They say, in racing, a blink can make or break your lap. Just as the Austin sun was setting, the Red Bull team witnessed the razor-thin margins that differentiate glory from a slide into the middle of the pack. When you thought Max Verstappen was about to soar, a twist awaited, and oh boy, Charles Leclerc isn’t one to let opportunities slip by!

Verstappen, the triple-crown champ of the F1 world, found himself bested not just by the track limits but also by the ever-competitive grid of the United States Grand Prix at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas. And while Verstappen danced dangerously with those track limits, the usually dependable Sergio Perez had his struggles, getting sandwiched in 9th.

A rollercoaster of emotions for Red Bull at COTA

During the adrenaline-charged qualifying session for the United States Grand Prix, the spotlight briefly shone on Verstappen as he dazzled us with a blistering time, momentarily clinching the pole from Ferrari‘s star of the day, Charles Leclerc. But, heart-wrenchingly, that dazzling time was snatched away due to a track limits violation, sending Verstappen tumbling to a sixth-place start. Perez had his own share of battles. Despite giving it his all and making an improvement in the final run, he found himself tucked into the ninth spot on the grid, a whisker ahead of Piastri.

Christian Horner, the ever-optimistic Team Principal at Red Bull, shared his two cents on the day’s proceedings. “It looked like we were going to get pole today but then a small lock-up at turn 1 put Max on the back foot so he had to give it absolutely everything. He tried, but unfortunately, we didn’t quite do it today. Checo struggled with balance slightly but it was tight margins with not a lot in it but it will make for an interesting race on Sunday.“ However, in signature Horner style, he added, “We start from P6 and P9 for the race, which makes things a little harder for us, but there is always an opportunity for victory and we look forward to seeing what Sunday brings.”

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So, gear up, folks! Sunday promises to be a thrilling showdown, and who knows? Maybe Red Bull will have the last laugh after all.

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But while that was up at the Red Bull garage, the Scuderia was having a scare of their own!

Charles Leclerc grabs pole and a mini ‘Heart Attack’ at Austin

Charles Leclerc grabbed his first pole since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, reminding everyone that when it comes to raw talent, he’s still very much got it. Even as he was the first to set a flying lap, many couldn’t help but wonder, what if Max Verstappen hadn’t veered a bit off? But hey, as the saying goes, ‘if my aunt had wheels, she’d be a bike’. But the drama wasn’t just on the track; it popped into Leclerc’s earpiece too. Post-lap, his engineer Xavier Marcos Padros, with a voice note that would’ve surely trended if it was on social media, nearly gave Charles a mini ‘heart attack’. Why?

The radio buzzed with news of a track limit violation. Leclerc’s heart dropped thinking the news was about him! “I just had a heart attack, because my engineer told me track limits and then… for Verstappen,” Leclerc said to the media.

“When I heard track limits, I punched my steering wheel and my helmet, but then I heard for Verstappen and then I was like: ‘OK, that’s better news for us’. So that’s why I, in the moment, just said to Xavi: ‘Please tell me the name before the track limits, just so I don’t get too excited’.”

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Austin’s unpredictable track surely keeps everyone on their toes. Will Leclerc ride his pole advantage to the checkered flag? That remains to be seen. Until then, let’s tip our hats to a fantastic qualifying performance and hope no more ‘heart attacks’ come Charles’s way.