Norris takes Austria pole with sensational lap

Lando Norris achieved his first Formula 1 podium at the Red Bull Ring in 2020

Austrian Grand Prix

Venue: Red Bull Ring, Spielberg Date: 29 June Race start: 14:00 BST

Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Lando Norris put in a sensational performance to take pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix by more than half a second on one of the shortest laps of the year.

Norris beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by 0.521 seconds, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, a further 0.062secs behind.

Lewis Hamilton put the second Ferrari fourth, 0.090secs slower than his team-mate, and Mercedes' George Russell fifth.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen could manage only seventh place - he was caught out by yellow flags on his final run, but had been only sixth on his first lap anyway.

Norris said: "It was a good lap, that's for sure. My Q3 run one was good but I knew there were a few places where if I just got it right I could make up quite a bit more time and I did that."

This outstanding lap was exactly what Norris needed as he arrived in Austria 22 points behind Piastri in the championship after crashing out of the previous race in Canada as a result of running into the back of his team-mate.

Norris said: "Qualifying has been some of my tough moments so to put in a lap like this is pleasing for myself.

"It's a long race tomorrow and a long season. I want to prove it myself over and over again and this is just the beginning of it."

Leclerc's performance was only the second time Ferrari have been on the front row this season, after he also managed second in Monaco.

And it comes after the introduction of a new floor on the Ferrari which they hope will move their season forward after a difficult start.

Leclerc said: "I am very pleased. Monaco was the last time we started on the front row and it has been a difficult season.

"We brought some new parts this weekend, which for sure have made a difference. I am very happy with the lap. We know we have a better car in the race normal than in qualifying so I hope we can put a bit more pressure on the McLarens in the race.

"He must have done an incredible lap. I have not seen it yet but I will definitely look at it, but tomorrow we will try to bring him a tough time."

Piastri, who had been 0.286secs slower than Norris on their first laps, said he had not been able even to start his final lap as he was running behind Alpine's Pierre Gasly when the Frenchman had a double spin at the final corner.

"Lando has been very quick all weekend so it would have been tough to beat him but I definitely had the speed to be on the front row. Just a tough day."

Verstappen, who was beaten by Liam Lawson from Red Bull's sister Racing Bulls team, was another to have his lap hampered by Gasly's error.

The Dutchman said: "It depends how those last two corners would have gone. We would have been closer but it is still 0.5-0.6secs off which is of course a lot on on a track like this.

"It just didn't work in qualifying for whatever reason, there was not one single corner where I felt we had a nice balance. We were not McLaren level but we were still OK but in qualifying it just disappeared."

Completing the top 10 were Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, the Brazilian rookie making the final shootout for the first time in his career, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and Gasly.

Top 10

1. Lando Norris (McLaren)

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

6. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

9. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

• Full qualifying results

There was a red flag in Q2 because of a grass fire coming out of the final corner at the Red Bull Ring