Lando Norris takes pole in rainy Las Vegas qualifying, Verstappen bumped to second

LAS VEGAS (AP) – Formula 1’s title contenders mastered the wet and slick Las Vegas Strip in a rainy Friday night qualifying session that saw championship leader Lando Norris take pole.

Norris of McLaren took the top starting spot at the Las Vegas Grand Prix at the line after four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen had jumped to the top of the board. But the Red Bull driver, who won the inaugural Las Vegas race in 2023 and took his fourth straight title last year was only there a few moments before Norris bumped him down a stop.

Carlos Sainz Jr. briefly flirted with giving Williams its first pole since 2014 but was quickly knocked down to third by Norris and Verstappen. Norris has won three consecutive poles since reclaiming control of the championship race.

He takes a 24-point lead over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri into Saturday night’s race, which will be Norris’ 150th career start – a mark that ties him for most in team history with David Coulthard.

Piastri qualified fifth, one spot behind defending race winner George Russell of Mercedes, as the Australian’s second-half of the season struggles continue. Piastri dominated the early part of the season but has not won a race since the final day of August and has just one podium finish in the six races since.

There are three races remaining in the season.

The first group had a shocking result as Alex Albon hit the wall with just seconds remaining, and then Kimi Antonelli, who had been fast through three practice sessions, was eliminated alongside Lewis Hamilton, runner-up in this race a year ago.

Hamilton was slowest in the 20-driver field to continue the struggles he’s faced in his first year driving for Ferrari.

“Couldn’t get the tires to work,” Hamilton said of the wet track.

Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc both failed to finish in Brazil two weeks ago, which drew the ire of Ferrari executive chairman John Elkann, who criticized the duo and said “it’s not up to standards. It’s important that our drivers focus on driving and talk less.”