Austrian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen crashes as Russell snatches dramatic pole

George Russell clinched pole in a chaotic conclusion to Austrian Grand Prix qualifying, which featured Max Verstappen in the wall.

A thrilling Q3 battle for pole erupted, but Verstappen‘s quest ended in the Turn 9 barriers, the Red Bull driver thankfully unhurt. Russell pounced, amid yellow flag uncertainty, to put his Mercedes on pole at the Red Bull Ring ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

George Russell takes dramatic Austrian GP pole

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Russell usurped Antonelli at the top by the end of practice. But, with Antonelli having failed to improve with his late FP3 lap on fresh softs, there remained a question mark over the true pecking orders of the Mercedes, going into qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton was lurking by the end of FP3, a tenth off the ultimate pace, as he looked to build on his Barcelona win, and strengthen his title push.

Tyre management across each run was going to be critical in the baking hot Red Bull Ring conditions.

As the Q1 light went green, both Cadillacs needed a helping hand from their mechanics to make it out of the pit lane. It was a tight squeeze for F1’s new, 11th team.

Russell’s 1:07.8 was the early benchmark to chase.

One by one, that time was eclipsed. Lando Norris was P1 as Antonelli readied his opening run.

P1 for Antonelli by just under 0.18s from Norris. Hamilton was third and Max Verstappen fourth with the first Q1 shots fired.

As the top seven boxed, Russell went again. He remained eighth, half a second off Antonelli, suffering with “four wheel sliding.”

Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz needed a better time to make Q2.

Sainz drifted his way out of the final corner to a provisional P14. The chequered flag soon appeared.

Stroll and Alonso were out, joined by Bottas, Perez, Alex Albon and Sainz. A disappointing double Q1 elimination for Williams.

Norris was first to post a time in Q2, delivering a 1:07.321 on used softs. Verstappen went just over a tenth clear of that, also on used softs, as Isack Hadjar slotted into second.

With the power of new softs, Leclerc’s 1:07.030 sent him P1, Hamilton getting within a hundredth of that 1:07.030.

Antonelli also had new softs and cleared Leclerc by a quarter of a second, taking us into the 1:06s. Piastri followed, slotting into P2, 0.127s back.

Russell went far too deep into Turn 3 and was left P16 and last, without a time on the board. The pressure was on.

“George, just drive,” came the clear message from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to Russell, now on an out-lap. The pep talk worked.

Russell popped up to fourth, and was looking good to make Q3.

The Ferraris had also returned to the track, as Hamilton and Leclerc swapped places. Hamilton was now P5. Verstappen had not returned, and the times were improving.

Verstappen survived by just 0.04s to make Q3. That was a little too close for comfort. But, it did mean that Verstappen now had two sets of new softs.

Franco Colapinto, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly were out.

Now, it was the all-important Q3 battle for Austrian Grand Prix pole. Antonelli was looking to seal the deal.

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Norris again set the time to chase. It was a 1:06.900.

Verstappen smashed that by almost half a second! A 1:06.475, the fastest lap of the race weekend so far.

But, Antonelli had the answer. By six hundredths, Antonelli was on provisional pole, Russell slotted into second. The top three was covered by 0.061s.

Hamilton went wide at Turn 3, and much to his surprise, was told that he could not go for another attempt on that set of soft tyres.

Hamilton kicked-off the final Q3 runs. Provisional pole! Then Leclerc provisional pole!

Verstappen was in the wall! Chaos at the Red Bull Ring.

Verstappen lost the rear of his Red Bull out of Turn 9, and was sent spinning into the barriers. Verstappen, thankfully, was unhurt in the crash.

This opened the door for Russell to clinch pole, just as the yellow flags came out, calling off all other challengers.

That sparked controversy over whether Russell had obeyed the yellow flags, and whether it was a single, or double yellow. A ‘no further action’ FIA message suggested that Russell, and his pole, were in the clear.

Q3 results

1 George Russell Mercedes 1:06.113
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.236
3 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.295
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.301
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.362
6 Lando Norris McLaren +0.389
7 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.398
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +0.519
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.842
10 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +0.894

Q2 results

1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:06.763
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.127
3 Lando Norris McLaren +0.134
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.216
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.231
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.267
7 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +0.323
8 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.373
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +0.392
10 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.420
—
11 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.460
12 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +0.530
13 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +0.760
14 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +0.848
15 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +1.054
16 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.408

Q1 results

1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:07.083
2 Lando Norris McLaren +0.176
3 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.207
4 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.302
5 George Russell Mercedes +0.315
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.324
7 Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing +0.325
8 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.404
9 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.460
10 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +0.466
11 Franco Colapinto Alpine +0.811
12 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +0.952
13 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.955
14 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +0.978
15 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +0.983
16 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +1.148
—
17 Carlos Sainz Williams +1.169
18 Alexander Albon Williams +1.426
19 Sergio Perez Cadillac +1.862
20 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac +1.947
21 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +2.859
22 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +3.280

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