Lando Norris Delivers Stunning Austrian GP Pole After Canada Crash Fallout; Verstappen Fumes Over ‘Undriveable’ Red Bull
Lando Norris roared back into championship contention with a commanding pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix, clocking a sensational 1:03.971 lap at the Red Bull Ring. The McLaren driver edged out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by half a second, with teammate Oscar Piastri taking third. It was a perfect redemption arc for the Brit, who had crashed out of the Canadian Grand Prix after a controversial incident with Piastri.
Norris’s performance marked a dramatic turnaround, following a difficult stretch in which his title hopes took a hit—dropping him 22 points behind Piastri. But in Spielberg, Norris silenced critics, dominating all three qualifying sessions and proving uncatchable even by his closest rivals. His lap time left a massive gap to the field, particularly to Max Verstappen, who struggled with grip and could only manage seventh in a “completely undriveable” Red Bull.
Verstappen, visibly frustrated, slammed the car’s performance, saying it lacked grip in every corner type. Despite Red Bull bringing what is expected to be their final major upgrade of the season—a revised floor aimed at correcting balance issues—the Dutchman’s campaign continues to face growing challenges. Adding to the tension, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reiterated his interest in luring Verstappen away from Red Bull, further stoking transfer speculation.
Lewis Hamilton secured fourth for Ferrari, followed by George Russell in fifth for Mercedes. The session wasn’t without drama: a red flag paused Q2 for ten minutes after grass beside the track caught fire, echoing similar scenes from the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this year.
In the aftermath of the Montreal clash, Norris admitted he needed to clean up his performances. “I’ve been making more mistakes and I’ve been behind. Oscar’s been more comfortable this season,” he said. But in Austria, he stepped up. McLaren’s recent upgrades—including tweaks to the front and rear aero and, crucially, the front suspension—gave Norris the confidence he’s been lacking, according to team principal Andrea Stella.
With momentum firmly on his side, Norris now looks set to reignite his title challenge—though he’s acutely aware that one misjudgment, like in Canada, could derail it all.
