F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Race standings and times as Lando Norris passes Max Verstappen
F1 live updates from the Circuit of the Americas as Norris loses lead in nightmare start for Brit
Lando Norris saw off rival Max Verstappen to take pole position for the US Grand Prix and boost his F1 championship dream.
Verstappen claimed his first win in nearly four months when he led every lap of the sprint race at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas earlier on Saturday to extend his title advantage from 52 to 54 points.
Norris finished third – after he was passed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on the final lap – but he bounced back in qualifying to take spot, beating Verstappen by just 0.031 seconds.
Norris set the early pace in the shootout for pole, and then lucked-in when George Russell crashed out in his Mercedes at the penultimate corner.
Follow live updates from the United States Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris showing good pace (Lap 37/56)
Lando is cutting the deficit to Max Verstappen here, it’s now 3.5 seconds. He should be catching him within 10 laps or so - and has now set the fastest lap.
Verstappen: “These tyres just aren’t good, I can’t attack, I can’t do anything”
Out in front, it’s a Ferrari one-two and Leclerc has a 6.9 second lead to Sainz at the front.
Top-10: Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Russell, Colapinto, Perez, Magnussen, Hulkenberg
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 33/56)
Piastri does indeed come in - 2.6 seconds - and he rejoins the track behind Norris and just ahead of Russell, who is yet to pit.
Top-10: Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Russell, Lawson, Colapinto, Perez, Magnussen
And so the race enters its next phase - how will the McLaren pace be on hard tyres?
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris pits (Lap 32/56)
Now is the time for Lando Norris!
He pits, 2.2 seconds, and has a good tyre delta until the end of the race.
Norris comes out in fifth, 5.8 seconds behind Verstappen. Meanwhile, Leclerc cruises past Piastri and retakes the lead of the race.
Only a matter of time until Piastri pits, you’d think...
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris’ engineer... (Lap 30/56)
“For us, this is likely the Germany situation.”
We haven’t had a German race since 2019! Eh?!
Code words in use perhaps...
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris stays out (Lap 29/56)
So, a reminder, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will have to pit at some point but currently, their lap times are still as good as Max Verstappen’s - who has fresh tyres!
Interesting.
Norris has a 4.9 second lead on Piastri...
Top-10: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Lawson, Colapinto, Perez, Magnussen
Russell yet to pit too...
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc pits (Lap 27/56)
Race leader Leclerc comes in for his hard tyre compound - 2.5 second stop - and the Monegasque comes out behind the McLarens but ahead of Carlos Sainz.
Lando Norris takes the lead - but when will he come in to pit?!
McLaren have good pace still on the mediums.
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen pits (Lap 26/56)
Red Bull have called it there.
A 2.7 second stop, hard tyres on - and Carlos Sainz comes out ahead of him in fourth.
Four seconds ahead, too.
Norris moves up to second...
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen... (Lap 25/56)
“Left hand side tyres are really bad now.”
Are these frontrunners holding out for a one-stop?
Toto Wolff labels George Russell penalty ‘total joke’ in US Grand Prix
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff labelled a five-second penalty given to George Russell as a “total joke” in the early stages of the US Grand Prix.
Russell, who started in the pit-lane, was making his way through the field when he went for an overtake on Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas.
Toto Wolff labels George Russell penalty ‘total joke’ in US Grand Prix
The Mercedes driver was penalised for forcing Valtteri Bottas off the track at turn 12 in Austin
F1 US Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen does not pit (Lap 23/56)
Red Bull opt not to respond to Ferrari and keep Verstappen - who has dropped 10 seconds behind Leclerc - out on track.
Leclerc: “Don’t leave me out for too long, I don’t want to be under pressure.”
Meanwhile, Norris being told to stay out with McLaren’s tyre degradation having been and gone... he’s currently in third.
4-10: Piastri, Sainz, Perez, Hulkenberg, Russell, Lawson, Colapinto
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