How Verstappen was ahead of Russell by a 3mph difference in sprint qualifying

Max Verstappen edged Mercedes driver George Russell to the sprint pole at the United States GP by just 0.012 seconds. GPS tracking data showed his approach to just one critical corner made the difference.

The result meant Verstappen took his first pole – although sprints are not counted in the official pole statistics – since he topped GP qualifying in Austria, as he lost his GP pole at Spa due to his engine change grid penalty.

It came on a day when Red Bull Racing came under significant fire from 2024 title rivals McLaren over Red Bull's controversial front number height adjustment.

Verstappen reacted confidently – in the RB20, which has a revised floor edge. Russell was also on the rise with the Mercedes' much larger update, while McLaren's many design changes left Lando Norris feeling like they had improved the MCL38's performance levels little to no.

With Oscar Piastri out in Q1 due to a track limit violation and Norris not taking part in the sprint pole battle as the sun set in Austin on Friday evening, SQ3 was a matter of two drivers running at very different times.

Russell led the drivers out of the pits early on the only runs on soft tires and, according to the cars' GPS tracking data, shot onto pit road faster than Verstappen would manage with the peloton at the end of the short track.

However, oversteering at the exit of the first corner proved costly.

It was a spot that the W15s struggled with throughout the day. According to Pirelli, this is the area with the lowest grip in the renewed areas of the circuit. The moment wasn't as dramatic as his turn 1 spin in FP1, but it certainly had an impact.

If the tires are not sufficiently warm at the beginning of the lap, the drivers will also have to struggle here – the slides then also cause temperature spikes in the rubber, which can become critical later.

Approaching the fast left at the start of the Esses, Russell was almost 0.2 seconds ahead of Verstappen, which had dropped to 0.17 seconds by the end of the sequence.

George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

But from then on, Russell's speed on the straights and better passage through Turn 11 meant he made up for his previous losses at the end of the main straight, and while Verstappen's run through Turns 12-15 was better, Russell's blistering pace through Turns 16 meant that -18 He had a narrow lead of 0.046 seconds.

Next came Turn 19 and the scene of the earlier track limit controversy that would make all the difference for Verstappen.

He threw his RB20 into the falling apex and shot through 3 mph faster than Russell on a tighter line to come out with a small lead.

When Russell's slightly faster run through the final corner made virtually no difference to their lead, Verstappen's narrow triumph was sealed.

“I think the car was in a good window from the first lap,” Verstappen said of the crucial difference late on Friday. “I felt pretty comfortable. I was able to attack the high-speed corners. I think we’re pretty quick there.”

Mercedes insiders remain confident it is in contention this weekend – especially because there is so little data on long-distance pace thanks to the sprint format, making Red Bull wary at this point.

The Silver Arrows squad is also pleased that they survived the Monza/road course to Zandvoort, as the “90° corners” in races on such tracks do not match the “fundamental characteristics of our car, which are harmful to us”. do not fit the W15 – according to Mercedes director of track technology, Andrew Shovlin.