08/07/2022
NEWS STORY
With only one practice session - and that compromised by two red flags - we head into qualifying much like the teams, with very little data to go on.
Verstappen was quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Russell, Perez and Hamilton, but other than the fact the neither McLaren driver set a representative time and the Alpines didn't try the softs, a number of other drivers appeared to be out of position.
As previously reported, having taken on extra engine components, Bottas will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid, however that doesn't affect where he starts the Sprint from.
Air temperature is 19.1 degrees C, while the track temperature is 37.9 degrees. It remains bright and sunny with 0% chance of rain.
In the moments before the start of Q1, McLaren reports that it has changed the engine in Norris' car, taking a unit from his pool.
The lights go green and Tsunoda gets things underway, the Japanese driver followed by Gasly, Leclerc, Norris and Stroll.
Lots of liberties were taken this morning in terms of track limits, but we expect that to change this afternoon.
Tsunoda sets the benchmark with a 7.578, but Leclerc immediately responds with a 6.762.
A 6.363 sees Sainz go top, a week after claiming his first F1 pole, however he and Stroll subsequently have their times deleted for running wide at Turn 10.
Perez goes second (6.806), ahead of Norris, Albon, Ricciardo and Tsunoda.
"I didn't go over, I promise" argues Sainz, "I was super good."
Stroll has another time deleted, as does Latifi, as Alonso goes quickest with a 6.716.
No sooner has Leclerc gone quickest and Magnussen second than Schumacher splits the pair with a 6.503.
A 6.397 sees Sainz go second, and this time it's legal.
Verstappen finally heads out, as do the Mercedes pair, as Perez goes quickest in S1.
Russell goes fifth (6.628), but is demoted when Perez and then Verstappen go quicker, the Dutchman posting 6.097. However, the world champion's time is deleted as Hamilton goes eleventh (7.066) after making a mistake at Turn 3.
Consequently, Perez (6.143) heads the timesheets ahead of Alonso and Leclerc.
No sooner has Russell gone fourth, than Hamilton goes quickest, stopping the clock at 6.079.
As Bottas goes tenth, teammate Zhou improves to eleventh.
Yet to post a legal time, Verstappen goes quickest in S1. Posting a PB in S2, he finally crosses the line at 5.852 to go top... much to the crowd's delight.
However, Sainz responds with a 5.660 and Leclerc with a 5.419. The crowd falls silent.
With 4:00 remaining, Norris, Latifi, Stroll, Albon and Vettel comprise the drop zone, with Zhou, Ricciardo and Tsunoda hovering.
A 6.330 sees Norris improve to 8th, as Vettel can only manage 17th (7.083).
Albon's 6.511 would have put him tenth, but again his time is deleted.
Stroll improves to 15th with a 6.892, but is it enough.
All bar the Ferraris and Verstappen are on track.
As the final laps are underway, there are plenty of PBs as Magnussen goes ninth, and Tsunoda 12th.
Ricciardo can only manage 16th as Alonso improves to fourth with a 6.016.
Vettel has yet another time deleted and therefore misses the cut, while teammate Stroll has also fallen at the first hurdle.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Sainz, Verstappen, Alonso, Hamilton, Perez, Russell, Norris, Magnussen and Schumacher.
We lose Ricciardo, Stroll, Zhou, Latifi and Vettel.
Ocon is first out for Q2, the Frenchman followed by Tsunoda, Gasly, Norris and Leclerc.
As Ocon posts a 6.488, Norris runs wide in Turn 4 and aborts his first lap.
No sooner has Leclerc gone quickest (5.774) than Verstappen responds with a 5.568.
However, Russell posts a 5.771 to go second, only to be demoted when his teammate goes quickest with a 5.538.
Tsunoda has his time deleted, as Perez goes sixth with a 6.458.
A 6.476 sees Albon go seventh, but he is demoted when Ocon bangs in a 6.276 to claim 6th.
Hamilton consolidates his top spot with a 5.475 despite only being quickest in the opening sector.
As Norris runs wide in Turn 1, Sainz has his latest time deleted.
Magnussen goes seventh and Schumacher sixth, watched by a fairly nonchalant Guenther Steiner.
Gasly improves to 12th, while Perez has his time deleted and therefore drops to tenth.
A 6.082 sees Alonso go sixth, as Tsunoda fails to improve on 14th.
Complaining of understeer, Perez adds that the tyres are not switching on.
Though currently looking highly unlikely to proceed any further, Albon will be pleased with 12th just over a second off the pace.
Russell improves to fifth with a 5.771, as Leclerc takers the top spot with a 5.287.
Norris' latest time is deleted, this time for exceeding the limits at Turn 7.
"I'm scared to hit the brakes," reports Norris.
Hamilton goes quickest in S1, as Albon looks set to improve.
Hamilton aborts his lap, as Albon improves to tenth (6.230) and Norris goes wide again, this time at Turn 1.
Hamilton has his time deleted, as Gasly improves to tenth, thereby demoting Gasly.
Verstappen goes second (5.374) while Perez posts a 5.805 to go sixth.
Quickest is Leclerc, ahead of Verstappen, Hamilton, Sainz, Russell, Perez, Magnussen, Ocon, Alonso and Schumacher.
We lose Gasly, Albon, Bottas, Tsunoda and Norris, who failed to post a single representative lap time.
Check out our Friday gallery from Spielberg here.
The lights go green for Q3, but there is no immediate rush to work. Eventually Ocon breaks the deadlock, followed by Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Magnussen and Alonso.
Meanwhile Perez is under investigation for an incident at Turn 8 in Q2.
Ocon gets things underway with a 5.779, but Russell responds with a 5.452 only to be demoted when Leclerc crosses the line at 5.183.
Magnussen goes fifth and Schumacher sixth, but both are demoted when Verstappen stops the clock at 5.092.
Schumacher has his time deleted, as Sainz goes third, ahead of Perez and Russell.
First comes the yellow, then the red as Hamilton has gone off at Turn 7and hit the barrier.
"Everything alright?" he is asked. "I'm sorry guys," he replies, "so sorry for damaging the car."
Sadly, the crowed cheers. Booing we can put up with, but cheering when someone crashes it just not on.
Relay shows he simply lost the rear, and slid sideways across the gravel and into the barrier.
The session resumes with 5:29 remaining. Verstappen is quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Russell, Ocon, Magnussen and Hamilton, while Alonso and Schumacher have yet to post times.
Alonso heads out, followed by Russell, the pair almost halfway around the lap before the next driver (Ocon) appears.
Oh dear, Russell is off at Turn 10 as Mercedes day goes from bad to a whole lot worse. Again the crowd cheers.
Just before the session is red-flagged, Alonso had managed to post a 6.103 to go seventh.
Replay shows the Briton losing the rear, his car spinning and heading into the barrier backwards.
In the Mercedes garage, Toto Wolff somehow manages to look impassive.
Thing is, when the session resumes there will be just 2:31 remaining.
As if that wasn't enough, Russell will be investigated for entering the track without permission.
As the session resumes, the Haas pair, Magnussen then Schumacher, lead the way... Let's Twist Again plays over the circuit's PA.
"Are we fighting the guys in front?" asks Ocon, who is behind the Haas pair. "He is told that he is if he wants to do the out-lap that he wants.
A few PBs in S1, but no purples.
Leclerc goes quickest with a 5.013, as Sainz responds with a 5.066, however, Verstappen has a 4.984 up his sleeve.
The crowd roars.
Magnussen improves to seventh, while Alonso can only mange 9th.
Russell manages to hold on to fifth.
So, Verstappen will start the Sprint from pole, ahead of Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Russell, Ocon, Magnussen, Schumacher, Alonso and Hamilton.
Gasly will start eleventh, ahead of Albon, Bottas, Tsunoda, Norris, Ricciardo, Stroll, Zhou, Latifi and Vettel.
"We put a good lap at the end of Q3," says Sainz, "but it wasn't easy because the tyres were very cold. It wasn't easy but I'm going to take P3.
"I'm getting there," he adds, "this qualifying was strong, peaking at the right time in Q3. I think there is progress being done and I'm definitely more confident and comfortable."
"I think we are all three definitely close," ads Leclerc, "on the last lap I struggled to bring the tyres up to temperature having been in the pits but Max was just a little bit stronger today so congrats to him."
"It was a very long wait between the two runs and that's never great," says Verstappen, "once you're in the rhythm, it's nice to just keep on going.
"But of course very happy with pole, but I also know that tomorrow and Sunday, you can get the points."
Check out our Friday gallery from Spielberg here.