Sprint Qualifying report: Carlos Sainz P5, Charles Leclerc P10 at Red Bull Ring | 2024 Austrian GP. Result and report from Sprint Qualifying in Austria.

At the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, the third qualifying shootout of the 2024 Formula 1 season took place earlier today. Let’s discover the starting grid for the Sprint Race of the Austrian GP.

As predicted, qualifying delivered minimal gaps between the drivers. The Red Bull Ring, with its few corners, is one of the shortest tracks in the world championship.

According to the rules, the sprint qualifying saw the use of yellow tires in SQ1 and SQ2 and red tires in SQ3.

SQ1 saw the elimination of both Saubers, confirming their current struggles. The surprise was the elimination of Alex Albon, while his teammate Sargeant managed to make the cut. Daniel Ricciardo was also eliminated, who is under scrutiny from Helmut Marko for the RB seat.

No surprises in SQ2, with all four top teams advancing with both drivers. Alongside them, both Alpines also qualified for the final phase, as they did in Spain. Notably, Lance Stroll, fresh off a contract renewal, finished ahead of Alonso.

In SQ3, everyone had only one lap. The drivers waited until a few minutes before the end to leave the box. In the end, it was Max Verstappen who came out on top and will start ahead of everyone in the sprint race. Behind him in the top three positions are Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. It was a disaster for Charles Leclerc, who will start in tenth position.

Max Verstappen edged out Lando Norris by just 0.093 seconds, with Oscar Piastri clocking the third fastest time. Charles Leclerc, however, faced a significant setback. A delayed exit from the pits prevented him from starting a flying lap in time. George Russell was the first to hit the track, with Lewis Hamilton closely following his teammate. Mercedes had warned their drivers that the session could be “tight” for setting times due to the drivers’ hesitation. The Monegasque driver encountered issues, struggling to leave the pits. With only 1:18 remaining on the clock, he was racing against time to start his lap. Norris recorded his best time of the day, temporarily securing provisional pole. But Verstappen quickly followed with a 1:04.686, beating the McLaren driver by a narrow margin. Piastri secured third place. Carlos Sainz will start from fifth place in the other Ferrari SF-24 car.

Sprint Qualifying results: