
VER +0.113
-
LEC +0.260
-
PIA +0.264
-
SAI +0.298
-
NOR +0.406
-
GAS +0.505
-
COL +0.560
-
TSU +0.603
-
HUL +0.734
-
OCO +0.782
-
MAG +0.805
-
ZHO +0.893
-
LAW +0.901
06:21 AM GMT
Q1 ends – drivers out
PER, ALO, ALB, BOT, STR
06:20 AM GMT
Q1 – Mercedes exchanging lap times at the top of the timesheets
Hamilton first and then Russell, by 0.039sec. Verstappen is in third and is not out on track.
His team-mate Perez back in the bottom five and looking at his first sector times he is not on another hot lap. That is Perez out!
06:19 AM GMT
Q1 – Perez goes 12th
Will that be enough? Maybe, but it looks doubtful. Only needs four drivers below him to improve and for him not to and it’s curtains for his qualifying session.
06:18 AM GMT
Q1 – All 20 cars on track
Aston Martin have done a sterling job to get their man out there. Perez has a dodgy first sector. His second sector isn’t brilliant, either. He may well have another go at this, though.
Here’s the current top 10:
-
VER
-
RUS
-
LEC
-
PIA
-
SAI
-
NOR
-
HAM
-
GAS
-
HUL
-
MAG
06:16 AM GMT
Q1 – Magnussen into the top 10
Hulkenberg too, in ninth. Perez has now been dropped into the elimination zone as Zhou moves up. These are the sorts of tracks where the Mexican normally excels. He has not done a lot of excelling recently, though.
Verstappen goes fastest by 0.064sec, just ahead of Russell.
06:15 AM GMT
Q1 – Four mins remain
Bottas, Ocon, Magnussen, Hulkenberg and Stroll in the drop zone. The last three of that group have yet to set a lap time but the two Haas cars are now out on track.
06:13 AM GMT
Q1 – Half-decent is a good work to describe that lap
Pretty tidy from Verstappen but he’s fourth, 0.350sec off Piastri’s best time of the session so far. Russell then moves fastest by just less than a tenth of a second from Piastri. Would be good to see Mercedes fighting for a win here again.
06:13 AM GMT
Q1 – Current top 10
-
PIA
-
SAI
-
NOR
-
LEC
-
HAM
-
TSU
-
ALO
-
RUS
-
VER
-
ALB
Verstappen on a half-decent lap…
06:12 AM GMT
Q1 – What can Ferrari do?
Well, Leclerc goes fastest of all but is then nudged down by the McLarens on their second hot laps. Significantly, in fact. About 0.350sec in Norris’s case and half a second in Piastri’s case. The Australian sits at the top of the standings. No action from either Haas nor Lance Stroll whose Aston Martin is being rebuilt after an issue in final practice.
06:10 AM GMT
Q1 – Verstappen about to finish his first flyer
It’s… OK. Fifth and just under three-tenths behind Piastri’s fastest time. Albon completes a good lap, just a smidgen behind Verstappen, his former team-mate (that seems like a long time ago).
06:09 AM GMT
Q1 – Indeed an Alpine at the top did not last long
The McLarens are the ones now ahead, with Piastri 0.03sec ahead of team-mate Lando Norris. Hamilton and Russell are between 0.18sec and 0.29sec behind them respectively in third and fourth.
06:07 AM GMT
Q1 – Alpine leading the way so far
Gasly with a 1:34.058 but I am not sure that will stay there for long…
06:06 AM GMT
Q1 – Zhou leads the way so far
Only really two drivers to have set a representative lap time, though, with the rest doing one out lap, one preparation lap to get the tyres up to temperature and then their hot lap, which are beginning now.
06:04 AM GMT
Q1 – Mercedes out there on medium tyres
This is apparently to scrub them for (potential) use in the race tomorrow.
06:01 AM GMT
GREEN LIGHT: Q1 is go!
Plenty of cars out there early on, as you would expect. The track does look rather good under the lights.
06:00 AM GMT
Good morning F1 fans
Welcome to our live coverage for today’s qualifying session for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. It’s the second event at this track and whilst there were a few organisational problems and challenges with the maiden edition, the race was actually pretty good in the end. Let’s hope for more of that this weekend.
It looks likely that this will be the weekend that Max Verstappen confirms his fourth world drivers title for Red Bull. For most of the season Lando Norris had been trying to reel him in (and partly succeeding) but a topsy turvey weekend in Brazil when the Dutchman won in the rain put the title almost within his grasp. It was a big ask but it would have been nice for it to at least go down to the final round.
So far in the three practice sessions we have had a Mercedes at the top of the timesheets. That has not happened very much at all in the past three seasons but perhaps the peculiarities of the track and conditions are playing into their hands. In FP3 George Russell was fastest and in both of Friday’s sessions it was Lewis Hamilton.
Whilst they made a breakthrough of sorts in the middle of the season with three victories, they have fallen back to being the fourth quickest team in recent times. Maybe Hamilton will have one last shot at victory with the Silver Arrows before he departs for Ferrari.
Anyway, qualifying starts about now and we will be here for all of the live updates and reaction from it.