Las Vegas GP Qualifying Report

It was "chucking it down" (Ted Sky F1) in Vegas for Qualifying.  There were so many white lines on the street circuit that it would be tricky going on track.  Bearman had said that it was dangerous in these conditions.  There had been problems with manhole covers again this year in practice; with one problem solved the drivers were facing another.

Everyone chose to start on the Intermediate tyres apart from Aston Martin, who went on Wets.  Piastri switched before he even left the pit lane and others followed suit.  The green team were right.  Drivers were spinning off left, right and centre.  Then lap times started being deleted, which left some drivers in a perilous position.  I was surprised but delighted that they didn't stop the session for the wet conditions.  Drivers had to just keep going; anything could upset your lap; towards the end, Norris set two purple sectors but then had to lift for Yellow Flags and set the third fastest time on that attempt.

Bearman was the first driver to make a proper boo boo, going into the barrier but fortunately off track ish, Yellow Flags were waved which meant other laps would not be completed at top speed.  It was a bad session for Williams: Sainz would be visiting the stewards after the session for reentering the track unsafely and Albon crashed at the end (especially annoying when there was no need for him to push on that lap).  Last year's winner, Russell, was fastest followed by Verstappen and Alonso.  Out went Albon, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Tsunoda and Hamilton in last.  Interesting that all of the teams battling in the Constructors' Championship behind McLaren each had a driver out.

Everyone had learnt by the time the second session started and went out on Wet tyres to start with.  The rain had stopped coming down but it would take a long time for the track to dry out.  Stroll was the first driver to go to the Intermediate tyres, Aston Martin leading the way again.  It didn't pay off, he couldn't better his 12th place set on Wets.  Russell was fastest again, this time with Hadjar and Sainz, showing it was all about timing on track.  Out went Hulkenberg, Stroll, Ocon, Bearman (a good job by his mechanics to get the car back out after his Q1 crash) and Colapinto, who had a very wibbly lap.

It was Intermediate tyres for Q3.  The drivers went out and just went round and round.  Russell seemed to have lost it, sliding around as he went.  There were no dodgy moments, so the best ten drivers of the day had definitely been whittled down for this final session (apart from maybe LeClerc).  As the chequered flag was waved, Sainz went fastest but pole was quickly taken off him by Verstappen.  Norris was putting in purple sectors again and this time made it count and took pole to end things, with his face looming large over the track on the Sphere.  The finishing order of the top ten was Norris, Verstappen, Sainz, Russell, Piastri, Lawson, Alonso, Hadjar, LeClerc and Gasly.  It was an outstanding performance by Sainz and he was cleared of reentering the track unsafely, so he held on to the place.  Russell couldn't maintain his stellar run through the sessions, which was a shame.  Piastri doesn't need to be starting four places behind his team mate and the man he is chasing for the Drivers' Championship.  It was an excellent showing for the Racing Bulls.  Gasly deserved to be higher up the grid too, certainly above the Wurlitzer of the Ferrari.

We will have to see how much Qualifying means on Race day, it being only the third visit to the circuit.  Piastri really has nothing to lose now and can go for it.  Norris will need to be much more careful.