Austrian GP Qualifying: Norris Secures Pole as Hamilton Edges Out Verstappen in Dramatic R… read more
The qualifying session for the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix delivered intense drama and unexpected twists as Lando Norris stormed to pole position in dominant fashion for McLaren. The Briton, who has been in fine form this season, set a blistering lap time of 1:03.971, comfortably ahead of the rest of the pack. His performance ensured that McLaren retained its stronghold on qualifying, especially after a small mistake by teammate Oscar Piastri cost the Australian a shot at pole.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured a front-row start, finishing just over half a second behind Norris (+0.521s), with Piastri settling for third. Lewis Hamilton put in a solid performance to place fourth for Ferrari, narrowly ahead of fellow Brit George Russell in fifth, representing Mercedes. Despite high expectations, Max Verstappen struggled to deliver a standout performance for Red Bull, ending up seventh – even behind Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson.
The session itself wasn’t short of disruptions. Proceedings were delayed due to an earlier F2 sprint race incident that brought out the red flag. A high-impact crash caused a significant pause as marshals cleared the circuit, delaying the start of the F1 qualifying session. Later in Q2, another red flag was brought out – this time not due to a crash, but because of a fire on the grass verge near the track, which added further suspense and tension to the already chaotic day.
Yuki Tsunoda’s season of misery continued, as the Japanese driver failed to escape Q1 yet again. He was eliminated in 18th, marking another blow for Red Bull, especially since his teammate Verstappen couldn’t crack the top five either. Carlos Sainz, now racing for Williams, also found himself out in Q1, along with Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Esteban Ocon (Haas), and Nico Hulkenberg, who finished at the bottom for Sauber.
A bright surprise in the session came from Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, the Brazilian rookie who stunned fans and teams alike with an impressive run. Bortoleto clocked the eighth-best time overall and impressively sailed into Q3. His teammate Hulkenberg, in stark contrast, was the slowest of all.
Another standout performer was Liam Lawson, whose Racing Bulls entry impressed in Q3. Lawson not only outpaced Verstappen but secured a sixth-place start, showing the team’s steady improvement. His teammate Isack Hadjar, however, couldn’t make it past Q2, joining veterans like Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Alex Albon (Williams) on the sidelines for the final qualifying round.
The official top 10 for Sunday’s grid features two McLarens, two Ferraris, two Mercedes, and representatives from Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Sauber, and Alpine – making for a competitive and diverse lineup at the front.
Here’s a summary of the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix qualifying results:
Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:03.971
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.521s
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.583s
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.611s
George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.792s
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +0.955s
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.958s
Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – +1.161s
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +1.305s
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1.678s
Eliminated in Q2:
11. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
12. Alex Albon (Williams)
13. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
14. Franco Colapinto (Williams)
15. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
Eliminated in Q1:
16. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
18. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
19. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
20. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
Eliminated in Q1:
16. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
18. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
19. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
20. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
The three-part qualifying system (Q1, Q2, Q3) continues to provide thrilling drama as drivers battle through timed eliminations. In Q1, the slowest five are cut, followed by five more in Q2, leaving the ten fastest to fight for pole in Q3.
With McLaren looking fast and consistent, and Red Bull appearing to falter under pressure at their home circuit, the stage is set for a highly unpredictable and exciting race on Sunday. Can Verstappen fight his way back through the field, or will Norris and Leclerc lead the charge at the Red Bull Ring? The 2025 Austrian Grand Prix promises to be a must-watch.
