LANDO Norris secured pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix with a sensational final lap, breaking Max Verstappen’s stronghold on qualifying at the Red Bull Ring. The McLaren driver clocked 1:03.971, outpacing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.521 seconds, while teammate Oscar Piastri finished third.
Norris, trailing Piastri by 22 points in the championship, bounced back impressively after their collision in Canada. “It was a good lap,“ Norris said. “I knew where to find time and executed it perfectly.”
Verstappen, who had taken pole in the last five Austrian GPs, struggled with car balance and finished seventh after a yellow flag disrupted his final attempt. “The car didn’t feel good in any corner,“ Verstappen admitted. “McLaren is on another level.”
Leclerc, starting on the front row, credited Ferrari’s upgrades. “The team kept pushing, and the new parts helped. We’re stronger in races, so we’ll challenge McLaren tomorrow.”
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth, ahead of George Russell, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly spun, affecting Piastri and Verstappen’s laps.
