2023-06-30 16:59:33
Untouchable, the leader of the Formula 1 world championship Max Verstappen (Red Bull) signed a sixth pole position out of nine possible this season, beating Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) by nothing on Friday at Spielberg before the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday .
Only 48/1000th of a second separate them, but the order remains the same: Verstappen, double reigning champion, is ahead of Leclerc, vice-champion 2022. The Dutchman pockets the 26th pole position of his career. The sixth this season and the fourth in a row.
Already in search of a seventh victory in 2023, the Dutchman is 69 points ahead of Sergio Pérez, his teammate at Red Bull, the only other driver to have won this season (Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan).
“Very happy to be on pole position but there is still a lot to do this weekend,” said Verstappen referring to the two races the drivers will have to run in Austria.
Max Verstappen’s Red Bull during qualifying for the Austrian GP, June 30, 2023 in Spielberg
POOL/AFP
For the second time this year following Baku, a sprint race will take place on Saturday before the Grand Prix on Sunday (there will be six in total this season). If the qualifications on Friday defined the starting grid for Sunday (3:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. GMT), a proper qualification will take place on Saturday noon for the sprint, which will start at 4:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. GMT) for half an hour of racing.
Behind the reigning Dutch double world champion and the 2022 Monegasque vice-champion, Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) and Lando Norris (McLaren) will start on the second row at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.
“Very close to Max, not close enough, but we didn’t really expect to be so close to Red Bull,” Leclerc summed up following his lap.
The Mercedes of Briton Lewis Hamilton during qualifying for the Austrian GP, June 30, 2023 in Spielberg
POOL/AFP
If Ferrari boss Frédéric Vasseur “always has regrets when you finish five hundredths from pole”, the Frenchman estimated on Canal + that the Scuderia was “in the right direction” following this session ended in 2nd and 3rd places. Its drivers will be aiming for a first victory in a year… right here in Austria with Leclerc.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) will start in 5th place, followed by the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, 3rd in the championship. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Alexander Albon (Williams) complete the top 10 on the grid.
Pérez only 15th
Mexican Sergio Pérez’s Red Bull during qualifying for the Austrian GP, June 30, 2023 in Spielberg
AFP
Winner of the last four races to date, “Mad Max” is all the more favorite that he is here at home. On the Red Bull circuit, in front of his “Orange Army” supporters who always come in large numbers, he has already won four times (three Austrian GPs and one Styrian GP).
To achieve a double at home, the Austrian team will however have more difficulty. Blame Pérez. The Mexican is no longer there: for the fourth time in a row, he fails to qualify in Q3, the last part of qualifying.
This time it’s because of his misreading of the track. His time was indeed canceled because his single-seater went out of the limits of the track. He will start 15th.
“The single-seaters are heavy and wide, judging a thick line like that is very difficult”, defended his teammate Verstappen, who also flirted with the limit while remaining in the nails.
The Ferrari of Monegasque Charles Leclerc during qualifying for the Austrian GP, June 30, 2023 in Spielberg
AFP
Like Pérez, Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Finn Valtteri Bottas (ALfa Romeo) saw their times canceled in Q2. They will start 12th, 13th and 14th.
On this fairly short circuit (4.318 km), with very small gaps, the Englishman George Russell (Mercedes) did not have the level and only took the 11th time, far from his teammate Hamilton.
The session was interrupted only once by a red flag, following a spin suffered by Bottas in Q1. Without consequence for the Finn.
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