F1 Austrian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Sprint Quali & Race
Saturday's action from the ninth round of the 2023 Formula 1 season
F1 pushes on with round nine this weekend and its second sprint race of the season at the Austrian GP.
Saturday has become effectively a standalone event, with sprint qualifying at 11am BST followed by the sprint race at 3:30pm BST.
Max Verstappen, who took pole position for the grand prix on Friday, leads the drivers’ standings by 69 points from Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
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Righting that slightly, Leclerc improves to P9. He is one-tenth clear of the drop mark.
An update from Mercedes on Russell, and it's bad news.
A team spokesperson has confirmed: "GR will not be running in this qualifying segment owing to a hydraulic problem requiring a steering rack change."
As the second round of laps are registered, Leclerc drops back to P12.
Stopwatch
And here's Ocon! The Monaco podium man goes to the top with a 1m05.604s! Magnussen is third with an impressive effort in the Haas.
Less than two minutes remain and a handful of drivers have stopped for fresh tyres. This could all change in the coming moments.
De Vries improved to P11, but his time has since been deleted for a track limits violation, pushing him down to P14.
Stopwatch
Sainz is flying and goes quickest with a 1m05.434s!
These are now likely to be the final efforts of the session.
Checkered flag
Leclerc takes the chequered flag and goes fourth.
Stopwatch
Verstappen returns to the top with a 1m05.371s.
But none of the bottom five improve by enough, and Albon, Gasly, Tsunoda, De Vries and Russell are the drivers to fall out in SQ2.
For Haas, it's double-delight as Magnussen (P6) and Hulkenberg (P10) both make it through!
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Replays have shown Hulkenberg bouncing his Haas into the air after clipping a tyre that had just come off his car when leaving his pit box.
Team principal Steiner has confirmed no one was injured in the incident.
Team principal Steiner has confirmed no one was injured in the incident.
We have just one minute to go until the final part of sprint qualifying starts.
Rain
But here comes the rain! A few spots at Turn 1 are being reported to the drivers.
Green flag
Here we go! SQ3 is go!
The stewards have confirmed Hulkenberg's pit exit will be investigated for an "unsafe release".
Hulkenberg and Sainz have fitted new soft tyres for the start of the session. Verstappen is on new softs, but the rest are on used softs.
Stopwatch
That advantage immediately tells for Verstappen, who fires in a 1m04.613s! Norris is currently P2, four-tenths back.
There appears to be little to separate the used softs and fresh medium compounds, with Sainz and Hulkenberg P4 and 5 on the harder rubber.
Leclerc is electing to run in the gap between the traditional two runs that the others are all completing.
He goes P5, one place behind team-mate Sainz and six-tenths off provisional pole man, Verstappen.
Remember, Leclerc will start from the front row on Sunday.
Remember, Leclerc will start from the front row on Sunday.
Checkered flag
The clock hits zero and Verstappen improves again! A 1m05.371 scores him pole for the sprint!
Perez improves at the last to join him on the front row.
Norris is third for McLaren but take a bow Hulkenberg and Haas - he will start on the second row in P4!
Ferrari lockout the third row with Sainz ahead of Leclerc with Aston Martin also line astern on the fourth row - Alonso P7 and Stroll P8.
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Haas is getting used to using its celebration graphics, with this performance coming quickly on the tail of Hulkenberg's stunning qualifying in Canada.
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With rain still forecast for this afternoon's sprint, Norris will likely be eyeing the opportunity to top the F1 podium for the first time, even if he will publicly suggest a top three finishing position will be the goal.
And before I depart, here is the full report from an enthralling sprint qualifying session. The Sprint itself will get underway at 15:30 BST, and we'll be back in advance to bring you all of the build-up from the Red Bull Ring.
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-austrian-gp-verstappen-beats-perez-to-sprint-shootout-pole/10489949/
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-austrian-gp-verstappen-beats-perez-to-sprint-shootout-pole/10489949/
Rain
Hello one and all! Who fancies a sprint race in the wet? Well, you are in luck...
The wet stuff is coming down on the grid ahead of the Austrian GP sprint race, and the gazebos have gone up. Could this open up to be anyone's race, or will the Red Bull front row lockout pull clear?
Breaking news
A couple news flashes to update you with before the sprint: Leclerc was given a five-place grid drop for impeding Piastri in this morning's quali, while Haas has been given a suspended €5000 fine for an unsafe release with Hulkenberg: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/leclerc-gets-three-place-grid-drop-for-austria-f1-sprint-race/10490048/
Photo
The latest from the grid is Mercedes was late putting its gazebo up for Russell's grid box, but all is well now.
Photo by: Alex Kalinauckas
The official risk of rain is set at 30%, but anyone at the track would put that at 100%. This'll be the first wet sprint race, so that's something.
Will any of the drivers be brave and gamble starting on dry tyres? It is wet but it isn't soaking and will dry as the F1 cars hoover the wet stuff off the track. If it dries up enough, it could mean no need to pit to slicks during the sprint.
By: Autosport Staff
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