Austrian Grand Prix qualifying results: Who takes pole at Red Bull Ring?

Update: George Russell has taken provisional pole position, but stewards are looking at a potential yellow flag infringement at the end of Q3. So nothing is set quite yet in Austria.

Update two: Russell will stay up front, as the stewards have decided the yellow flag infringement requires no further investigation.

The next stop on the Formula 1 schedule takes the grid to the Styrian Alps, and the Red Bull Ring.

And it is set to be a rather hot qualifying hour this weekend.

With Europe in the throes of a historic heat wave, the F1 grid is set to take on the speedy Red Bull Ring, during qualifying for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. Could this weekend see a bounce-back from Mercedes? Drivers’ Championship leader Kimi Antonelli led the way in both FP1 and FP2 on Friday, ahead of teammate George Russell during the first hour of practice and in front of the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris during the second.

But will that pace translate to pole position today?

Of course, you can never count out Max Verstappen at the Red Bull Ring, and a resurgent Lewis Hamilton is certainly on the hunt as well.

We’ll be tracking the qualifying hour live, so follow along with us! And join the conversation over on The Feed:

Austrian GP provisional qualifying results

Here is the provisional starting grid, which will be filled in throughout the qualifying session.

Austrian Grand Prix qualifying

Follow along as the qualifying hour unfolds. All updates are in Eastern time.

Q3

11:12: For those wondering the difference between a single yellow flag and a double yellow, from the F1 Sporting Regulations:

Single Waved Yellow Flag: Any driver passing through a waved yellow flag marshalling sector
must reduce their speed and be prepared to change direction. In order for the stewards to be
satisfied that any such driver has complied with these requirements they are expected to have
braked earlier and/or discernibly reduced speed in the relevant marshalling sector.

b. Double Waved Yellow Flag: Any driver passing through a double waved yellow flag marshalling
sector must reduce speed significantly and be prepared to change direction or stop. In order
for the stewards to be satisfied that any such driver has complied with these requirements it
must be clear that the driver has not attempted to set a meaningful lap time on the relevant
lap. Furthermore, during a sprint qualifying or qualifying session, any driver passing through a
double waved yellow flag marshalling sector will have that lap time deleted.

The main difference? Under the double yellow a driver must “reduce speed significantly,” and to satisfy the requirement is “must be clear that the driver has not attempted to set a meaningful lap time on the relevant lap.” In addition, under a double yellow “any driver passing through a double waved yellow flag marshalling sector will have that lap time deleted.”

Since it was a single yellow, the lap stands for Russell since he did lift.

11:08: NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION, say the stewards regarding Russell’s lap. He will stay on pole.

11:07: Speaking trackside, Russell says he had a “big lift” under the yellow, says it was a single yellow. Stewards are still having a look at it.

11:04: The finishing order: Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hadjar, Lawson, and Lindblad.

But that is provisional. Stewards have already noted Russell for a potential yellow flag infringement. He celebrates, we wait.

11:03: We are still waiting. The finishing order: Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hadjar, Lawson, and Lindblad.

11:01: We have some drama. Russell took pole position under yellow flag conditions. Will it count?

11:01: YELLOW FLAG AS VERSTAPPEN IS IN THE WALL.

10:59: “Hello Lewis,” /Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton jumps to P1, but only for a moment, as Leclerc rockets to P1 with a 1:06.349. Game on.

10:57: On their last laps, Antonelli posted a 16.564 in Sector 1, with Russell posting a 16.563. They both posted a 29.852 in Sector 1. So through the first sectors, just 0.001 seconds separated them. It was Sector 3, where Antonelli posted a 19.998 while Russell came in at 20.042, that was the difference.

Data from Formula Timer.

10:54: Hamilton has not set a time, and is getting pushed back into the garage. Replays show Hamilton going deep into a turn and backing out of the lap. He’ll get another shot.

10:54: Leclerc jumps to third ahead of Norris, but then drops to fifth as the Mercedes pair jump up to the top. Antonelli on provisional pole with a 1:06.414, and Russell second with a 1:06.457.

10:53: Verstappen rockets to the top with a 1:06.475, and Piastri slots into second with a 1:06.685.

10:52: Norris sets the benchmark with a 1:06.900. Hadjar follows with a 1:07.321.

10:51: Red Bull Ring starting to roar to life, as the defending Drivers’ Champion Norris leads the field out.

10:50: Down to ten minutes remaining and it is still pretty quiet at Red Bull Ring, as the teams wait for the right moment to take to the track.

10:48: Q3 officially underway with the clock ticking down from 13 minutes.

10:47: Antonelli, Piastri, Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Hadjar, Lawson, Lindblad, and Verstappen are the ten drivers through to Q3, in that order.

Q2

10:45: Apologies for the radio silence. Had to deal with some kid-related duties.

Gasly, Bortoleto, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Ocon, and Colapinto are out. Q3 upcoming.

10:20: Antonelli, Norris, Hamilton, Lawson, Russell, Verstappen, Hadjar, Piastri, Leclerc, Lindblad, Colapinto, Bortoleto, Gasly, Bearman, Hulkenberg, and Ocon are the 16 drivers through to Q2, in that order.

Q1

10:20: Sainz, Albon, Perez, Bottas, Alonso, and Stroll are out.

10:19: Alonso is officially out, as is Stroll. That Aston Martin is still well off the pace.

10:18: Albon does not find the time he needs, and he is in the drop zone. He may go again as the clock is just about to hit zero.

10:17: Final push laps are underway. Sainz, Perez, Bottas, Ocon, Alonso, and Stroll are in the drop zone now.

10:14: Just under four minutes left, and the entire field is on pit lane, prepping for the final push laps in Q1.

10:11: We’ve got times in from everyone. Sainz, Perez, Bottas, Ocon, Alonso, and Stroll are the six drivers in the drop zone with seven minutes left in Q1.

10:09: Antonelli gets to the top of the pile with a 1:07.083

10:06: Norris jumps to the top with a 1:07.259. Hamilton slides into second with a 1:07.290, just 0.031 seconds behind the McLaren driver.

10:05: Russell posts a solid lap of 1:07.811 to lead the way for the moment, but Verstappen and Hadjar climb above him, with Verstappen pumping in a 1:07.407 and Hadjar a 1:07.408.

10:00: Quali underway. Ocon leads them out, with the Cadillac pair of Pérez and Bottas next. The Cadillac pair struggled to get out with a tight turn out of their respective stalls

9:58: Softest tires in the range this week from Pirelli, the C5, C4, and C3.

9:56: Hey, it’s Opening Titles time! Let’s drop those in for old time’s sake. (You’ll have to watch them on YouTube, F1 is very protective of the broadcast rights).

9:55: Am I growing weary of the Dua Lipa Nespresso commercials? Yes, yes I am. Why do you ask?

What happened in FP3?

FP3 ended the same way the first two hours of practice ended, with a Mercedes atop the timing sheets.

But the name was different.

George Russell finished the final hour of practice at the top of the board, followed by Antonelli and Hamilton. The McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris rounded out the top five.

Russell edged ahead of Antonelli by just 0.038 seconds, with Hamilton 0.115 seconds off the pace. Piastri and Noris were further back, with the Australian driver 0.248 seconds behind Russell, and Norris 0.264 seconds behind the Mercedes driver.