Bortoleto clearly in the groove

New York Times

16 hours ago

The Red Bull Ring hosts Round 11 of the 2025 Formula One world championship Getty Images
Formula One is back in Europe for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, where Lando Norris will start on pole for tomorrow's race.
The McLaren man has dominated the majority of the sessions so far this weekend, and he did so again in qualifying — enjoying the buffer of more than half a second to Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, which will start the race alongside him on the front row.
It was an ideal response from the Brit after he ran into the back of his McLaren teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri at the Canadian Grand Prix last time out.
Piastri will start third while defending champion Max Verstappen could only manage P7 in his Red Bull — sneaking ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto, who made it into Q3 for the first time in his F1 career.
Provisional grid: 1>NOR, 2>LEC, 3> PIA, 4>HAM, 5>RUS, 6>LAW, 7>VER, 8>BOR Grand Prix: Lights out at 9am ET
Lights out at 9am ET Join the conversation: [e-mail]
GO FURTHER
Is Austria F1's most beautiful track? Plus, Norris leads early at the Red Bull Ring Getty Images
Gabriel Bortoleto is through to Q3 for the first time in his F1 career — and he has been in the top 10 of every session so far this weekend.
So he is clearly in a very good groove. Great stuff from the rookie.
Meanwhile, according to the FIA: 'the grass fire was caused by a car going off track, rather than by sparks flying off from cars on track, as in previous cases.
'Additional dampening of the grass will take place during the break between Q2 and Q3.'
Brilliant from the Brazilian. Gabriel Bortoleto makes it into Q3 for the first time in his F1 career — and it will be the first time Sauber has appeared in the final 10 minutes of qualifying this season too.
Outstanding.
Not so fortunate were this quintet, who miss out on the top-10 shootout… 11: Fernando Alonso (AST)
12: Alex Albon (WIL)
13: Isack Hadjar (RB)
14: Franco Colapinto (ALP)
15: Oliver Bearman (HAS)
⏰ 0:00 The checkered flag soon follows for Q2. The second Williams of Alex Albon is struggling now…
⏰ 0:30 Woah, that's an excellent lap from Gabriel Bortoleto. Can he and Sauber break into Q3 for the first time this season?
Huge 1:04.846…
⏰ 3:38 Of course, while the red flag came at a handy time given everyone had completed their first run — it also means they will only head out at the last moment to get their final lap in.
So right now, everyone is sat in their garage waiting for the right moment.
It could get congested out there…
⏰ 5:41 Fires out. Let's get Q2 in the bag...
On the fire that has caused the red flag, there was a test back at the Spanish Grand Prix for the cars being fitted with steel skid blocks and not titanium, as is normal per F1's technical rules, to try and reduce the sparks that caused similar fires in China and Japan over the last two seasons.
The FIA decreed:
💬 'Titanium skid blocks will remain the mandated material for the remainder of the season. However, teams are requested to have stainless steel skid blocks available at all events, as they may become mandatory if similar grass fire incidents occur as seen in Suzuka early this year.
'Additional testing of stainless steel skid blocks will be conducted at selected events throughout the season to support further evaluation.'
Race control confirms we'll be back underway in four minutes.
Count it down, people. I'm right there with you…
If I had a pound for every time there'd been a red flag for the grass being on fire in F1 this season... I'd only have three pounds.
But it's strange it keeps happening. Getty Images
⏰ 5:42 The timing isn't too bad here, with most of the drivers having already completed their first run in Q2.
And unlike free practice, the clock does stop under a red flag in qualifying until we're ready to resume.
⏰ 5:42 We're all stopped with a red flag.
The circuit grass is on fire. It's like Japan all over again!
⏰ 7:37 Another slow start but we're hitting our straps now, including Max Verstappen who slides his way around the Red Bull Ring — and yet he sticks his Red Bull to the top of the time sheets.
That is until the two McLarens go quicker, with Lando Norris clocking a 1:04.410‚ just 0.146s ahead of his teammate.
⏰ 15:00 Straight back on it with Q2. That's 15 minutes to decide places 11 to 15 on tomorrow's grid.
Away we go… Getty Images
Another Q1 exit there for Yuki Tsunoda — but it is by far the closest he has been to Max Verstappen since they started as Red Bull teammates.
The short track in Austria means the margins are always going to be smaller, with Tsunoda's 0.263s deficit to Verstappen worth an enormous 12 positions.
The closest Tsunoda had got to Verstappen prior to this race was last time out in Canada, where he was 0.464s off.
Carlos Sainz is soon on the radio too, saying there was damage to the front of his WIlliams and that it was 'undriveable'.
At the pointy end, Lando Norris was fastest in that opening session with a 1:04.672 from Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, and Isack Hadjar.
Which was an unlikely top five. Even for Q1.
That was a little too close to call for George Russell, but he pulls out enough to claim P11 after Q1.
Not so lucky was the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda, who is already on the radio to complain about his lack of front grip.
Here are the exit out in Q1… 16: Lance Stroll (AST)
17: Esteban Ocon (HAS)
18: Yuki Tsunoda (RBR)
19: Carlos Sainz (WIL)
20: Nico Hulkenberg (SAU)
That is also a third successive Q1 exit for Sainz. Ouch.
⏰ 0:00 That's it. The checkered flag is out. And Yuki Tsunoda hasn't gone quicker. He also doesn't have enough for another lap. Disaster for the Red Bull.
George Russell in real danger still too…
⏰ 1:04 Time ticking away. This is looking a struggle for the Mercedes and Apline drivers, as well as Yuki Tsunoda.
Who can save themselves from here?
And who isn't going to pull it off? Getty Images
⏰ 5:02 Franco Colapinto, an Alpine and a lot of gravel being kicked up in the air during Q1.
The Argentine driver's best time is currently worth P13, but the times will come down plenty over the remaining five minutes.