S Poddar
Max Verstappen kicked off the Austrian Grand Prix weekend with an impressive performance, securing pole position for the sprint race at the Red Bull Ring. The Red Bull driver showcased his dominance in Spielberg, edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who took second and third respectively. George Russell of Mercedes finished fourth, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton came in sixth.
The sprint qualifying saw drivers complete just one lap in Q3, making every moment crucial. Verstappen, fastest in the first two sessions, maintained his lead despite strong competition. Russell initially set the pace, but Norris quickly surpassed him before Verstappen clinched the top spot with a lap time of 1:04.686, securing his eighth sprint pole.
Ferrari faced challenges with Charles Leclerc experiencing an engine issue that prevented him from completing a final hot lap, resulting in a 10th place finish. His teammate Carlos Sainz finished fifth. Sergio Pérez took seventh for Red Bull, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly in eighth and ninth.
Haas’s Kevin Magnussen secured 11th place, followed by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso in 12th and 13th. Yuki Tsunoda placed 14th for AlphaTauri, and Logan Sargeant took 15th for Williams. Other notable positions included Daniel Ricciardo in 16th for AlphaTauri, Nico Hülkenberg in 17th for Haas, and Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou in 18th and 20th for Alfa Romeo. Alex Albon finished 19th for Williams.
Verstappen currently leads the championship by 69 points ahead of Norris, with 13 races remaining after Austria. Saturday’s 24-lap sprint race marks the third of the season, following events in China and Miami, with three more scheduled later in the year.
In Austria, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner addressed tensions with Verstappen’s father, Jos. Jos Verstappen claimed Horner had attempted to prevent him from driving the 2012 Red Bull F1 car in the Legends Parade at the Red Bull Ring. Jos accused Horner of being immature, expressing his frustration openly.
Horner refuted the veto claim and expressed his irritation over the ongoing dispute overshadowing the team’s performance. He stated, “I’ve never had issues with drivers’ fathers before. Jos’s concerns are not something I wish to comment on.” The relationship between Horner and Verstappen Sr., who has been integral to his son’s career, has deteriorated significantly. After Horner was accused (and later cleared) of inappropriate behavior, Jos Verstappen declared Horner’s role as team principal untenable, fearing it would harm team dynamics.
Horner concluded, “Managing relationships with drivers’ fathers is beyond my control. It’s not productive to continue discussing Jos’s grievances.”
