F1 Austrian GP: Max Verstappen hits ground running in Spielberg
8th July 2022Red Bull’s Max Verstappen consistently drives well around Austria’s Red Bull Ring, for the Austrian Grand Prix, today was no different as the Dutchman topped the timing boards.
How first practice unfolded…
As the pit exit light went green, the track was a flurry of cars racing around the Austrian Red Bull Ring as the first hour of practice is quickly followed by qualifying, ahead of Sprint Qualifying on Saturday.
However, McLaren’s Lando Norris suffered a technical issue on his first laps around the Austrian track. The McLaren Briton’s MCL36 reported ‘limp home mode’ on the dashboard. Despite the technical issue, Norris continued on his way to complete another lap.
Within the first 10 minutes, the majority of the field had completed a lap time with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on top with a quick 1:07.720 – exactly three seconds slower than his pole time in Austria last season. At the bottom of the table, Williams’ Alexander Albon and both Aston Martin drivers, Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel were yet to set a lap time.
Every driver who had set a timed lap, in the first 10 minutes, had set it on the yellow-ringed medium compound tyres.
The red flag was brought out as the session, crept over its 20 minute mark as Norris stopped on track at turn six after he reported smoke began to bellow out, beneath him. The session quickly restarted before it reached its 30-minute mark.
After the first half an hour, Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were the only drivers to set timed laps on the red-ringed soft compound tyres. The timing board order was; Verstappen (P1), Leclerc (P2) and Sainz (P3).
However, the red flag was soon brought out for a second time. No one had crashed, or stopped on track but there was a piece of debris on the racing line, between turns six and seven.
With just over 15 minutes left on the clock, the session resumed for a third time to allow the drivers with crucial track time.
The two main championship contenders, Verstappen and Leclerc, remained out on top of the timing sheets – in P1 and P2 respectively – as the session arrived to its final 10 minutes.
Following a great weekend, in Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, for the Mercedes, they looked to be in for a good weekend at the Red Bull Ring. In the last 10 minutes, Mercedes’ George Russell and Sir Lewis Hamilton occupied P3 and P4 respectively ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen (P5) and Sainz (P6).
Top three:
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- George Russell, Mercedes
That’s it for the article: F1 Austrian GP: Max Verstappen hits ground running in Spielberg! Who do you think has the edge ahead of Friday’s qualifying session? Let us know in the comments!
Read more Formula 1 here!
- F1 British GP: Carlos Sainz takes maiden win
- F1 British GP: Carlos Sainz secures maiden pole position
- F1 British GP: Max Verstappen tops final practice ahead of qualifying
- F1 British GP: Carlos Sainz goes fastest in dry FP2
To keep up to date with the latest news from Apex Motorsports, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
