Qualifying, but make it Vegas: under the glare of the Strip and a rapidly grippy surface, George Russell topped a wild Q1 at the 22nd round of the 2025 season with a 1:53.144. The Mercedes driver looked hooked up from his first flyer, and even as the track evolved lap by lap, nobody could pry him off the top.
Max Verstappen slotted in 0.314s back for Red Bull, with Aston Martin flexing early muscle — Fernando Alonso third, Lance Stroll fourth — as the green track migrated into something more representative by the final runs. Plenty of big hitters flirted with danger while juggling tire prep and out-lap timing. Some didn’t escape.
The headline casualty? Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver was dumped out in Q1 in P20, struggling to find a lap as others surged late. Alexander Albon (P16), Andrea Kimi Antonelli (P17), Gabriel Bortoleto (P18) and Yuki Tsunoda (P19) joined him on the wrong side of the cut.
At the other end, Pierre Gasly kept Alpine in the fight with P5, and Nico Hülkenberg delivered a tidy P7 for Sauber. McLaren had a split opening stanza: Oscar Piastri comfortably through in P6, Lando Norris a little scruffier but safe in P13. Ferrari’s split was starker still — Charles Leclerc through in P9, while Hamilton’s session never came alive.
Racing Bulls sent both cars to Q2, Liam Lawson impressing in P10 with Isack Hadjar P14, while Haas advanced with both cars as Esteban Ocon took P8 and Oliver Bearman clung on in P15. Williams, meanwhile, saw Carlos Sainz into Q2 in P12, but Albon’s effort fell just short.
Track temp is dropping, grip is climbing, and the rhythm of this Vegas street course is rewarding those who keep their heads while nailing the tire window. Expect the times to tumble again in Q2 — and anyone caught in traffic on their final push might pay for it.
Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying — Q1 result
1. George Russell, Mercedes — 1:53.144
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull — +0.314
3. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin — +0.595
4. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin — +1.272
5. Pierre Gasly, Alpine — +1.288
6. Oscar Piastri, McLaren — +1.400
7. Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber — +1.411
8. Esteban Ocon, Haas — +1.491
9. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari — +1.670
10. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls — +1.684
11. Franco Colapinto, Alpine — +1.703
12. Carlos Sainz, Williams — +1.729
13. Lando Norris, McLaren — +2.329
14. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls — +2.469
15. Oliver Bearman, Haas — +2.872
— Eliminated in Q1 —
16. Alexander Albon, Williams — +3.076
17. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes — +3.170
18. Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber — +3.530
19. Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull — +3.654
20. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari — +3.971
What to watch next
– Mercedes’ split fortunes: Russell looks sharp; Antonelli is out. Can Russell convert that Q1 marker into a front-row bid as grip ramps up?
– Aston Martin’s punch: both cars in the top four early. Real pace, or classic Vegas track evolution flattery?
– McLaren’s margin: Piastri looks comfy; Norris will need a clean banker in Q2 to avoid the crossfire.
– Ferrari recovery mission: Leclerc is safely through, but all eyes will be on the other garage after Hamilton’s surprise exit.
Q2 is up next. We’ll update this report with full Q2 and Q3 times as the night unfolds on the Strip.
