Formula 1 | Verstappen dominates Qualif Sprint, debacle for Mercedes F1

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Pérez is second ahead of Norris and Hülkenberg

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After qualifying dominated by Max Verstappen yesterday, the drivers begin this second day of the Austrian F1 Grand Prix with the Sprint Shootout. This is the qualification for the Sprint, which will take place at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The format is the same as the classic qualifiers, with three qualifying rounds lasting 12 mins, 10 mins and 8 mins. In addition, the tire allocation is determined with a single set of new medium tires for SQ1 and SQ2, and a set of soft tires in SQ3, new or not.

This rule changed after Baku, where a driver did not run after using too many sets of tires, and having no more new ones for the SQ3.

The gaps were tight yesterday, and one wonders if Ferrari, second force in qualifying, can claim pole position for the Sprint. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will want it, as will Lewis Hamilton, fifth yesterday. Lando Norris, fourth in qualifying, could also create a surprise.

It rained all night and into the early morning, and the track was still wet by the time the light turned green at the end of the pit lane.

SQ1 – 12 minutes

The drivers start with the tires they want, since the track is declared wet and the allocation rule no longer applies. Some take the opportunity to try soft tyres, while no one has taken the intermediate tyres, the trajectory being dry.

Max Verstappen took the lead on his first lap despite using medium tires, in 1’08″646. Carlos Sainz complained of a break-by-wire problem and returned to his pit.

Guanyu Zhou spun and complained about tires not being ready. It should be noted that the times changed very quickly, since Oscar Piastri briefly took the lead, before Norris took the lead, in 1’07″755. Fernando Alonso took second place, and Yuki Tsunoda third.

The track was changing very quickly, and like yesterday, lap times were cancelled. This was the case for Logan Sargeant, who fell to 19th place, just ahead of Sainz who still hadn’t set a time. Alex Albon took the lead in 1:07.506.

Sergio Pérez, eliminated in Q2 yesterday, took the best time on the softs with a 1’07″085, while Verstappen moved up to second place 0″129 behind his teammate, still on the mediums. Sargeant set the third fastest time, and Norris the fifth!

Nico Hülkenberg took second position and Kevin Magnussen fourth, while Sainz came out of his pit! Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap in 1’06″624, with Alonso second and Tsunoda third.

Piastri moved up to fifth as an investigation was opened against Charles Leclerc for hampering him on a fast lap. The Monegasque moved up to 16th place only! An incomprehensible situation at Ferrari after the very good performance the day before.

Albon set the third fastest lap, while Leclerc set a second consecutive fast lap, no longer having time for a cooling lap. Russell took second time, Esteban Ocon fourth, and Leclerc eighth.

Hülkenberg moved up to second place and Valtteri Bottas was only 15th fastest. De Vries moved up to fourth, and Sainz immediately set the fastest time in 1’06″187!

Guanyu Zhou signed the 14th time and thus eliminated Bottas. Lance Stroll moved up to fourth place, and Hamilton failed to make another lap! Her 19th time was eliminatory, while Pérez and Leclerc, 14th and 15th, narrowly escaped her. Sargeant’s time has been cancelled.

The eliminated were Zhou, Piatri, Hamilton, Bottas and Sargeant.

SQ2 – 10 minutes

Leclerc will have to do better in SQ2, after saving himself for only a thousandth in SQ1. On the side of Pérez, the specter of a new elimination in the second part of qualifying weighs again, after his 14th position in SQ1.

The times fell quickly with a best lap from Verstappen in 1’05″624. Norris took the second provisional time ahead of Ocon and the Haas drivers. Pérez only set the fifth fastest time, between Magnussen and Hülkenberg, while Leclerc provisionally placed seventh, Alonso grabbed second time.

Albon placed eighth, and Stroll fourth. Sainz made his first fast lap and moved into second two tenths behind Verstappen. For Leclerc, it was only the provisional ninth place.

This Sprint Shootout turned into a disaster for Mercedes since Russell’s W14 was dismantled in the garage, with a hydraulic problem on the steering column. It was over for the Briton, and no Mercedes was going to reach the SQ3.

Pérez moved up to second, Hülkenberg to eighth, while Tsunoda also improved. This temporarily eliminated Leclerc, less than 3 minutes from the end of this SQ2.

Magnussen set a very surprising second time, before Ocon took the lead in 1’05.604 two minutes from the end of this part of the session. This threatened virtually all the drivers of elimination, while de Vries saw his best time cancelled.

Leclerc set off again to attack the clock, but the Monegasque could not get into the rhythm. While Sainz took the lead in 1’05″434, Leclerc only signed the 12th time. Verstappen saw one of his times canceled, but he remained third.

Leclerc made another quick lap and set the fourth fastest time, again in extremis. Norris placed fifth just behind him. Verstappen took the best time in 1’05″371, and Stroll the ninth fastest time. Tsunoda was no better than 12th, and Albon no better than 11th. Gasly set the 12th fastest time.

The eliminated were Albon, Gasly, Tsunoda, de Vries and Russell.

SQ3 – 8 minutes

Hülkenberg is under investigation for an unsafe release, after a strange incident. The German rolled over on one wheel, and his car took off with two wheels. Verstappen was the first at the end of the pit lane and his car smoked slightly, but he had no problem getting on the track.

The Dutchman posted a 1’04″613, while Pérez was second, 4 tenths behind his teammate. Ocon was provisionally third, and Norris came second between the Red Bulls.

Sainz was surprisingly on medium tyres, certainly because of his set of new soft tires used yesterday in qualifying, and he was only fourth. Alonso placed fifth, and Stroll seventh.

Hülkenberg was in medium rubber too, and he placed fifth. Magnussen only set the eighth fastest time, while Leclerc made his first fast lap in this SQ3 and took fifth position.

Norris did not improve and remained second with about thirty seconds remaining in qualifying. Alonso improved but was only fifth fastest. Ocon was seventh and Stroll, on medium tyres, took the Frenchman’s place a few seconds later.

Hülkenberg set the fourth fastest time, and Verstappen improved to 1:04.440. Sainz moved up to fifth, and Pérez took second from Norris. Leclerc moved up to sixth.

Verstappen and Pérez will therefore be on the front row for the Sprint F1 this afternoon, ahead of a very surprising second row, made up of Norris and Hülkenberg. The Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc will be in third row ahead of the Aston Martins of Alonso and Stroll. Ocon and Magnussen will complete the top 10.