“It was a little closer than yesterday”: Lewis Hamilton reflects on a close sprint qualifying after losing pole to Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc

In a nail-biting showdown during the United States Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton once again managed to come close to a pole position on the Circuit of the Americas, securing P3 after a closely contested Sprint race.

Hamilton's performance echoed the intensity of Friday's qualifying session, as he narrowly missed out on pole position by a minuscule tenth of a second, trailing the ultimate Sprint pole winner, Max Verstappen, by a mere 0.069 seconds.

Notably, the strong qualifying performance of Lewis Hamilton sets the stage for a thrilling main race on Sunday. Starting from the third position, the seven-time world champion is set to take on the pole winner Charles Leclerc and McLaren driver Lando Norris.

Reflecting on the race, Hamilton expressed his appreciation for the heightened tension and competitiveness, stating in the post-race press conference:

"I think it was a little bit closer than yesterday, so I did make an improvement but it was definitely a tough session, particularly on the mediums."

Lewis Hamilton on Mercedes' progress ahead of the Sprint race

The 38-year-old driver further emphasized the significance of Mercedes' proximity to other teams, affirming:

"For us to be this close in Austin, it just shows that we are progressing as a team."

Lewis Hamilton's words instilled a sense of optimism for the races ahead. He stated:

"We can really take that as a real positive, and hopefully today, we are in a good position in both races to apply some pressure to the leaders."

The Silver Arrows legend was then queried about the opportunities Mercedes has heading into both races from a convincing start position. Hamilton responded:

"I mean it's all very close, so we'll wait and see. But I'm hoping I can hold on to them."

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen's commanding performance during the Sprint Shootout left no room for doubt, as he claimed pole position with a remarkable time of 1m 34.538s, narrowly surpassing Leclerc's effort by a mere 0.055 seconds.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, made his mark with a formidable display. Crossing the finish line as one of the final contenders, he secured a third-place finish, just 0.069 seconds behind Verstappen’s exceptional time.

This positioned him alongside compatriot Lando Norris, who clinched the fourth spot, followed closely by Norris' McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri.

As the fifth and final Sprint race of the season approaches, all eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton, who has entered the States on the back of a string of solid performances at the circuit in Austin.