In a dramatic qualifying session under the bright lights of Las Vegas, George Russell secured a stunning pole position for Mercedes. At the same time, teammate Lewis Hamilton faced a disappointing outcome in a session that showcased both the highs and lows of Formula 1 racing.
Russell’s remarkable lap time 1:32.3 proved unbeatable, edging out Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by less than a tenth of a second. The achievement marks Russell’s first pole position since the British Grand Prix, highlighting Mercedes’ unexpected pace advantage throughout the weekend.
“It feels incredible to be back on pole,” Russell beamed after the session. “We’ve been so quick all weekend, and I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap that would be the one that counts.” The British driver, who surprisingly revealed he took a 45-minute nap before qualifying, admitted the team’s performance came as “a real surprise.”
The story was markedly different for seven-time world champion Hamilton. Despite promising speed earlier in qualifying, including topping the timesheets in Q2 with a 1:32.567, Hamilton’s final session became a struggle for stability. Two critical errors in Q3 resulted in a disappointing 10th-place starting position for Saturday’s race.
“I just didn’t do the job,” Hamilton candidly admitted to reporters. “The car felt different in Q3, and the stability was not there for some reason.” The British driver explained that a decision to include a preparation lap proved costly, creating what he described as a “domino effect” that impacted his performance.
The qualifying session also had championship implications, with Max Verstappen qualifying fifth, ahead of his title rival Lando Norris in sixth. If he can maintain his advantage over Norris in the race, this puts Verstappen in prime position to secure his fourth consecutive world championship.
In a surprise performance, Pierre Gasly claimed third place for Alpine, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of the new Las Vegas street circuit. “It’s unbelievable,” Gasly expressed, highlighting the challenge of “flirting with the walls everywhere through the lap.”
The session proved particularly challenging for some experienced drivers. Sergio Perez, facing mounting pressure at Red Bull, failed to advance beyond Q1 for the sixth time this season. Veterans Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll also struggled, qualifying 17th and 20th respectively.
Looking ahead to the race, Russell acknowledged the uncertainties surrounding tire management. “The long run for everybody has been very challenging on the medium and the soft,” he explained. “There’s a lot of graining. We saw the same last year, but I expect the hard tire to be very resilient.” Adding to the challenge, no driver has tested the hard compound tire during the weekend, making race strategy a crucial factor.
Mercedes’ strong showing in Las Vegas, particularly Russell’s pole position, raises intriguing questions about the team’s sudden pace advantage. Russell noted that the team needs to “do some deep diving to understand why it’s been so quick this weekend.”
With Hamilton starting from 10th and Russell from pole, Saturday’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix promises to be an exciting spectacle under the neon lights of the Strip, where track evolution and tire management could play decisive roles in determining the outcome.