Antonelli takes stunning pole after Russell shocker: Winners and losers from US GP qualifying

Sharp-shooter Kimi Antonelli hit first in Texas, with the rest of the grid having no answer to a stunning pole lap on his first run in Q3.

Meanwhile George Russell put in a limp effort to go seventh-fastest (sixth after gird penalties for others), while Ferrari deceived to flatter by being off the pace after going fastest in every practice session prior.

Max Verstappen has started on the front row of the US GP every year since 2018, and maintained that streak by clinching second alongside the Antonelli. Even so, he called his car a "kangaroo" after complaining about the bumpy Circuit of the Americas surface all weekend.

Winner: Kimi Antonelli

Continued his form that has made him the class of the field in 2026 to take pole, his seventh of the season.

“We'll try to get a good start, and then hopefully we'll lead into Turn 1, and then we'll try to set the pace, even though it's going to be very tight,” he said.

“But very happy with the qualifying today. Q3 was very tough with the wind, very gusty, unpredictable, but happy that we stick it on pole.”

Loser: George Russell

Formerly known as ‘Mr Saturday’, where has George Russell’s qualifying form gone in 2026?

Just when he needs to finish strongly to prevent his teammate from winning the championship this weekend, the Brit only lines up a lacklustre sixth for the race.

If he slips to ninth or worse tomorrow and Antonelli wins, the title goes to the Italian.

Winner: Isack Hadjar

Red Bull finally has a driver who can bring up the rear conveniently close to team leader Max Verstappen, without upsetting him by getting too close, and now Isack Hadjar is starting to do that on a regular basis.

The fiery Frenchman clinched third on the grid for the US GP, and showed remorse for a weekend of lively radio so far.

“I'm just thankful for the hard work of the team throughout the weekend,” he said. “I have been a bit tough with them, so I want to apologise!”

Loser: Ferrari

Charles Leclerc Ferrari 2026 US GP

Ferrari set the pace in every single Free Practice session, and was then nowhere in the final part of qualifying - but team boss Frederic Vassuer refused to blame the tricky conditions.

“We can’t complain about the wind, it’s complete bull****,” he said succinctly.

Leclerc, meanwhile, said the Maranello squad failed to warm up their tyres properly in the final session, attributed a lack of Vitamin D for slow lap time.

“The out lap was extremely difficult,” he said. “There were a bit more clouds in Q3. We lost one or two degrees of track temperature, and for us it was night and day difference.”

Loser: Valtteri Bottas

American-themed rumours were swirling in Austin that the ice-cool Finn could be replaced next year by Cadillac’s Californian test driver, Colton Herta.

The latter took part in yet another Free Practice session at COTA, and is now on the verge of receiving his Super Licence to race in F1.

Another dreadful qualifying session wouldn’t have helped Bottas in a bid to extend his F1 career - he was slowest of all in Texas.

Winner: Liam Lawson

Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 2026 US GP

With team-mate Arvid Lindblad hit with an engine-change grid penalty, and the rest of Q3 occupied by Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes, Liam Lawson opted to not even bother in the final session.

The Kiwi was able save some extra tyres for the race and watch the rest of Qualifying from the comfort of the team trailer.

Loser: Williams

Alex Albon has yet to make Q3 this season, and he looked further than ever from the promised land in Austin.

A lurid slide through Turn 17 put paid to any chances of a decent lap, and he was eliminated in the first round of qualifying.

Added to an early bath for teammate Carlos Sainz too, out in 17th - his worst qualifying since his rookie season in 2016, it sums up a torrid year for the Williams squad.

The car is a huge 8kph faster on the straights than the pace-setting Ferrari, but this is it because it’s lacking so much downforce. All that time gained, before Williams loses it and then some through the corners.

Both Grove drivers had to take part in a painful pre-race Sky F1 segment with commentator David Croft, using slow-cooked barbecue as a clunky metaphor for the dog-slow Williams.

Looks like they’re doomed to a few more awkward TV moments in the near future.

Joint losers: Haas and Audi

Haas is locked in a titanic battle for seventh in the constructors’ race with Audi, both teams seemingly trying to throw away the advantage in Austin.

First of all Haas's Esteban Ocon was knocked out in Q1, before Ollie Bearman saw his Q2 flyer deleted for exceeding track limits.

Meanwhile at Audi, Gabriel Bortoleto, who will start at the back due to a raft of grid penalties, tried to give his colleague Nico Hulkenberg a slipstream down the back straight… which didn’t work. The German went out in Q2.

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