Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021 LIVE: Max Verstappen takes lead after 66th lap, Valtteri Bottas second- The final race of the ongoing Grand Prix in Austria is underway.
Max Verstappen took pole position at the Red Bull Ring for the second weekend in a row as he fended off a shock threat from Lando Norris to take top spot on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s Verstappen led the way throughout qualifying, topping the opening two segments to head into Q3 as favourite for P1 – and he set a competitive benchmark, 0.2s quicker than Norris.
The Dutchman failed to improve on his second run, setting up a tense finale as Norris behind him was going quicker. In the end, he missed out on a shock maiden pole by just 0.048s, giving Verstappen his third consecutive P1 start and bringing his tally to four for 2021.
Norris will start P2 for the first time in his career, as he gave McLaren their first front row start since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, when Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button took first and second for the team.
Sergio Perez improved to leap up into third in the second Red Bull, which relegated Mercedes to the unusual positions of fourth and fifth respectively, with neither Hamilton nor Valtteri Bottas able to make any impact on the Red Bulls’ – and Norris’ – consistently good pace.
Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021: Max Verstappen to take pole position on race day, Lewis Hamilton to start 4th
Qualifying results
| POSITION | TIME |
|---|---|
| 1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing | 1:03.720 |
| 2 Lando NORRIS McLaren | 1:03.768 |
| 3 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing | 1:03.990 |
| 4 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes | 1:04.014 |
| 5 Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes | 1:04.049 |
Fourth is Hamilton’s worst performance in Q3 at the Red Bull Ring since 2014, while it is the first time Mercedes missed out on a top three spot with either car in dry conditions since the 2017 Singapore Grand Prix.
Pierre Gasly continued his immense qualifying form with sixth – his seventh top six start this season and fifth in a row, with his AlphaTauri team mate Yuki Tsunoda tying his best-ever qualifying performance with seventh.
Birthday boy Sebastian Vettel – 34 today – was the leading Aston Martin in eighth, however he could be in line for a grid penalty after baulking Fernando Alonso earlier in qualifying.
And it was a sensational day for George Russell as the Briton not only made it into Q3 for the first time in a Williams but he did so on the medium tyre, putting him in a strong position strategically for Sunday’s race.
Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021: Max Verstappen tops final practice session- Max Verstappen was back on top in the final practice session before qualifying in Austria, setting the fastest time that was over half a second quicker than Valtteri Bottas and his newly re-signed Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021: World Champion Lewis Hamilton bounces back with fastest time in FP2; Verstappen in third- World champion Lewis Hamilton bounced back from a poor morning session to set the fastest time in second practice for the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg on Friday. Hamilton clocked the quickest time of 1min 04.523sec which was 0.189sec up on his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas with championship leader Max Verstappen in third 0.217sec back.
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Where is the Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021?
In the double-header in Austria, the Red Bull Ring will host the Austrian GP. The track which was built in 1970 is a 4.3km track with 71 laps for the race. The relatively shorter track offers some excellent overtaking and fast-paced race. Carlos Sainz holds the lap record with a timing of 1:05:619 which he set for McLaren in 2020.
How is the circuit like?
It’s only wee, bless it, but the Red Bull Ring packs a lot into a short lap. The first half rewards power, as the cars blast along three straights separated by a pair of uphill right-handers. But then as the drivers work their way downhill, the circuit becomes a regular toboggan ride, as the cars canyon through a series of quick corners, including the exhilarating Rindt right-hander, named for Austria’s first F1 champion.
When was its first Grand Prix?
The A1-Ring, as it was then called, was opened in 1996, with Formula 1 arriving at the circuit a year later. Jacques Villeneuve won the race, while Jean Alesi had a spectacular crash when his Benetton climbed up the Ferrari of Eddie Irvine. Alesi’s teammate Gerhard Berger, meanwhile, used his home Grand Prix to announce his F1 retirement.
When is Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021?
The second race in a row at the Red Bull Ring will be held from July 2 to July 4.
Practice 1: July 2, 3-4 PM IST
Practice 2: July 2, 6:30-7:30 PM IST
Practice 3: July 3, 3:30-4:30 PM IST
Qualifying: July 3, 6:30-7:30 PM IST
Race: July 4, 6:30-8:30 PM IST
Where can I watch Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021?
Formula 1 Austrian GP 2021 will be live broadcast on Star Sports Select and Select HD. You can also live stream it on their OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar.
Drivers’ World Championship standings:
| POS | DRIVER | NATIONALITY | CAR | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NED | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 156 | |
| 2 | GBR | MERCEDES | 138 | |
| 3 | MEX | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 96 | |
| 4 | GBR | MCLAREN MERCEDES | 86 | |
| 5 | FIN | MERCEDES | 74 |
Constructors’ World Championship standings:
| POS | TEAM | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 252 |
| 2 | MERCEDES | 212 |
| 3 | MCLAREN MERCEDES | 120 |
| 4 | FERRARI | 108 |
| 5 | ALPHATAURI HONDA | 46 |
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