Qualifying Report - Russell secures Pole for Las Vegas GP

George Russell, Las Vegas GP 2024
© Mercedes

In a thrilling Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying session under the lights, George Russell delivered a scintillating final lap to grab pole position for Mercedes GP. His 1m32.312s lap secured him the top spot ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly producing a surprise performance to take third on the grid.

Russell led the charge in Q3 with an initial time of 1m32.811s, setting the early benchmark for the final shootout. However, the session turned into a nail-biter as other drivers mounted challenges in the closing minutes. Charles Leclerc briefly claimed the top spot for Ferrari with a 1m32.783s, only for teammate Sainz to find three-tenths more to leap ahead. Yet, Russell had the final say, delivering a near-perfect lap to edge Sainz and claim his second pole of the season.

“I felt in the zone tonight,” Russell said after qualifying. “The car felt great, and I knew we had a chance if we put everything together.”

Gasly’s P3 finish was a standout result for Alpine, allowing him to split the Ferraris on the grid. Leclerc settled for fourth, while championship leader Max Verstappen had to settle for fifth. Verstappen, who has dominated much of the season, struggled to extract pace from his Red Bull-Honda and will line up alongside Lando Norris, who also faced challenges in his McLaren-Mercedes and finished sixth.

Yuki Tsunoda continued his impressive form with a strong lap for AlphaTauri-Honda to take seventh, ahead of the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. Nico Hulkenberg claimed ninth for Haas, while Lewis Hamilton had a session to forget. The seven-time champion ran wide at Turn 4 during his final attempt, losing his lap time to track limits. His earlier struggles left him 10th, though his Q2 time suggested he could have challenged for a top-three start.

Q2 saw drama as Williams-Mercedes rookie Franco Colapinto suffered a massive crash at Turn 16. The Argentine clipped the inside wall before slamming into the opposite barrier, leaving his car heavily damaged. Colapinto emerged unscathed but will start 14th on the grid. His crash caused a red flag and a delay for the start of Q3, as repairs needed to be made on a wall.

The Q1 session was disappointing for Sergio Pérez, who fell out for the second consecutive race. The Red Bull driver struggled with grip and will start 16th. Aston Martin’s woes continued as neither Fernando Alonso nor Lance Stroll advanced past the first session, with Alonso lining up 17th and Stroll last after technical issues.

Valtteri Bottas will start at the back following a grid penalty, while Zhou Guanyu managed a rare Q2 appearance for Sauber, taking 13th.

As the championship contenders find themselves starting in the midfield, Sunday’s race promises a mix of strategy and overtaking in the glitzy streets of Las Vegas. With Russell leading the pack and drivers like Verstappen and Norris on a recovery mission, the stage is set for an electrifying showdown.