The FIA has confirmed that nine Formula 1 drivers had laps deleted following a dramatic qualifying session for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Despite the initial confusion caused by the ruling, officials clarified that the deleted laps had no impact on the final starting grid for Sunday’s race.
The controversy arose during the closing stages of Q3 as the fight for pole position reached its peak. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had produced an excellent lap that briefly looked good enough for the top spot, while Mercedes driver George Russell was completing an even quicker effort. Moments later, however, Max Verstappen crashed heavily at Turn 9 after losing control of his Red Bull, bringing the session to a tense conclusion.
The incident immediately triggered yellow flags as Verstappen’s damaged car came to rest close to the circuit, requiring marshals to intervene. Several drivers were either completing their laps or returning to the pit lane when the accident occurred, creating uncertainty over whether they had complied with the flag regulations.
Russell had already crossed the finish line to secure pole position before reaching the crash site on his cooldown lap. At first, only a single yellow flag was displayed, requiring drivers to reduce speed and remain prepared for potential hazards. Russell responded by lifting off the throttle before continuing around the circuit.
As marshals began recovering Verstappen’s car, the warning was upgraded to double yellow flags. Drivers passing through that section during their in-laps after the double yellows were shown later had those laps removed from the official timing sheets by the FIA.
The decision initially sparked widespread confusion after reports suggested Russell’s lap had been deleted, leading many to believe his pole position was under threat. Ferrari briefly appeared to have a chance of inheriting first place through Leclerc, but the FIA quickly explained that only Russell’s in-lap—not his pole-winning flying lap—had been deleted.
Since in-laps do not determine qualifying positions, the deletion had no effect on the results. The FIA confirmed that nine of the ten Q3 participants had their in-laps removed for passing through the double-yellow zone, with Verstappen being the only exception because his session had ended in the crash.
Those affected included Russell, Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Arvid Lindblad. As none of the deleted laps were competitive timed laps, the official qualifying classification remained unchanged.
The incident also fuelled speculation that Russell could face further scrutiny from the stewards over his reaction to the yellow flags. However, after reviewing telemetry, onboard footage, and timing data, officials concluded that the Mercedes driver had complied fully with the regulations.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff later explained that Russell had reacted correctly to the initial single yellow by lifting significantly before Turn 9, sacrificing roughly one-and-a-half tenths of a second over a distance of around 100 metres. Even with that loss of time, Russell’s lap remained fast enough to comfortably secure pole position ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton.
Wolff praised Russell’s judgment, insisting there was never any concern that the Briton had failed to respect the yellow flag procedures.
Teammate Kimi Antonelli endured a more frustrating outcome. Believing that double yellow flags had already been displayed, the young Italian backed off far more than necessary during his final qualifying run, effectively ending any chance of challenging for pole. He eventually qualified fourth and later admitted he had mistakenly assumed the situation required him to abandon the lap.
The sequence highlighted how rapidly circumstances can change during the final moments of Formula 1 qualifying, particularly when multiple drivers are attempting decisive laps at the same time.
Ferrari nevertheless enjoyed one of its strongest qualifying performances of the season, with Leclerc and Hamilton securing second and third on the grid. Although Leclerc briefly appeared to be on course for pole after Verstappen’s accident, Russell’s earlier effort ultimately proved unbeatable.
Verstappen’s crash was a major disappointment after showing impressive pace throughout qualifying and looking capable of fighting for a front-row start. Instead, the reigning champion had to settle for fifth after being unable to complete his final flying lap. Fortunately, he emerged from the heavy impact without injury.
With the FIA confirming that the deleted laps were purely procedural and involved only in-laps, attention now turns to Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix. Russell will lead the field from pole alongside Leclerc, while Hamilton and Antonelli remain well placed to challenge for victory.
Although the deleted laps initially caused significant confusion, the FIA’s explanation confirmed that the qualifying order was unaffected. The episode ultimately served as another example of how complex Formula 1’s qualifying regulations can become when accidents interrupt the final moments of a session, but the official grid remained exactly as it was when qualifying concluded.
