Lando Norris stormed to F1 Austrian GP pole position with a commanding 0.521 seconds over Charles Leclerc, marking the largest pole margin so far in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The British driver delivered a lap of 1:03.971 to secure his third pole of the season and also mark McLaren’s first pole in Austria since David Coulthard’s achievement a quarter of a century ago.
The qualifying session was delayed by five minutes due to a late finish and a huge crash in the preceding Formula 2 sprint, which left debris scattered at Turn 3.
Once the session got underway, the action was frenetic as drivers jostled for track position and clear air aware that the Red Bull Ring’s short lap times would amplify even the smallest mistakes.
Lando Norris immediately set the tone in Q1 followed by his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ensured that Ferrari remained in the mix.
However, the session was not without its casualties, headlined by Carlos Sainz who suffered his third consecutive Q1 elimination in what he described as “undriveable” Williams. Yuki Tsunoda found himself eliminated in 18th while Nico Hulkenberg was another surprise exit after qualifying last.
As Q2 commenced, Norris continued to lead the way brushing off a minor error to still post the fastest time of the segment.
The battle for the remaining spots in Q3 was intense, with Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson as well as Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto all delivering competitive laps for a top-10 berth.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton triggered a brief red flag after the titanium skid block under his Ferrari started a small grass fire at the edge of the track, adding another layer of drama to the session.
Bortoleto ultimately marked his first appearance in the final qualifying segment, with Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, and Isack Hadjar among those who missed out on Q3.
The final shootout in Q3 saw Lando Norris raise the bar even further after his initial lap of 1:04.268 set a daunting benchmark. However, he found another three-tenths on his final run and lowered his time to 1:03.971 to secure F1 Austrian GP pole position by a remarkable margin of 0.521 seconds.
F1 Austrian Grand Prix 2025 Qualifying results
Behind Norris, Charles Leclerc produced one of his trademark qualifying laps to split the McLarens and secure an impressive second place ahead of Oscar Piastri whose final attempt was compromised by a yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s spin at the final corner.
Lewis Hamilton marked his best grid position for Ferrari in a Grand Prix after qualifying fourth while George Russell rounded out the top five for Mercedes, though his session was clouded by an investigation into an unsafe release in the pit lane during Q3.
Liam Lawson delivered an impressive performance to qualify sixth for Racing Bulls, outqualifying his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen who had to abort his final lap due to the yellow flags and ended up a frustrated seventh.
Gabriel Bortoleto’s eighth place was a standout result for the rookie Sauber driver who has been quietly impressive all weekend and now has his best chance yet to score his first Formula 1 points.
Kimi Antonelli despite his recent podium in Canada could only manage ninth for Mercedes while Pierre Gasly completed the top ten for Alpine, his Q3 spin having significant ramifications for the final order.
Outside the top ten, Fernando Alonso narrowly missed out on Q3, qualifying 11th for Aston Martin. Alex Albon was 12th for Williams, while Isack Hadjar took 13th for Racing Bulls, continuing his solid rookie campaign.
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