Max Verstappen almost lost Austin pole position due to a small detail | F1 USA GP qualifying. Max Verstappen explains how the strong winds at the Circuit of the Americas nearly cost him pole.

Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, but it wasn’t without a few close calls. According to the Dutch driver, an unexpected element could have easily cost him his spot at the top of the grid. Speaking to the media after qualifying, Verstappen mentioned that strong gusts of wind at the Circuit of the Americas had disrupted the car’s balance. This unpredictable factor, he explained, nearly ruined his final flying lap and therefore his pole position.

“The wind picked up compared to Friday… it turned into a real storm through the snake section, and there you lose a lot of downforce. The car moves around a lot more, and you can’t push as hard as usual in sector one,” Verstappen explained.

Tricky conditions at the Circuit of the Americas

The Circuit of the Americas has been a tough challenge for the drivers since Friday, with its bumpy surface and high temperatures. Max Verstappen admitted that the track didn’t make stability easy, but the real issue was the wind. At times, it entered the corners like a slipstream, unsettling the car and reducing grip in areas that required maximum precision. The Red Bull driver noted that “in some sectors you can gain time, but you can’t afford mistakes where you lose downforce.”

These changing wind directions created unpredictable handling through the technical first sector, forcing Verstappen to adjust his driving constantly to keep the RB21 under control. Despite that, the Dutchman managed to extract just enough from his car to secure yet another pole in what has been a dominant season.

Verstappen after pole: “We could have done better”

Despite the challenges, Verstappen didn’t seem too disappointed with how qualifying ended.

“We did a great lap for pole, but maybe it could have been even better if we had perfect conditions,” he admitted. He also pointed out that the outlaps — the warm-up laps before his flying attempts — were far from ideal, with shifting winds and an unstable aerodynamic balance: “It was all a bit messy, but we didn’t need that second lap,” Max Verstappen added with a smile.

Tomorrow, Max Verstappen will start from pole position for the race. The start will be crucial, as the first corner at Austin is known for chaos and high risk of contact — something already seen during the Sprint race. Tire management will also play a major role, but the Dutch driver is well-known for his skill in handling long stints. The United States Grand Prix is set to begin at 20:00 CET.