Helmut Marko admits Red Bull cost Max Verstappen at the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

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Helmut Marko admits Red Bull expected Max Verstappen to score pole position for the 2025 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix during qualifying, but the team cost him and he took P2.

Verstappen will start Sunday’s Las Vegas GP from second on the grid, after McLaren driver Lando Norris eclipsed his provisional pole effort in the closing seconds. Norris set a 1:47.934 to score pole at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit moments after his title rival recorded a 1:48.257.

The Las Vegas GP in round 22 of this year’s 24 races marks the first chance that Norris has to mathematically eliminate Verstappen from the fight for the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship. Norris has to build his lead atop the standings over Verstappen in third from 49 to 58 points.

Red Bull expected Max Verstappen to score Las Vegas GP pole but botched his Q3 run plan

Verstappen would survive to fight another day if he finishes second and Norris wins the Las Vegas GP. But the 28-year-old’s hopes for retaining the title for a fifth successive season are becoming increasingly slim with McLaren’s other driver, Oscar Piastri, also 25 points ahead.

READ MORE: Everything to know about the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, including past winners

Fortunes in Sin City may have been with Verstappen as Norris scored pole for the Las Vegas GP on Saturday had Red Bull not botched his run plan in Q3. Motorsport adviser Marko has admitted that Red Bull thought pole would be his, but his Q3 tyre preparation was not ideal.

Marko has told Sky Germany: “There was a lot going on. I admire all the drivers. Apart from [Williams’ Alex] Albon, no one crashed here, and the conditions were really, really difficult.

“After Q1 and Q2, we were actually expecting pole position, but the timing didn’t work out. We missed the final lap, the one Lando managed. That’s when the conditions were best.

“Our tyre cooling manoeuvre didn’t work properly. The traffic messes everything up. You need a relatively clear lap. Maybe, we also went out a touch too early.”

Lando Norris almost threw pole in Las Vegas away but beat Max Verstappen by 0.323s

Red Bull racer Verstappen felt like he was “driving on ice” during qualifying for the Las Vegas GP, as heavy rain ahead of the session drenched Sin City. The track conditions forced drivers to start Q1 on the full wet Pirelli tyres, but the conditions improved throughout the session.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Norris enjoyed the best of the track conditions when the McLaren man set his pole time late in Q3, having already seen Verstappen complete what would be his final flying effort during qualifying. But the 26-year-old Briton almost blew his phenomenal late pace around Sin City.

While Norris blitzed sectors one and two with overall Q3 session best split times, as he beat Verstappen’s pace through those sectors by 0.982s, a kick of oversteer as he hit the throttle exiting Turn 12 almost threw it away. Norris ultimately only beat Verstappen’s lap by 0.323s.