Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix Prediction: Verstappen's jubilee 40th pole position

Formula 1 returns to Austria after a series of interesting races and a duel between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris for victory a week ago in Spain, and this weekend the third sprint of the season is scheduled at the Red Bull Ring track, which has come up with a solution to the problem of track limits. Track boundaries have been a big issue in Austria in recent years with over a thousand infringements last season, and Red Bull Ring track management has been hesitant about gravel picnic areas for motorcycle racing. But for this year's edition, they prepared a compromise solution. They added a strip of gravel followed by asphalt again, which guarantees a loss of time if the driver touches the gravel but allows bigger control. The white line, which is now located half a meter to the outside, has also been moved so that the cars, in case of maximum use of the curb, up to the edge of the gravel, would still be within the limits of the track. 

Several unusual features make this track unique, it boasts the fewest number of turns (10) and the shortest lap time, although its length of 4.318 kilometers makes it the fifth shortest track. The Red Bull-owned circuit is second on the list of circuits with the biggest elevation change, with a difference of 63.5 meters between its highest and lowest points, just behind the 102.2-meter change at Spa-Francorchamps. As usual for this track, Pirelli chose the three softest tire compounds – C3 as hard, C4 as medium, and C5 as soft. 

Max Verstappen took his tenth sprint victory after a thrilling battle with the McLaren drivers at the Red Bull Ring who finished second and third. Verstappen started well and defended himself from Norris and Piastri, but when DRS was enabled in the second lap, Norris started to threaten. The Brit managed to attack and overtake the Dutchman with extremely late braking in turn three, which surprised Verstappen who didn't cover the inside, but hit back in the next corner after Norris didn't cover the inside despite again having DRS. The untidy passage of the fourth turn for Verstappen and Norris was used by Piastri, who managed to overtake his teammate before the sixth turn and take second place. After that, the situation at the top stabilized and Verstappen managed to build a four-second advantage by the end of the race, while Norris unsuccessfully pressed Piastri and finished seven-tenths behind him. 

Max Verstappen secured another pole position dominantly after a three-race break, beating Lando Norris in the McLaren by four-tenths of a second, while George Russell was third after a deleted lap for Oscar Piastri. In the last part of qualifying, Verstappen drove two laps fast enough for pole position and became the first driver with four pole positions at the Austrian Grand Prix. Norris was second again, but unlike in the sprint, he had a much bigger gap to Verstappen while Russell finished third for Mercedes. Sainz lost to Russell in Mercedes by only 0.011 seconds and took the fourth starting place, while Hamilton was fifth in the second Mercedes. Leclerc crashed into the gravel twice in the last fast lap and finished sixth, while Piastri was seventh after deleting the fastest lap due to the limits of the track in the sixth turn. Perez had another disappointing qualifying in eighth place, 0.888s behind Verstappen while Hulkenberg and Ocon were the slowest of the drivers in the final part of qualifying.

Verstappen and Red Bull are looking invincible during the whole weekend in Austria. However again there was some discrepancy in the Red Bull’s garage. Both McLaren drivers have looked good in recent races, many of the drivers said that McLaren’s cars are best on the grip, so I think that it’s time for Norris to finally move ahead of Verstappen and win this race.

OUR PREDICTION: Lando Norris to win