Russell keeps pole after yellow flags
George Russell kept his Austrian Grand Prix pole despite passing yellow flags after Max Verstappen’s Turn 9 crash because it was a single waved yellow, allowing drivers to complete a lap if they “reduce their speed” in that sector. Russell said on team radio: “Lifted entry at that corner… Big lift on the entry at that corner,” and although the stewards noted a potential infringement, they chose not to open a full investigation so his time stood. Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli mistakenly thought it was double yellows and aborted his lap.
Why Russell avoided an investigation over yellow flags
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Round-up: Turn nine crash was ‘an impossible slide to correct' says Verstappen, and more
Verstappen on odd Austrian GP qualifying crash
Max Verstappen said his late crash in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix was “a bit weird” and “odd”, adding that he had not had any warning signs in that corner. Verstappen said: "Not in that corner at all. I mean, just that lap already in Turn 6 on the entry, big moment. So that was a bit weird, because the whole weekend I've never had something like that. And then I arrived to Turn 9, I turned in and I'm immediately gone. Not even a small correction, I was just immediately full lock off. So that's a bit odd, but we'll have a look."
Max Verstappen labels late qualifying crash 'weird': 'Never had something like that'
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Racing Bulls wary of Alpine pace
Liam Lawson says Racing Bulls still has to “keep an eye” on Alpine at the Austrian Grand Prix despite securing a ‘best of the rest’ qualifying result, with Lawson ninth and team-mate Arvid Lindblad 10th on the grid. Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Lawson said the team had achieved what it “set out to do” by putting both cars in Q3, but admitted: “We’re definitely concerned” about Alpine’s race pace.
Liam Lawson airs 'concern' after Racing Bulls accomplish Austria mission
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Russell on single yellow after Verstappen qualifying crash
George Russell said race control was right to show a single waved yellow flag after Max Verstappen crashed in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, as he went on to take pole position on a lap that passed the incident. Russell said: "I think in that instance, a single yellow was correct. A double yellow [means] 'immediate danger'. Lifting 100 metres before a corner, or lifting off with a single yellow, you're never going to lose control of the car. With Verstappen, the only reason he was in the wall that far away is because he was attacking and lost the car."
Single yellow flag was “correct” reaction to Verstappen's crash – Russell
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Chandhok on Antonelli abandoning final Q3 lap in Austria
Karun Chandhok said he has sympathy for Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli after the Italian abandoned his final Q3 lap in Austrian Grand Prix qualifying when he believed there was a double yellow flag. Chandhok said: "I have some sympathy for Antonelli, having seen the clip. When he came up to that yellow flag, he was the car behind Max Verstappen. He didn't have much time to see it, and in a high-speed corner your eyeline is to the right, looking at the apex. I am sure he is disappointed, but he shouldn't beat himself up too much."
Karun Chandhok sympathises with Kimi Antonelli after Austrian GP qualifying error
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Antonelli aborted lap after yellow misread
Kimi Antonelli said he aborted what would have been his quickest lap in Austrian Grand Prix qualifying after misreading a single waved yellow for a double yellow at Turn 9, where Max Verstappen had crashed. The Mercedes driver pulled out of the lap and ended up fourth, while team-mate George Russell completed his run and took pole after timing data showed he had “discernibly reduced speed” through the yellow-flag zone. Antonelli said: “I saw double yellow, so it probably was my mistake,” but questioned why double yellows were not shown sooner for “a car in the wall in a fast corner”.
Why Kimi Antonelli aborted his fastest lap in Austrian GP qualifying
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Daniel Valente 🏎️
@F1GuyDan
🚨 MERCEDES NOW HAS THE MOST POLES BY A POWER UNIT IN F1 HISTORY
Mercedes - 257 poles
Ferrari - 256 poles
What a way for it to be decided.
8h ago
Daniel Valente 🏎️
@F1GuyDan
Mercedes now has as many poles this season as they did through the ENTIRE GROUND EFFECT ERA 🤯🤯
2026: 8 poles in 8 races
2022-2025: 8 poles in 92 races
8h ago
Leclerc on rebuilding confidence in qualifying
Charles Leclerc said he is “leaving a little bit of margin” in qualifying as he tries to rebuild confidence after a difficult run of weekends. Charles Leclerc said: "I cannot lie, since then you have a bit of a mentality of just trying to do a clean lap and having a clean weekend – [to] start to score points again and getting into the rhythm again. I feel like I'm leaving a little bit of margin on the table in Qualifying, which is normal after the last few weekends. I just hope I get back to the level of confidence I had before to try and extract more from this car."
Leclerc explains his target as he assesses Austria chances
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Sainz on separating friendships from on-track rivalry
Carlos Sainz says he is able to separate his off-track friendships from on-track rivalries because, once he puts his helmet on, he focuses on beating the car in front rather than thinking about which driver is in it. Sainz said: "We are extremely competitive and when I put a helmet on, I want to destroy Lando, and I wanna beat him and I wanna beat Alex, beat Charles, beat all of them. And when I'm driving, I don't see Lando in front of me, I just see a Ferrari or a McLaren, and I just know I need to overtake him."
Carlos Sainz explains how he separates F1 friendships from on-track rivalries
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Ecclestone on a return to bigger F1 engines
Bernie Ecclestone says a return to bigger engines would be “the right thing to do” as Formula 1 discusses a possible switch to V8 power units by 2030 or 2031. Ecclestone said: "A three-litre engine. I don't care if it's a V8 or a V10 or a V12. I think probably all of you would be happy with that. I think it's the right thing to do."
Former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone backs push for V8 engines
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Our Reaction to Austrian GP Qualifying
2026 F1 Austrian GP qualifying analysis by Peter Windsor
Formula 1
@F1
Russell 🆚 Leclerc
Heading onboard with Charles Leclerc in our Ghost Car comparison from their quickest runs in Q3 😮💨
#F1 #AustrianGP
4h ago
Mekies on Verstappen's Austrian GP qualifying crash
Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies said Max Verstappen is "okay" and the team "take full responsibility" after the Dutchman crashed in Austrian Grand Prix qualifying at Turn 9 on his final Q3 run. Mekies said: "The most important thing after this eventful qualifying session is that Max is okay. He delivered an excellent first run in Q3, and his final run was very fast until he lost the car in turn 9. The dynamic of the incident was quite unusual, and we lost aero performance on the rear of the car, and it gave Max no chance to survive. As a team, we take full responsibility for it and apologise to him."
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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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George Russell explains Toto Wolff's "just drive" radio message
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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Formula 1
@F1
George Russell explains how his final lap of Qualifying unfolded with the single yellow flag at Turn 9 🗣️
#F1 #AustrianGP
6h ago
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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