[ad_1]
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will do battle in qualifying as the two championship challengers look to steal a march over the other at a crucial point in the 2021 season.
The Red Bull ring is the home circuit of Red Bull Racing, and the duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are both expected to go well.
But after FP3 on Saturday morning, it was Hamilton who topped the timesheets, with his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas third-fastest.
However, Verstappen, who found himself held up by traffic during a hot lap during that session has been consistently quick around the Austrian circuit, meaning this afternoon’s session should be as closely contested as ever.
The championship race is delicately poised, with Verstappen holding a 12-point lead over Hamilton heading into this weekend, with Perez third in the standings and Bottas languishing down in fifth.
But, with Perez and Bottas effectively playing the role of defensive wingman for their respective team-mates, all focus will be on the two title protagonists during qualifying.
We’ll keep you up to date with the results, as they happen, during Saturday afternoon’s crucial qualifying sessions.
[ad_2]
