This session has finished. No further updates will be posted.
Sprint race qualifying at the 2024 United States Grand Prix is coming up next
First practice indicated Ferrari have started the weekend strongly. However their closest rivals all had upgrades to test in first practice, some more than others, and it remains to be seen how far they extracted the best from their packages.Max Verstappen was third fastest for Red Bull, but set his quickest time much earlier in the session than most, indicating he may have more up his sleeve.
The Mercedes drivers had a rough start to practice, both of them spinning and not looking entirely comfortable in their W15s.
Much of the off-track discussion this weekend has focused on the existence of a front bib adjustment device within the cockpit of Red Bull’s RB20. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is concerned they could have used it under parc ferme conditions in previous races, which he said would have constituted a “massive breach”.
Verstappen immediately works his way to the front of the queue as the cars head out. Hulkenberg, Zhou and Perez behind him. By the time Verstappen comes around Norris has just left the pits, and lets his championship rival by at the exit of turn one.
Drivers have to use the medium tyre compound in this session. Verstappen uses his to produce a 1’34.698. Perez only a hundredth of a second slower.
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Kevin Magnussen surprisingly beats the two Red Bull drivers with a 1’34.403. Now Perez loses his time with a track limits violation. “Just no grip,” complains Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda also beats Verstappen for second place. Lando Norris then emphatically goes quickest by the best part of half a second.
The McLaren doesn’t stay on top for long though – Charles Leclerc does a 1’33.896 to edge ahead by 0.023s.
Lewis Hamilton now takes a turn at the top, five hundredths of a second quicker than Leclerc in what is already looking like a very close fight between the top drivers. Piastri and Verstappen having a little squabble over track position now in turns 12-15.
Russell goes fifth, four tenths of a second off, saying he had a “scrappy sector three.”
Verstappen improves with a 1’33.908 to go third. Four different cars in the top four covered by 0.079 seconds.
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Piastri looking vulnerable in 15th with less than a minute to go. He improves his first and second sector time and goes up to seventh.
Alexander Albon is surely out though after spinning through 360 degrees at the exit of the penultimate corner.
Piastri is out! His lap time was deleted for a lap time infringement and he’s not improving in the first sector.
McLaren tell Piastri to stay in the car as they’re checking to see if any drivers ahead of him may have infringed track limits. Esteban Ocon, Albon and the Sauber drivers also failed to get through.
SQ2 has begun – no change to the five drivers who were eliminated in the opening session.
The Mercedes drivers produce 1’33s, Hamilton on top to begin with, Norris slots in behind them with a 1’33.566.
Sainz jumps to the top with a 1’33.274, just under a tenth of a second quicker than Hamilton.
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Verstappen produces a solid lap for second, just a hundredth of a second off Sainz. Perez sets a 1’34.244 and that leaves him only 10th which could spell trouble for him.
Meanwhile Verstappen’s not happy in his car: “I’m struggling a lot with the ride.”
Tsunoda does a 1’34.052 and with that Perez is out of sprint race qualifying. Lawson falls shy of Perez.
Alonso doesn’t manage to escape SQ2, Stroll is out too. So in the end only RB’s Tsunoda was quicker than Perez.
Both Aston Martin drivers had their lap times deleted for track limits infringements. The timing screen says Stroll is ahead of Alonso.
Great efforts from the Haas drivers and Franco Colapinto to reach SQ3.
Another post-session lap time deletion: It’s Lawson, who falls to 15th.
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SQ3 begins and the Mercedes pair head out early. Russell does a 1’32.845, Hamilton loses half a second to him in the middle sector and that’s the difference between them at the line.
Hamilton seemed unhappy with the timing of his run: “Come on guys, that was not good.”
Sainz drifts wide in the final corner and goes second, 1’33.083. Norris beats that but he’s behind Russell. Leclerc then demotes Norris.
What can Verstappen do? He does personal bests in all three sectors – and its’ pole! A 1’32.833 puts him ahead of Russell by 0.012s.
Only fourth on the grid for Norris. “That was shit,” he fumes.
That concludes our coverage of qualifying. Find our full report here
2024 United States Grand Prix
- McLaren insist stewards made ‘provable error’ after losing bid for review of Norris’ penalty
- Why McLaren’s focus on Verstappen’s driving failed to overturn Norris’ penalty
- Stewards reject McLaren’s request to review Norris’ United States GP penalty
- McLaren know Norris’ penalty is likely to stand – so what do they hope to gain?
- McLaren request review of Norris’ penalty for off-track pass on Verstappen
