Verstappen Secures Front Row Start Despite ‘Ice-Like’ Conditions in Las Vegas Qualifying
Las Vegas, Nevada – Max Verstappen will start the inaugural Las vegas Grand prix from second place after a challenging qualifying session marked by treacherous, wet conditions. Lando Norris claimed pole position,finishing three-tenths of a second ahead of the four-time World Champion. Verstappen described the track as “really, really slippery,” admitting it felt “more like driving on ice” than a typical wet-weather session.
The difficult conditions presented a meaningful hurdle for all drivers, but notably impacted grip and visibility. Verstappen acknowledged the challenges posed by the current generation of Formula 1 cars, explaining that the ground effect creates ample spray when the track is wet. Securing a front-row start despite these obstacles is a positive outcome for the Red Bull driver as he prepares to challenge for victory in tomorrow’s race, the first Formula 1 race to be held in Las Vegas in over 40 years.
“It was really, really slippery out there,” Verstappen said after the session. “It’s already slippery in the dry but in the wet… it’s not fun, I can tell you that. I like to drive in the wet – this felt more like driving on ice, so it took a long time to get the tyres to work a bit.”
Verstappen noted the team’s competitiveness on the extreme wet tire but ultimately needed to switch to intermediate tyres as the track improved. “I did feel that we were a little bit more competitive on the extreme tyre, but the track is improving so we have to move on to the inter. I struggled a lot just to have any kind of grip, and the final lap of course you risk a little bit more, but it was still by far not enough to fight for first.” Despite the difficulties, he expressed satisfaction with the result. “But still to be on the front row I think is good for us.The lap felt alright, it’s just super difficult out there to get all the braking zones right and be on the limit of the tyres as well, but we did it. Excited for tomorrow,I hope the inside is okay in terms of grip,but we will see.”
Visibility also proved to be a major concern,prompting increased gapping between cars during Q1. “The visibility was also very tough,” Verstappen conceded. “In these cars as well, the ground effect era, there’s a lot of weight that gets picked up from the floor, so when it rains there’s a lot of water and spray. That’s why you always want at least eight seconds, and I know it’s a lot, or else you don’t really see what’s happening in front of you.”
