Russell Shocks Hamilton to Claim Pole Position at Las Vegas Grand Prix
LAS VEGAS (AP) — In a surprising turn of events, George Russell has secured the pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, edging out his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who had been expected to dominate. This marks the fourth pole of Russell’s career, and he expressed disbelief at the achievement, stating, “It feels incredible to be back on pole…we’ve got to do some deep diving to find out why we’ve been so quick.”
Hamilton initially led the practice sessions but faltered in qualifying, finishing a disappointing 10th after committing crucial mistakes in the final group. Russell’s late push secured him the top starting spot, narrowly defeating Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr., who will start second, followed by Pierre Gasly in third and Charles Leclerc fourth.
Sainz commented on the competition, acknowledging the tight qualifying, “I thought I had pole and then George came very, very quick at the end,” while looking forward to a competitive race.
Championship leader Max Verstappen qualified fourth, needing to earn just three more points than rival Lando Norris, who starts sixth, to clinch his fourth consecutive world title. Red Bull’s ongoing struggles were evident as teammate Sergio Perez finished 16th after being eliminated in the first qualifying group.
Adding to the drama, Franco Colapinto crashed hard into the wall during qualifying, damaging his Williams car and jeopardizing his future in Formula 1. This incident further complicated an already challenging weekend for Williams, as Alex Albon also failed to advance.
As the excitement builds for Saturday night’s race, teams are eager to capitalize on their qualifying performances, fighting for vital points in the championship standings.
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