FACTS AND STATS: Verstappen can win the drivers' title in Las Vegas if he and Norris finish in their qualifying positions

George Russell grabbed a sensational pole position in Las Vegas, the Mercedes seemingly coming alive in the cooler evening conditions. But there were plenty of squabbles behind, with Ferrari managing to out-qualify their McLaren rivals, while Max Verstappen starts ahead of Lando Norris. Here are the best facts and stats from the Vegas Strip…

• Russell has three poles this year – Canada, Britan and now Las Vegas. This was his fourth career pole position.

• Carlos Sainz qualified second for the second year in a row here, although last year he did serve a 10-place grid drop. He’s missed out on pole here twice by a combined total of 0.142s.

READ MORE: Russell charges to pole for Las Vegas Grand Prix over Sainz and Gasly

• This is the Spaniard’s second front row start in the last three races, after he won from pole in Mexico City.

• Pierre Gasly was third, after Esteban Ocon started fourth in Sao Paulo. Gasly only has one other career top-three start, back at Qatar in 2021 but he did start fourth here last year.

• Charles Leclerc was fourth, but his last two race victories came from P4 on the grid in both Monza and Austin.

• Max Verstappen was fifth, Lando Norris was sixth – Verstappen will win the championship if they finish in those positions.

• The Dutchman won in Brazil from P17 on the grid, and while he has won from 10 different grid positions, he has never won from fifth.

• Norris is starting outside the top three for just the third time in the last 14 races. He’s never won from outside the top five on the grid.

READ MORE: 'We’ve got a fundamental issue' – Perez bemoans lack of grip in Las Vegas after sixth Q1 exit of 2024

• Yuki Tsunoda was seventh, having started third in Sao Paulo.

• Oscar Piastri starts eighth, having been out-qualified by his team mate for the fifth straight race.

• Nico Hulkenberg bagged his 10th Q3 appearance of the season for Haas.

• Lewis Hamilton was 10th, but would have been in the top three if he had managed to repeat his Q2 lap time.

• Kevin Magnussen had reached Q3 at his last two race appearances, but had to settle for P12 in Vegas after making the top 10 shootout here last year.

• Zhou Guanyu bagged his best qualifying of the year in 13th with his first Q2 since Silverstone.

• France Colapinto managed to out-qualify Alex Albon for the second time since joining Williams.

• Sergio Perez suffered his sixth Q1 elimination of the season with P16, having finished on the podium here last season.

MUST-SEE: Colapinto suffers massive crash in Las Vegas qualifying

• Fernando Alonso managed his first Q1 elimination since Monaco in May.

• Alex Albon was knocked out in Q1 for the fourth time this season. He starts 18th, having been in the top 10 here in qualifying last year.

• Valtteri Bottas was out-qualified by his team mate for just the second time this season, but the Finn does have a five-place grid drop for the Grand Prix here.

• Lance Stroll was only able to complete one flying lap after a mechanical problem in FP3 curtailed his running, and props up the field.

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