Max Verstappen ended Mercedes' run of six consecutive poles at the United States Grand Prix on Saturday as Lewis Hamilton repeatedly described his runs in Texas as a "struggle" but the rivals are geared up for another head-to-head showdown Sunday.
Verstappen, Hamilton and Sergio Perez each held pole position at various points in qualifying before the Red Bull star emerged on top.
That has not been the norm in Austin, but Verstappen noted the real work remains to be done on race day.
"Yeah, maybe a tiny bit of a surprise but you can clearly see it has been swinging a bit throughout the whole season," Verstappen told reporters. "Luckily it’s still doing that and yeah, we’ll see.
"I’m of course happy with the performance we’ve had today, let’s find out tomorrow in the race – again, it’s a different story and then of course we’ll move on again to the next race and that again can be a different story because you can maybe look like favourites going into the weekend but you still need to pay attention to every single detail, to try and make it work.
"It’s so closely matched that if you maybe miss one tiny detail or you just can’t bring it together for whatever reason you miss out and that’s what happened for us, for example, in Turkey."
Verstappen and Perez finished second and third behind Valtteri Bottas a fortnight ago in Istanbul and will look to get Red Bull back to the top of the podium in Texas, where Mexico native Perez in particular has enjoyed strong support from the crowd.
Perez will start third but said he does not believe starting positions will play a significant factor Sunday.
"I think it’s going to be a pretty long race tomorrow, so not too concerned about the qualifying," he said. "I think there are plenty of opportunities for tomorrow."
Hamilton, a six-time winner at the circuit, will share that hope as he tries to bounce back after a fifth-place finish in Turkey, though his comments Saturday did not suggest much confidence in the way his car has felt this week.
"It was definitely a difficult session," Hamilton said. "I would say for us since P1 it’s been a little bit tougher, we have been making lots of changes to try to improve the car.
"But it’s been a real challenge, and going into qualifying I think the first session wasn’t that great. Q1 wasn’t spectacular but it started to improve, particularly on the medium tyre, and the last two runs were pretty good.
"I think [Red Bull] have just been pretty quick all weekend and I think we were able to match them or be ahead in P1 but since then they have really pulled a lot.
"You can tell that the car is quick because obviously both of them are up there and pulling in some seriously good laps. But we are in a good position to fight them tomorrow and I hope we can."
Vasseur leaves door open for Sainz return to Ferrari
Fred Vasseur left the door ajar to a potential Ferrari return for the "mega professional" Carlos Sainz, ahead of his impending departure at the end of the season.
Sainz, who will join Alex Albon at Williams in 2025, is being replaced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, ending his three-year stint with the Italian team.
During that time, the Spaniard has won three times, the latest of which came at the Australian Grand Prix in March, and currently sits fifth in the drivers' championship.
Of his 82 races, Sainz has accumulated 794.5 points, needing 63 points from the final eight races of the campaign to better his highest total in the competition (246 in 2022).
Vasseur said that he would “for sure” like to work with Sainz again in the future, as he repeated that the call to replace him with Hamilton “was not an easy one”.
“I’m more than pleased to have Carlos [in the team] and I will keep a very good relationship with him,” said Vasseur.
Ferrari's success at the Italian Grand Prix, a race that Charles Leclerc emerged victorious in, marked Sainz's last as a Ferrari driver at Monza.
The Spaniard has not been on the podium since a third-place finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, but will be aiming to continue his impressive qualifying form in Baku.
Sainz has improved his qualifying position in the last three Grand Prix's, and if he can do so in Azerbaijan, will equal his second-best streak for Ferrari.
But speaking after the Italian Grand Prix, Vasseur took a moment to reflect on Sainz's contribution to the Maranello outfit.
“I have huge respect for Carlos, for what he did for the team in the last years, but mainly the last two years with me [as team boss],” Vasseur commented.
“I can perfectly see what he did last year, mainly when we had trouble, he was able to push the team to come back with the pole in Monza, to win in Singapore.
"This pushed a little bit probably also Charles to react and he did [many] first rows [on the grid] in a row.
“He was clearly part of the recovery of the team last year and this season he’s doing a very good job.
"I know perfectly that the situation was not easy at the beginning of the season, but he’s mega professional.
“We had a discussion last winter and we agreed together to push until the last corner of the last lap [of the season] and he’s doing very well.”
Fraser McConnell secures second in thrilling Nitrocross final at Richmond Raceway
Jamaica’s Fraser McConnell delivered a stellar performance, finishing second in the final of the second round of the Nitrocross season at Richmond Raceway on Sunday. Despite a half-spin on the opening lap that cost him the lead, McConnell fought hard throughout the six-lap race, coming within just 0.759 seconds of the eventual winner, Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson.
Eriksson, driving for Olsbergs MSE, capitalized on McConnell’s early mishap to snatch the lead, which he held for the remainder of the race. However, McConnell, piloting his DRR Dodge vehicle for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing + Team Frazzz, kept the pressure on the Swedish driver, reducing the gap to just 0.302 seconds by lap four. Both drivers took their joker laps on the final lap, but Eriksson maintained his lead to claim victory.
McConnell’s tenacity and consistent lap times ensured he and Eriksson distanced themselves from the rest of the field. Belgian driver Viktor Vranckx finished third, securing his first podium finish in Nitrocross and becoming the youngest podium finisher in the premier Group E class at just 19 years old.
In a race filled with drama, reigning champion Robin Larsson managed to advance from sixth on the grid to finish fourth, while Tanner Foust completed the top five. Lia Block, who was running in fifth, finished sixth after being overtaken by Foust on the final lap.
McConnell’s second-place finish solidifies his position in the championship standings, where he now sits 11 points behind new leader Eriksson. Larsson, Saturday’s winner in Richmond, is third, trailing McConnell by four points. Vranckx’s podium finish places him fourth in the overall standings, 16 points ahead of Andreas Bakkerud, who retired from Sunday’s race after sustaining terminal damage in a collision.
As the Nitrocross season heats up, McConnell remains a strong contender for the title, and his resilience in Richmond demonstrates that he’s far from done in his pursuit of the championship.
Fraser McConnell's team secures Dodge sponsorship for Nitrocross season
Jamaica’s motorsport sensation, Fraser McConnell, is set to begin his third season in Nitrocross this Saturday and Sunday with exciting news—his team, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, has officially secured a sponsorship deal with Dodge.
The partnership means McConnell will race in the 1,000-plus-horsepower
Fraser McConnell, who has rapidly ascended the ranks in Nitrocross, is eager to begin this season with the backing of Dodge, a brand synonymous with power and performance.
"It’s an honour to have a powerhouse brand like Dodge come on board to support us this season. Their commitment to motorsport aligns perfectly with our team's vision for success, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together," said McConnell.
Last season, McConnell made waves in the Nitrocross circuit, capturing multiple wins and securing a second-place finish, just behind champion Robin Larsson. With victories in Phoenix and Las Vegas and a runner-up spot in Round Six, McConnell is determined to build on his previous success.
As he prepares for the Richmond race this weekend, McConnell is confident and ready to make an impact.
"This new partnership with Dodge is a huge boost for the team, and I can't wait to hit the track. Richmond is a brand new venue, which makes it an exciting challenge for everyone. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got, and with the support of Dodge, we’re ready to take on the world."
Fans can look forward to a thrilling Nitrocross season, with 10 rounds spanning five venues, including stops in Richmond, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Miami, and Las Vegas, running from September 7 through March 2. Fraser McConnell and his team, now powered by Dodge, are poised to deliver an unforgettable season filled with high-speed, adrenaline-fueled action.
Action is live on Rumble at 3:00pm Jamaica time.
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