Verstappen could only qualify sixth for Sunday’s main grand prix but made up for 💎a disappointing Friday qualifying with pole and victory in the sprint race.&nbs꧋p;

After two competitive qualifying sessions pointed to Red Bull not necessarily having it all their own way in Austin, Verstappen ultimately cruised to an easy win in the sprint race, pulling 9.4 seconds clear of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedeওs in jus✱t 19 laps in his superior RB19. 

Aside from Verstappen having to defend aggressively to stay ahead of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari at🐼 the start, and then h🍨old off a brief threat from Hamilton in the early stages, the sprint race fizzled out into a rather forgettable affair. 

"The only thing that saves us for tomorrow is that Max starts ✨sixth,” Button to𓆉ld Sky afterwards. 

"And we can say 'woh, he's tha🔯t much quicker than everyone, it'♋s going to be easy'. It's not going to be easy.

"Overtaking 🃏h𒁃ere isn't easy and they proved that in this race. It wasn't very exciting because it was difficult to overtake.

"It's still going to be a challenge for💮 him tomorrow. I wouldꦜn't want to come up behind Lewis. Would you?”

However, Hamilton is less confident about his chances of being able to keep Verstappen ♒behind in the main grand prix.

"He🌼 has at least half a second on 𝔍all the cars ahead of him, so that should be enough to get by,” the seven-time world champion admitted. 

"There is tyre degr💟adation and strategy. But it is a track you can overtake [on] so it is likely he will be finis🥃hing high up.”

Hamilton added: "It will be helpful for us at the front [having Vওerstappen in 💞sixth]. Ultimately, he will be breathing down our necks before too long, but it will open up for a good fight with Charles and Lando.

"We are all quite similar in pace. Hopefully we can have a good battleꦍ. If we can all keep Max behind that would be awesome, but if not, no worries."