George Russell put his Mercedes on pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix as team-mate Lewis Hamilton faltered to qualify only 10th.
As Russell saw off Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by just 0.098 seconds to land top spot in Sin City, Hamilton was left to rue two mistakes which leaves him way down the order.
Pierre Gasly took a surprise third for Alpine, one place ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Lando Norris must outscore Max Verstappen by at least three points to extend the title battle to the penultimate race in Qatar, but the British driver will start one place behind the Dutchman in sixth.
Mercedes have looked quick all weekend with the cold conditions suiting their machinery, and while Russell landed a fourth pole of his career, Hamilton – three weeks after the horror show in Brazil which left him wondering whether to call a premature end to his career with the Silver Arrows – was unable to deliver.
Hamilton made a mistake at Turn 12 on his first attempt in Q3, and was forced to abandon the lap.
The seven-time world champion returned for his final assault but ran wide in the early part of the lap, and did not trouble the scorers with a time.
Russell whacked the wall on the exit of Turn 5 on his opening attempt and had to change his front wing but the Englishman, who now boasts a 17-5 record over Hamilton in qualifying this season, kept his cool to see off Sainz’s challenge.
“We have been so quick all weekend, and I just knew coming into Q3 that lap would be the one that counts,” said Russell.
“We have got to do some deep diving as to why we have been so quick this weekend because it has been a surprise. I knew if I did a clean lap it would be enough to secure a front-row position and to be on pole is incredible.”
Sergio Perez endured another miserable outing after he was eliminated in Q1 for the sixth time this season.
TOP-10 - LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
1. George Russell
2. Carlos Sainz
3. Pierre Gasly
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Max Verstappen
6. Lando Norris
7. Yuki Tsunoda
8. Oscar Piastri
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Lewis Hamilton
Perez has a contract with Red Bull for another season but his future is in serious doubt such is his patchy form. He will line up 16th on Saturday night after he was usurped by RB’s Liam Lawson – the New Zealander who could yet replace him next year.
The operator of the Sphere – an entertainment venue which is lit by 1.23 million LED pucks – poked fun at Perez’s demise by displaying a hologram of the Mexican driver – who has not been on the podium since April’s Chinese Grand Prix – signalling a thumbs down.
There were glum faces on the Williams pit-wall, too, after Franco Colapinto wrecked his Williams.
Colapinto crashed out of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and the Argentine was back in the wall in the closing moments of Q2.
Colapinto clipped the kerb on the entry to the 130mph chicane, propelling him into the barrier on the opposing side of the circuit. Colapinto emerged unscathed but the same could not be said for his battered Williams. The start of Q3 was delayed by 20 minutes as the barriers were repaired.
