Kiwi Brendon Hartley has set the 18th fastest time in qualifying on Sunday morning (NZ time) but he will start at the back in 20th for the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Hartley has to serve a 25-place grid penalty after his Toro Rosso team installed a new power unit in his car, exceeding the limit of changes which are allowed in a season.
The 2017 Le Mans champion finished with a time of 1 minute 36.889 seconds in his Formula 1 qualifying debut, 2.34 seconds behind Brit Lewis Hamilton who will start from pole as he looks to claim his fourth straight win in the US.
Hamilton edged Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
For the 27-year-old New Zealander this weekend was all about improving and just getting through Monday's (NZT) race unscaved.
"I haven't had a real target but I'd like to have a clean race," said Hartley after qualifying.
"Starting at the back will be tricky, but we will put in a clean race and see how far I can get."
Hartley was less than a second slower than his teammate Daniil Kvyat who will start in 12th.
The race at the Circuit of the Americas will get underway at 8am on Monday morning (NZ time).
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