F1 2024 United States Grand Prix LIVE: Sprint race schedule, times and results ahead of qualifying

Super lap from Max Verstappen! He takes pole position, 0.012 secs quicker than George Russell in second!

Charles Leclerc comes home third, with Lando Norris two-tenths off in fourth – a blow for his title hopes!

5-10: Sainz, Hulkenberg, Hamilton, Magnussen, Tsunoda, Colapinto

Formula One wants to return. Lewis Hamilton insists F1 cannot continue to ignore it. But after 31 years away, the sport still can’t thrash out a route back into the only viable continent (sorry Antarctica) it fails to race in: Africa.

It was 1993 the last time the “Mother Continent” hosted an F1 grand prix. That was at Kyalami, 20 miles north of Johannesburg, as Williams driver Alain Prost won the 27th version of the South African Grand Prix.

Rather obviously, it is difficult to claim the full veracity of the competition “Formula 1 World Championship” while a record 24-race calendar does not actually include the entire world and its continents.

But F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has made no secret of his desire to add an African race to the schedule, amid an opening set of talks with Rwandan officials last month.

However, is Rwanda the only option? South Africa has come close in recent years, too. And what are the major obstacles? The Independent takes a look at all the potential locations F1 could venture to in Africa.

Lando Norris risks losing ground to Max Verstappen in his bid to be crowned world champion after seeing his rival take pole position for Saturday’s sprint race in the United States.

Norris, who trails Verstappen by 52 points heading into the concluding six rounds of the campaign, will line up three places behind Verstappen for the 19-lap dash after he qualified a disappointing fourth at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.

“I got unlucky with the yellow flag. It is what it is, four-tenths up.

Is that a pole gone begging? “Yep. The team has made a step with the car, the upgrade has clearly worked. It’s been a tough slog for everyone. Tomorrow we have another chance.

“We made changes to the car, it’s always a bit of a gamble. As soon as I got out the car, night and day different.”

“I’m really happy, been a while since we’ve been on the front row. My lap at the end was really strong. Lewis got caught out by the yellows. Great to be back in the mix again.

“We knew we had potential in the car. If we manage to qualify in second, feeling good.”

“Most of the lap was good, made a few mistakes in the last sector, second-last corner went too fast and this is the result. We have another shot tomorrow.

“It feels OK, maybe not as strong as the other races. I don’t think we’re weaker but the others are just stronger.”

“Not very good, been struggling all day with the balance. My lap was shocking, I’ll take it.

“I hope to go forward, on pace we are where we deserve to be. I hope to go forward but no idea if we can.”

Lando not a happy man after that – he starts P4.

“We had a good day. I’m happy, the car was working quite well, very happy to be first – it’s been a while.

“It’s not easy, to deal with it over one lap is not the easiest but it’s fun.

“We’ll do the best we can in the sprint but the most points are available on Sunday.”