Formula 1, United States Grand Prix – Max Verstappen takes pole ahead of Lewis Hamilton

Explosive first line in Austin. On Saturday in Texas, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) made a spectacular turnaround to take pole position at the United States of America Grand Prix, on the Circuit of the Americas, while we expected more Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes ). On the defensive, unhappy with his settings on Friday, the Dutchman managed to rectify the balance of his RB16B to snatch his 12th official career pole position – if we count that acquired following the qualifying sprint race at Monza – for 0 “209 against his rival for the British title.

After the story of the middle finger sent by MV33 to his opponent who had only regained his place in front of him on the track in free practice 2, when embarking on a lap time, after the jealous finger of the boss of Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, pointed at the rear suspension of the Mercedes capable of winning at 15 to 20 km / h while lowering in the straights, it was believed the W12 standout in the race for pole position of the ten -Seventh round of the Mondial in law where Mercedes has been undefeated in qualifying since 2014.

It did not happen. Sergio Pérez, the fastest in free practice 2 and 3, had suggested that Red Bull could challenge the Mercedes on Saturday afternoon and Max Verstappen finished the job. By whipping to beat his Mexican teammate, holder of the provisional pole position after the first runs, and Lewis Hamilton, and by overcoming the slight handicap of a few drops of rain at the end of his last lap.

Leclerc in the top 4, Gasly without spring

“Checo” finally beaten by 0 “224 for the top position in front of a fervent Mexican crowd, Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), far from his Turkish Grand Prix form, settled for fourth time at 0” 565, knowing that ‘he would be downgraded by five places for the installation of his sixth V6.

The Finn requalified in ninth place, it is therefore Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) who will complete the second row on Sunday, when kick-off at 9 p.m. Not very satisfied with a last minute change of settings, the Monegasque placed himself just in front of his teammate Carlos Sainz, taking the upper hand twice. Not only “Charlot” beat him by practically 0-2, but he will start Sunday in “medium” while the Spaniard will be in “tender”.

For the Scuderia, this group shot is a real satisfaction since it has put in its mirrors the McLarens of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, with which it is fighting for third place in the Constructors’ World Championship.

Questionable strategies at Aston Martin and Williams

Fifth team to hoist its two cars in Q3 in addition to Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, AlphaTauri has however never been in the game to do better than ninth with Pierre Gasly and tenth with Yuki Tsunoda, respectively 1 ” 208 and 2,008 for the man from pole position.

To find the Alpine, you have to look in the second half of the table, where Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, quite disillusioned, are in the eleventh and fourteenth rows. In addition to Alonso, the two other drivers guaranteed to start at the back of the grid – Sebastian Vettel and George Russell – following an engine change are also there.

But one can wonder about the strategy of Aston Martin and Williams, who rolled the quadruple world champion and the future Mercedes driver against their teammates. Passed in Q2, the German and the English took part directly in the exit in Q1 of Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi, classified in the sixteenth and seventeenth places.