George Russell secures pole position in Las Vegas and Colapinto crashes

British driver George Russell (Mercedes) secured pole position for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday. Max Verstappen outqualified his rival Lando Norris while Argentine driver Franco Colapinto was involved in a heavy accident, according to AFP reports.

The collision of the young driver, who is reportedly in good condition according to his team, has raised uncertainbty about his participation in Saturday's Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Dutchman Verstappen will have his first chance to secure his fourth consecutive world title.

The Red Bull driver will start the night race from fifth position, one spot ahead of Britain’s Lando Norris (McLaren). "Mad Max" only needs to finish ahead of Norris, or avoid losing more than two points, to secure his fourth consecutive Formula 1 title and become the sixth driver in history to achieve this accomplishment. If he doesn't clinch the title in Las Vegas, Verstappen still has two more opportunities in the upcoming Grands Prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi this December.

"I mean we’re just a bit too slow, we have been struggling to get the tyres to work over a lap, and we are too slow on the straights as well, especially in qualifying," said Verstappen, who in free practice also complained about the slippery track conditions.

Pierre Gasly, the surprise

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) was on the verge of securing pole position, but George Russell, demonstrating Mercedes' strong form in practice, snatched it away on his final lap by a mere 0.098 seconds.

"I knew that last lap was the one that would really count. We had to change the front wing and I didn't know it I would make it to the flag," Russell said as he celebrated his third pole of the year and fourth of his career.

Sainz, also a strong contender for the win, finished second, while Pierre Gasly (Alpine) surprised everyone by securing third place in a dramatic qualifying session, held on a chilly night in Vegas with temperatures around 50°F.

"I was a bit closer to pole than I was expecting. We need to stay confident that we can be fighting at the front even more than today," said Sainz, who is also fighting for Ferrari to overtake McLaren in the Constructor World Championship standings.

Mexican driver Sergio Perez (Red Bull) endured another disappointing chapter of his season, as he was eliminated in the first phase of qualifying once again. Perez will start from sixteenth on the grid, one spot ahead of veteran Spanish driver Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).

Colapinto in doubt for the race

There was a 20 minute interruption following a heavy collision involving Argentine driver Franco Colapinto (Williams) near the end of the second qualifying segment.

The young driver, who was battling to secure a spot in the top 10 for the final phase, attempted a risky maneuver and crashed into the barrier, causing significant damage to his car. Colapinto, 21, was able to exit the car on his own and walked away from the scene before being assessed by medical personnel.

The Williams team, facing a race against time to repair the car, confirmed that Colapinto is unharmed but will undergo further evaluation on Saturday to determine if he is fit to race.

"Franco sustained a significant impact of over 50G, requiring a medical check up. An impact of this magnitude is obviously significant and severe and he will need to be evaluated again tomorrow before we will know whether he is clear to race," Williams said in a statement. "Franco's health is all that matters and we are glad he is otherwise okay."

Colapinto, who is trying to earn a driver's seat for next season, has already been involved in another accident in the last Brazil Grand Prix.

If cleared, Colapinto will be 14th at the start of the Las Vegas race, which will take place at 10 p.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT Sunday).