Bojan Vrbnjak
Dutchman he got today's qualifications closely this time GP of Austria, which drove tens of thousands of his compatriots into delirium, who gathered in the stands of the racetrack in Spielberg.
Verstappen won the pole position closely ahead of the first runner-up, but if many now expect this to be this Lewis Hamilton, you are sorely mistaken. Lando Norris was with his today McLarn the one who threatened the racer Red Bullthe in Sergio Pereza pushed to third place. It should also be pointed out that this time both racers are among the top ten Aston Martin.
Q1 - Kimi Raikkonen dropped out, Giovinazzi in the top ten
To the delight of the orange army of fans Max Verstappen, after less than two minutes, both racers of the team drove onto the track Haas, while the rest, especially the favorites, still stayed in their garages. Nikita mazepin he also set the first time of the round 1: 07.106 minutes, which was soon after Mick Schumacher exceeded by almost a second.
It was only after less than five minutes that he was on the track more traffic, as almost everyone set out on the track, too Max, who welcomed his really in the heating circuit many compatriots in the stands. And while his rivals were achieving the best lap time one after another, he is Dutchman in his first attempt showed that the path to position field leads only past him, if at all.
His main rival this year Lewis Hamilton he fell behind on the first attempt two tenths seconds, the third at that point was Bottas, follow Sainz and Norris, Perez, Ricciardo in Leclerc they were already more than half a second behind Verstappn, and the ten was completed by both racers Alfa Romeo, this time Raikkonen in front of Giovinazzi. The racers started training very late AlpineF1 in Williams. But Alonso as in the good old days immediately to second place. Pri Aston Martin however, in the first attempt they still played with the middle mix and while it was Hag safe, he was Stroll at the border.
Other attempts followed in the first part, where they had to improve their time above all Or with and even more gasly, who were still outside Q2 four minutes before the end. Norris he meanwhile overtook Alonso and swung to second place. A good two minutes before the end, the traffic on the track was very congested, which caused many problems in their fast laps. We witnessed a very exciting conclusion to the first part of the qualifiers, which did not end well for five racers and these were Kimi Raikkonen, Esteban Ocon, Nicholas Latifi, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin. Curiosity: Kar 18 racers it was within a second.
Q2 - A fateful last turn for Alonso
This time he was the first to drive on the track Sergio Perez, shod in a medium rubber compound. Mexican he also set the first period of the second part of the qualifications, namely 1: 04.554 minutes and was thus three-tenths of a second faster than with the soft mixture in Q1. The Mexican returned to the pits and only then did he literally get on the track. Everyone else 14 racers went on his first quick attempt. Verstappen, Norris and Ricciardo and both Ferrari and Mercedes racers were shod in medium rubber compound.
The attempts of the favorites have begun. He threatened first Lewis Hamilton, who was faster to learn than Perez, but when he crossed the finish line Verstappen, was almost three tenths of a second faster than the British. Then, for a short time, today's celebrant took second place Hag, which he overtook Norris and then again Perez in his second attempt. He was in fifth place behind Hamilton Stroll. Of course they were both racers Aston Martin on a soft rubber compound. Gasly, Bottas, Russell and Tsunoda were finishing top ten at the moment.
Outside of it were both racers Ferrari, Alonso, Ricciardo and Giovinazzi. In fact, all candidates capable of ranking among the top ten and in Q3. Therefore, their second attempt had to be significantly better. And bad three minutes before the end all on track again. Verstappen again on the middle mix, but I didn’t like it being behind both Ferrari, which he did quickly before embarking on the second attempt. But before that, he was the first to try Alonso, but in the last turn he came across Vettel, who also had racers in front of him. The last turn once again proved fatal in chasing a sufficient distance.
And then comes the real sensation. George Russell broke through with Williams in Q3 and this with a medium mix of tires, both racers Ferrari so they dropped out. In addition to them, the qualifications ended for Ricciardo in Giovinazzi and Alonso, where his case will be with Vettel examined by the Commissioners. The German has already apologized to the Spaniard in the race car, who would do his best.
Q3 - The Orange Army celebrates its hero
He followed final part of qualifications top ten. But for the first two minutes, no one was in a hurry to get on the track. But the wait was over and both racers were the first to drive out of the garage Aston Martin. Behind them are the others, except Russella, where the mechanics had some work to do on his race car. While they both swung to first and second place Aston Martin, there was a battle for pole position in the background.
And when everyone was expecting a battle between Max and Lewis, interjected between them Lando Norris with an exceptional lap and overtook Hamilton. He was behind him Valtteri Bottas, following Sergio Perez, Pierre Gasly, Sebastian Vettel, Yuki tsunoda in Lance stroll and George Russell, who gave up his first quick attempt. After a short break, three minutes before the end, a really big final followed.
Max Verstappen he decided to avoid traffic and was the first to drive on the track. After the warm-up rounds, the hunt for the best starting point for tomorrow’s race began. He started it Dutchman, and behind him was Norris. And in the first sector, Norris was faster than Verstappn. In the end, he was young British only for four hundredths slower than the Dutchman. He took third place Perez, Hamilton only the fourth. They will stand in the third starting row Bottas and Gasly, in the fourth Tsunoda and Vettel, and in the fifth Russell and Stroll.
