Qualifying Report - First ever

By Dan Knutson

Max Verstappen clocked the fastest time in qualifying for the Styrian Grand Prix. For the first time ever in his Formula 1 career he has earned three pole positions in a single season.

"It has been a very good weekend," he said. "I am super happy."

The line-up for the weekend was: Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; Red Bull Honda – Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez; McLaren Mercedes – Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo; Aston Martin Mercedes – Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel; Alpine Renault – Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon; Ferrari – Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz; AlphaTauri Honda – Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly; Alfa Romeo Ferrari – Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi; Haas Ferrari – Nakita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher; Williams Mercedes – George Russell and Nicolas Latifi.

Fastest in FP3 was Hamilton with a time of 1:04.369. Verstappen was second at 1:04.573.

QUALIFYING 1

Bottas would get a three-place grid penalty for spinning while exiting his pit box during Saturday afternoon's practice.

Schumacher, Latifi and Mazepin were the first out on track.

The ambient temperature at the start of the 18 minute session was 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Centigrade) and the track temperature was 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Centigrade).

Verstappen set the early pace with a 1:04.489. Bottas slotted into second ahead of Norris, Hamilton and Leclerc.

When there were three minutes remaining in Q1, Ricciardo was 15th and on the cutoff line. Ocon was 14th and Giovinazzi was 16th.

Just about all the drivers were in the pits preparing for a final run in the session. The top four stayed in their garages and the other 16 headed out.

The five drivers who were eliminated at the end of Q1 were: Latifi, Ocon, Raikkonen, Schumacher and Mazepin.

The fastest 15 drivers who moved on to Q2 were: Verstappen, Bottas, Norris, Tsunoda, Perez, Hamilton, Leclerc, Gasly, Stroll, Sainz, Alonso, Russell, Vettel, Giovinazzi and Ricciardo.

QUALIFYING 2

The top 10 qualifiers would start the race using the same compound tires they used to clock their fastest lap time in Q2. So some of the quicker drivers could take a safe chance of running the medium compound Pirelli slicks in this session.

Bottas and Giovinazzi were the first out in the 15-minute session. Russell joined them.

Bottas clocked a 1:04.724 on the medium tires. Verstappen and Hamilton were also on the mediums, but Perez was on the softs.

Verstappen took the lead with his 1:04.540, ahead of Perez, Bottas, Russell and Hamilton. Vettel did another run and improved to 1:04.433, but Gasly beat that at 1:04.429 on the soft compound slicks.

Tenth and on the bubble with five minutes to go was Sainz, and Bottas was ninth while Leclerc was 11th. Hamilton was down in sixth.

Hamilton was the first out in the final three minutes. He only improved to fifth. And now everybody but Gasly was on track.

Perez, on the softs, took the lead ahead of Norris, Gasly, Verstappen, Bottas, Hamilton, Alonso, Tsunoda, Leclerc and Stroll.

The five drivers who were eliminated at the end of Q2 were: Russell, Sainz, Ricciardo, Vettel and Giovinazzi.

QUALIFYING 3

Q3 lasted 12 minutes.

Hamilton got things rolling. He clocked a 1:04.205.

Things got busy with eight minutes remaining with all the drivers bar Hamilton and Stroll on track.

Verstappen took the provisional pole with his 1:03.841. Hamilton was second ahead of Norris, Bottas, Perez and Gasly.

With three minutes to go all the drivers except Stroll were in the pits. And so it came down to the final two minutes.

The top 10 qualifiers were: Verstappen, Bottas, Hamilton, Norris, Perez, Gasly, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Alonso and Stroll.