Lando Norris Takes Las Vegas Pole in Rain; Lewis Hamilton Qualifies Last for Career First
McLaren’s Lando Norris clinched a crucial third consecutive pole position at the rain-soaked Las Vegas Grand Prix, masterfully navigating the treacherous conditions ahead of Max Verstappen. In a session of high drama, title rival Oscar Piastri qualified fifth, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1, finishing dead last on pure pace for the first time in his 19-season F1 career.
The qualifying session for the 2025 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix delivered a stunning contrast in fortunes for two of the sport’s biggest names, as persistent rain created exceptionally challenging conditions on the high-speed street circuit. Championship leader Lando Norris continued his red-hot form, securing his third consecutive pole position with a phenomenal final lap in Q3, clocking a time of 1:47.934s in his McLaren. Norris, who is fighting for his maiden World Championship, finished over three-tenths ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who qualified second, and Williams’ Carlos Sainz in third. The result gives Norris a significant advantage over his closest title rival and teammate, Oscar Piastri, who could only manage fifth place on the grid.
Hamilton’s Record-Breaking Career Low
The most shocking result of the session came in the opening Q1 segment, which saw Lewis Hamilton eliminated and consigned to the back of the grid. Driving for Ferrari in what he has publicly called his “hardest year” in the sport, the seven-time World Champion struggled immensely to generate temperature and grip in the wet conditions. Finishing in 20th and dead last on the timing sheets, it was the first time in his entire Formula 1 career that Hamilton has been the slowest driver in qualifying based on outright pace alone. The Ferrari driver was nearly four seconds off the pace set by the quickest car in Q1 and complained over team radio that he “couldn’t get the tyres to work.”
Hamilton’s disastrous result marks a significant new low for the British driver, continuing a difficult season at Ferrari where he has often been out-qualified by teammate Charles Leclerc. The elimination was exacerbated by high-stakes conditions that produced a mixed-up order, with other notable eliminations in Q1 including Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda. Hamilton will now face the monumental task of attempting a recovery drive from the final starting position on the grid during Saturday night’s race.
