Untouchable Max Verstappen takes dominant Austrian GP pole
Max Verstappen could not be toppled as he made it two poles in as many days in𒐪 Austria.
Max Verstappen was in a league of his own in qualifying as he stormed to a dominant pole position for the F1 Austrian Grand Prix.
The Red B🍬ull driver produced a 1m04.314s to end up 0.404s faster than McLaren’s Lando Norris, while George Russell took third in his Mercedes, half a second off the pace.
Verstappen was on pole at the first seven races of the season but today’s effort was the first time he has topped regular qualifyin🍸g in four rounds. It also marks the Dutchman’s seventh consecutive pole at the Red Bull Ring.
"The qualifying went really well," Ve🌺rstappen said after claiming his 40th F1 pole. "We tried t𒐪o adjust the car a little bit after the things that we learnt this morning, I think it worked well.
"Of course, the track is a bit warmer than yesterday so it made it trickier to drive, but the car felt a lot better for me today. I could really attack t๊he corners a𒊎 bit more, every run was on point and it was very enjoyable out there.
"It h♓as been a while that we have actually been on pole [for a Grand Prix] so it's great. It's a great feeling. The team has ꦅbeen working really hard to make the car more competitive and I think this is a great statement.
♔"Hopefully we can of course also show that tomorrow in the race."
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth-fastest ahead of the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, who saw his b🐲est time deleted for track limits after he ran wide at the final corner.
Oscar Pias🍬tri was another who fell foul of track limits as the McLaren driver ran wide at Turn 6 and saw his best lap deleted, leaving him seventh.
Sergio Perez could only qualify eighth 🔯as he ended up 0.888s slower than Red Bull teammate Verstappen.
Nico Hulkenberg and Esteba𝓰n Ocon completed the rest of the 💖top 10 for Haas and Alpine respectively.
RB’s Daniel Ricciardo ๊will line up from 11th o🐻n the grid after narrowly missing out on a place in Q3.
Kevin Magnussen took 12th for Haas, ahead of Alpine’s Pieꦐrre Gasly, the second RB of Yuki Tsunoda and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who was only 15th-fastest after a scrappy session.
Alex Albon had a stronger showing in Saturday’s regular qualifying but could not quite make it into Q2, taking 16th in his Williams, ahead🏅 of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
Valtteri Bottas was 18th, with Logan Sargeant’s Williams in-between the Sauber pair as Zhou Guanyu ended up slowest of all for the second🌞 day running.
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