Hamilton bemoans fleeting moment that cost USGP sprint pole

Lewis Hamilton bemoaned a fleeting moment he felt cost him a shot at United States Grand Prix sprint pole.

After a difficult sole practice session at Austin's Circuit of the Americas, Hamilton was a driver reborn in sprint qualifying as he was second quickest in SQ1 on the medium tyres, and strong again in SQ2 on the yellow-striped rubber.

Sent out early in SQ3 on the softs, Hamilton was flying only to be hit by the briefest of yellow-flag moments on his approach to Turn 12 where Williams' Franco Colapinto had spun seconds beforehand.

Hamilton lifted momentarily in seeing the light panel which quickly flashed from yellow, and then back to green. After losing a degree of momentum, he opted to brake later into the corner but failed to take it cleanly.

The upshot was a time that saw him finish over half-a-second adrift of polesitter Max Verstappen in his Red Bull, leaving him lining up seventh in between Haas duo Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.

"I just got unlucky with the yellow flag, and that's what it is," said Hamilton. "I was four-tenths up."

Suggested to Hamilton it was a sprint pole that went begging, he smiled and nodded, adding: "It is what it is.

"The good thing is the team has made a step with the car. The upgrade has clearly worked. Really grateful to everyone back at the factory for the hard work because it's been a tough slog for everyone to get the upgrades and make sure they're working.

"It's not the end of the end of the world. Tomorrow we've got another chance."

Pinpointing the car changes made between practice and qualifying, Hamilton added: "We did a great job.

"It's always a bit of a gamble because you don't know whether or not they're going to work, but you hope they do with what you aim to do with them.

"And as soon as I got out, the car was night-and-day different, so it was great work from the guys in the garage."