Norris Stuns with Austrian GP Pole as Furious Verstappen Slams ‘Naughty’ Hamilton in Qualifying Chaos
Lando Norris delivered a blistering performance to snatch pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix, outshining the field with a sensational lap in a dramatic qualifying session. The McLaren driver came out swinging in Q1, laying down a formidable benchmark of 1:04.672, which left reigning World Champion Max Verstappen trailing by over four-tenths of a second. Oscar Piastri briefly struggled, kicking up gravel at Turn 4, but recovered on his next run—though he still had more than three-tenths to find on his teammate.
Norris’s pace proved unmatchable throughout the session, as multiple front-runners faltered. Carlos Sainz surprisingly exited in Q1, describing his Williams—an unusual error in reporting—as “undriveable.” He was joined on the sidelines by Nico Hülkenberg, Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, and Lance Stroll. Interestingly, Tsunoda’s time was only a quarter of a second slower than Verstappen’s, indicating a much-improved performance despite the early exit.
Tension flared when Verstappen accused Lewis Hamilton of impeding him at Turn 3, labeling the move “naughty.” The stewards noted the incident, along with another between Norris and Charles Leclerc. A yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s spin disrupted final runs, forcing Verstappen and Piastri to abort. Meanwhile, Norris found yet more time, securing pole with Leclerc alongside on the front row. Verstappen could only manage seventh—a disappointing result, setting the stage for an explosive race ahead.
