The pressure is building on Australia’s Oscar Piastri as he tries to limit the damage in the F1 world title fight at the United States Grand Prix. Live 6am AEDT!
After crashing out of the sprint race after a collision with McLaren teammate Lando Norris, Piastri qualified just sixth for Monday morning’s race at Austin.
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Norris kept his composure under pressure to qualify in second place on the grid behind Max Verstappen.
Under pressure to perform as he bids to overhaul Piastri’s 22-point advantage in the drivers’ title race, the 25-year-old Briton, who was fastest in opening practice, admitted he lacked the pace to beat Red Bull’s four-time champion and claim pole.
“It has been more of a struggle today for whatever reason,” said Norris.
“Yesterday I was quite comfortable and I don’t know if everyone has improved a bit or the wind today hurt us a bit more.
“We were both struggling quite a bit more to put the laps in and be as quick as Max.
“We were pushing. I’m happy with P2 – it could have been worse. There’s no chance we could have gone pole today.”
After his luckless crash with Piastri, in a multiple collision, in the earlier sprint race won by Verstappen, Norris was philosophical.
“Don’t get hit is my clue for tomorrow. I look forward to having a good race with Max,” he said.
“We’ve had a good few in the past and I’m looking forward to it.”
Having trimmed his deficit behind series leader Piastri by 41 points since the summer break before trimming it to 55 by winning the sprint, Verstappen was positive about his hopes.
“This is a strong result for us,” he said. “It was good. The car was strong and it can be tricky to put a lap together here with the wind and the bumps — and it’s very hot too.”
Asked about his late bid for a sensational fifth title triumph, he said the key was to win and keep winning.
“McLaren helped us today,” he joked, referring to the opening lap crash in the sprint which saw Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg hit Piastri’s McLaren and push him into the luckless Norris.
“But we just have to keep on doing that… If we win, we have a chance.”
Piastri admitted he had endured another difficult day.
“It didn’t come together and we have to review it and see what we can do,” he said, adding that he felt certain he retained the calmness to regain the consistency that marked his surge to the top of the title race earlier in the season.
STARTING GRID
Front row 1 Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 2 Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren)
2nd row 3 Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 4 George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)
3rd row 5 Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Ferrari) 6 Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren)
4th row 7 Kimi Antonelli (ITA/Mercedes) 8 Oliver Bearman (GBR/Haas-Ferrari)
5th row 9 Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Williams) 10 Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin)
6th row 11 Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Sauber) 12 Liam Lawson (NZL/RB)
7th row 13 Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Red Bull) 14 Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine)
8th row 15 Franco Colapinto (ARG/Alpine) 16 Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA/Sauber)
9th row 17 Esteban Ocon (FRA/Haas) 18 Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin)
10th row 19 Alexander Albon (THA/Williams) 20 Isack Hadjar (FRA/RB)
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