Norris on pole for US Grand Prix after Verstappen wins sprint race as they restart F1 title fight
McLaren’s Lando Norris edged Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for the pole at the United States Grand Prix on Saturday
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — McLaren’s Lando Norris edged Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for the pole at the United States Grand Prix on Saturday as Formula 1 returned from its autumn break with those two resuming their fight for the drivers’ season championship.
Verstappen won the sprint race earlier in the day to stretch his lead over Norris to 54 points with six grand prix and two more sprint races left in the season. Verstappen is chasing his fourth consecutive championship, Norris his first.
Norris took the top starting spot Sunday, fighting back to beat Verstappen by 0.31 seconds on his first lap of the final session at the Circuit of the Americas.
Verstappen was in the middle of a scorching final lap that looked destined to take the front spot, but had to abandon it when Mercedes’ George Russell crashed and the session ended under a yellow caution flag.