San Francisco Frontiers - Verstappen takes pole to keep pressure on McLaren duo

Red Bull's four-time world champion was at his most authoritative as he clocked a best lap in one minute and 32.510 seconds to outpace McLaren's Lando Norris by 0.291 seconds with Charles Leclerc taking third on the grid for Ferrari.

With his sprint win, Verstappen trimmed series leader Oscar Piastri's lead in the title race to 55 points as the two McLarens collided and crashed out at the first corner. Norris remained 22 points adrift of Piastri.

Mercedes' George Russell was fourth ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari, Piastri, Italian teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes and rookie Oliver Bearman of Haas, who secured his second consecutive top ten start.

It was Verstappen's seventh pole of the season, his second in Austin, and the 47th of his career.

"That was good," he said. "I think every segment, the car was very strong. Putting the lap together is difficult, especially in the first sector with the tail wind, it was challenging.

"I couldn't do the final run, the out lap was a bit messy, but I didn't need it. Tricky with the wind, it picked up today and in the esses, you just lose downforce."

Norris said his plan for the race was "don't get hit" and avoid trouble.

"Just don't get hit is my plan for tomorrow," he said. "Hoping for a good race with Max. We've had some good ones in the past, so I'm looking forward to it again.

"I'm starting P2 and it could have been worse, but there was no way I could beat this guy."

Leclerc said: "It's quite a surprise, considering this weekend has been so difficult. There's too much swing in performance with this car and there are still things we don't understand. Our car is normally stronger in the race so that's positive."

With temperatures of 34C (93.2C) air and 48C (118.4F) on the track endorsing 'heat hazard' status, action began with an early red flag when Racing Bulls' impressive rookie Isack Hadjar crashed at turn six.

The French driver lost control and smacked the barriers heavily, hitting his helmet in anger at the error that ended his session. The stoppage, to clear debris and damaged fencing, last 10 minutes.

On resumption, Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg was first out, fresh from his part in the multiple collision at the first corner of the earlier sprint race won by Verstappen after the two McLarens collided and crashed out.

The McLarens were still under repair as the session began and, after Verstappen and Leclerc set the pace, joined the fray with seven minutes remaining.

Piastri went fifth but Norris aborted his first push lap, both showing signs of the pressures of their title duel. On his second lap, Norris was seventh.

In the final seconds of Q1, Verstappen went top ahead of Russell and Antonelli while Piastri and Norris scraped through to Q2 in 11th and 12th.

Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, Esteban Ocon of Haas, Lance Stroll of Aston Martin and Williams' Alex Albon, who had a late faster lap deleted for exceeding track limits, joined Hadjar in taking an early exit.

After taking a five-second penalty for causing a collision in the sprint, Stroll will start from the back of Sunday’s grid.

McLaren continued to struggle in Q2 as Verstappen set the pace, Norris proceeding in third behind Leclerc with Hamilton fourth. Piastri was eighth, half a second off the pace set by the Dutchman's 1:32.701.

Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull and the Alpine pair Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto missed the cut to the top ten shootout.

- 'Simply lovely' -

On their first runs, it was Verstappen again in charge with 1:32.510 to beat Norris by three-tenths with Piastri seventh and the Ferraris ninth and 10th, Leclerc surviving a lurid spin at the final turn.

Red Bull warned Verstappen he was 'behind schedule' as he circulated ahead of his final flying lap and he was too late to the line –- offering his rivals a chance, but though Norris leapt to second he could not catch him.

Leclerc grabbed third ahead of Russell with Hamilton fifth ahead of a disappointed Piastri who could not improve on sixth.

"Simply lovely," Verstappen said.

I.Sanders--SFF