![\"Oscar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/e6f9070fe2525f7120a30adfded26e2dbb910fbd.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n\u201cEvery lap that I did this weekend has not been good. In the short run or the long run it never felt in the window and that is not going to suddenly change tomorrow for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mercedes\u2019 Kimi Antonelli qualified sixth. Piastri was eighth at the chequered flag but will move up a place because Williams\u2019 Carlos Sainz, qualifying seventh, has a five-place grid-drop carried over from the previous round in Austin.<\/p>\n
Piastri searches for pace<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s just no pace which is a bit of a mystery,\u201d said Piastri, who needs to finish in the top four to stay ahead if Norris wins.<\/p>\n
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Oscar Piastri\u2019s lead in the drivers\u2019 championship is now under serious threat.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been more or less the same gap all weekend, so we\u2019ll have a look at where it was going wrong. Obviously, it\u2019s a bit frustrating. It\u2019s just this weekend and last weekend it\u2019s felt like the pace hasn\u2019t come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norris had shown his pace in final practice when he became the third different driver to top the timesheets in the three sessions, punching out an impressive lap 0.345 faster than anyone else.<\/p>\n
The Briton was fourth in the first phase of qualifying led by Racing Bulls\u2019s Isack Hadjar ahead of Hamilton and Russell, while Verstappen was ninth and Piastri 10th after abandoning a fastest lap.<\/p>\n
Norris was fastest in phase two, with Hamilton and Russell again second and third, while Verstappen and Piastri were fourth and seventh.<\/p>\n
Piastri had flirted with a shock exit, out of the top 10 until his final effort secured his place in the final shootout.<\/p>\n
Leclerc then put his Ferrari on provisional pole, ahead of Norris and Hamilton with Verstappen fourth and Piastri fifth ahead of their final flying laps.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a long run down to turn one … the race pace from the Ferraris is normally very strong,\u201d Norris said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m expecting a battle, I\u2019m not expecting it to be easy. Eyes forward and I\u2019ll see how much I can win by.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Hadjar will start in eighth place, with Haas\u2019s Oliver Bearman ninth and Verstappen\u2019s teammate Yuki Tsunoda completing the top 10 after qualifying 11th.<\/p>\n
Reuters<\/p>\n