F1 #Qualifying: @GeorgeRussell63 pips @CharlesLeclerc to dramatic #AustrianGP pole.
George Russell, #63, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17, celebrates in Parc Ferme after taking his 11th-career pole in Qualifying at the Formula 1 Lenovo Austrian Grand Prix 2026, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria. Image credit to Mark Thompson/Getty Images. Russell Austrian GP Pole, 2026 Austrian GP Qualifying, F1 Austrian GP Qualifying Results, 2026 Formula 1 Austria Qualifying Results, Austrian Grand Prix Qualifying Results.
Russell Austrian GP Pole – Mercedes’ George Russell snatched pole position from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in an intense qualifying session at the Austrian GP as Sir Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top three as four-time world champion Max Verstappen suffered a heavy shunt on the final hot-lap sparking a bit of confusion with the yellow flag.
With no further investigation for the yellow flag infringement, this was Russell’s 11th-career pole and was the ultimate motivation booster for the Briton.
In Q3, the initial hot-laps saw reigning world champion Lando Norris lead the pack out first with the McLaren driver setting the benchmark of a 1:06.900, which was beaten by Verstappen’s 1:06.475 with three purples.
Piastri slotted into second on a 1:06.685 with the best final sector.
Leclerc was next to go third on a 1:06.756 whilst Antonelli with the best final sector charged to provisional pole on a 1:06.414.
Russell with three personal bests ended up a slim 0.043 seconds off team-mate Antonelli to make it a provisional Silver Arrows front-row lockout.
The final flying laps saw Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar the first to lead the pack out and the Frenchman set a 1:06.632 to go fourth.
Hamilton was next with three personal bests goes provisional pole on a 1:06.408 as Leclerc pips his team-mate with a 1:06.349.
Norris ended up sixth with a 1:06.502 as his team-mate Piastri slotted behind his McLaren team-mate into seventh on a 1:06.511.
Verstappen was next and lost the rear of his Red Bull RB22 entry, spinning across the track and into the barrier whacking his left wheels at the penultimate corner with double-waved yellow flags ending Antonelli’s final flyer with no improvement after the championship leader abandoned his hot-lap.
Russell crossed the line to grab pole position with a 1:06.113 however he is under investigation for a yellow flag infringement following Verstappen’s shunt.
There was no further investigation for Russell’s yellow flag infringement with Russell lifting off just before the penultimate corner.
Speaking to SkySports F1’s Ted Kravitz – Mercedes Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff explained: “It was 100m lift and a single yellow, and George lost a tenth and a half, so it is completely on,” said Wolff. “That was the pole lap, it was an incredible lap and I’m really happy for him.”
“So, what about Antonelli, who aborted his lap?” – Kravitz.
“He thought it was a double yellow.” Concluded Wolff.
Championship leader Antonelli ended up fourth and in-front of the aforementioned Verstappen who placed fifth.
The two McLaren’s of Norris and Piastri followed in sixth and seventh respectively.
Hadjar wounded up eighth whilst the two RB’s of Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten.
In the middle segment, which was topped by Antonelli, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly just missed out on a Q3 appearance by 0.040 seconds despite three personal bests on his final flying lap meaning the Frenchman will start tomorrow’s Austrian GP 11th.
Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto was next in 12th and in-front of Haas’s Oliver Bearman who took 13th and team-mate Nico Hulkenberg who ended Q2 in 14th.
The other Haas VF-26 entry of Esteban Ocon placed 15th whilst Franco Colapinto was the slowest of the Q2 eliminatees in 16th.
In the first qualifying stage, which was topped by Antonelli, a late improvement from Hulkenberg saw Williams’ Carlos Sainz slip into the drop-zone and being the quickest of the Q1 eliminatees in 17th. The Spaniard missed out on a Q2 appearance by a slim 0.021 seconds.
The other Williams of Alexander Albon was next in 18th and in-front of Cadillac duo Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas who were 19th and 20th respectively.
Aston Martin duo Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll brought up the rear.
You can see the full Formula 1 Lenovo Austrian Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 LENOVO AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX 2026 – QUALIFYING
2026 Austrian GP Qualifying – The Top Three
2026 Austrian GP Pole Position – George Russell, #63, Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team, F1 W17 – 1:06.113:
“I saw the yellow, I had a big lift, and I was five tenths up and I came out two and a half tenths up. So should be okay. It was so special to get that lap.”
2nd Place – Charles Leclerc, #16, Scuderia Ferrari HP, SF-26 – 1:06.349:
“I’m relatively happy about today. Last few weekends have been tough, so I just wanted a clean session. If I am completely honest, I did not think we would be starting on the front row until Qualifying, so it is a complete surprise.”
3rd Place – Sir Lewis Hamilton, #44, Scuderia Ferrari HP, SF-26 – 1:06.408:
“To have the two Ferraris in second and third is fantastic and is a reflection of the amazing work everyone is doing back in the factory.”
#F1 #AustrianGP #FP3: @GeorgeRussell63 pips @MercedesAMGF1 team-mate #Antonelli by 0.038s.
#F1 #AustrianGP FP2: #Antonelli fastest ahead of @McLarenF1 duo.
#Antonelli heads @MercedesAMGF1 one-two in #AustrianGP #FP1 session. #F1
