Verstappen wins, Raikkonen 2nd, Vettel 3rd, Hamilton out
Hamilton furious after losing lead when Mercedes fail to pit him
Hamilton had taken lead after leapfrogging Bottas at start
Bottas, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Hartley out
The drivers are out on the formation lap. This is Red Bull's home grand prix - and they would appear to be outsiders to add to their two 2018 race wins today. The Saturday kerfuffle between birthday boy Daniel Ricciardo and boy wonder Max Verstappen arguably hasn't helped matters...
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Strategy? One stop. Pirelli say the fastest way is ultrasoft then soft, but Mercedes and Red Bull clearly don’t agree because they have plumped for starting on the supersofts, which are less susceptible to graining, when the surface rubber tears and the tyre loses grip.
The pit window is wide - on the ultra and then soft strategy, the first stop can come anywhere from lap eight to 28, Pirelli’s simulation says. So it’s case of watch and wait.
Image source, Getty ImagesA reminder of the tyres on offer today - it's soft, supersoft and hypersoft. How will they cope with that sizzling hot track?
Image source, .
Image source, .Let's hope for some good racing at the Red Bull Ring today. It's certainly a quick track, and a short one - with laps completed in just over a minute.
But those yellow kerbs have caused a lot of consternation - not to mention car damage - for the drivers over the past two days.
"I don't think the kerbs are great around here," grumbled Force India's Sergio Perez.
"There is no consistency between the tracks, so sometimes you get these kerbs and if you run a bit wide it can destroy your car.
"At other tracks you can go wide 10 metres and you can keep going.
"If we are going to be like this, then we should be acting on track limits all around the tracks so there is not so much of an incentive to damage the car."
Jack Nicholls
Radio 5 live Formula 1 commentator
It was very impressive from Valtteri Bottas yesterday, he got the job done, his fifth career pole and his first of the season.
It means that apart from when he crashed in Melbourne in qualifying, he and Lewis Hamilton have been pretty well matched so he is looking good for the win.
The big question is how far Sebastian Vettel can progress? He got a three-place grid drop for blocking Carlos Sainz and is starting sixth.
Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live
The wind has picked up and that will have as much effect as the track temperature coming up. On pure pace, I think Mercedes have got this one in the bag.
Grosjean is in a great position, he was my star of qualifying, he has not scored a point all year, this is race nine so he will be slightly cautious as his car is very quick.
Good news! BBC Radio 5 live sports extra's commentary is up and running. Jack Nicholls and Jolyon Palmer describe the race, while Jennie Gow digs out the stories in the pit line.
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Ferrari have already used Kimi Raikkonen strategically in an attempt to help Sebastian Vettel’s title bid - in a number of races. But Mercedes insist they are not considering doing the same with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas today.
“We have discussed that internally already,” Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said. “It is race nine and there is a long way to go and I think we owe it to the fans and it is the racing mindset we have that we won’t be playing for a drivers’ championship in June. Obviously towards the end of the season you need to look at the situation, but not now.”
Image source, Getty ImagesA stirring performance of the Austrian national anthem, 'Land der berge, land am strome', gets the crowd in the mood for the race.
Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live
It is a unique track, just seven corners and it is a good atmosphere.
The track temperature is a toasty 47C. "It's much hotter than expected," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff tells Sky Sports. "The track is about 10C more. This changes our thoughts on the tyres."
Image source, Getty ImagesAndrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Valtteri Bottas is on his first pole position since the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2017, and it was a spectacular performance. Last year, he also started this race from pole - and made a blistering start that had rivals countering he had “anticipated” the lights.
Bottas went exactly as they came on, so they had a point. This time, he indicated, he would not take the risk. “You just need a good clean start, nothing amazing, no need to be a hero in Turn One and then go for it," he said. "I can guarantee I’m more hungry for the win than anyone on the grid, so I’m really ready for it.”
Image source, Getty ImagesThe common consensus is that Valtteri Bottas is due a bit of luck after his misfortune in China, Azerbaijan and France. He won in Austria from pole last season - and Mercedes have been victorious in each of the four races since the Grand Prix returned here.
Lewis Hamilton completes the Mercedes front-row lock-out, while Kimi Raikkonen seemed to benefit from a change of Q3 strategy, by setting a fast lap early to take off the pressure late on.
Max Verstappen climbed a place thanks to Sebastian Vettel's grid penalty, as did Romain Grosjean - one of only two drivers yet to score a championship point this season.
Image source, BBC SportThe race will start in around 20 minutes, with Valtteri Bottas on pole, Lewis Hamilton in second and Kimi Raikkonen in third but how will they finish?
Luckily, you have a chance to test your prediction skills with our predictor game here.
Good luck.
Image source, Getty ImagesRicciardo's birthday presents and dream dinner party guests
Phil: Ricciardo's dinner party. I doubt that many motorsport participants are a laugh a minute, but let's go for laughs and a good time. Barry Sheen, James Hunt and Guy Martin. Copious amount of cigars, Champagne and cups of Yorkshire tea. Cheers.
Nick Lloyd: With that goatee, Bernie Ecclestone looks like Richard Hammond’s father.
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
There are a lot of disgruntled people among the midfield teams, after Haas’ stunning pace in qualifying. Romain Grosjean split the Red Bulls, and Kevin Magnussen was not far behind. The general feeling is that this should not be possible for the smallest team on the grid - and there is a continuing sense that something is not right about the Haas partnership with Ferrari, and what their interpretation of the rules allows them to do in terms of buying parts in.
It needs to be said that the FIA has cleared them. The first task for Grosjean, of course, is to get the car to the end of the race without incident and score what would, remarkably, be his first points of a difficult season. The concern for the likes of Renault, Force India and McLaren was the size of the gap - 0.9secs between Grosjean and the fastest of them, Carlos Sainz’s Renault. On the shortest timed lap of the season.
Image source, Getty ImagesSebastian Vettel's grid penalty in Q2 and Daniel Ricciardo's scrappy Q3 sees both men further back on the grid than they would wish. Kevin Magnussen took advantage of Valtteri Bottas' woes to break the top six in France - and Haas have had a good weekend in Austria so far too.
Renault got Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg into Q3 after a lacklustre Friday, strengthening their chances of getting both cars into the points for a fourth successive race.
Image source, BBC SportMaking a grand prix debut in Austria today: Bernie Ecclestone's goatee beard, fitting in smoothly beside the magnificent moustache of F1 chief executive Chase Carey. Beat that, Nigel Mansell. Beat that.
Image source, Getty ImagesSome extraordinary sights at the Red Bull Ring today. Toro Rosso pair Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley, and the Red Bull pair of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, have turned up at the track in lederhosen. Doesn't look to be too much bad feeling between the Red Bulls there, does there? Perhapds Verstappen bought Ricciardo a really lovely birthday card.
Image source, Getty ImagesLance Stroll was genuinely thrilled to get his Williams through Q1 - giving out a "yessssss" over the team radio after being told - although he was last in Q2, and only got bumped up a place by Charles Leclerc's grid penalty.
Pierre Gasly will hope to make it to the end of Lap 1 this weekend - having failed to so so in France.
It was a bit of a surprise to see Sergio Perez go out in Q1 - essentially, he left it too late to set a decent time and then got stuck in traffic. Everyone who has ever suffered commuter hell will feel your pain, Sergio. Will Force India's 200th Grand Prix have a happy ending for him?
Image source, BBC Sport