Qualifying Results & Report 2024 Austrian F1 GP
Event: Austrian F1 GP
Track: Red Bull Ring
Max Verstappen driving the Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during qualifying ahead of the 2024 F1 Grand Prix of Austria
Weather: dry 31.3°C
Tarmac: dry 46.4°C
Humidity: 37%
Wind: 6.8 km/h South
Max Verstappen scored his 40th F1 pole position today. The Red Bull driver will start from P1 at Sunday's 2024 Austrian F1 Grand Prix for the 5th time on the Red Bull Ring. It was the eighth pole of the season for the Dutch driver and the 104th pole for the Red Bull Racing team.
Austrian Grand Prix 2024 Qualifying Report
Round 11 of the 2024 Formula 1 season brought us to the picturesque Red Bull Ring in Austria, a circuit that has become synonymous with Max Verstappen's dominance. Let's break down the thrilling qualifying session into its three crucial segments: Q1, Q2, and Q3.
Q1: Early Drama and Surprises
The first qualifying session saw all 20 drivers taking to the track, eager to secure a spot in Q2. The Red Bull of Max Verstappen was the first to set a benchmark with a 1m 06.054s lap. His teammate Sergio Perez initially followed closely, but it was the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz who set the early pace with a 1m 05.745s on new soft tires, narrowly edging out Verstappen.
As the session progressed, both Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, showcased their potential with Russell setting a particularly impressive time to go top momentarily. However, it was Charles Leclerc who ended Q1 as the fastest man with a 1m 05.901s lap, just 0.009s ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren.
The real drama unfolded towards the end of the session. The Aston Martins struggled significantly, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso failing to make an impact. Ultimately, Stroll, both Williams drivers (Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant), and the Alfa Romeos (Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu) were eliminated, leaving them on the back foot for Sunday's race.
Q2: The Battle Intensifies
Q2 started with fewer cars on the track as teams became more strategic. Verstappen immediately laid down a marker with a blistering lap, nearly a second faster than Leclerc. Mercedes continued their strong showing, with Russell and Hamilton securing their spots in the top five early on.
However, the session wasn't without its challenges. Carlos Sainz reported significant bouncing, a worrying sign for Ferrari, while Fernando Alonso had a near-miss incident at Turns 7 and 10, barely avoiding a crash. The intense fight for the top 10 saw the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, and Alonso falling short, ending their qualifying efforts prematurely.
Oscar Piastri and Nico Hulkenberg were among those who made it into the final shootout, with the latter's pit lane incident being noted for investigation. Meanwhile, Esteban Ocon narrowly secured his place in Q3, keeping Alpine's hopes alive.
Q3: Verstappen’s Dominance Continues
The final session was all about the top 10 shootout. Max Verstappen wasted no time, setting an impressive 1m 04.426s on his first flying lap, with Lando Norris emerging as his closest rival. The tension was palpable as the clock ticked down, and drivers geared up for their final runs.
As the cars wound up for their last flying efforts, Verstappen improved his time to a 1m 04.314s, effectively sealing pole position. Lando Norris put in a valiant effort but fell short by four-tenths, securing P2. George Russell, capitalizing on a deleted lap time for Oscar Piastri due to track limits, claimed P3 – his best-ever qualifying result at the Red Bull Ring.
Charles Leclerc's session ended dramatically as he went off track, ruining his final lap and settling for P6. Piastri, despite his pace, had to be content with P7 due to the deleted time. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez managed P8, a significant improvement after recent struggles.
The quickest sector times during this qualifying session were:
- Sector 1: 16.251 sec by Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB20).
- Sector 2: 28784 sec. by Lando Norris (McLaren MLC38).
- Sector 3: 19.269 sec by Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB20).
Final Thoughts
Max Verstappen's fifth consecutive pole position at the Red Bull Ring underscores his mastery of this circuit. Red Bull's home race is set up perfectly with their star driver leading the pack. Lando Norris and George Russell will be eager to challenge him in tomorrow's race, promising an exciting Austrian Grand Prix.
Join us tomorrow for what promises to be a thrilling race, with lights out at 1500 local time. Stay tuned for all the build-up and live coverage from the Red Bull Ring.
Last year Verstappen also scored pole for Red Bull for the Austrian GP, he then did it with a 1:04.39184 min.
Quali Times 2024 Austrian GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:05.336 | 1:04.469 | 1:04.314 | 18 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:05.450 | 1:05.103 | 1:04.718 | 20 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:05.585 | 1:05.016 | 1:04.840 | 18 |
| 4 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:05.263 | 1:05.016 | 1:04.851 | 18 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:05.541 | 1:05.053 | 1:04.903 | 18 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:05.509 | 1:05.104 | 1:05.044 | 22 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:05.311 | 1:05.070 | 1:05.048 | 17 |
| 8 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull | 1:05.587 | 1:05.144 | 1:05.202 | 21 |
| 9 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas | 1:05.596 | 1:05.262 | 1:05.385 | 21 |
| 10 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 1:05.574 | 1:05.274 | 1:05.883 | 24 |
| 11 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Racing Bulls | 1:05.569 | 1:05.289 | 15 | |
| 12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 1:05.508 | 1:05.347 | 15 | |
| 13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:05.598 | 1:05.359 | 18 | |
| 14 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:05.563 | 1:05.412 | 15 | |
| 15 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:05.656 | 1:05.639 | 15 | |
| 16 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:05.736 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:05.819 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | 1:05.847 | 9 | ||
| 19 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | 1:05.856 | 9 | ||
| 20 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | 1:06.061 | 9 |
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Oscar's error means McLaren's strategic options against Max are comparatively more limited, not that they'd realistically make much difference either way.
At the current rate, Checo might even get lapped in the race.
I certainly hope that Fernando is looking at his options to drive elsewhere in 2025. His talent and experience is going to waste.
Aston Martin had a flash in the pan, but has settled into a third-tier groove, and it seems they are there to stay.
Knuckles will be there until the roof falls in, or Daddy sells the place. Yawn.
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