(Spielberg Bei Knittelfeld) Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen stood out again on Saturday morning, which will allow him to start from the lead position in the sprint race which will take place later today today at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The leader in the drivers’ championship, who was already guaranteed to start from first place on the starting grid at the traditional Grand Prix which will take place on Sunday, cut 49 hundredths of a second from the time of his teammate at Red Bull Sergio Perez.
Lando Norris, driving his McLaren, followed in third place by 57 hundredths of a second. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) recorded the fourth fastest time, ahead of Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc, in order.
Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll took the next two rungs, respectively.
“It went well, the track was drying up,” said Verstappen. We did well. We managed to get our car into the correct window. »
The shortened qualifying format – known in F1 as the ‘sprint shootout’ – has set the stage for a 17-lap sprint race later today.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will start from the 18e position after being dropped from the qualifying process in the first segment. The Mercedes driver looked preoccupied as he walked through the paddocks towards his team’s garages.
Leclerc narrowly advanced to Q2 as Mercedes’ nightmare day continued. Mechanics worked tirelessly on the steering of George Russell’s single-seater due to a hydraulic problem, but were never able to fix it in time for it to hit the track. He will leave from the 15e place in the sprint race, provided his car is ready in time.
The Austrian Grand Prix is the second stage contested according to the sprint formula this season. The winner will earn eight points, the second will get seven, and one point less will be awarded to each of the following drivers up to the eighth rung.
Perez won the first sprint race in Azerbaijan, while his teammate finished third.
Verstappen will start ahead of Leclerc and Sainz Jr. in order on Sunday. Stroll will then start from sixth position, ahead of Alonso, seventh.