Formula 1 News

Max Verstappen refuses to celebrate US GP qualifying result: 'No need to smile'

After qualifying second for the United States Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has said there is "no need to smile and be super happy" about his performance.

· 2 min read
Originally reported by Motorsport.com
Max Verstappen refuses to celebrate US GP qualifying result: 'No need to smile'
Photo: Motorsport.com

Max Verstappen: What Happened

Motorsport.com reported on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in a story involving Max Verstappen, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli. The Red Bull, United States Grand Prix. Here is how the report opens:

After qualifying second for the United States Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has said there is "no need to smile and be super happy" about his performance. A lack of grip in Q3 left him unable to fight for pole, which instead went to Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli. The Red Bull driver ended up 0.179 seconds behind the young Italian at the Circuit of the Americas, and only 0.036s ahead of team-mate Isack…

— Motorsport.com

It is one of many Formula 1 stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on Max Verstappen and what to watch next.

Key Takeaways

  • The story: Max Verstappen refuses to celebrate US GP qualifying result: 'No need to smile'
  • Who’s involved: Max Verstappen, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli. The Red Bull, United States Grand Prix and US GP
  • League: Formula 1
  • First reported: Saturday, October 24, 2026 by Motorsport.com

Background: Max Verstappen

Max Emilian Verstappen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑks fɛrˈstɑpə(n)]; born 30 September 1997) is a Dutch and Belgian racing driver who competes under the Dutch flag in Formula One for Red Bull Racing. Verstappen has won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won consecutively from 2021 to 2024 with Red Bull, and has won 73 Grands Prix across 12 seasons.

Text from Wikipedia’s Max Verstappen article, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What’s Next for Max Verstappen

For fans following Max Verstappen, the next things to watch are the race results, qualifying, driver standings and constructors’ championship. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.

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Toto Wolff has explained why he rates Kimi Antonelli’s dominant United States Grand Prix victory as his “best race” yet, while offering an insight into the championship leader’s relaxed mindset.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened with Max Verstappen?

After qualifying second for the United States Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has said there is "no need to smile and be super happy" about his performance. A lack of grip in Q3 left him unable to fight for pole, which instead went to Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli. The Red Bull driver ended up 0.179 seconds behind the young Italian at the Circuit of the Americas, and only 0.036s ahead of team-mate Isack… Motorsport.com reported the story on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

Who reported this F1 story?

Motorsport.com first reported it on Saturday, October 24, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related Formula 1 news.

Where can I get the latest Formula 1 news today?

The ForTheFans Formula 1 page collects every F1 headline as it breaks, including race results, qualifying and driver standings, with live scores on our scores page.

Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by Motorsport.com. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report

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