AUSTIN: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took pole position for the sprint race at the United States Grand Prix with a stunning final lap in Austin, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.071 seconds. Oscar Piastri, second in the championship standings, was 0.309s adrift in third as Verstappen continued his late-season surge in form.

Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg produced the surprise of the day by qualifying fourth — his team’s best result of the year — ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. Williams’ Carlos Sainz was seventh, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton eighth, followed by Alex Albon and Charles Leclerc completing the top ten.

Verstappen, who trails championship leader Piastri by 63 points, has won two of the last three races and finished second in the other.

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