Home F1 Austrian GP: Verstappen beats Norris by 0.093s to take sprint pole

F1, Austrian GP, Max Verstappen — SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JUNE 28: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2024 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406280611 // Usage for editorial use only //

Austrian GP: Verstappen beats Norris by 0.093s to take sprint pole

28/06/2024

Max Verstappen was consistent all-through to take F1 Austrian GP sprint pole by 0.093s from Lando Norris, as Oscar Piastri was third.

SQ1:

The first part in F1 Austrian GP sprint shootout at Red Bull Ring saw lap deletions for Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Stake’s Zhou Guanyu due to track limits. The Brit had a moment at Turn 1 and then also at Turn 6, leaving him vulnerable.

There was yellow flag late in the session after Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda lost control and went off at Turn 9 after losing control on the kerb. He made it in SQ2, but teammate Daniel Ricciardo (1m06.581s) was the first to lose out in 16th.

Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg (1m06.583s) was 17th from Stake F1 Team’s Valtteri Bottas (1m06.725s), with Williams’ Alexander Albon (1m06.754s) in 19th after lap deletion as Guanyu (1m07.197s) was 20th.

At the front, it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on top with a 1m05.690s lap as he led Mercedes’ George Russell was only 0074s aloof, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz ended up third – 0.091s behind the Dutchman.

SQ2:

The second part in F1 Austrian GP sprint shootout saw Verstappen lead the way again with a 1m05.186s lap ahead of Russell, who retained second, as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri upped his pace to end up third ahead of the Ferrari pair.

It was a close miss for Haas’ Kevin Magnussen (1m05.806s) in 11th after missing out a Top 10 by 0.049s but he managed to beat the Aston Martin pair of Lance Stroll (1m05.847s) and Fernando Alonso (1m05.878s), where the Canadian had a moment in the final corner.

It didn’t hurt him as much or a place in the Top 10 it seems like. Another to lose his lap was Williams’ Logan Sargeant who was 15th in the end after beating teammate Albon, with the American finding himself behind Tsunoda (1m05.960s) in the order.

SQ3:

The whole field waited until the last moment to head in the final part of F1 Austrian GP sprint shootout on the soft compound after using the medium tyres. The casualty of the late push was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who did not have enough time in the end.

Leclerc seemingly had an anti-stall issue in the pits. Verstappen was on top again to take F1 Austrian GP sprint pole with a 1m04.686s lap by 0.093s margin over McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m04.779s), as Piastri (1m04.987s) made it double McLaren cars in the Top 3.

Mercedes’ Russell (1m05.054s) had to settle for fourth with Ferrari’s Sainz (1m05.126s) in fifth from the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton (1m05.270s) as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (1m06.008s) was seventh from Alpine pair.

It was Esteban Ocon (1m06.101s) and Pierre Gasly (1m16.624s) among the nine drivers who set a lap time, as Leclerc was 10th but didn’t have a lap time against his name.