Austrian Grand Prix – Qualifying: Max Verstappen alone on his planet

After the Sprint race this noon, it’s time for the qualifications on the Red Bull Ring track. The track temperature is around 50 degrees, the drivers will unleash the horses in a few minutes.

Q1: Tiny differences!

The drivers are quick to register fast laps. They don’t want to experience the same mishaps as in the Sprint qualifying where many got caught in traffic.

The first 5 cars are within 40 milliseconds of each other! These are the 2 Ferraris, the 2 McLarens, and Yuki Tsunoda’s Racing Bulls. The performances of the cars are so close! With 10 minutes to go in Q1, only the 2 Mercedes drivers have not yet set a time: a delayed but rewarding track exit! George Russell sets the fastest lap in 1:05.614. The track is improving, Max Verstappen and then Carlos Sainz significantly improve: they push George Russell back by more than 3 tenths.

Pierre Gasly moves up to 8th, Esteban Ocon in 6th place. Williams, Sauber, and Haas are the 6 cars at the bottom of the rankings. Alex Albon, who changed some settings between Friday and Saturday, climbs back into the top 10. He seems to have found good sensations in Austria. Finally, Magnussen and Bottas also improve and reposition themselves in the qualifying zone. Everyone seems to have the means to qualify, or almost. The favorites should not get trapped, some like Lando Norris go back out on the track to take cover.

Hülkenberg is up to ninth place, Magnussen in fifth. Lewis Hamilton is struggling and is very slow.

Sergio Perez squeezes through, as does Pierre Gasly, and Fernando Alonso. The 20 cars finish with less than 8 tenths of a second between them, admittedly on a relatively short circuit. It’s the 2 Ferrari drivers who set the fastest laps in Q1.

The eliminated in Q1:

Guanyu Zhou (20th), Logan Sargeant (19th), Valterri Bottas (18th), Lance Stroll (17th), Fernando Alonso (16th).

Q2: Max Verstappen knocks everyone out

Esteban Ocon opens the dance. He sets the benchmark time at 1:05.574. Charles Leclerc quickly regains the lead and improves the Alpine driver’s time. Carlos Sainz complains about bounces in his Ferrari. Max Verstappen stuns the competition! He completes a lap that leaves Charles Leclerc almost a second behind! The gaps will not be as close in Q2 as in Q1… The McLarens and Mercedes are behind the Red Bull, which seems to be flying in Q2.

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are respectively 9th and 11th: in line with their standards since the start of the weekend. At the end of the first attempts, the qualifying session in Q3 will be a battle between the Haas, Alpine, Racing Bulls, and the Spanish driver Fernando Alonso.

There are 2 minutes left and Esteban Ocon is back on track. He improves his first 2 sectors but doesn’t gain any position at the finish: he is still 9th. Nico Hülkenberg takes his place, Max Verstappen once again improves his time which was already out of reach!

Daniel Ricciardo will not make it to Q3, just like Pierre Gasly whose time was canceled due to track limits. He was in the same times as his teammate who barely made it: 10th place!

Eliminated in Q2:

Fernando Alonso (15th), Yuki Tsunoda (14th), Pierre Gasly (13th), Kevin Magnussen (12th), Daniel Ricciardo (11th).

Q3: Verstappen on a roll

Nico Hülkenberg leaves the pits first for the final minutes of qualifying. Max Verstappen improves his Q2 time once again! Lando Norris keeps the gaps close by completing a lap three tenths slower than the Dutchman. George Russell sets the third fastest time. The first round of attempts in Q3 has given its verdict. Only Lando Norris is less than five tenths behind the triple world champion. Sergio Perez is only eighth, Ocon and Hülkenberg bring up the rear.

Verstappen… continues to improve and demoralizes the competition. Here is the time to beat: 1:04.314. Oscar Piastri moves up to second place, Carlos Sainz climbs to 4th. Charles Leclerc wanted to take risks… he goes off track! He will not improve his time. Oscar Piastri’s last time is canceled! He ends up being 7th in this qualifying session. Esteban Ocon is tenth.

Qualifying ranking of the Austrian Grand Prix