Verstappen on pole ahead of Hamilton in Austin

Max Verstappen salary. Lewis Hamilton. Could we dream of a better poster and better advertisement for the F1 in the USA. In front of the copiously filled stands at the Circuit of the Americas, the driver Red Bull grabs the 12th pole position of his career, the 9th of this 2021 season at the cost of a final lap of Q3 not easy to manage with the appearance of a few drops of rain.

But the Flying Dutchman manages to go the distance to the checkerboard to beat his great British rival by a pair of tenths, who will therefore accompany him on the front row on Sunday. Even if he was logically disappointed, Hamilton can be satisfied with having raised the bar given the modest performances of the W12s in Q1 and Q2.

Behind the inseparable duo, we also find a Red Bull in front of a Mercedes on the timesheet. Very lively since the start of the weekend, Sergio Pérez finally has to settle for 3rd place after having held provisional pole position.

The Mexican was a bit disappointed and thought he had let pole position slip away in his last braking session. His counterpart Valtteri Bottas grabs the 4th time but will have to move back 5 places on the grid after receiving a 6th combustion engine.

Follow the Ferrari de Charles Leclerc et Carlos Sainz, who are gaining a good advantage over their rivals McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo ahead for once Lando Norris.

The Alpha Tauri de Pierre Gasly et Yuki tsunoda complete a Top 10 where Sainz and the Japanese rookie will be the only ones to start on Soft tires on Sunday for the race.

Little disappointment in the clan Alpine with the elimination ofEsteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso in Q2. The Spaniard, condemned to the back of the grid after the introduction of a new engine on his A521, tried to offer the best possible aspiration to his French teammate but it was not enough. The Norman fails around 3/10th of the Top 10.

Author of the 11th time, Ocon is ahead Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin), also penalized on the grid, Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo), Alonso, and George Russell (Williams) whose best time was erased for non-compliance with the track limits at turn 9. The future Mercedes driver had to start at the back of the grid anyway after the installation of new engine elements at the rear of his Williams.

Lance stroll is the surprise elimination from Q1 at the wheel of his Aston Martin. The Canadian accompanies the Williams of Nicholas latifi, the Alfa Romeo of Kimi Räikkönen and the Haas de Mick Schumacher et Nikita mazepin.

Verstappen-Hamilton on the front row, this promises a great show on Sunday, especially during a start that smells like gunpowder!