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Formula 1 Styrian GP

F1 Styrian GP Live Updates - final practice and qualifying

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Asked by Sky F1 if the full qualifying hour will run, Red Bull boss Horner replied: “The whole 60, I’m not too sure about, but we’ll certainly get going. It’s going to be testing for them out there. It’s calmed a lot out in the pit lane, out there. These cars shift a lot of water quite quickly. It’s about surviving the first few laps.”
Drivers are wiping their feet and getting back into their cars. Mechanics are out drying their respective pit areas.
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Race control has confirmed - rather unsurprisingly - that DRS has been disabled. Session will start at 3:46pm local time, which is six minutes from now.
Well isn't that jolly good?
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Q1 will start in 10 minutes time!
Autosport
A certain Fernando Alonso made some headlines earlier this week when his return to F1 and Renault was announced for 2021. But how did his Renault story begin? Read on to find out:

Autosport 70: How Alonso's Renault F1 story began

Fernando Alonso will soon embark on a stint at Renault after time away from Formula 1 racing, but it won't be the first time

Autosport 70: How Alonso's Renault F1 story began
Safety car is back out on track for a look and clearly grip is still at a premium as Maylander spins up a bit exiting pitlane.
There is a bit of hope that there will be a break in the rain pretty shortly.
McLaren boss Zak Brown says he's rather qualify than inherit positions from a grid formed on FP2 times. If that were to be the case, Sainz would start fifth and Norris would qualify eighth - but would start 11th owing to his three-place penalty for overtaking under yellow flags in FP1.
Medical car has gone for a spin and nearly had a moment applying the throttle on the kerb at the exit of Turn 3.
The rain has definitely worsened. Looks like Red Bull Ring has installed a waterfall feature!
Autosport
Ricciardo had a monster shunt in FP2, which bruised his knee and demolished the rear of his Renault. But the team has confirmed his chassis and power unit have been cleared to race:

Ricciardo's F1 chassis and engine cleared to race after Styrian GP practice crash

Daniel Ricciardo's Renault Formula 1 chassis and power unit did not have to be changed after the Australian's heavy crash in practice for the Styrian Grand Prix on Friday

Ricciardo's F1 chassis and engine cleared to race after Styrian GP practice crash
Autosport
Bernd Maylander looks likely to be the driver who'll complete the most laps today. Autosport spoke to him earlier in the year about his role as safety car driver in F1. Give it a read while things are quiet:

My job in F1: Safety car driver Bernd Maylander

In the latest instalment of a new series delving into the work of those behind-the-scenes figures in the Formula 1 paddock, we meet FIA safety car driver Bernd Maylander who has led more laps than most of the drivers on the grid

My job in F1: Safety car driver Bernd Maylander
The safety car has come back from a lap, with the camera helicopter in tow above him, leading to rather excellent shots of the pair coming down towards Turn 9.
I see Antonio Giovinazzi has modelled his hair style after our wonderful Grand Prix Editor Alex Kalinauckas'.
Vettel is still sat in his Ferrari with his helmet on. Must be quite cosy.
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A 10-minute warning will be given prior to Q1 getting underway. Basically, that's the signal for the drivers to head off and put the Playstation on for a bit while we wait for this rain to clear.
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Christian Horner has told Sky F1 that the rain "could be here for a while, to be honest". Oh dear.
Just a note: Should a session actually happen and we get a result, the top three interviews will take place in pitlane rather than on the grid, which I'm sure is welcome news for the drivers.
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Q1 start has been delayed.
Safety car is on track to assess conditions. Helicopter is up, so at the very least, the session can get underway as the medical chopper will be able to take off in these current conditions.
The drivers are suited and booted with five minutes to go. Q1 might just about get underway, but the rain appears to be getting heavier and is due to get worse.
With 10 minutes to go, the rain appears to be getting heavier now unfortunately.
With 20 minutes to go until qualifying is due to get underway, our own Jonathan Noble tells us the next storm front is closing in fast. Bad news if you're an F1 fan, but fantastic if you're a rain enthusiast.
A little over 30 minutes until qualifying for the Styrian GP should be starting but it all depends on the weather. Keep those fingers crossed!
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Good news! The rain is easing at the Red Bull Ring so that's a positive sign for qualifying. Still all systems go with a start time at 3pm local time, unless we are told otherwise.

By: Jake Boxall-Legge

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