F1 Austrian Grand Prix LIVE: George Russell claims stunning win after Lando Norris and Max Verstappen crash

Follow live updates from the Red Bull Ring as Verstappen starts on pole position at Red Bull’s home race

Leclerc Voices Discontent With Ferrari Strategy Over Radio

Max Verstappen followed up his sprint victory by securing pole position for Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.

On Red Bull’s home turf in Spielberg, and cheered on by 40,000 travelling Dutch fans, Verstappen blew away his rivals to take top spot.

The world champion produced a scintillating lap of the shortest track on the Formula One calendar to finish 0.404 seconds clear of McLaren’s Lando Norris, with George Russell third for Mercedes. Carlos Sainz finished fourth with Lewis Hamilton fifth.

“It is a great feeling and the team has worked hard to make the car competitive,” said Verstappen after landing his fourth straight pole at the Red Bull Ring. “This is a great statement and hopefully we can show that again tomorrow in the race.”

Follow live updates from the Austrian Grand Prix with The Independent

F1 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES

• George Russell wins after dramtic end to Austrian Grand Prix
• Fuming Lando Norris slams friend Max Verstappen for ‘ruining his race’ after dramatic collision
• CRASH! Verstappen and Norris collide in high drama (Lap 65/71)
• GREAT RACING! George Russell and Lewis Hamilton swap positions in a matter of seconds (Lap 3/71)
• START! Max Verstappen keeps the lead at the start (Lap 1/71)
• Max Verstappen started on pole position in Austria; Norris 2nd; Russell 3rd
• Verstappen won sprint race in Austria; Piastri 2nd; Norris 3rd

[30 June 2024 14:38 · Kieran Jackson]

Max Verstappen: (Lap 29/71)

“You have to let me know when to upshift at the end of the straight.”

Seven second lead but not complete smooth sailing for Verstappen, who is managing some sort of issue with the gears.

[30 June 2024 14:36 · Kieran Jackson]

Max Verstappen under investigation (Lap 27/71)

Interesting!

Norris had to brake slightly to avoid Verstappen as he left his pit box... was that an unsafe release? We shall see what the stewards make of that.

1-10: Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Piastri, Perez, Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Ricciardo

[30 June 2024 14:33 · Kieran Jackson]

Lewis Hamilton receives a penalty (Lap 25/71)

Five seconds for Hamilton - he did cross the white line! Not ideal...

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso further back had a 10-second penalty for clipping Zhou Guanyu at turn 3 - mad move from the Spaniard!

[30 June 2024 14:32 · Kieran Jackson]

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris pit (Lap 24/71)

0.1 seconds between the two pit stops and Verstappen comes out in second with a 6.5-second lead on Norris in third.

Oscar Piastri now leads the race! Can he hold up Verstappen, perhaps?

[30 June 2024 14:31 · Kieran Jackson]

Lewis Hamilton pits (Lap 23/71)

Hamilton pits - but did he cross the pit-lane entry line? It looked like he did, he’s under investigation!

Hamilton comes out in sixth... and a lot of the frontrunners will join him here!

[30 June 2024 14:26 · Kieran Jackson]

Lando Norris’ engineer: (Lap 20/71)

“The hard looks poor, this stint is important, we have two mediums, the Red Bulls don’t.”

Still, Norris six seconds behind Verstappen at the moment...

[30 June 2024 14:23 · Kieran Jackson]

Max Verstappen continues to extend his lead (Lap 15/71)

Cruise control for the reigning world champion - Verstappen leads by 5.4 secs to Lando Norris in second, with the McLaren driver 3.7 seconds clear of George Russell in third.

When will the frontrunners pit onto hard tyres?!

4-10: Sainz, Hamilton, Piastri, Perez, Ocon, Gasly, Tsunoda

Leclerc, meanwhile, has just been overtaken by Albon for P18.... what a nightmare race so far for the Ferrari driver!

(Getty Images)

[30 June 2024 14:16 · Kieran Jackson]

Carlos Sainz’s engineer:

“We are plan A”

What does it mean? We don’t know yet!

[30 June 2024 14:13 · Kieran Jackson]

Oscar Piastri pulls off a brilliant move on Sergio Perez (Lap 9/71)

The McLaren backs himself around the outside of turn six - and makes the move stick on the Red Bull!

Piastri up to sixth.

Out in front, Verstappen has a 3.3 second lead to Norris. Not good for the prospect of a battle out front in this race...

1-10: Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Piastri, Perez, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Magnussen

[30 June 2024 14:11 · Kieran Jackson]

Carlos Sainz overtakes Lewis Hamilton (Lap 7/71)

Sainz gets ahead of Hamilton at turn 3 - the Ferrari up to fourth!

A replay of that Lelcerc-Piastri incident: turn 1, Perez on the right of Leclerc, Piastri on the left, nothing the Monegasque could do!

Stewards not taking a look, turn one lap one incident...