George Russell takes pole position for Las Vegas Grand Prix

George Russell took pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix during a highly competitive final qualifying session. Russell clocked a 1m32.312s on his last Q3 lap, surpassing Carlos Sainz, who had briefly led with a 1m32.410s. Russell secured the top spot with precision after multiple changes at the top during the final phase of qualifying.

Russell excelled in the initial Q3 attempts, setting a 1m32.811s before switching tires. Lewis Hamilton, who led Q2, abandoned his lap after going off at Turn 14, leaving him unable to improve his position.

The battle for pole intensified when Charles Leclerc set a 1m32.783s, but Sainz, driving for Ferrari, was even quicker, temporarily claiming the top spot. Russell immediately responded with a strong lap to secure pole. Pierre Gasly delivered an impressive performance, taking third and splitting the two Ferraris on Saturday's grid.

Max Verstappen, considered a favorite, had to settle for fifth, behind Leclerc. Lando Norris completed the third row alongside Verstappen. Yuki Tsunoda took seventh, ahead of Oscar Piastri, while Nico Hülkenberg and Hamilton rounded out the top ten. Hamilton attempted a second lap but lost control at Turn 4, nullifying his effort.

Q2 was interrupted by a crash involving Franco Colapinto at Turn 16, registering a 50G impact that severely damaged his car and caused a significant delay. After an initial evaluation at the medical center, Williams announced that Colapinto would need further assessment before the race to determine his fitness to compete. "Franco suffered a significant impact and will require additional evaluation before we confirm his participation," the team said in a statement. "His well-being is our priority, and we are relieved he is in good condition considering the circumstances."

Esteban Ocon missed the top 10, while his teammate Gasly managed to reach Q3 in the final moments, knocking out Kevin Magnussen. Zhou Guanyu, delivering a solid performance for Alfa Romeo, took 13th, followed by Colapinto, who had the 14th-best time before his crash. Liam Lawson aborted his final lap and finished 15th.

Sergio Pérez was eliminated in Q1, citing grip issues with his Red Bull RB20. He will start 16th, followed by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, both Aston Martin drivers failing to progress beyond the first qualifying phase. Alex Albon and Valtteri Bottas were also knocked out, with Bottas facing a penalty that will place him at the back of the grid.