Charles Leclerc grabbed his third pole of the season, the 21st career pole in Formula 1, and will lead the grid at the United States Grand Prix. The race weekend in Austin, Texas, marks the eighteenth round of the 2023 championship, with Sunday promising another exciting sprint of action. Carlos Sainz lined up in fourth, while Fernando Alonso endured a high-profile crash in Q1, the first time this season he failed to advance from the opening segment.
Leclerc was the fastest in qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas, edging out Lando Norris of McLaren and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. Both teammates at Ferrari also took part in the session, with Sainz posting the fourth-best time and securing second on the grid. Alonso, who has been a standout of the season, encountered trouble that left him stuck in 17th place after the Q1 exit, a startling setback for a driver who has consistently been in the mix this season. The Aston Martin driver will start 17th on Sunday, with Stroll not advancing past the first cut either, despite a significant update package that arrived in Austin. Neither driver managed to progress beyond Q1, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the race start.
United States GP (QP)
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1’34″723
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) 1’34″853
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1’34″862
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1’34″945
5. George Russell (Mercedes) 1’35″079
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1’35″081
7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 1’35″089
8. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) 1’35″154
9. Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) 1’35″173
10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1’35″467
11. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1’35″697
12. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) 1’35″698
13. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 1’35″858
14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1’35″880
15. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) 1’35″974
16. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) 1’36″235
17. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 1’36″268
18. Alexander Albon (Williams) 1’36″315
19. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 1’36″589
20. Logan Sargeant (Williams) 1’36″827
With Leclerc on pole, the stage is set for race day strategy to play a critical role. The track at Austin rewards a clean lap and a strong balance between downforce and straight-line speed, and Ferrari appears to have found a comfortable setup that suits Leclerc’s driving style across the Circuit of the Americas. Norris’s pace in qualifying confirms McLaren’s continued competitiveness, while Hamilton’s performance demonstrates Mercedes’ ongoing improvement as they chase a podium in front of a dedicated American crowd. Sainz’s solid front-row position adds pressure on Leclerc to maintain momentum from the pole forward, especially given the tight gaps that characterized the top of the field in Saturday’s session. Alonso’s setback introduces a ripple of what-if scenarios for Aston Martin, a team that has pushed hard with updates but now faces a tougher Sunday climb from 17th.
Analysts note that Ferrari has leveraged the data from practice and qualifying to optimize tire strategy and fuel management for the long green-flag run expected in the race. The walking wounded on the grid — with Alonso and Stroll both out in Q1 — overshadow a weekend that otherwise showcased strong performances from several teams eager to salvage points in a pivotal race that could shift mid-season momentum in the US paddock. As fans anticipate the lights-out moment, teams will be weighing upgrades, track position, and the all-important decision of when to push for an advantage during the early laps and potential pit-stop cycles later in the stint.
Source notes from FIA Timing and race officials indicate that the pole position is a testament to Leclerc’s consistency and Ferrari’s ability to convert single-lap speed into meaningful grid advantage. The rest of the field, while tightly packed, leaves room for strategic gambits that could reshuffle the order as the race unfolds. The atmosphere in Austin is electric, with the crowd expecting a dramatic showdown that could redefine momentum for several teams as they head toward the closing races of the season.