In Austria the second of six sprint weekends of this year. Today's qualifying decided the starting grid on Sunday, while tomorrow we will see a separate Saturday (weekend times). Max snatches pole position Verstappen, but there's a surprise behind it. Leclerc and Sainz follow him, a sign that the red's updates are proving effective.
Q1 starts and there is an immediate red flag in Austria
In the very busy Red Bull ring the first twist provokes it Bottas. The FinnishAlfa Romeo he spun in turn one and then got stuck at the side of the track. After the red flag came out, Bottas he managed to leave again to return to the pits. Ferrari and Mercedes debuted with soft tires used in FP1, the aim: to have an advantage in the final phase of the session.
Perez struggles: a "wasted" set to get back on top
Not a bad start Ferrari in the first qualifying round. THE new updates they seem to have taken the SF-23 one step further after the Canadian Grand Prix. However, Leclerc doesn't seem to find the feeling straight away: the Monegasque struggles a lot in turn 1, where he loses precious cents. Situation on the edge between Piastri and Alonso: The Spaniard had to avoid the Australian's McLaren coming out of the last corner.
Perez's start to the weekend doesn't look positive. The number 11 had to mount an extra set of new soft tires to keep up with his teammate, from whom he had a gargantuan gap before the pit. De Vries' AlphaTauri are excluded from Q1 (last) and Tsunoda (sixteenth); Zhou (17th), with behind Sargeant and Magnussen. Remarkable as usual is Albon, who passes the cut in ninth place.
Austria's track limits party screws a Red Bull
Verstappen makes his debut with a great time, but the Dutchman takes track limits at the last corner and sees his time cancelled. Leclerc is still struggling, losing a lot in the first sector. With his first half Leclerc placed himself in seventh position. As it is known, Spielberg is the fair of track limits: Perez and Stroll's times at the start of Q2 have also been eliminated.
Carlos Sainz is significantly more comfortable. The Spaniard closes a lap eighty-five thousandths behind Verstappen. In the second attempt Leclerc takes the fourth time, also thanks to the Alonso's lap was canceled and he slipped to ninth, risking elimination. Also Perez and Russell come punish yourself by the commissioners: the Mexican slips last its English penultimate. Resounding Perez, who after moving up to second once again saw his time cancelled, finishing last. Excluding Russell, Ocon, Bottas, Piastri and Perez.
Thrilling final: Leclerc 48 thousandths from Verstappen's pole
Leclerc starts well, placing himself two tenths behind Verstappen with a great first sector. Mercedes continues to struggle and Hamilton proves it. the seven-time world champion concluded the first attempt with the fifth fastest time, five and a half tenths behind Verstappen. Beautiful ending where Leclerc misses pole by 48 thousandths. Behind Verstappen and Leclerc there is Sainz. A great Ferrari on Spielberg's Saturday. Fourth was a very fast Norris, featuring a new Aston Martin-style McLaren. Fifth Hamilton, with the Astons behind Stroll and Alonso. Haas was eighth Hulkenberg, with behind Gasly and Albon. The conditions for Sunday are exciting.
