F1 Austrian GP live commentary and updates - race day

F1 Austrian GP starts soon!

Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to our live coverage of the Austrian GP! The race will be underway in under an hour's time, so we'll run through our recaps of yesterday in preparation.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone / LAT Images via Getty Images

Qualifying recap

Q1: Tsunoda and Sainz were the biggest scalps in the first part of qualifying, as the field was separated within a second. 

Q2: A red flag for a grass fire interrupted the early stages of the session, but everyone got a final run in; Albon, Alonso, and Hadjar fell out of Q2 as Bortoleto made his first Q3 appearance.

Q3: Lando Norris took pole by over 0.5s from Leclerc; Gasly's spin brought out a yellow flag, which ruined final efforts from Piastri and Verstappen.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

2025 Austrian Grand Prix grid

Main Information Additional Data Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Driver	#		Chassis	Engine	Time	Tyres	km/h
1	L. Norris McLaren	4		McLaren	Mercedes	1'03.971		242.997
2	C. Leclerc Ferrari	16		Ferrari	Ferrari	+0.521 1'04.492		241.034
3	O. Piastri McLaren	81		McLaren	Mercedes	+0.583 1'04.554		240.803
4	L. Hamilton Ferrari	44		Ferrari	Ferrari	+0.611 1'04.582		240.698
5	G. Russell Mercedes	63		Mercedes	Mercedes	+0.792 1'04.763		240.025
6	L. Lawson RB	30		RB	Honda	+0.955 1'04.926		239.423
7	M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing	1		Red Bull	Red Bull	+0.958 1'04.929		239.412
8	G. Bortoleto Sauber	5		Sauber	Ferrari	+1.161 1'05.132		238.666
9	A. Antonelli Mercedes	12		Mercedes	Mercedes	+1.305 1'05.276		238.139
10	P. Gasly Alpine	10		Alpine	Renault	+1.678 1'05.649		236.786
11	F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing	14		Aston Martin	Mercedes	+1.157 1'05.128		238.680
12	A. Albon Williams	23		Williams	Mercedes	+1.234 1'05.205		238.398
13	I. Hadjar RB	6		RB	Honda	+1.255 1'05.226		238.322
14	F. Colapinto Alpine	43		Alpine	Renault	+1.317 1'05.288		238.095
15	O. Bearman Haas F1 Team	87		Haas	Ferrari	+1.341 1'05.312		238.008
16	L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing	18		Aston Martin	Mercedes	+1.358 1'05.329		237.946
17	E. Ocon Haas F1 Team	31		Haas	Ferrari	+1.393 1'05.364		237.818
18	Y. Tsunoda Red Bull Racing	22		Red Bull	Red Bull	+1.398 1'05.369		237.800
19	C. Sainz Williams	55		Williams	Mercedes	+1.611 1'05.582		237.028
20	N. Hulkenberg Sauber	27		Sauber	Ferrari	+1.635 1'05.606		236.941
View full results

Analysis: Norris' pole lap

Want to know where Lando Norris a) found 0.3s over his first effort in qualifying and b) had a 0.5s gap to Charles Leclerc?

We've crunched the numbers and looked at the GPS data:

Formula 1

Analysis: How Norris beat his own F1 Austrian GP pole lap by almost 0.3s

Lando Norris claimed a dominant pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix as his two fastest Q3 times were enough for top spot - so, how did the McLaren driver do it?

In other F1 news...

- The Austrian Grand Prix has signed a lengthy deal to remain on the F1 calendar until 2041 - that's a 16-year contract extension. Good news for fans of the Red Bull Ring!

- F1 and the FIA is considering a change to the protest submission rules, as Red Bull's decision to protest George Russell at Canada was dismissed. The current cost to protest a result is €2000; higher costs, or limited challenges as seen in tennis, are mooted ideas.

- Max Verstappen blamed the hot weather and wind in qualifying for his performance; he noted that his RB21 felt good in FP3, but "everything fell apart" as the conditions changed.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

30 minutes until race start

Can Lando Norris preserve his lead into Turn 1? The Briton has shown impressive form so far this weekend - but his work will begin on Sunday in attempting to stay ahead of Charles Leclerc into Turn 1.

What challenge can Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen provide? The Dutchman is only seventh on the grid, and will have to do battle with Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto off the line. 

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Expected strategies

Both the hard (C3) and the medium (C4) are expected to be good race tyres.

Still, the high temperatures and surface roughness may make this a two-stopper; Pirelli estimates medium-starters will make their first stops between laps 18-24. They'll have to extend until lap 26-32 to make it a one-stop.

The C5 could still make an appearance, however! 

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Five minute klaxon!

It's almost time. 71 laps, three DRS zones, and 20 drivers all raring to go.

Are you ready? Then let's begin.

Aborted start

Sainz has been able to get going again, but the rest of the field has lined up. The marshals waited for a very long time before they could get Sainz moving. 

Restart time at 15:15 local

Amid all the hubbub, we have a start time - we'll be going in about eight minutes' time. Will Sainz be part of that start? No, as he's told that it's "game over". 

James Vowles looks disconsolate on the pit wall, as fire extinguisher ablutions are still being pumped into Sainz's brakes. 

Norris lines up, for a second time. He'll hope the pack catches up, as it's very hot as the cars tick over...

Safety car in at the end of this lap

...and this is the third lap now, just for info as we dissect the first-lap clash. Lawson got a bit caught out in the Verstappen/Antonelli melee too.

Lap 5

"Lewis just closed the door under braking," Russell reports.

Piastri's got a big DRS run on Norris, as the polesitter couldn't quite open the requisite one-second lead. This'll put Norris under threat...

Lap 6

...and indeed, Piastri takes a look at Norris into Turn 4, but Norris does ultimately have the advantage. The McLarens are free to race. 

Lap 7

Norris thus has to use his recharge to ensure he's able to keep clear of Piastri. Leclerc's been dropped by over three seconds already as a result, as Hamilton, Russell, Gasly, Albon, Bortoleto, Lawson, and Alonso complete the top 10.

Lap 8

Norris is setting some very swift lap times to keep ahead, but Piastri's got three DRS zones to catch him.

Gasly on softs got up to sixth on lap one, but Albon's closing him down now.

Lap 9

Piastri's not made much of an attack on this lap, but he's stayed within 0.7s through the middle part of the lap to get an attack going on the next lap. Albon passes Gasly for sixth.

Lap 10

Norris takes a defensive line for Turn 4, and Piastri remains glued to his team-mate's tail...

Lap 11

Norris makes a small mistake at Turn 1, which lets Piastri gets past into Turn 3! But they're side-by-side through Turn 4, and Norris reclaims the lead with the inside line. Piastri looks at a move through Turn 6, but holds off...thrilling battle here!

Lap 12

Piastri holds off for this lap, to recharge and cool down.

Bortoleto passes Gasly for seventh, where he just about fends off a riposte from the Frenchman in Turn 6. 

Gasly pits for hards, as does Hulkenberg - who takes the medium tyre.

Lap 13

Norris still can't leverage enough gap to ensure Piastri doesn't get a DRS-assisted tow - he's about 0.8s ahead at the start of the lap.

Albon and Colapinto pit.

Lap 15

Piastri is right on Norris' tail in Turn 1, but hangs on. He doesn't get the purchase for Turn 3, and Norris defends well into Turn 4. Bahrain 2014 vibes here, with an intra-team battle over the lead.

Lap 17

"Make Turn 6 apex, makes it harder for the other car," Norris is told by Will Joseph.  

Meanwhile, Tsunoda passes Stroll for 10th - with some contact, and it's been noted by the stewards.

Lap 18

Russell has been asked to pit; his early assault on Hamilton has petered out, and he's now losing time to Bortoleto. Tsunoda also stops. 

Norris continues to hang on out front.

Lap 20

"The gap to Bortoleto is 20.3, so we're happy to pit," Norris is told. Piastri gets very close to Norris, but locks up at Turn 4 and Norris just evades his team-mate. 

Norris is now pitting from the lead.

Lap 21

It's a little bit slow on Norris's stop, maybe a second lost there due to the front left. Norris rejoins ahead of Bortoleto, and is on the hard tyre.

Piastri is told that McLaren wants to see his pace in free air, although Piastri had given himself a flat spot with that aborted move on Norris.

Lap 22

Bortoleto is in, and rejoins behind Hulkenberg and Bearman - who stopped a lot earlier. Sauber might have to conduct a switch here to help Bortoleto.

Lap 23

"Better to be 4s behind Lando with delta, or 1.5s behind?" Piastri is asked. "4s with delta," Piastri responds, so he's going to extend. Bortoleto passes Bearman at Turn 4, and Hulkenberg is next up.

Lap 24

Piastri will stop at the end of this lap, and Norris should be a few seconds clear with his undercut pace. The front left is also a bit slow; Norris moves back ahead, as the two Ferraris are currently in the lead - Leclerc from Hamilton.