Starting Grid 2019 Austrian F1 GP
Event: Austrian Grand Prix
Track: Red Bull Ring
Start time: 15:10 (local) | 14:10 GMT | 06:10 PT
Start Grid 2019 Austrian F1 GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Lap Time |
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:03.003 |
| 2 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:03.439 |
| 3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1:03.537 |
| 4 | 44 | *Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:03.262 |
| 5 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:04.099 |
| 6 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo | 1:04.166 |
| 7 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | 1:04.179 |
| 8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Red Bull | 1:04.199 |
| 9 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 0:00,000 |
| 10 | 20 | *Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:04.072 |
| 11 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas | 1:04.490 |
| 12 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Renault | 1:04.790 |
| 13 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Racing Point | 1:04.789 |
| 14 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Racing Point | 1:04.832 |
| 15 | 27 | *Nico Hülkenberg | Renault | 1:04.516 |
| 16 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 1:05.324 |
| 17 | 88 | Robert Kubica | Williams | 1:06.206 |
| 18 | 23 | *Alex Albon | Toro Rosso | 1:04.665 |
| 19 | 55 | *Carlos Sainz | McLaren | 1:13.601 |
| 20 | 63 | *George Russell | Williams | 1:05.904 |
Notes *:
- Carlos Sainz (55) McLaren to start from back of grid due to multiple power unit element changes.
- Alexander Albon (23) Toro Rosso to start from back of grid due to multiple power unit element changes.
- Magnussen (20) Haas drops five grid places for an unscheduled gearbox change.
- Hulkenberg (27) Renault drops five grid places for use of additional power unit element.
- Hamilton (44) Mercedes and Russell (63) Williams penalised three grid places for impeding another driver during qualifying.
POSSIBLE RACE STRATEGIES
The optimal strategy for the 71-lap Austrian Grand Prix is clearly a one-stopper. The quickest way will be to start on the medium for 14 to 20 laps and then take the hard to the finish. Three of the top 10 drivers on the grid are likely to do this, having set their best Q2 time on the medium.
The second-quickest strategy, which is very close in terms of pace, is to start on the soft for 12 to 16 laps before then switching to the hard.
A two-stopper is definitely slower and to be avoided unless the circumstances of the race make it inevitable. In which case, several permutations are possible using all the compounds, with a similar combined race time.
KEEP AN EYE ON
- The weather. Yesterday's qualifying session got underway with 55 degrees of track temperature and 32 degrees ambient: expect more of the same today, which will increase thermal degradation.
- The medium tyre. With this being the theoretically optimal starting tyre, both Mercedes and Red Bull's Max Verstappen ran this in Q2, and we should see many more drivers outside the top 10 beginning the race on it tomorrow.
- Grid penalties. Several drivers have been affected by grid penalties here, which means that they will be starting out of their usual positions and also promoting others further up the grid.
- Traffic: this has already had an effect on the race weekend, with drivers such as Daniil Kvyat missing out on Q2 after avoiding traffic on their flying laps.
- Wind direction. This caused a few accidents yesterday and is something that the drivers need to keep a close an eye on.
- Alfa Romeo. With both cars in the top 10, the Swiss-based squad has a good chance of an excellent result tomorrow.
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