Verstappen and Perez complete Red Bull lockout for The Sprint in Austria

Nico Hulkenberg finished behind the McLaren driver on medium tyres, with the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc claiming fifth and sixth. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished in seventh and eighth, with Esteban Ocon and Kevin Magnussen rounding out the top 10.

Lewis Hamilton became the next major name to struggle in a qualifying session, as he was unable to get out of SQ1 and will start from 18th later today in The Sprint. Just a session later and the other Mercedes driver was out as George Russell had a hydraulic issue with his car, meaning he was unable to put in any lap in SQ2 and ended in 15th place.

Hamilton out in SQ1 after poor timing

After quickly speeding onto the circuit, drivers sped around the drying track and looked to set times in the 12-minute shortened Q1. However, after a P3 finish in yesterday’s qualifying, Sainz soon had to return to the pits after smoke was seen coming from his rear breaks.

All but three drivers were using soft tyres, one of the medium runners was Verstappen and it was clear to see that the softs were the faster choice, with Sargeant, Tsunoda and de Vries all placing their cars ahead of the Red Bull driver early on.

Track limits were still an issue as well but this came as a factor of the damp track still causing problems at Turn 9. Drivers were having to counter their speed for more handling around the final corners, or they risked spinning and ruining their lap.

Sainz managed to get back out onto the track with two minutes left in SQ1, but with the rapidly evolving track time, it became truly uncertain as to what would happen. Leclerc couldn’t get out of the elimination zone with his penultimate lap but managed to improve to eighth on his final lap, whilst the Spaniard placed his car in the top spot.

Hamilton found himself in 19th as others improved and aborted his lap after getting hit with traffic, thus meaning he was out in SQ1, whilst Leclerc managed to survive by only one place.

OUT IN SQ1 - Zhou, Piastri, Hamilton, Bottas, Sargeant

Russell didn’t run in SQ2

Russell started in the pits after reporting a hydraulic problem, and it seemed as though it was an impossible task to get the Brit back out onto the track in time.

After the first set of flying laps, Verstappen stormed into the lead, with Sainz and Alonso close behind, but it was the battle behind for a place in SQ3 that was extremely close.

Leclerc found himself in 12th with three minutes to go, and at the same time, Mercedes confirmed that Russell would not run in the session. It came down to the final lap again for Leclerc, and with no traffic ahead, the Ferrari driver was able to improve to fourth.

Both Haas drivers were able to squeeze into the final shootout session, thus showing their strength in qualifying.

OUT IN SQ2 - Albon, Gasly, Tsunoda, de Vries, Russell

Verstappen storms ahead in final session

Verstappen was first on track once again and soon found himself, once again, in the lead and setting the first time on track for those behind to beat. Norris came closest after the first set of flying laps but the Red Bull driver still held a 0.4-second lead over the Brit.

When cars came out onto the circuit, the majority chose soft tyres, but Sainz, Stroll and Hulkenberg opted for medium tyres.