The highly anticipated United States Grand Prix qualifying session saw Carlos Sainz Jnr of Ferrari seize his third career pole position at the iconic Circuit of the Americas. In a thrilling session, Sainz narrowly outpaced his teammate, Charles Leclerc, who, despite setting a blistering pace, will start the race from a much lower 12th position due to a power unit penalty. This strategic penalty from Ferrari added an extra layer of intrigue to the qualifying proceedings, as drivers vied for grid advantage knowing that key rivals would be demoted.
Sainz’s decisive lap was a mere fraction of a second quicker than Leclerc’s, showcasing the razor-thin margins at the pinnacle of motorsport. World Champion Max Verstappen secured the third-fastest time, which, thanks to Leclerc’s grid penalty, will elevate him to second on the starting grid. Further reshuffling of the top spots saw Sergio Perez also incur a grid penalty, pushing the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton up to third, lining up alongside his teammate George Russell, setting the stage for an electrifying start to the Grand Prix.
Q1: Battling the Elements and Track Limits
The opening phase of qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas was greeted by warm, blustery conditions, with hundreds of thousands of fervent fans already filling the grandstands, creating an electric atmosphere. However, the seemingly idyllic conditions masked a significant challenge for the 20 drivers: persistent wind speeds exceeding 23 km/h around the circuit. This added an unpredictable element to cornering and braking, demanding an extra degree of precision and commitment from every participant from the very start of the session.
Charles Leclerc, fully aware of his impending 10-place power unit penalty for the race, approached Q1 with a clear objective: to qualify as high as possible to mitigate the impact of his demotion. He wasted no time in demonstrating his raw speed, setting an early fastest lap of 1’35.795, a mere blink faster than Max Verstappen. Verstappen, never one to shy away from expressing his frustration, was heard complaining over team radio about a slow Haas belonging to Kevin Magnussen impeding him on the racing line through the complex, multi-apex turns 16-17-18, highlighting the traffic challenges inherent in Q1.
The session was also marred by early driver frustrations and track limit infringements. Alexander Albon voiced his displeasure after encountering Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes seemingly in the middle of the track at Turn 1 during a crucial flying lap. Meanwhile, Zhou Guanyu initially had a strong lap time deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 12, at the end of the long back straight, though he vehemently insisted he had stayed within the white lines. This deletion placed Zhou precariously at the bottom of the order in 20th as teams prepared for their final runs.
As the final minutes of Q1 ticked down, the pressure mounted on several drivers teetering on the brink of elimination. Kevin Magnussen, Daniel Ricciardo, Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda found themselves in the drop zone, needing significant improvements. Tsunoda, despite a less-than-perfect final lap, managed to pull himself into the top 10, momentarily pushing Nicholas Latifi into the danger zone, with Esteban Ocon precariously on the bubble. Zhou Guanyu, demonstrating remarkable resilience, delivered a strong final lap to lift himself to safety. However, Magnussen was eliminated after a crucial error at the first corner, which he estimated cost him “two tenths.” His Haas teammate, Mick Schumacher, also suffered a similar fate, his hopes of progression dashed when he spun at the same tricky turn.
The drama continued until the very end, as both Ocon and Ricciardo failed to find the necessary pace to improve sufficiently and were ultimately eliminated. Albon, however, produced a heroic final effort, climbing to 15th place and narrowly securing his spot in Q2. Latifi, the last driver with an opportunity to escape elimination, couldn’t capitalize, a scruffy final sector preventing any improvement, condemning him to last place in the session. The intensity of Q1 underscored the brutal competition and the fine margins that define Formula 1 qualifying.
Q1 result
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’35.297 | 4 | |
| 2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’35.795 | 0.498 | 4 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’35.864 | 0.567 | 3 |
| 4 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W13 | 1’36.148 | 0.851 | 6 |
| 5 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’36.163 | 0.866 | 3 |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W13 | 1’36.195 | 0.898 | 6 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | A522 | 1’36.446 | 1.149 | 5 |
| 8 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36 | 1’36.465 | 1.168 | 6 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT03 | 1’36.577 | 1.280 | 6 |
| 10 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’36.656 | 1.359 | 9 |
| 11 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’36.695 | 1.398 | 6 |
| 12 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’36.746 | 1.449 | 6 |
| 13 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT03 | 1’36.808 | 1.511 | 6 |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’36.860 | 1.563 | 6 |
| 15 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW44 | 1’36.932 | 1.635 | 9 |
| 16 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-22 | 1’36.949 | 1.652 | 8 |
| 17 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36 | 1’37.046 | 1.749 | 6 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A522 | 1’37.068 | 1.771 | 6 |
| 19 | 47 | Mick Schumacher | Haas-Ferrari | VF-22 | 1’37.111 | 1.814 | 8 |
| 20 | 6 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams-Mercedes | FW44 | 1’37.244 | 1.947 | 8 |
Q2: High Stakes and Heartbreak
As the sun dipped lower towards the western horizon, casting long, dramatic shadows across the pit straight, a palpable tension filled the air at the start of Q2. There was an initial lull, a hesitant quiet on the circuit, as drivers and teams strategically deliberated. Eventually, the cars began to trickle out, most opting for a set of lightly used soft tyres for their initial flying laps, aiming to conserve fresh rubber for the crucial final phase.
Early drama quickly unfolded. Pierre Gasly’s first flying lap attempt was irrevocably compromised at the very first braking zone, a significant lock-up not only destroying his tyres but also rendering the lap invalid. The AlphaTauri driver immediately relayed his frustration over the radio, citing issues with his brake bias settings as he made his way back to the pits. Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel became the latest casualty of track limits, losing his first lap time for running wide at the exit of Turn 9 – a mistake that highlighted the unforgiving nature of the COTA circuit and foreshadowed further infringements to come.
Leclerc, continuing his strong performance despite his penalty, laid down a commanding lap of 1’35.246, positioning himself less than a tenth ahead of Verstappen, with Carlos Sainz Jnr slotting into third. Confident in his pace, Leclerc inquired with his Ferrari team if his initial effort would be sufficient to secure safe passage to Q3, a question his team ultimately answered in the affirmative. This decision allowed him to save fresh tyres, a crucial advantage for the final qualifying segment.
In the tense final minutes of the session, a cluster of drivers found themselves at significant risk. Albon, Tsunoda, Lance Stroll, along with Gasly and Vettel (who had yet to set a valid lap time), were all fighting to escape elimination. Gasly was the first to cross the line at the chequered flag, but it was a devastating double blow for AlphaTauri: Gasly failed to improve enough to reach safety, and Yuki Tsunoda’s final, seemingly strong lap was cruelly deleted for a track limits infringement at Turn 9. Both AlphaTauri drivers were eliminated, marking a truly disappointing session for the team.
Further down the order, Zhou initially appeared to have secured a strong lap, seemingly placing him safely in ninth and knocking Lando Norris out in 11th. However, the post-chequered flag review delivered another twist: Zhou’s final lap was also deleted for running too wide at Turn 12. This dramatic development demoted him to 14th place and out of Q3, simultaneously promoting Norris back into the top 10, securing his spot in the final session. “Oh, this one hurts,” a dejected Zhou exclaimed over team radio, though he added a defiant “At least we have the speed to go for it tomorrow,” trying to find a silver lining. Joining Zhou and Tsunoda in the bottom five were Albon in 11th, Vettel in 12th, and a visibly furious Gasly in 13th. Struggling with his braking for the second consecutive race weekend, Gasly slammed his steering wheel in frustration as he returned to the pits, his Q3 hopes dashed.
Q2 result
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’35.246 | 7 | |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’35.294 | 0.048 | 7 |
| 3 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’35.590 | 0.344 | 7 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W13 | 1’35.692 | 0.446 | 12 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W13 | 1’35.732 | 0.486 | 12 |
| 6 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’35.864 | 0.618 | 6 |
| 7 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine-Renault | A522 | 1’35.988 | 0.742 | 11 |
| 8 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’36.032 | 0.786 | 12 |
| 9 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’36.321 | 1.075 | 12 |
| 10 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36 | 1’36.341 | 1.095 | 12 |
| 11 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW44 | 1’36.368 | 1.122 | 15 |
| 12 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’36.398 | 1.152 | 12 |
| 13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT03 | 1’36.740 | 1.494 | 11 |
| 14 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’36.970 | 1.724 | 15 | 15 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT03 | 1’37.147 | 1.901 | 12 |
Q3: The Pole Position Showdown
With the sun beginning to cast golden hues across the Texan circuit, the stage was set for the ultimate battle for pole position. Once again, the qualifying session was shaping up to be a direct shootout between the fierce rivals of Red Bull and Ferrari. Mercedes, while competitive, found themselves still a step behind, unable to mount a serious challenge for the top spot. Max Verstappen, eager to claim pole, ventured out first on a set of lightly-worn soft tyres for his initial flying lap. In contrast, his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, along with both Ferrari drivers, opted for fresh soft rubber for their opening runs, hoping for a crucial grip advantage.
Verstappen initially seized provisional pole with a time of 1’35.044, though his tone over team radio suggested he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the lap. His apprehension was soon justified as Charles Leclerc unleashed a blistering lap, four-tenths quicker, to catapult himself to the top with a 1’34.624. Carlos Sainz then demonstrated Ferrari’s strong pace, slotting into second, a tenth and a half slower than his teammate. Even Lewis Hamilton managed to surpass Verstappen’s initial effort, securing provisional third place as all the drivers returned to their garages for a crucial debrief and preparation for their final, decisive runs.
The strategic mind games began. Red Bull sent Verstappen out earlier than his rivals, allowing the world champion to complete two slow preparation laps to ensure optimal tyre temperature and track position before his final, all-or-nothing push lap. The intensity was palpable, even before the flying laps began, as George Russell and Carlos Sainz engaged in a brief but tense jockey for track position coming out of Turn 15, with the Ferrari driver ultimately maintaining his advantage over the Mercedes.
As the final runs commenced, the drama reached its crescendo. Leclerc improved on his previous best, lowering his own provisional pole time, but the celebration was short-lived. Carlos Sainz, in a stunning display of precision and speed, snatched the top spot by just over half a tenth, electrifying the Ferrari garage. All eyes then turned to Verstappen, who appeared to be the only viable threat left to deny Sainz an outright pole position. Despite going quicker than his first attempt, Verstappen couldn’t quite match the Ferraris, posting a time just under a tenth slower than Sainz’s pole-setting lap.
This remarkable effort secured a well-deserved second career pole position for Carlos Sainz. However, the grid for Sunday’s race would see significant alterations. Max Verstappen, originally third, was promoted to second due to Leclerc’s 10-place power unit penalty, which dropped the Monegasque driver to 12th. Behind Verstappen, his teammate Sergio Perez occupied the third spot on the grid after his own penalty adjustments, followed closely by the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, lining up fourth and fifth respectively. Lance Stroll earned a credible seventh-place start, ahead of Lando Norris in eighth.
Fernando Alonso had initially qualified in ninth but was subsequently demoted to 14th on the grid after receiving a five-place power unit penalty. This penalty further reshuffled the midfield, promoting Valtteri Bottas to ninth, and allowing Alexander Albon to gain a crucial place, completing the top 10 starters. The final grid, therefore, promised an intriguing mix of speed and strategic positioning, setting the stage for a compelling United States Grand Prix.
Q3 result
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | F1-75 | 1’34.356 | 13 | |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’34.448 | 0.092 | 14 |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W13 | 1’34.947 | 0.591 | 18 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W13 | 1’34.988 | 0.632 | 19 |
| 5 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR22 | 1’35.598 | 1.242 | 15 |
| 6 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL36 | 1’35.690 | 1.334 | 18 |
| 9 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | RB18 | 1’34.645 | 0.289 | 12 |
| 10 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C42 | 1’36.319 | 1.963 | 18 |
Become a RaceFans Supporter
RaceFans thrives thanks to the invaluable support of its dedicated readers. By contributing just £1 per month or £12 annually (or your local currency equivalent), you play a crucial role in funding the creation, hosting, and ongoing development of RaceFans, ensuring its continued growth and high-quality content.
Join the RaceFans Supporter community today to enjoy an ad-free browsing experience and contribute to the future of independent F1 journalism. Discover more or sign up via the links provided below:
- Become a RaceFans Supporter
- RaceFans Supporter FAQ
2022 United States Grand Prix Articles
- Steiner annoyed by lack of apology from race director over COTA protest error
- How many victory chances did Hamilton have in his first winless F1 season?
- Income from new title sponsor will bring Haas up to cost cap level – Steiner
- Mexico’s first home win or Verstappen’s record 14th? Six Mexican GP talking points
- Mercedes doubt tyre strategy cost Hamilton chance to beat Verstappen to win
Browse all 2022 United States Grand Prix articles