In the F1 Sprint Qualifying at the 2024 Austrian GP Verstappen took pole with a 1:04.686 leading from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
FP1 saw Max Verstappen overcome an engine issue to take P1. Leading from Piastri and Leclerc. Although Norris had a purple sector one, he backed off of his final fast lap.
Last year saw Max Verstappen take sprint pole, and no doubt he went into today wanting to repeat that performance. However, with the grid close together, anyone had a chance at starting on the front row.
SQ1
The cars went out and Hamilton was the first car to head out around the Red Bull Ring. Hamilton had a massive snap in the first corner, going wide and having his track time deleted.
George Russell followed Hamilton round the track, avoiding track limits and putting in a 1:05.764 going quickest. Followed by Sainz with a 1:05.781 and Norris in third with 1:05.980.
However, it’s short-lived as Max Verstappen crossed the line fastest, 0.074 ahead of Russell.
2 minutes to go on SQ1 and Hamilton was down in 19th after his track time deletion. He started his fast lap but was only fast enough to go 11th.
Alex Albon got through by 0.006 but was pushed out by Magnussen, who went into 10th. Zhou Guanyu remained 20th and Daniel Ricciardo sat in the final elimination position.
Yuki Tsunoda took a wide line into the last corner, almost losing the car. Luckily for Tsunoda, his time was still good enough to send him to SQ2.
Out in SQ1: Ricciardo, Hülkenberg, Bottas, Albon, Saragent
SQ2
Cars headed out for SQ2 just as the lights went green, Verstappen leading the charge from Pérez and Norris.
Max Verstappen crosses the line with a 1:05.186, followed by Oscar by 0.193 and Carlos Sainz behind by 0.249.
However, George Russell continues to show his comfort behind the wheel of the Mercedes going second, only 0.139 behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.
Four minutes left in SQ2 saw all the cars sat in the pits ready to head out for their last flying laps of the session. With three minutes to go, the Alpine’s and Tsunoda begin to head out around the track.
Only the bottom half of the grid decided to head out in the last part of SQ2. Lance Stroll only went fast enough for 9th, Tsunoda only fast enough for 11th. Gasly knocked Stroll down and took 10th. Magnussen did a purple sector one, but the second and third sectors only enable him to go 11th.
Out in SQ2: Magnussen, Stroll, Alonso, Tsunoda and Sargaent
SQ3
SQ3 had a much slower start, with five minutes remaining and cars still sat in their garages.
Each team was going for just one fast lap in the last part of sprint qualifying. In a battle of who would blink first and head out onto the track, Mercedes, with Hamilton leading, decided to go out first.
Hamilton and Russell got out first, followed by the McLaren’s and Sainz. Charles Leclerc had an issue pulling to the side of the pit lane. He managed to get going, but he didn’t have enough time to get around for a flying lap. Starting 10th.
Lewis Hamilton caught some gravel on his fast last, doing a purple sector two that was taken by Russel immediately after. Piastri took the fastest time, but Norris then went ahead with a 1:04.779.
However, Verstappen took pole with a 1:04.686 leading from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The real concern of SQ3 was Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, being unable to do a fast lap.
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