AUSTIN, TX – Max Verstappen surged to the front of the pack during Q2 at the Circuit of the Americas, overshadowing the absence of Fernando Alonso in the top positions. The session witnessed Lance Stroll aiming to set an early marker with a solid lap time, only to be eclipsed by the quick pace of Verstappen, followed closely by Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and George Russell.

Despite Stroll’s efforts, the leaders from Q1 continued their dominance in Q2, with Pierre Gasly securing a seventh-place spot for Alpine. Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg, along with Esteban Ocon, also managed to secure their places in the top ten. However, Formula 1 legends Alonso and Lewis Hamilton found themselves struggling, with Hamilton vocalizing his displeasure over the performance of his tires.

As the session unfolded, Stroll’s unconventional strategy allowed him to briefly break into the top ten, displacing Ocon. Unfortunately, his position was short-lived as the remaining drivers completed their final flying laps.

Verstappen maintained his strong performance, with Hamilton securing the second spot behind him, and Russell impressively clinching third.

In a thrilling finale to Q2, Perez, Gasly, and Ocon showcased their skills to secure competitive positions behind the McLaren and Ferrari drivers. Alonso, much to the disappointment of his hometown fans, narrowly missed out on progressing to Q3 by a mere 0.019 seconds, joining Valtteri Bottas, Hulkenberg, Stroll, and Guanyu Zhou in elimination. The stage was set for an exciting race day with the grid shaping up to be highly competitive.