Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race, securing pole position ahead of a strong McLaren pairing. The reigning Formula One world champion thrilled the home crowd at the Red Bull Ring with a blistering lap time of 1 minute 04.686 seconds. His closest challenger, Lando Norris of McLaren, trailed by a mere 0.093 seconds.
Verstappen expressed his delight at the achievement, stating, “It’s great to be first here in front of, basically, my home fans and my home Grand Prix. It’s been a good day so far.” The Dutch driver’s massive fanbase, known for their vibrant orange attire, created a lively atmosphere at the circuit, adding to the excitement of the qualifying session.
Joining Piastri on the second row was Mercedes’ George Russell, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes shared the third row. Mexican driver Sergio Perez secured seventh place, followed by Alpine duo Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc encountered difficulties in the final phase of qualifying and failed to set a time, resulting in a disappointing tenth-place start.
