Reported Verstappen-McLaren talks
Max Verstappen’s management has held early discussions with McLaren, according to reports, as he weighs options beyond Red Bull despite being contracted until 2028. The Daily Mail said Verstappen’s camp had “hush-hush negotiations” with McLaren, while F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto reported an “informal chat” with Zak Brown, with the caveat that such conversations are common even if no move follows. Verstappen is currently seventh in the standings, which would leave him eligible to trigger a reported 2027 exit clause tied to being outside the top two by the summer break. Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies acknowledged uncertainty but insisted Verstappen’s focus remains performance, saying: “Max has made clear to us that he wants to continue with the team. It’s equally clear that he needs a fast car for him to be happy with the team.”
Secret McLaren talks emerge as Max Verstappen evaluates F1 options
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Russell on Wolff radio message
George Russell said Toto Wolff’s mid-qualifying “just drive” radio message at the Austrian Grand Prix was intended to help him relax and refocus before his pole-winning lap. Russell explained Wolff told him: “Just enjoy it, just enjoy the drive,” and repeated ahead of Q3: “Just go out and enjoy it”. Russell joked it “probably” sounded like a command because of “the Austrian accent”, adding the messages reflect Wolff’s “100% faith and confidence” and help stop him “overdriving” under championship pressure.
George Russell settles 'just drive' qualifying radio message from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
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Hamilton on Ferrari's Austrian GP win chances
Lewis Hamilton said it would be a “tall order” for Ferrari to beat Mercedes and win the Austrian Grand Prix, after qualifying third on the grid behind George Russell and team-mate Charles Leclerc. Hamilton said: "I think out of pure pace, no. The Mercedes have been very quick this weekend, yesterday [in practice] it was 0.6 seconds [between Mercedes and Ferrari on race pace]. So I think on pure pace it will be very, very hard to do. But maybe with strategy, maybe there's an opportunity. But a tall order to win tomorrow."
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton weighs up Austria GP win: 'A tall order'
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Hadjar on possible straight line mode issue in Verstappen crash
Isack Hadjar says Max Verstappen’s qualifying crash at the Austrian Grand Prix could have been caused by a problem with the straight line mode system as Verstappen approached Turn 9 on his final Q3 lap. Hadjar said: "I think he had an issue with his [straight mode]. It was not closing properly going into the last corner, so I think that is related to the upgrades."
Isack Hadjar offers potential cause of shock Max Verstappen qualifying crash
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Vasseur on trusting race control after Austrian Grand Prix qualifying
Fred Vasseur said Ferrari will focus on the positives and trust race control’s decision-making after Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified second and third for the Austrian Grand Prix behind pole-sitter George Russell, who set his time after lifting for a yellow flag caused by Max Verstappen’s crash. Vasseur said: "No. First I'm taking the positive that we are second and third, that we are in the fight with Mercedes in the Quali and able probably to have good pace for tomorrow. This is most important. We still have 15 races to go and the most important [thing] is the performance. Then we have to trust Race Control and I will do it."
Vasseur reacts after Russell pips Leclerc to Austria pole
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George Russell explains how his final lap of Qualifying unfolded with the single yellow flag at Turn 9 🗣️
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Norris on McLaren hoping for more after qualifying sixth
Lando Norris said McLaren had “hoped for a little bit more” after qualifying sixth for the Austrian Grand Prix, with team-mate Oscar Piastri seventh behind Mercedes and Ferrari cars and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Norris said: "I think we maybe hoped for a little bit more – it was very close to some of the cars ahead, but there's no reason why we should be ahead of some of the cars ahead. I think we're happy with it, it just seems a bit further down the order than what we would have liked and where we've looked in FP3, FP2, FP1. But I think it's more just the others are always saving more for Qualifying and this is realistically where we are."
McLaren ‘hoped for a bit more' in Austria Qualifying – Norris
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Norris on McLaren's Austrian Grand Prix qualifying position
Lando Norris said McLaren are “where we deserve to be” after he qualified sixth for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, with team-mate Oscar Piastri seventh. Norris said: "That just wasn't the case today. So we are just where we deserve to be."
Lando Norris makes ‘deserving' McLaren assessment after qualifying struggles
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Stella on Russell's yellow-flag lift in Austrian GP qualifying
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said George Russell did “a good job” lifting under a single yellow flag in Q3 at the Austrian Grand Prix, doing enough to satisfy the FIA stewards while still securing pole position. Stella said: "For what I saw from the GPS overlays, I think Russell has done a good job of executing a lift... So I think it was a kind of a case on the edge, but no particular concern with the fact that this has been accepted by the stewards."
Mercedes rival hails Russell quick thinking in yellow flag confusion
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Russell on yellow flag call during Austrian GP qualifying
George Russell said single yellow flags were the right call on his Austrian Grand Prix pole lap and insisted he stayed in control, amid questions over whether he should have lifted after Max Verstappen crashed in qualifying at the Red Bull Ring. Russell said: "I think in that instance, a single yellow was correct, because a double yellow is immediate danger. You're never going to be lifting 100 meters before a corner or lifting off with a single yellow, you're never going to lose control of the car. So, you know, I think the single yellow was correct. I think I did everything right to be very much under control, and it's a very different story to a double."
Russell: ‘Unbelievable' Austrian GP pole lap came out of nowhere
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Leclerc on Ferrari's sudden Austrian GP step forward
Charles Leclerc said Ferrari’s sudden step forward at the Austrian Grand Prix was “very strange” after the team struggled on Friday, with the Monegasque qualifying second behind Mercedes’ George Russell. Leclerc said: "It's very strange because yesterday was a very tough day for the team. We were struggling a lot as a team and today we took a big step forward. We did not expect to be in front of the McLarens particularly and close to Mercedes, so that's a good surprise. We changed quite a lot, actually. Not big steps, but a little bit everywhere. It ended up being quite a big difference."
Charles Leclerc puzzled by "very strange" Ferrari step on tough Austrian GP weekend
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Charles Leclerc admits Ferrari 'surprise' after Austria pole near-miss
Hamilton on Ferrari using strategy against Mercedes in Austria
Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari’s best chance of beating Mercedes at the Austrian Grand Prix is to work with team-mate Charles Leclerc to apply strategic pressure, after admitting Mercedes have been quicker for much of the weekend. Hamilton said: "It's going to be very tough to challenge them tomorrow, but with a long run down to Turn 3, hopefully together we can. It's great having Charles here as well, because we can hopefully work together on a strategy and try to apply pressure to them."
Hamilton outlines Ferrari's best chance of beating Mercedes to Austrian GP victory
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Winners and losers from Austrian GP F1 qualifying 2026
Wolff on Russell's pole lap under Austrian GP yellow flags
Toto Wolff said George Russell used “all his experience” to secure pole for the Austrian Grand Prix after yellow flags came out in Q3 following Max Verstappen’s crash. Wolff said: "Yeah, of course I was in doubt, because what I saw is a yellow. I saw Kimi aborting, and that was pretty much the session done, and I was super angry about it. Then, George on pole. This is all his experience. His lap was incredible. He lifted at the right time, the necessary amount, and that's the pole position."
Wolff praises Russell for using ‘experience' to bag pole
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Antonelli on reviewing yellow-flag response after Verstappen crash
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli said the yellow-flag response after Max Verstappen’s late crash in Austrian Grand Prix qualifying should be reviewed, arguing it should have been double yellows at a high-speed corner. Antonelli said: "I think double yellows would have been enough, because you just need to abort the lap, but for sure it is something that needs to be reviewed. Especially when it happens in a high-speed corner. If it's a slow speed, still single yellow can be okay, but fast corner, it should be double yellow straightaway."
Antonelli calls for review after Max Verstappen crash triggers yellow flag confusion
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Russell on Austrian GP pole lap standing after yellow flag
George Russell said he was glad “common sense prevailed” after the stewards allowed his Austrian Grand Prix pole lap to stand despite a single yellow flag in the final sector for Max Verstappen’s crash. Russell said: "It's a corner where you can see quite a lot, and I made this huge lift [off the throttle], and I was going to assess the situation as soon as I got to the corner, if the car was there, but as it was a single yellow and I was pretty confident there was no danger. As soon as I turned into the corner, I already saw the green flag up ahead... I was glad common sense prevailed there."
George Russell on 'sweet' pole lap and yellow flag drama: 'Glad common sense prevailed'
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F1 - 2026 Austrian Grand Prix Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript
Hadjar given stewards' warning
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar has been given an FIA stewards’ warning for driving “unnecessarily slowly” during Q1 qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. The stewards said they reviewed data and onboard footage and concluded Hadjar “completed the relevant lap without overtaking or being overtaken by any other cars and therefore drove unnecessarily slowly.”
FIA confirms Isack Hadjar punishment after Austrian Grand Prix breach
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Verstappen on unexplained Q3 crash in Austria
Max Verstappen admitted he cannot explain what caused his late crash in Q3 for the Austrian Grand Prix, which left the Red Bull driver fifth on the grid after losing control at Turn 9 at the Red Bull Ring. Verstappen said: "On that final lap, I can't really explain why it felt like that. Already in Turn 6 it was the same thing, on the long, combined entry. I had a big snap, a big moment, which was a bit odd, because that corner normally always understeers. I went into Turn 9 and the same happened... As soon as I turned the wheel it just completely snapped."
Verstappen left searching for answers after Q3 crash in Austria
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Verstappen on Austrian GP qualifying crash and third-place pace
Max Verstappen said he believes he could have qualified third for the Austrian Grand Prix before crashing at Turn 9 on his final lap at the Red Bull Ring, leaving him fifth on the grid. Verstappen said: "I think realistically we could have been P3, it's a little bit better than P5. But realistically, I think even if we would have been P3, coming off the line is hard for us, so you probably drop back to P5, but that's what it is at the moment."
Verstappen says final flyer good enough for P3 before Turn 9 crash
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Norris on McLaren's Austrian qualifying limitations
Lando Norris said it would have taken a "pretty insane" lap to qualify higher than sixth for the Austrian Grand Prix, after McLaren fell short of its expectations in qualifying at the Red Bull Ring. Norris said: "I think my lap felt pretty good. Similar to what Oscar said, it takes a pretty insane lap on a day like today to maybe get you a couple more positions, but they don't come around very often, and it's tricky to get that out of the car we have at the minute. So we are just where we deserve to be."
Lando Norris makes 'pretty insane' assessment as McLaren suffer disappointment
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Antonelli on Ferrari's Friday sandbagging in Austria
Andrea Kimi Antonelli said Ferrari were “sandbagging” on Friday after their improvement in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. Antonelli said: "For sure, yesterday they were sandbagging definitely, so I mean for sure their pace is going to be much better and we saw how strong they were in Barcelona, so let's see. It's going to be, again, another race where you need to manage tyres and trying to extract the maximum out of it."
Kimi Antonelli makes bold Ferrari accusation after F1 qualifying disappointment
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Verstappen on yellow flags after his Austria Q3 crash
Max Verstappen said it was “quite crazy” that only single yellow flags were shown after his crash at the end of Q3 in Austria, with George Russell able to continue and keep pole position after satisfying the FIA that he lifted. Verstappen said: "I only heard about that now. That's quite crazy, yeah."
"Crazy" - Max Verstappen expresses yellow flag surprise after heavy Austria F1 crash
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