Saturday’s qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring delivered a masterclass in dominance from Lando Norris, who secured pole position with a crushing performance that left his rivals scrambling for answers. The McLaren driver’s lap time of 1:03.971 was more than half a second ahead of his nearest competitor, showcasing the kind of ruthless precision that defines championship-caliber performances.
Norris stormed to pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, who qualified second and third respectively. The Brit’s advantage was so comprehensive that it evoked memories of prime Max Verstappen performances – a comparison that speaks volumes about the quality of his Saturday afternoon.
Ferrari provided the session’s most encouraging storyline, with their new upgrades appearing to deliver immediate dividends. Charles Leclerc splitting the McLarens and Lewis Hamilton being in the mix too hints this is something more than just occasional qualifying magic. Both drivers secured top-five positions, suggesting the Scuderia may have finally found a remedy for their 2025 struggles.
The biggest shock came from Red Bull’s dramatic collapse. Max Verstappen fell to seventh after his car became “a nightmare in qualifying,” while Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated in Q1 despite looking at his best for weeks. The defending champions’ weekend turned to dust just when McLaren’s gap opened up, leaving them with serious questions about their car’s sudden loss of pace.
Gabriel Bortoleto provided one of the session’s feel-good stories, securing his first Q3 appearance with eighth place for Sauber. The Brazilian rookie had been consistently quick all weekend, finally converting his promise into a meaningful result that could yield his first F1 points on Sunday.
Conversely, several drivers endured disappointing afternoons. Carlos Sainz labeled his Williams “undriveable” before being eliminated in Q1 for the third consecutive race, while Nico Hulkenberg’s lock-up consigned him to last place despite Sauber’s pace potential.
The session’s drama was heightened by Pierre Gasly’s late spin at the final corner, which brought out yellow flags and disrupted several drivers’ final attempts. This incident particularly affected Oscar Piastri, who missed his chance to improve and had to settle for third behind his teammate’s dominant display.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Norris appears to have the machinery and momentum to convert pole into victory. However, Ferrari’s resurgence and Red Bull’s struggles suggest the championship battle may be far from over, with the unpredictable nature of the Red Bull Ring promising an intriguing grand prix.
2025 Austrian Grand Prix – Qualifying Results
Final Starting Grid
| Pos | Driver | Team | Q1 Time | Q2 Time | Q3 Time | Gap to Pole |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris 🇬🇧 | McLaren | 1:04.672 | 1:04.410 | 1:03.971 | – |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc 🇲🇨 | Ferrari | 1:05.197 | 1:04.734 | 1:04.492 | +0.521 |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri 🇦🇺 | McLaren | 1:04.066 | 1:04.556 | 1:04.554 | +0.583 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton 🇬🇧 | Ferrari | 1:05.115 | 1:04.734 | 1:04.619 | +0.648 |
| 5 | George Russell 🇬🇧 | Mercedes | 1:05.189 | 1:04.896 | 1:04.763 | +0.792 |
| 6 | Liam Lawson 🇳🇿 | Racing Bulls | 1:05.017 | 1:05.041 | 1:04.926 | +0.955 |
| 7 | Max Verstappen 🇳🇱 | Red Bull | 1:05.106 | 1:04.836 | 1:04.929 | +0.958 |
| 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto 🇧🇷 | Sauber | 1:05.123 | 1:04.846 | 1:05.132 | +1.161 |
| 9 | Kimi Antonelli 🇮🇹 | Mercedes | 1:05.178 | 1:05.052 | 1:04.276* | +1.305 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly 🇫🇷 | Alpine | 1:05.054 | 1:04.846 | 1:05.649 | +1.678 |
Eliminated in Q2
| Pos | Driver | Team | Q1 Time | Q2 Time | Gap to Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Fernando Alonso 🇪🇸 | Aston Martin | 1:05.197 | 1:05.128 | +0.282 |
| 12 | Alex Albon 🇹🇭 | Williams | 1:05.143 | 1:05.205 | +0.359 |
| 13 | Isack Hadjar 🇫🇷 | Racing Bulls | 1:05.063 | 1:05.226 | +0.380 |
| 14 | Franco Colapinto 🇦🇷 | Alpine | 1:05.278 | 1:05.288 | +0.442 |
| 15 | Oliver Bearman 🇬🇧 | Haas | 1:05.218 | 1:05.312 | +0.466 |
Eliminated in Q1
| Pos | Driver | Team | Q1 Time | Gap to Q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Lance Stroll 🇨🇦 | Aston Martin | 1:05.329 | +0.111 |
| 17 | Esteban Ocon 🇫🇷 | Haas | 1:05.364 | +0.146 |
| 18 | Yuki Tsunoda 🇯🇵 | Red Bull | 1:05.369 | +0.151 |
| 19 | Carlos Sainz 🇪🇸 | Williams | 1:05.582 | +0.364 |
| 20 | Nico Hulkenberg 🇩🇪 | Sauber | 1:05.606 | +0.388 |
Key Statistics:
- Pole Position: Lando Norris – 1:03.971
- Biggest margin to pole this season: 0.521s (Charles Leclerc)
- Q1 107% time: 1:09.298
- Fastest in Q1: Oscar Piastri (1:04.066)
- Fastest in Q2: Lando Norris (1:04.410)
2025 Austrian Grand Prix Qualifying – Driver Performance Ratings
Outstanding Performances (9-10/10)
Lando Norris – 10/10 🥇
- Absolutely dominant pole position with a crushing 0.521s margin
- Consistently fastest throughout all sessions despite a small Q2 error
- Perfect execution when it mattered most in Q3
- Biggest pole margin of the 2025 season
Charles Leclerc – 9/10 🥈
- Split the McLarens on merit with Ferrari’s new upgrades
- Delivered one of his trademark qualifying masterclasses
- Over half a second behind Norris but clearly second-best driver on the day
- Maximized Ferrari’s potential immediately with new package
Excellent Performances (8-8.5/10)
Gabriel Bortoleto – 8.5/10 🌟
- First Q3 appearance of his rookie season
- Consistently quick all weekend, faster than experienced teammate
- Top 10 in every single session from FP1 onwards
- Perfect execution under pressure
Lewis Hamilton – 8/10
- Strong fourth place showing Ferrari’s upgrade potential
- Solid throughout all sessions, backing up Leclerc’s pace
- Demonstrated the new package works for both drivers
Liam Lawson – 8/10 ⬆️
- Impressive sixth place, highest-qualifying Red Bull family driver
- Converted early weekend pace into meaningful result
- Second-best qualifying result of his F1 career
Good Performances (7-7.5/10)
Oscar Piastri – 7.5/10
- Third place but clearly had pace for second
- Missed final Q3 improvement due to Gasly’s yellow flags
- Acknowledged teammate’s superior performance graciously
George Russell – 7.5/10
- Solid fifth place after vulnerable Q1 and Q2 showings
- Made it count when Mercedes looked in trouble
- Outperformed teammate convincingly
Pierre Gasly – 7/10
- Excellent Q2 performance (6th, 0.4s faster than teammate)
- Maximized Alpine’s potential to reach Q3
- Spin cost him better result but showed he was extracting everything
Average/Mixed Performances (5-6.5/10)
Fernando Alonso – 6.5/10
- 11th place was decent but Aston Martin had shown better pace
- Just missed Q3 cutoff by 0.282s
- Outperformed struggling teammate
Max Verstappen – 6/10 ⬇️
- Seventh place is poor by his standards despite car difficulties
- Aborted final Q3 lap cautiously for yellow flags
- Car was “undriveable” but usually finds a way to overcome such issues
Alex Albon – 6/10
- 12th place reasonable given Williams’ struggles
- Made Q2 when teammate couldn’t
- Consistent but unspectacular weekend
Kimi Antonelli – 6/10 ⬇️
- Ninth place disappointing after Canada breakthrough
- Half a second slower than Russell in same car
- Failed to build on recent momentum
Isack Hadjar – 6/10
- 13th place in Q2 elimination was solid rookie effort
- Consistent throughout weekend
- No major errors but lacked standout pace
Disappointing Performances (3-4.5/10)
Franco Colapinto – 4.5/10
- 14th place, over 0.4s slower than Gasly in Q2
- Failed to match teammate’s impressive form
- Struggled to find Alpine’s sweet spot
Oliver Bearman – 4.5/10
- 15th in Q2, couldn’t match Haas’s recent upturn in form
- Solid rookie season but no breakthrough this weekend
- Outpaced by more experienced drivers as expected
Lance Stroll – 4/10 ⬇️
- Massive disappointment after strong practice pace
- P4 in FP2, P8 in FP3, then Q1 elimination
- Car felt “dead” in qualifying after promising setup
- Third consecutive Q1 exit for the season
Esteban Ocon – 4/10
- Q1 elimination in 17th place
- Failed to extract pace from Haas package
- Teammate Bearman also struggled but performed better
Poor Performances (2-3/10)
Yuki Tsunoda – 3/10 ⬇️
- Shocking Q1 elimination despite strong weekend pace
- Only 0.26s slower than Verstappen but 12 places behind
- Had looked like Q3 contender before qualifying disaster
- Third Q1 elimination of the season
Carlos Sainz – 2.5/10 ⬇️
- Third consecutive Q1 elimination
- Called car “undriveable,” 0.4s slower than Albon
- Major struggle with car balance and high-speed stability
- Failed to convert decent practice pace
Nico Hulkenberg – 2/10 ⬇️
- Dead last in qualifying despite Sauber’s pace potential
- Costly lock-up ruined lap and relegation to P20
- Slower than rookie teammate all weekend
- Failed to reach Q2 when car had the pace for it
Key Takeaways:
- Weekend Hero: Lando Norris with a dominant pole performance
- Biggest Surprise: Gabriel Bortoleto’s first Q3 appearance
- Biggest Disappointment: Red Bull’s double disaster
- Best Rookie: Gabriel Bortoleto over other first-year drivers
- Upgrade Winner: Ferrari’s immediate pace improvement
