Oct 17, 2025; Austin, TX, USA; Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) of Team Netherlands speaks with his team before practice for the US Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas Austin. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

F1 United States Grand Prix Sprint Race Starting Grid

Originally posted on F1 on SI | By Kaitlin Tucci | Last updated Oct 18, 2025 12:48 PM ET

The Sprint race at COTA today is likely to be one for the books with the top three positions, our top three in the World Drivers' Championship, in reverse order.

Max Verstappen, who claimed pole position for the Sprint race although finishing a stunning lap, shared yesterday that the conditions around COTA are especially difficult with extreme heat, gusts of wind, and bumpy track surface.

McLaren's Lando Norris shared these same sentiments, lining up in P2 next to Max. However, the championship leader, Oscar Piastri, did let the track conditions slightly affect his performance. His final lap put him in P3, but Piastri shared that he felt 'lucky' to be there at all.

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The exciting result of Sprint Qualifying, though, fell to the Stake F1 Team. With only six races remaining for Stake before they become Audi, Nico Hulkenberg has a chance to fight for podium position today during the Sprint Race.

Both Ferrari drivers struggled throughout the course of the day Friday, barely making it in to SQ3 and the top 10 — still finishing in P8 and P10, next to both Williams drivers.

Just days after being confirmed for a second year in his Mercedes Seat, Kimi Antonelli missed out on SQ3 by .006 alongside generally strong qualifier Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls.

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Unfortunately for both Haas and Alpine, it was another difficult day out on track with none of their drivers making it to SQ3. Both Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon will start at the back of the grid in 16th and 19th, respectively.

Alpine, par for the course of their season will have Pierre Gasly starting in P13 with Franco Colapinto starting in P14.

The biggest shock comes in the form of the second Red Bull seat, yet again with Yuki Tsunoda not even making it out of SQ1. Tsunoda, along with a handful of other drivers, was sent out at an inopportune time within traffic.

Tsunoda, Bearman, Ocon, and Bortoletto may have performed better if it had not been for the traffic they ran into heading to make a last minute 'flying lap'.

Tsunoda is sandwiched between the Alpine and Haas drivers — technically 'out of position for a Red Bull Driver'.

The final row of the grid will feature Esteban Ocon and Gabriel Bortoleto, two drivers that faced issues getting in a full Qualifying pace lap due to traffic and track limits, respectively.