Austrian GP: Max Verstappen claims pole as Charles Leclerc fumbles in Sprint Qualy

Max Verstappen dominated Sprint Qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver quickest in every session on his way to yet another pole position.

The Dutchman out-paced Lando Norris by 0.093s with Oscar Piastri third fastest while Charles Leclerc’s delayed exit from the pits meant he wasn’t able to cross the line in time to start a flying lap.

Daniel Ricciardo falls in SQ1

Playing host to the third Sprint weekend of the 2024 F1 championship, after a track limit-free practice earlier in the day, SQ1 offered the first true test of the Red Bull Ring’s new gravel strips that had been placed around the outside of the corners.

Lewis Hamilton was the first to test the gravel as, having already had a massive slide at Turn 1, he ran wide at Turn 6 and kicked up gravel. His time was deleted, as too was Zhou Guanyu’s.

Max Verstappen sat top of the timesheet with two minutes to go, the Dutchman having clocked a 1:05.690 to sit 0.074s ahead of George Russell.

There were big names in the drop zone with Logan Sargeant dropping Fernando Alonso into P16, Daniel Ricciardo was 18th, and Hamilton had yet to set a time. Hamilton improved to 11th place, Alonso took that off him, and Ricciardo climbed to 14th.

But as the final laps were completed, Pierre Gasly knocked Ricciardo down into 16th place. He was joined on the sidelines by Nico Hulkenberg, Valtteri Bottas, Alex Albon and Zhou.

The off-track drama at the Austrian Grand Prix

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Double Aston Martin elimination in SQ2

The remaining 15 drivers were quickly out onto the track for SQ2 led out by Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Verstappen laid down a 1:05.186 as the time to beat, his team-mate falling four-tenths short of that target.

Russell was second ahead of Oscar Piastri as only eight drivers opted for an opening gambit.

None of the drivers who waited were able to set the timesheets alight with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly the two to make it into the pole position shoot-out.

Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll, Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda and Sargeant were the five drivers who were eliminated.

Max Verstappen puts his RB20 on pole position

None of the top ten were in a rush to venture out in SQ3, a session in which they all have to use soft tyres but they can choose between news or used.

As the clock ticked down on the session it was evident that all the drivers intended to do just one run, the big question was who would go first?

Russell was the first man out, Hamilton stuck to his team-mate’s rear wing. Mercedes telling their drivers that it could be “tight” for some drivers to a set time such was their loitering.

Leclerc ran into trouble, seemingly unable to leave the pits before getting going, but with 1:18 on the clock, he was in a race to start a flying lap.

Norris posted his best time of the day to jump up into provisional pole but then came Verstappen with a 1:04.686. That put him 0.093s up on the McLaren driver. Piastri qualified third.

Meanwhile Leclerc wasn’t able to complete a flying lap as he didn’t cross the line in time. He’ll line up P10.

Times

1 Max VERSTAPPEN 1:04.686
2 Lando NORRIS +0.093
3 Oscar PIASTRI +0.301
4 George RUSSELL +0.368
5 Carlos SAINZ +0.440
6 Lewis HAMILTON +0.584
7 Sergio PEREZ +1.322
8 Esteban OCON +1.415
9 Pierre GASLY +1.938
10 Charles LECLERC no time
11 Kevin MAGNUSSEN 1:05.806
12 Lance STROLL 1:05.847
13 Fernando ALONSO 1:05.878
14 Yuki TSUNODA 1:05.960
15 Logan SARGEANT 1:06.010
16 Daniel RICCIARDO 1:06.581
17 Nico HULKENBERG 1:06.583
18 Valtteri BOTTAS 1:06.725
19 Alexander ALBON 1:06.754
20 Guanyu ZHOU 1:07.197