F1 Austrian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Sprint race & Qualifying

In case you missed sprint race qualifying yesterday, here's a quick recap: Verstappen pipped Norris to pole by 0.093s and he'll face off against a double McLaren attack with Piastri lining up third. Leclerc was hit by an anti-stall issue which denied him the chance to set a lap time in the top 10 shootout, so he starts 10th.

This morning it was also announced that Williams opted to make set-up changes to Albon's car so he'll start the sprint from pitlane. He was due to line up in 19th, so it is a minimal penalty. Zhou is the only beneficiary as he goes from 20th and last to 19th and, er, last.

The pitlane is closed and 19 drivers are on the grid - with Albon tucked up in the Williams garage - as anticipation grows for a 24-lap battle. This is the third sprint race of the season, and the first venue to have previously held a sprint. The Red Bull Ring has often produced some pretty decent short races so we're hopeful for some spice.

Norris is still feeling under the weather and reveals he's been struggling for the past two weeks. This gruelling 2024 F1 season provides very little respite and was a challenge for a lot of drivers towards the end of last year.

The drivers are getting zipped up in their race suits and jumping into their cars. We're just minutes away from the start of the sprint. Who are you backing for success this morning?

Tyres: Everyone is on the mediums! That was easy. Nobody has gambled for the softs, probably due to the high temperatures as the track has climbed over 42C.

The tyres blankets are whipped off and it appears most of the drivers are on used mediums too, as there isn't that tell-tale sign of a shiny rubber surface on show. The formation lap is under way.

Verstappen leads the F1 car train around to the grid. Here we go...

...or not, as the start has been aborted and another formation lap has started. Not entirely sure why, but it looked like the starting lights didn't come on.

So that chops a lap off the race distance - down to 23 laps. Albon has been released from the pits to stop his car overheating so he joins the formation lap before returning to his pitlane start.

Anyway, here we go again (hopefully)...

The FIA update on the aborted start: "Photographers standing behind barriers in Turn 1 posing a safety risk."

DRS is enabled and Verstappen hasn't quite shot clear of the chasing pack yet. Norris is 0.6s back having resisted that Piastri attack. Magnussen has also made good progress and is up to ninth.

On to lap three and Norris is the fastest driver on the track, he's looking to make a move for the lead!

Norris can't quite shape up a move as once again he gets close to the rear of Verstappen up to Turn 3. He then looks to go around the outside of the Red Bull into Turn 4 but is show the outside kerb.

Verstappen is much quicker through the second and third sectors but Norris, aided by DRS can make huge gains into the first sector.

On lap 5 Norris dives down the inside at Turn 3 to take the lead! But Verstappen fights back with a similar move to regain the lead at Turn 4! That invites Piastri into the fight and at Turn 5 he takes second and pushes Norris back to third.

So, Verstappen lost the lead for all of one corner and will aim to scamper clear of Piastri in the other McLaren. That fight has allowed Sainz and company to keep up for the time being.

Verstappen complains of clipping too much, which means charging his battery with his Red Bull, but he has kept clear of the McLaren pair for a couple of laps to find his rhythm again.

Russell sets up an outside of Turn 4 move on Sainz to take fourth place. The Spaniard is already having to defend from Hamilton to keep hold of fifth.

On to lap 10 and Verstappen is just about out of DRS range of Piastri while Norris is really dropped back in third. 

After his solid start to move up to seventh, Leclerc has struggled to climb any higher at the back of the four-car train of the Ferraris and Mercedes runners. Perez, likewise, is adrift in eighth and the final points place in the sprint.

Verstappen is 1.3s clear of Piastri and able to run his own race without having to worry about DRS-aided attacks. Norris remains third after his early attack for the lead.

Verstappen is turning the screw, as his lead grows to 2s on lap 14. Norris has moved back into DRS range of his team-mate Piastri, with Russell adrift in fourth leading a DRS train which contains Sainz, Hamilton and Leclerc.

What do McLaren do? Norris has reeled in Piastri but they are both running out of laps to hunt down Verstappen. The Dutch driver's lead grows to 2.3s with seven laps to go.

Further back Ricciardo gets around Sargeant at Turn 4 for 16th place.

Verstappen was half a second quicker than both McLarens on the last lap as his lead is almost 3s. Barring a major mistake or misfortune, the Dutch driver has this sprint win in his hands. Piastri looks unflustered with Norris directly behind but they've not engaged in battle yet.

Norris is carrying two track limit warnings - both picked up at Turn 1 - with Alonso the only other driver to be flagged for a track limits breach.

Russell has shuffled out of DRS range of Sainz so he is comfortable in fourth, as the Spaniard is keeping check on Hamilton behind him. But largely the gaps look stable with two laps to go.

Alonso loses two places to Hulkenberg and Ricciardo after being forced off the road by the German who ran him off-track into Turn 3. Alonso is down to 16th and having a tough time of it.

Final lap time! Verstappen leads by 4.2s from Piastri who is still defending from team-mate Norris.

The Hulkenberg vs Alonso Turn 3 incident will be investigated after the sprint race by the FIA stewards.

Both Verstappen and Horner call the sprint "spicy" - were they reading this live text commentary pre-race? We asked for spice, but in truth it was more Masala than Vindaloo.

Outside of the points finishers, Magnussen took ninth from Stroll in 10th and then it was Ocon 11th, Gasly 12th, Tsunoda 13th, Hulkenberg 14th, Ricciardo 15th, Alonso 16th, Sargeant 17th, Albon 18th, Bottas 19th, Zhou 20th.