Max Verstappen will start from pole position in this Saturday’s sprint race at the American GP, ​​after losing to Charles Leclerc in the first race of the weekend in the United States yesterday. Red Bull driver on Friday Lost fastest lap due to track limits, was more careful and secured first place on the grid with a time of 1.34.538. Leclerc and Hamilton put up a much more balanced fight against the new three-time champion, finishing in the same tenth place with just 55th and 69th.

After their duel yesterday to qualify for Sunday’s race, Verstappen and Leclerc once again showed themselves to be the two fastest starters in the ‘sprint shoots’ that make up the grid for tonight’s sprint test (00:00 in Spain). While the Dutch driver started the first quarter ahead (1.35.997), Leclerc was only 2 thousandths behind, while Sainz and Alonso smoothly took fourth and seventh places respectively. The two Haas, Hülkenberg and Magnussen, Bottas, Tsunoda and Sargeant were eliminated.

Alonso’s new KO

Alonso, who will start from 17th place tomorrow after the disastrous Friday at Aston Martin, with both drivers leaving the 2nd quarter behind, showed that he is more competitive today with the pace to enter the top 10 in the first and second sectors. There are some doubts about the third. And the worst predictions were confirmed. Albon left Fernando out of Q3 and the Asturian will start the sprint race from 12th. Teammate Stroll also missed pole positionAs well as Ricciardo, Ocon and Zhou.

Verstappen showed his first sign of weakness when he spun off at Turn 9 in Austin, but he did no harm to the Red Bull and entered the third quarter with the best time (1m35.181), followed by Leclerc and Sainz.

Russell, Gasly and Checo Pérez approached the third and final lap at a disadvantage on used soft tyres. Verstappen set the first reference (1.34.538); This was two tenths faster than Leclerc’s pole position on Friday and was enough to secure first place on the sprint grid.

This time the Monegasque came close by 55 thousandths but could not beat the three-time champion. Hamilton also ranked tenth and third with 0.069 points, ahead of the two McLarens of Norris and Piastri.

Carlos Sainz finished sixth in the final sector, losing two-tenths compared to his teammate. The Madrid native is not as competitive as last year at the Texas circuit, where he started from pole position.

United States GP. Sprint Conflict:

1. Max Verstappen (R. Bull) 1’34″538

2.Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1’34″593

3.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1’34″607

4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1’34″639

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1’34″894

6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1’34″939

7. Sergio Pérez (R. Bull) 1’35″041

8. George Russell (Mercedes) 1’35″199

9. Alexander Albon (Williams) 1’35″366

10. Pierre Gasly (Alp) 1’35″897

11. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) 1’35″978

12. Fernando Alonso (A.Martin) 1’36″087

13. Esteban Ocon (Alp) 1’36″137

14. Lance Stroll (A. Martin) 1’36″181

15. Gyanyu Zhou (A.Romeo) 1’36″182

16.Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) 1’36″749

17. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1’36″922

18. Valtteri Bottas (A. Romeo) 1’36″922

19. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1’36″945

20. Logan Sargeant (Williams) 1’37″186