Formula 1 in Austin
Verstappen makes a faux pas – and still gets pole
October 19, 2025 – 12:25 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
In qualifying in Austin, Max Verstappen confirmed that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the World Championship fight. A strange mishap happens to him.
Max Verstappen will also start from pole position at the US Grand Prix and will continue his hunt for the McLaren drivers unabated. The Formula 1 world champion in Red Bull won qualifying in Austin on Saturday, three tenths ahead of second-placed title candidate Lando Norris – his teammate, World Championship leader Oscar Piastri, will only start the race on Sunday (9 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online) from sixth place. Better than the Australian were Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) in third place as well as George Russell (Mercedes) and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari).
Verstappen had already used the sprint on Saturday afternoon (local time) to reduce his deficit in the world championship standings: The Dutchman won the short race, while Piastri and Norris were eliminated after a collision on the first lap. Verstappen goes into race Sunday in Texas 55 points behind Piastri and 33 points behind Norris. The trend also speaks in Verstappen’s favor; he recently finished ahead of both McLarens four times in a row (Grand Prix and Sprint).
In qualifying in Austin, Verstappen and Red Bull made a strange faux pas. After the Dutchman set the best time in his first lap, he actually wanted to improve again in a second attempt. But Verstappen started his warm-up lap too late and didn’t cross the finish line before the time limit for the session expired. Accordingly, he was no longer allowed to make his second attempt. However, that didn’t make a difference, as the competition was unable to beat Verstappen’s best time even with their second attempt.
Nico Hülkenberg will start the race from eleventh place on the grid, meaning the Sauber driver has a chance of scoring points and thus a conciliatory end to the weekend. The German had completely unexpectedly taken fourth place on the grid for the sprint, but was then involved in the accident with Piastri and Norris in the first corner. Hülkenberg has been waiting for points since July, when he sensationally clinched his first Formula 1 podium in third place at Silverstone.