Ferrari's Carlos Sainz took pole position for the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Saturday as Formula One mourned the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen will join Spaniard Sainz on the front row for Sunday's race with the Dutch driver having a strong chance of taking a record-equaling 13th win of the season. He has already won the drivers' title for the second year in a row. 

No driver has won at the Circuit of the Americas from outside the front row since the first Grand Prix was held there in 2012. 

China's Zhou Guanyu will start at 19th as his final lap was deleted for running too wide at turn 12 in Q2, plus his five-place penalty due to taking his fifth internal combustion engine of the season.

"I didn't participate in the Free Practice 3 in the morning, so I had a difficult time at the qualifier. I would have entered Q3 but missing by 1 or 2 millimeters of the rear wheels. It was a pity," said Zhou. "But on the other hand, I feel that I am making good progress."

The session was overshadowed by the death of Austrian billionaire Mateschitz, who owned two of the sport's 10 teams. He was 78.

"It has been a very tough day and we tried, of course, to give it everything today in qualifying. Unfortunately we missed out by a little but ... hopefully we will make him proud tomorrow," said Verstappen.

Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing principal Christian Horner said, "What he (Mateschitz) achieved and what he's done for so many people around the world, across different sports, is second to none."

Mateschitz bought the Ford-owned Jaguar team at the end of 2004 and turned it into Red Bull Racing. He also bought the Italy-based Minardi team and renamed it Toro Rosso, Italian for Red Bull. They now compete as AlphaTauri, the company's fashion brand.

The arrival of Adrian Newey, one of the sport's greatest designers who had penned title-winning cars for Williams and McLaren, turbocharged Red Bull's progress and Germany's Sebastian Vettel won four titles in a row from 2010-13.

Red Bull also won the constructors' title in all four seasons.

"I am deeply saddened by the news that Dietrich Mateschitz, a hugely respected and much-loved member of the Formula One family has passed away," said Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

"He was an incredible visionary entrepreneur and a man who helped to transform our sport and created the Red Bull brand that is known all around the world."

(With input from agencies)