Max Verstappen has issued a warning regarding the formidable challenge he anticipates from McLaren during the upcoming Sprint race on Saturday. This comes after he successfully clinched the Sprint pole position at the United States Grand Prix. Lando Norris, a standout performer throughout the weekend, initially set the fastest times during the sole practice session and the first two phases of Sprint Qualifying. However, Verstappen managed to secure the top spot with a remarkable effort, finishing just 0.071 seconds ahead of the McLaren driver.
This latest achievement marks Verstappen's third consecutive Sprint pole at the Circuit of The Americas, reinforcing his dominant performance in the Sprint format. “It’s been a nice qualifying,” remarked the Red Bull driver as he exited the cockpit. “Throughout all of the segments, we were quite close. It was just about putting it all together at the end, when it matters most, which is not easy because you go to the soft compound with no reference.”
Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “It worked out well. I still expect it to be a tough battle tomorrow with the Sprint, but that is exactly what we want to see, right? So yeah, I’m excited for tomorrow and happy with today.” His confidence is well-founded, as he has been steadily gaining ground on both Norris and championship leader Oscar Piastri, who will start from third place. Having entered Austin just 63 points behind the top spot—down from 104 points after leaving Zandvoort in August—Verstappen is eager to close the gap further.
When asked about the potential threat posed by the McLaren duo in the Sprint, Verstappen responded candidly: “A big one. They are super-fast. We know that normally in the race, they step it up a little bit, so it will be tough.” His respect for the competition underscores the competitive nature of the current season, particularly with McLaren showing impressive form.
After the four-time World Champion claimed his latest Sprint pole, Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies commended Verstappen for his ability to find the crucial margins needed to outpace McLaren. “It was an amazing job from the team and from Max,” Mekies stated. “We were a touch behind McLaren in Q1, a touch behind McLaren in Q2 – a tenth, a tenth and a half. We knew it was always going to be touch and go.”
Mekies further elaborated on the competition, explaining, “But then, Lando had put a very good lap in that was very difficult to match, and Max was line on line with Lando for most of the lap. But really, in the last corners, he sent the car in and got the smallest gap we needed to get the pole.”
As anticipation builds for the Sprint race, all eyes will be on Verstappen and his rivals from McLaren. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, fans can expect an exhilarating showdown as the drivers take to the track at the Circuit of The Americas.
