George Russell takes pole in Austria as Verstappen crash hands Mercedes front row
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George Russell takes pole in Austria as Verstappen crash hands Mercedes front row
Verstappen sixth in final practice as Mercedes dominate Austrian GP session
revised 2×
George Russell secured a dramatic pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday, capitalising on Max Verstappen’s late crash to deny Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton the front row. The Mercedes driver, who had already set the pace in earlier sessions, seized the opportunity when the Dutchman’s Red Bull barrelled into the barriers at Turn 9 with just seconds left in qualifying. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who had topped both Friday practice sessions, could only manage fourth as his Mercedes teammate claimed an eighth consecutive pole for the team.
The final moments of qualifying were chaotic. Verstappen’s crash triggered a yellow flag, forcing drivers to slow on the approach to Turn 9. Russell, already on his final lap, navigated the caution period to post a 1:19.872, edging Leclerc by 0.187 seconds and Hamilton by 0.234. The result marked Russell’s first pole of the 2026 season and a rare Mercedes triumph in a season dominated by Ferrari’s early pace. Verstappen, who had briefly led the session before his crash, will start fifth after Red Bull confirmed the incident was caused by a technical failure, absolving him of blame .
Ferrari’s team principal, Frédéric Vasseur, criticised the timing of the yellow flag, suggesting it unfairly disrupted Antonelli’s final attempt. “It’s a shame for Kimi,” Vasseur said. “He was very close to improving, but the yellow flag came at the worst possible moment.” Mercedes, meanwhile, hailed Russell’s “magic lap” and quick decision-making under pressure. “George showed incredible composure,” said team principal Toto Wolff. “He knew the lap was there and he executed it perfectly.”
The grid for Sunday’s race is now set, with Russell leading a Mercedes-Ferrari front row. Leclerc will start alongside him, with Hamilton third and Antonelli fourth. Verstappen’s crash, though dramatic, has not dampened Red Bull’s confidence, with team insiders insisting the issue is resolved ahead of the race. The Red Bull Ring’s high-speed layout favours Mercedes’ straight-line performance, raising the prospect of a thrilling season-first victory for Russell. With the championship finely poised, Sunday’s race promises to be a pivotal moment in the 2026 title fight.
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Articles
Formel 1 in Österreich: Verstappen schuldlos an Unfall - Entschuldigung von Red Bull Nach seinem heftigen Crash in Spielberg gibt Max Verstappen Entwarnung. Dass es überhaupt dazu kam, lag an einem technischen Mangel.
tagesspiegel · about 10 hours ago
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telegraph · about 19 hours ago
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