18/11/2023
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session the air temperature is 15 degrees C, while the track temperature is 17 degrees. There is a 30% chance of rain.
While George Russell set the pace earlier, ahead of Piastri, Sargeant - yes, Sargeant, Verstappen and Perez.
However, a late red-flag, after Alex Albon lost his left-rear tyre, meant that a number of drivers failed to complete a qualifying sim, most notably the Ferrari pair who have been setting the pace thus far.
That aside, there are some curveballs out there, not least the Williams pair, while Valtteri Bottas has also been there or thereabouts for much of the weekend.
While Carlos Sainz has a 10-place grid drop after taking on a new energy store, Lance Stroll has incurred a 5-place drop for overtaking the Spaniard under yellow flags earlier.
The lights go green and Magnussen leads the way, he is followed by Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Sargeant, Zhou and Bottas.
"We can be slow on pit exit, but not stationary," Gasly is told.
Magnussen crosses the line at 35.968, while his teammate posts a 36.466.
Bottas goes second and Zhou fourth, but all are demoted when Perez crosses the line at 35.323 and Leclerc at 34.898.
Norris goes third and Piastri fourth, while Sainz can only manage seventh.
Sargeant goes second with a 35.061 as Ocon goes fourth and Norris fifth.
Verstappen goes second with a 34.987 while Magnussen improves to fourth with a 35.073.
Bottas goers fifth and Zhou ninth, as the Mercedes pair head out along with Albon.
Sainz goes quickest with a 34.787, but his teammate responds with a 34.072.
"I got blocked, he completely got in my way," says Norris of Perez.
Alonso improves to fourth with a 35.050.
Tsunoda has his time deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 8.
Hamilton goes third (34.658), ahead of Norris, Sainz and Verstappen, while Russell aborts his lap after running wide at Turn 8.
Norris improves to fourth with a 34.703, while Russell goes fifth with a 34.726.
Verstappen closes to within 0.118s of Leclerc with a 34.190.
Sainz goes top with a 33.851 but is immediately leapfrogged by his teammate who stops the clock at 33.617.
Gasly goes fourth (34.272) and Bottas improves to fifth (34.305).
Sargeant goes eighth, as Magnussen improves to seventh (34.427).
The Dane subsequently goes quickest in the first sector, as Piastri looks unlikely to improves on 17th.
Tsunoda goes off at Turn 5 bringing out the yellows as Magnussen goes sixth.
Hamilton goes sixth with a 34.307 but is demoted when Hulkenberg goes fifth.
Russell goes third, and Stroll eleventh, which drops Norris into the danger zone.
Some silliness at the end of that session, with a number of drivers looking to make space, and Verstappen and Ocon almost coming to grief.
"What a stupid idiot," says the world champion of the Alpine driver, the pair, of course, having history.
Leclerc is quickest, ahead of Sainz, Russell, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Bottas, Hamilton, Magnussen and Alonso.
We lose Norris, Ocon, Zhou, Piastri and Tsunoda.
Hamilton, Russell, Albon, Zhou, Gasly and Bottas have all been noted for failing to adhere to the rule concerning the maximum delta time.
Sadly, Stroll s under investigation again for failing to slow under the yellows.
Alonso is first out for Q2, followed by Stroll, Magnussen, Ricciardo and Hulkenberg.
Alonso crosses the line at 42.897 however Magnussen responds with a far more sensible 34.319.
Sainz stops the clock at 34.146, but his teammate responds with a 33.966.
A 33.965 - just one-thousandth of a second quicker - sees Perez go quickest, but Alonso improves to 33.880.
Stroll goes sixth with a 35.004.
Albon goes fifth, ahead of Gasly, Magnussen and Sargeant as Hulkenberg has his time deleted.
Hamilton and Verstappen are among the last to head out, along with Bottas.
Hamilton goes quickest with a 33.837, but moments later Verstappen responds with a 33.607.
Leclerc and Magnussen are trading fastest sectors. The Monegasque goes quickest with a 32.834 while the Dane posts a 33.664 to go fourth.
Sainz crosses the line at 33.338 to go second and Hulkenberg ninth.
Bottas goes tenth with a 34.213 thereby demoting Albon.
The final assault is underway and Hulkenberg, Hamilton and Russell improve in the first sector. The German goes ninth.
Stroll goes tenth, while Hamilton goes fifth having gone quickest in the final sector.
Russell goes third, Alonso fifth and Sargeant seventh.
Albon goes fifth, while Leclerc consolidates his top spot with a 32.775.
"Couldn't go faster mate," says Hamilton who has failed to make the cut.
"We'll focus on tomorrow," says a dejected Ricciardo.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Sainz, Russell, Gasly, Verstappen, Albon, Alonso, Magnussen, Sargeant and Bottas.
We lose Hamilton, Perez, Hulkenberg, Stroll and Ricciardo.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Las Vegas here.
Magnussen is first out for Q3, followed by Alonso, Gasly, Sainz and Leclerc.
As more drivers head out, all are on fresh rubber bar Gasly, Alonso, Magnussen, Albon and Sargeant.
Leclerc posts a 26.079 in the first sector, while Verstappen can only manage 26.289.
Magnussen crosses the line at 34.275, while Gasly responds with a 33.767.
Leclerc goes quickest with a 33.021, while Sainz goes second and Verstappen third, ahead of Alonso. The Aston Martin driver only 0.534s off the pace on used rubber.
Bottas is clearly going for the one run.
Russell goes seventh as the Williams pair begin their flying laps. The Mercedes driver subsequently improves to fifth with a 33.567.
"****, that was close," admits Verstappen following a brief brush with the wall.
The William pair pit without posting a time, then head out again along with Bottas.
Last to emerge for the final assault is Verstappen.
Bottas goes ninth, just behind Sargeant but they are clearly exploratory laps.
Leclerc goes quickest in S2 while Magnussen goes fourth overall.
Leclerc improves to 32.726, while Sainz responds with a 32.770.
Verstappen pits having settled for third, while Sargeant goes fourth and Bottas fifth.
Gasly goes fifth and Albon sixth, with Alonso dropping to tenth.
So, Leclerc has pole, ahead of Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Gasly, Albon, Sargeant, Bottas, Magnussen and Alonso.
Hamilton qualifies eleventh, ahead of Perez, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Ricciardo, Norris, Ocon, Zhou, Piastri and Tsunoda.
"It's quite cold, quite slippery," says Verstappen. "It was enjoyable out there, but I think we maximised today.
"We've been lacking one-lap performance so I hope for more from the race."
"First of all an outstanding job by the team," says Sainz, "we've dominated qualifying after a tough Friday to put the car back together again.
"Still disappointed from yesterday I'm not going to lie," he admits, "I'm still in a very bad mood but it is what it is."
"Of course, I'm happy," says Leclerc, "first in Las Vegas, to be starting from pole is great.
"But I'm disappointed with my laps in Q3, I didn't do a good job but it was enough.
"I hope to put it all together in the race, that's where we struggle. We are starting from pole so I can't complain."
Of course, this isn't Leclerc's first pole of the season - it may well not be his last - but he has yet to convert any of the previous three into victories, so will it be any different this time around.
For various reasons we have a somewhat mixed up grid, not least with the Williams pair qualifying sixth and seventh, ahead of Bottas and Magnussen.
Will Las Vegas live up to the hype and deliver something special... let's wait and see.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Las Vegas here.