P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Conditions dictated that times shouldn’t really have been quicker in Austrian GP qualifying than they were in Friday’s sprint session – yet Max Verstappen found a huge chunk from Friday to Saturday. Mark Hughes explains what’s behind that
Max Verstappen was thrilled with his pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix, expressing his satisfaction and calling his performance “on fire.” He outpaced Lando Norris by over 0.4 seconds despite challenging track conditions. Verstappen’s true advantage was even greater, as seen in the sprint qualifying sessions. Red Bull’s ability to improve the car after the sprint race further enhanced Verstappen’s dominance, reminiscent of their dominance in China or Japan. McLaren, while still competitive, struggled to match Red Bull’s pace, with observers noting that Verstappen and Red Bull remain the team to beat.
