Saturday at the Red Bull Ring delivered exactly what we expected – McLaren dominance and qualifying drama! From Norris maintaining his stranglehold on the timesheets to a stunning pole position, day two had everything. What unfolded during the final practice and qualifying sessions? Let us here at Supercars.com.GH explain!
FP3
Lando Norris continued his commanding weekend form by topping FP3 with a 1:04.324, leading teammate Oscar Piastri by 0.118s in another McLaren one-two. Max Verstappen, working with substitute race engineer Simon Rennie, managed third despite reporting the Red Bull felt “nervous” and “snappy” through the corners. The Dutchman went wide at the final corner during his early runs, highlighting his ongoing struggles with the RB21’s handling.
Track limits proved the session’s biggest challenge, with multiple drivers including Norris, Franco Colapinto, and both Ferraris forced into run-off areas at Turn 1. Piastri had his own moment at Turn 9, rattling through the gravel and raising concerns about floor damage. Isack Hadjar provided comic relief with a spin at Turn 10, ending up facing the right way and sheepishly apologizing over the radio.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed the top five for Ferrari, separated by just 0.216s, while the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli were split by a mere 0.035s. Lance Stroll impressed again in eighth, with Yuki Tsunoda and Gabriel Bortoleto rounding out the top ten.
Qualifying
Norris delivered a masterclass in qualifying, securing pole position with a stunning 1:03.971 – a massive 0.521s margin over Charles Leclerc, marking the biggest pole gap of the season. The McLaren driver dominated throughout, topping Q1, Q2, and Q3 with authority that left his rivals scrambling.
Drama struck early as Carlos Sainz suffered a shock Q1 elimination in 19th, reporting possible car damage over the radio. Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda, and Nico Hulkenberg also fell at the first hurdle in an incredibly tight session. Q2 saw Fernando Alonso miss out in 11th, while Gabriel Bortoleto impressed by reaching Q3 for the first time.
The final shootout provided late drama when Pierre Gasly spun at the final corner, bringing out yellow flags that prevented Piastri and Verstappen from completing their final flying laps. This left Piastri third and Verstappen down in seventh, both victims of circumstance. Lewis Hamilton claimed fourth for Ferrari, with George Russell fifth and Liam Lawson producing an outstanding sixth for Racing Bulls.
Can Norris convert this dominant pole into victory tomorrow? Join Supercars.com.GH to find out!