Styrian Grand Prix qualifying RECAP: Max Verstappen powers to pole in Austria

Max Verstappen underlined his advantage over Lewis Hamilton in Austria as the Red Bull racer claimed pole position for the Styrian Grand Prix in Austria.

Racing on the Red Bull Ring, Red Bull’s Verstappen was expected to be strong on the team’s home circuit.

And the Dutchman backed up that expectation by delivering a strong qualifying session where he always looked in control, while the chasing pack struggled to keep pace.

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas registered the second-fastest time, but his three-place grid penalty for dangerous driving means he will start Sunday’s grand prix from fifth place, on Row 3.

However, Bottas’ misfortune is also something of a boost for Hamilton, who will now start alongside Verstappen on the front row, despite only managing the third-fastest time in qualifying.

McLaren’s Lando Norris enjoyed a superb session to qualify fourth (and start third) with his best lap just five hundredths of a second off Hamilton’s pace.

Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez, meanwhile, could do no better than fifth fastest, but will move forward a row to start from fourth as a result of Bottas’ grid penalty.

JUST IN:
Valtteri Bottas handed penalty for ‘dangerous driving’ in Austria

STARTING GRID FOR STYRIAN GRAND PRIX

1. Max Verstappen  |  2. Lewis Hamilton

3. Lando Norris  |  4. Sergio Perez

5. Valtteri Bottas*  |  6. Pierre Gasly

7. Charles Leclerc  |  8. Yuki Tsunoda

9. Fernando Alonso  |  10. Lance Stroll

11. George Russell  |  12. Carlos Sainz

13. Daniel Ricciardo  |  14. Sebastian Vettel

15. Antonio Giovinazzi  |  16. Nicholas Latifi

17. Sebastian Ocon  |  18. Kimi Raikkonen

19. Mick Schumacher  |  20. Nikita Mazepin

*Bottas penalised three grid places for “dangerous driving” during Friday’s free practice.

QUALIFYING 3 RESULTS

1. Max Verstappen 1:03.841
2. Valtteri Bottas +0.194
3. Lewis Hamilton +0.226
4. Lando Norris +0.279
5. Sergio Perez +0.327
6. Pierre Gasly +0.395
7. Charles Leclerc +0.631
8. Yuki Tsunoda +0.673
9. Fernando Alonso +0.733
10. Lance Stroll +0.867

QUALIFYING 2 RESULTS

1. Sergio Perez – 1:04.197
2. Lando Norris +0.101
3. Pierre Gasly +0.232
4. Max Verstappen +0.236
5. Valtteri Bottas +0.246
6. Lewis Hamilton +0.315
7. Fernando Alonso +0.385
8. Yuki Tsunoda +0.434
9. Charles Leclerc +0.449
10. Lance Stroll +0.466

    —ELIMINATED—

11. George Russell +0.474
12. Carlos Sainz +0.603
13. Daniel Ricciardo +0.611
14. Sebastian Vettel +0.678
15. Antonio Giovinazzi +0.716

QUALIFYING 1 RESULTS

1. Max Verstappen – 1:04.489
2. Valtteri Bottas +0.048
3. Lando Norris +0.095
4. Yuki Tsunoda +0.119
5. Sergio Perez +0.149
6. Lewis Hamilton +0.183
7. Charles Leclerc +0.256
8. Pierre Gasly +0.276
9. Lance Stroll +0.332
10. Carlos Sainz +0.370
11. Fernando Alonso +0.482
12. George Russell +0.544
13. Sebastian Vettel +0.562
14. Antonio Giovinazzi +0.603
15. Daniel Ricciardo +0.653

    —ELIMINATED—

16. Nicholas Latifi +0.686
17. Sebastian Ocon +0.728
18. Kimi Raikkonen +0.940
19. Mick Schumacher +1.552
20. Nikita Mazepin +1.703