Lewis Hamilton fires warning at F1 rival Max Verstappen with Austin GP threat

20 October 2023 , 23:39

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Charles Leclerc took USGP pole with no Red Bulls in the top five (Image: Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton declared he will do everything he can to end his Formula 1 win drought after out-qualifying Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion will start Sunday's race third on the grid. He might have even done better than that but Charles Leclerc was quick enough for pole while Lando Norris produced an excellent lap to pip his fellow Brit to a place on the front row.

But that didn't dampen Hamilton's mood – he was all-smiles as he reacted to the result. "I have to say a big thank you to everyone back at the factory," he said. "They have been pushing so hard to improve our car and we have taken a step closer to the front this weekend.

"I know everyone is working flat out for that and I appreciate all the efforts. Unfortunately today, we weren't quite at the very front, but we will give it another shot tomorrow."

He was referring to his upgraded car which has a newly-designed floor for this weekend. Though it is early to make any definitive judgements, Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin gave a positive verdict after qualifying.

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"Sprint races are always difficult with the limited practice time we have," he said. "It's particularly challenging to try and bring an update kit into one. Going through the data, the upgraded floor looks to be giving us what we hoped for, and the drivers are feeling a benefit. That is encouraging.

"In terms of the on track running, Lewis has had a relatively straightforward day. We thought at times that we had a chance of pole position and in the end, it was pretty close. Unfortunately, he couldn't squeeze any more out of it on his final effort but still took a strong P3."

It was a result good enough to ensure Hamilton starts Sunday's race ahead of Verstappen – and with a buffer. The Dutchman looked to have taken pole but had that lap time deleted, meaning his best was only good enough for sixth place on the grid, Carlos Sainz and George Russell sandwiched between them.

While Hamilton will be wary that Red Bull are likely to still have much superior race pace, he allowed himself to dream of finally ending his winless run which now stretches back almost two years. "I love being in the United States! It's such a beautiful country and this circuit is just incredible," he declared.

"It is definitely one of my favourites. It has a legendary layout, it's bumpy, and all the drivers find it very tricky. Each section is an incredible challenge. I hope tomorrow we can fight for P1 again. I'll be giving it my best shot and with this crowd, I think anything is possible."

Daniel Moxon