Lando Norris Dominates Austrian Qualifying While Bortoleto Steals the Spotlight
What a thrilling Saturday it’s been at the Red Bull Ring! If you’re an F1 fan, you know Austria always has something exciting up its sleeve—and this time, Lando Norris absolutely stole the show with a commanding performance in Qualifying. Let me walk you through what just happened because it was one of those sessions that had drama, surprise performances, and big names struggling.
First things first: Lando Norris was simply untouchable. He put his McLaren on pole position with a time of 1:03.971—over half a second clear of Charles Leclerc in P2. That kind of margin? Practically unheard of in modern F1. It wasn’t just a lucky lap either; Norris was quick throughout Q1 and Q2, already looking like the man to beat. And when it mattered most, in Q3, he delivered again. That lap wasn’t just fast—it was surgical. He even said afterward that he nailed everything he’d planned to do, and when that happens, he’s nearly unstoppable.
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Behind Norris, Charles Leclerc was solid for Ferrari, securing P2, but still a massive 0.521s behind. Oscar Piastri could’ve been a threat, but a yellow flag caused by a late spin from Pierre Gasly ruined his final run. Still, the Aussie managed P3, locking out the top three with two McLarens and a Ferrari.
But let’s talk about the real underdog story—Gabriel Bortoleto. The Kick Sauber rookie made it to Q3 for the first time in his F1 career and qualified P8. Not only did he outqualify his far more experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg, but he also beat the likes of Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon, and even Carlos Sainz, who shockingly went out in Q1 with suspected damage. That result earned Bortoleto the "Driver of the Day" vote—and rightly so! For a rookie in only his first season, to shine like this on such a competitive grid is nothing short of remarkable.
The rest of the top ten featured a mix of familiar and surprising faces. Lewis Hamilton continued his strong Ferrari form in P4, with George Russell just behind in P5. Liam Lawson put in one of his best qualifying performances ever to grab P6 for Racing Bulls—yep, ahead of Max Verstappen, who could only manage P7. Verstappen was clearly unhappy with his car, calling it “completely undriveable” at one point over the radio. His session was further compromised by that same yellow flag that affected Piastri.
Behind Bortoleto in P8, it was Mercedes’ young talent Kimi Antonelli in P9 and Gasly rounding out the top 10 despite his spin.
In short, this Qualifying session had everything. A clinical pole from Norris, a frustrated Verstappen, a Ferrari resurgence, and a rising star in Bortoleto turning heads with his breakthrough performance. With this kind of setup, Sunday’s race promises fireworks. Let’s see if Norris can convert pole into victory, or if someone from that tightly-packed top ten springs a surprise. Whatever happens, Austria has once again delivered an electrifying prelude to race day.
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