Max Verstappen Dominates Austrian GP Qualifying: See Who Managed to Keep Up
Max Verstappen displayed his unrivaled prowess once again, clinching pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix with a masterful lap time of 1:04.314. Piloting his Oracle Red Bull to perfection, Verstappen edged out Lando Norris by a margin of 0.404 seconds, securing a dominant spot at the front of the grid for Sunday’s race. It was a riveting qualifying session that saw Verstappen leave no room for contention.
Early Benchmarks Set the Pace
From the get-go, Verstappen set an impressive benchmark in Q3. His initial lap was already in a league of its own, but the Dutchman wasn’t done yet. He pushed even further on his second attempt, solidifying his pole position with the best lap of the session. Not far behind, McLaren’s Lando Norris clocked in at 1:04.718, securing a commendable second place. Meanwhile, George Russell showcased his skills by putting his Mercedes in third.
The Midfield Battle
The Ferrari of Carlos Sainz grabbed fourth place, narrowly edging out Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes, which finished fifth. Charles Leclerc, despite an off-track stint during his final lap, managed sixth for Ferrari. Oscar Piastri had his share of challenges, being demoted to seventh after breaching track limits in his McLaren. Teammate Sergio Perez followed in eighth while Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas took ninth, pending an investigation for two pit lane incidents. Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten for Alpine.
Aston Martin's Struggles and the Rest of the Grid
Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull narrowly missed Q3, ending up in 11th, followed by Kevin Magnussen’s Haas in 12th and Pierre Gasly’s Alpine in 13th. Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull ended the session in 14th. Fernando Alonso faced a troublesome qualifying, settling for 15th after almost crashing his Aston Martin, while teammate Lance Stroll could only manage 17th. Williams had a tough outing with Alex Albon at P16 and Logan Sargeant starting from the back at P19. The Saubers of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will line up 18th and 20th, respectively.
Key Moments in Qualifying Sessions
Q1 Recap
With the Austrian Sprint fresh in their minds, drivers returned to the Red Bull Ring for a decisive qualifying session. Early in Q1, Verstappen was quick to set the pace. The Mercedes duo took longer to hit the track but demonstrated strong performance once they did. Russell temporarily claimed P1, but Sainz quickly reestablished dominance with a phenomenal lap.
Hamilton found himself in danger but managed to escape elimination with a solid effort, whereas Alonso barely scraped through in P15. The session ended on a tough note for Williams with double elimination and Aston Martin’s Stroll also making a premature exit.
Q2 Recap
The second qualifying session saw Verstappen raise the bar even higher with an exceptional lap, while Sainz followed in second, struggling with car handling issues. Alonso’s woes continued as he reported nearly crashing twice and eventually got eliminated. Hulkenberg had a notable stint, though he faces post-session scrutiny for incidents in the pit lane.
Ricciardo, Magnussen, Gasly, Tsunoda, and Alonso were unable to make the cut for Q3. Verstappen further solidified his dominance with another blistering lap towards the end of Q2, ensuring his place at the top heading into the final session.
Q3 Recap
As Q3 kicked off after a brief delay due to gravel on the track, Verstappen was once again the man to beat. His first run clocked a formidable 1:04.426, which he then improved to 1:04.314, unchallenged by the field. Norris and Russell were left to battle it out behind him, with the latter ultimately taking third. Late-session troubles saw Leclerc go off track, while Piastri had a lap deleted, impacting their final standings.
Verstappen’s stellar performance marked his eighth pole of the season, underscoring his dominance in the current F1 season. Looking ahead, fans eagerly anticipate the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix set to start at 1500 local time on Sunday.
What's Next?
Verstappen’s pole position sets the stage for an exciting race at the Austrian Grand Prix. Fans can catch all the action live from the Red Bull Ring, promising a blend of strategic battles and high-speed drama.