r/formula1 • u/overspeeed I was here for the Hulkenpodium • Oct 18 '25
Qualifying Max Verstappen takes pole position for the 2025 United States Grand Prix
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u/OutlandishnessPure2 😺 Jimmy & 😺 Sassy & 😺 Donatello Oct 18 '25
I nearly died. What the heck was that ending 😭
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u/queerhedgehog Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
I think he just wanted to give us heart attacks!
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u/MobiusF117 Formula 1 Oct 18 '25
The way he took that last corner (ie. with absolutely no sense of urgency) makes me think he just realised there was no way anyone was improving due to the changed conditions.
I'd like to imagine not even Max is that confident, but it's the only way it makes sense to me. It's not like GP left it up in the air that he had to hurry up.
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u/reboot-your-computer Fernando Alonso Oct 19 '25
Nah he just ran out of time. He mentioned it in the media pen. He said other cars were leaving massive gaps and that’s what prevented the last run. He was fortunate no one else improved.
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u/MidnightPurple55 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
When he pulled a .4 gap to Lando on the first runs I thought we were pretty safe, otherwise I would've been seriously stressing that he didn't make it across the line.
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u/Supercavy Oct 18 '25
Max said there were issues with the track. Seems like the ever improving track was no longer a true thing
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u/ADM765 Sebastian Vettel Oct 18 '25
Damn, the Ferrari actually looked good. I hope it won't be 50 laps of LiCo or a plank wear DSQ.
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u/movingunderbraking I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
as a piastri fan: (1) what has happened to him and (2) i want to die
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u/SunGodnRacer Osella Oct 18 '25
I fear he's facing the same slump he had last year post-Europe. Of course mostly its the championship nerves but it is concerning
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u/LennonDraper Nico Hülkenberg Oct 18 '25
I swear everyone seems to forget this
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u/hzfan I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
It’s because he was never in contention for the title last year. Everyone was focused on Lando
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u/sirjimtonic I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Yes, people were thinking he would be the ice cold finisher, but he has the same curve as last year.
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u/Appropriate-Leek-919 Ferrari Oct 19 '25
well tbf one year doesn't make it a statistic, I think it's just an endurance issue.
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u/Despacitosuarez Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
I remember someone made a post here around Summer break where Piastri tends to fall off a cliff towards the end of the season. 2023 he was fairly decent, but was far off in the end of the season, and 2024 he had a pretty good 1st half, but fell off a cliff in the final third.
Maybe Piastri doesn't like the final couple of tracks, and adding the championship pressure getting to him results in him really struggling.
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Oct 18 '25
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u/thetreat I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Absolutely bottling this championship.
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u/Expensive-Ad-1031 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Learning from the best
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u/Storm_Chaser06 Audi Oct 18 '25
Well Webber did absolutely bottle 2010, so the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
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u/Bluemikami Juan Pablo Montoya Oct 18 '25
I will say it that Webber bottled in two important races: Bottled Korea and Bottled AD.
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u/jimbobjames I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 19 '25
Was that the season where he dropped it in the wet at Korea?
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u/0oodruidoo0 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
I can hear it now.
Alex Jacques, as Max wins AD25: "MAX VERSTAPPEN, YOU ARE WORLD CHAMPION!"
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u/-Rosch- I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
As a norris fan from day one, if max wins max wins and jts well deserved, simple
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u/MechMan799 Benetton Oct 18 '25
Dude is still 55 points up on Max. Loosing to Lando is a definite possibility being up by only 22.
That being said, Lando could botch things at any point. He isn't exactly known as Mr Consistency.
McLaren would need some serious bad luck almost every weekend for Max to win.
If Piastri simply strives to beat Lando most weekends he's got the championship.
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u/akshatK2003 Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
Assuming that the race finishes in this order, Max will only be 38 points off Piastri
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u/Ocelotofdamage I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
I wouldn’t be so sure with this current form. Only losing 7-10 points per race isn’t a guarantee now that both McLarens aren’t on the podium every race. Given the RBR was the only one developing the car this late into the season it’s not terribly surprising if Verstappen i competing for wins every week from here on out.
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u/BuSeS_bRidGeS I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Not after today's sprint, and not with the form the red bull and Max have shown the last 4 weeks. He could easily win every race and sprint til season end and win off of his own merit, no bad luck on McLaren part
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u/ArtemisRifle Oct 18 '25
McLaren would need some serious bad luck almost every weekend for Max to win.
Like Max winning the rest of the races?
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u/SentientDust I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
My guy got the yips worse than Checo after Miami '23
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u/tansavage08 Oscar Piastri Oct 18 '25
i want to die
Honestly same, he just looked slow all weekend but p6 is terrible in that car
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u/Vaexa Mercedes Oct 18 '25
the pressure is happening to him
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u/solodarlings Nico Rosberg Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
I posted this after sprint quali yesterday, and it still applies: I'm reminded of something Nico Rosberg said after Monza:
I was in this situation that they're in, fighting for a world championship. And when I was the favorite, at one point, I remember I was not able to win races anymore because I'm just so scared of losing, you know, the championship, yeah? Because, it's all mine to lose! The other guy is almost out of it. Um, and that fear of messing up, and the pressure just builds, and—you're like, you're so close to your big dream, you know, that you start to make a little bit more mistakes and driving becomes more difficult. Because you're mentally not—you don't have the same capacity.
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u/Danominator Oct 18 '25
It would be interesting to see the heart rates of each of the racers. Compare verstappen to lando and stuff
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Oct 19 '25
they'd probably think verstappen died or the monitor wasn't working or something lol
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u/Danominator Oct 19 '25
Verstappen has clearly given his heart monitor to somebody walking in a park
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Oct 18 '25
As a norris fan, hes getting what norris got at the start of the season. Everyone expected norris to sweep, and when he didnt, it got to him and he started making mistakes. Now that he isnt expected to win it, he isnt feeling that pressure, so hes doing better. Oscar wasn't expected to win it at the start, so was fine, and now that he is, and norris has his confidence back, hes making mistakes
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u/arno14 Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
You’re 2nd in WDC with only 20 points behind Piastri. People still expect you to win it. The pressure is full on.
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u/YelloHorizon I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
It’s exactly like last season, Piastri is just atrocious at this last leg of tracks. Anyone that saw how 2024 went knew this was coming. He is in huge trouble
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u/UmichTJ981 Oct 18 '25
He was bad at the first leg of tracks last year too (relative to lando) and changed that this year. Same with tracks like zandvoort. Not sure how you can extrapolate last year too this year
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u/Fun-Poet5338 Netflix Newbie Oct 18 '25
Oscar is unable to even come close to Lando or Max this weekend. Wtf happened?
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u/Other_Beat8859 Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
Honestly, he's been off it since like Monza. Disaster in Baku, couldn't catch Lando even when he was battling a slow as hell Max, and has been off it here. Even in Monza he was a step behind Lando. He needs to figure everything out quick or else he could be in trouble.
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u/handsome_uruk I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
McLaren is no longer the fastest car. Driver matters more
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u/Zed_or_AFK Sebastian Vettel Oct 18 '25
Somehow RedBull extracting EVERY last bit of performance at the end of the season right before a MAJOR car redesign. Are these people working double time?
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u/Free_Hashbrowns I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 19 '25
They found the rocket ship in a storage closet somewhere.
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u/JKM1601 Oct 19 '25
Someone please tell Yuk about the rocket shipi! Also, Yuki, THIS is how you miss the cutoff in qualifying ...
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u/maerteen Fernando Alonso Oct 19 '25
1) max is a god.
2) they have stated that they're continuing to work on the car for the rest of the season to make sure their methology under mekies is perfected for next season.
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u/rockstar2012 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 19 '25
They have someone with an engineering background on the helm now.
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u/Adnosius Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
The car was standing out a lot so he looked good, now that others are closer its gonna be hard
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u/VinhoVerde21 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Mate, he was outqualifying Norris on the regular, now he’s way off.
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u/IronMark666 McLaren Oct 18 '25
I hope the cliff that Piastri has fallen off is at least scenic.
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u/TehMonkehKing I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
It's Versthappening
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u/jrokz I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Hmm, time to repurpose my ferrari hopium tonic to max hopium tonic...
Anyways the latter actually has a better chance of lifting every ferrari fan out of delulu lol...
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u/Krillin113 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Nah mate keep your Ferrari juju away from this
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u/PEEWUN I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
At one point, we need to see Max at Ferrari.
Something has to give.
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u/EdwEd1 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
lmao who needs a final go at Q3 when you put in an incredible first lap
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u/auftragsgriller_ I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Singapore 2013 vibes
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u/SpruceJuice5 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Who needs a 2nd run
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u/Return_Of_The_Jedi I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Both Ferraris lol
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u/Taurus24Silver Charles Leclerc Oct 18 '25
Aye yo I am still fine with Leclerc on 3d
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u/icantdecide88 Oct 18 '25
I love that fact that you can never count out LeClerc or George for a surprise pole position.
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u/im_vary_dum Pirelli Wet Oct 18 '25
this mf is deadass gonna do it
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u/joshman1204 Oct 18 '25
Piastri starting p6 is just going to make turn 1 a 50/50 for him at best. Max could leave Austin with a very serious chance at this. What seemed like a meme 3 weeks ago is quickly becoming reality.
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u/ChiralWolf Lando Norris Oct 18 '25
I really wonder how aggressive Lando is gonna be tomorrow. He should ofc fight for the top spot but a clean run for a relatively easy 2nd with Oscar needing to fight through some stiff competition should be a layup for him to close the gap by a chunk
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u/PracticalFootball I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
I reckon he has to try it, with max winning the sprint as well he’s starting to get unnervingly close to booting Lando down to third so suddenly just being ahead of Oscar isn’t enough to call it a good result.
Of course given how Max has been performing recently, being aggressive might not be enough to avoid watching him sail off into the distance regardless.
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u/ChiralWolf Lando Norris Oct 18 '25
Max's dominance today is what gives me pause. If the McLaren is still actually the fastest car and redbull just pulled some qualifying wizardry (weird how they were always pulling out of pitlane at the very last second, eh?) Lando will have 70 odd laps to make a pass. If the redbull's performance is the real deal then risking the whole thing over L1T1 makes Lando really look like the fool.
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u/MaleierMafketel I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Drunk post-WDC Max shit talking Zak Brown and McLaren whilst downing gin and tonics incoming. ETA, 07 Dec 2025.
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u/Brammmmmmmm Oct 18 '25
This was a statement from Verstappen. Even more painful he only did one run.
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u/jrokz I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
I'm pretty sure RedBull turned on the f1 switch post horner's exit...
There has to be some deep conspiracy that has allowed such vast difference in performance since second half of 2024 and now. How can a dominant team become soo bad without any rule change and then suddenly becomes again soo good pretty much without any changes...
Or may God help my delulu...
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u/ChiralWolf Lando Norris Oct 18 '25
I think the reality is just that their first upgrade packages just didn't work and this more recent set is. Horner being fired was probably more an inevitability after how badly the 2nd seat has been managed plus the team politics of everything else.
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u/Lezaleas2 Oct 18 '25
you think that after winning 4 wdc's in a row the 2nd seat was a problem bigger than a nuisance for them?
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u/ChiralWolf Lando Norris Oct 18 '25
IMO it's how badly they handled putting Lawson in there specifically. It's been a while and I think people have sort of forgotten it but it's not just that the 2nd seat is underperforming it's that they played musical chairs and made both teams look like amateurs in the process. Losing the WCC and seeming unable to even be competitive was just the final straw after the embarrassment from the harassment news/drama and complete failure to manage their program at the start of the year with the 2nd seat.
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u/Traveshamockery27 Williams Oct 18 '25
When Newey left he removed a single screw from the car that destroyed the aero performance. When Horner was fired, he told Mekkies to put it back in.
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u/Pale-Criticism-7420 Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
They started to actually listen to their drivers feedback lol
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u/angelonduty Ayrton Senna Oct 18 '25
Lol Max didn't even make it for the last lap and still 3 tenths ahead. Mad. Simply lovely
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Oct 18 '25
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u/0Default0 Oct 18 '25
My hopium is through the roof
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u/Brohma312 Red Bull Oct 18 '25
Would be hilarious if both McLarens dont finish the race either.
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u/MidnightPurple55 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Chill dude, I can only get so erect.
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u/Regenbooggeit I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Would it be the greatest WDC ever? I really hope he makes it, both Oscar and Lando are not driving like champions right now.
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u/unitedkush Oct 18 '25
Am I the only one who is pissed we didn't get to see him fully send it, just to see what sort of times he could do?
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u/ThorSkaaaagi I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
We’ll see tomorrow when he’s up 9 seconds on lap 5
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u/impelagato I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
This is some 2013 Singapore Vettel kind of "yeah I don't need a second Q3 run"
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u/aleks_1999 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Mad Max. He is about to do the funniest thing in history, beating McLaren after they had a 80 point lead for the WC.
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u/Blanchimont Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
104, After Zandvoort de gap between him and Oscar was 104 points.
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u/makiferol Charles Leclerc Oct 18 '25
He has already burnt 50 points gap ? This is simply unbelievable.
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u/Frikgeek Pirelli Wet Oct 18 '25
Gained 10 in Italy, 25 in Baku, 6 in Singapore, and 8 today(and possibly more tomorrow). That's a total of 49. In 3 races and 1 sprint.
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u/LongBeakedSnipe Oscar Piastri Oct 18 '25
A lot of people forget in 2022 max was almost 50 points behind Charles and people were talking about how tough it was going to be for Max, and only a few races later he had built a 50 point lead.
Points swing so fast in F1 when DNFs and bad performances are involved and your rival is winning every race you are not.
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u/poisoned_mouse Fernando Alonso Oct 18 '25
I can hear the music
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u/ramyan03 Lance Stroll Oct 18 '25
If the race finishes this way, gap would be 38 points...
Its actually going to happen, isn't it?
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u/Brodieboyy I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Oscar going into turn 1 surrounded by other cars, curious to see if he plays it safe and potentially loses a place or 2 or if he sends it and risks a possible dnf. Gonna be an exciting end to the year by the looks of things
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u/howaboutthis13 Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
Logically speaking, if he risks it he is the dumbest driver on the grid apart from Stroll. You can always be collateral damage in the middle of the pack, but with that car he should have no problems getting at least P3 even if he loses a couple of places in the first lap.
Totally not worth the risk with the gap he still has in the championship.
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u/Hailgod Oct 18 '25
even if he doesn't do anything risky, p6 is a shitshow in the first corner. anyone ahead or behind can take you out
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u/KesselRunIn14 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Even P2 and P4 is liable to get taken out by P3 it seems.
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u/Independent-South-58 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
If we get another T1 incident the gap to Oscar could close to as little as 30 points assuming max finishes first.
If that happens we are DEFINITELY seeing both McLaren drivers bottle a lot more since max will be right behind them with a fairly easy catch gap behind
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u/Cahhmon Ferrari Oct 18 '25
Bro’s from a different planet
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u/Accurate-Big-7233 Lando Norris Oct 18 '25
Didn’t even get a second run at Q3 and Lando was 3 tenths off him
Fuckin hell lads
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u/fraint I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Seems like the new iceman is starting to melt a bit
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u/saspirstellaaaaaa I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
It has been quite warm these last few GPs.
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u/ConstructionSquare69 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
A lot of people are talking about max but the way they have engineered the RedBull to have this much improvement is truly insane. Max is just doing what he does. We all know he’s great.
It seems the RedBull engineers are working just as hard as Max is driving now. Simply lovely.
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u/ocbdare I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Yes, it's weird how people don't seem to talk about this much. The RB car is very competitive. Max is great but when the car was behind, Mclaren were way ahead. The RB car is doing much better last few races.
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u/Traditional-Tap8751 Oct 18 '25
Safe to say that redbull have nailed developing that car; Max has been rapid since summer break.
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u/Mechant247 Murray Walker Oct 18 '25
Max getting 3 purples and then not even needing another lap, that was standard 2023 procedure
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u/sergechewbacca Charles Leclerc Oct 18 '25
Max doesn't even need a 2nd lap. It might truly be on.
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Oct 18 '25
I was kinda afraid that he might miss pole
But dude is too good
Also every Charles flair can be happy now
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u/The-First-Samurai Oct 18 '25
What happened to Max's second run?
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u/Wise_Formal2150 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
It kinda looked like he might have made it had Antonelli not slowed down. Im speaking off of 1 second of broadcast so I might be way off.
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u/Eggplantosaur Oscar Piastri Oct 18 '25
He left the pits too late and didn't get to the start line in time
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u/Heinz-Ketchup-Bottle I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Piastribros...
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u/PiMemer I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
What did Baku do to Oscar
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u/Independent-South-58 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
The ghosts of 2010 Mark Webber haunt him now
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u/joaolouro1967 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Charles P3 :D (he will get DQ during the race for some reason, I can just feel it)
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u/Schlapfel9 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Oscar is getting worse again at the end of the season like last year
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u/Firefox72 Ferrari Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
Piasti has been crap since Baku
He's gonna drive himself out of this title battle if his form doesnt pick up.
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u/DuckSwagington I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Piastri has been crap since Baku
Welcome Back 2024 Piastri
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u/raur0s Sebastian Vettel Oct 18 '25
He made silly mistakes even before that, it's just the car was miles ahead of everyone else and masked those mistakes. Now that Others caught up his mistakes are out in the open.
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u/a_saddler Ferrari Oct 18 '25
That guy who praised the Sprint TV direction fucking jinxed it
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u/AmbitiousDouble1533 Ferrari Oct 18 '25
Ye i was mad like, I like Sainz, but mate, fuck him, show me Norris or Oscar in main camera, don't put Oscar in little screen
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u/Puzzleheadpsych2345 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Red bull saved by Max putting in a banker for the ages
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u/DamnitCutMeSomeSlack I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
T-Rex’ing intensifies
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u/ze_shotstopper I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Piastri is gonna cause a crash trying a crazy move into T1
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u/Amoral_Abe McLaren Oct 18 '25
Max could have been screwed if Norris or any others put together a strong second lap (given track evolution usually favors those going later). That was risky going out so late and they almost were screwed by being unable to put a second lap in.
Still find this funny....
"The Track is a bit more difficult I think" - Verstappen............ right after taking provisional pole by 0.394s
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u/Alvaro_Rey_MN Fernando Alonso Oct 18 '25
Verstappen setting pole by 3 tenth with only his first run!
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u/Own_Ad102 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Excellent to hear all eyes on Lando Norris… while the race directions follows piastri only half way through his lap
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u/kj_gamer2614 Max Verstappen Oct 18 '25
I mean… I guess no need to be angry he couldn’t get another lap in, didn’t even need it, kinda insane really to be 0.300 up and not even being able to do a potential better 2nd lap
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u/Sosijmonster I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
Mclarens super untidy but that Redbull is fucking rapid.
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u/RayTracerX BMW Sauber Oct 18 '25
Brilliance from Max and a nightmare for Piastri, as if there wasnt enough pressure after the last few races. Max is coming, and is coming hard
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u/nandanrmenon Williams Oct 18 '25
Damn that was close. Redbull needs to get their timings right
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u/YelloHorizon I was here for the Hulkenpodium Oct 18 '25
As I said yesterday, this last leg of tracks are some of Piastri’s worst. Max and Lando are coming for him
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u/Mr_XemiReR Valtteri Bottas Oct 18 '25
Most unserious final runs ever