Verstappen starting from P8 in Austria: “Disappointed”
Published on 02 July 2016 by Mike Motilall
Max Verstappen came in ninth in a spectacular qualifying session during the Austrian Grand Prix. Due to a grid penalty to be taken by Sebastian Vettel for the race on Sunday, he will be starting from eighth. Lewis Hamilton took pole in a qualifying that was interrupted by a severe crash from Kvyat and a short spell of rain. The strong performing Nico Rosberg, will start the race next to him in second, and surprisingly with Button in third.
“The result is very disappointing”, says a very unhappy Max straight after qualifying. “When it was dry, it was fine, but we went out just too early during the last run, when the track was still getting drier. I still had some 50 seconds to go when I was busy with my final lap, so I knew everyone would be faster than I was. Of course it’s anyone’s guess in these weather conditions, but then again, I think you need to take an educated guess. When you know the track is getting drier every minute, you should pass the finish line with still 5 seconds remaining. Luckily, there is plenty of chances for a good result tomorrow. I can start on the super soft tyre, so there is still a lot of possibilities”, the Dutch Red Bull Racing-driver feistily concludes.
The session starts in dry conditions, even though rain had been predicted earlier on. At the same time, the Mercedes mechanics are busy repairing Nico Rosberg’s car after his crash earlier in the morning during the last free practice. They manage to get it back out on track on time though. Verstappen waits patiently during the first part of qualifying and with some nine minutes remaining on the clock, he makes to the track on the ultra-soft compound tyres. His first timed lap is a 1:07.131, good enough for fourth at that time. By then, Sergio Perez has had to retire his car to the pits from damages to his rear wheel suspension.
Not much later, Daniil Kvyat has a severe crash. Exiting turn eight, the young Russian takes too much of the high kerb stones causing the rear suspension to break off and catapulting the Toro Rosso-driver in the tyre wall. The sessions is red flagged and well over fifteen minutes later, when all the debris has been cleaned up, it resumes with still 1:44 on the clock. Coming out of the pits, Sainz blows his power unit and is forces to park his car along the track. The drop outs in this session are: both Saubers and Renaults, Kvyat and Haryanto. Max Verstappen is safely through to the second part of qualifying.
In the second part of qualifying, the youngster does a 1:07.056 on the ultra-soft compound, earning him seventh. During his second run, he improves this to a 1:06.866. Putting him fifth and sending him to the final part of qualifying. As a result of having done his fastest time on this set of tyres, Max will need to start the race on the same set. Giving him possibly a strategic advantage. At the end of this session, it starts to rain, hampering everyone to improve on their time. Perez and Sainz, not being able to get a time on the clock, Alonso, Grosjean, Wehrlein and Gutierrez are this time the dropouts.
At the start of the final part of qualifying, it has stopped raining, but the track is still wet. All the drivers, head out on the intermediate tyres. On fast drying track, the times seem to tumble down lap after lap, causing everyone to take the lead at some point. With a few minutes remaining, the track is dry enough to switch to dry weather tyres. Max also gets a set of the ultra softs strapped on to his car. In the closing stages of qualifying, Max starts his lap with 50 seconds remaining on the clock. He does a 1:11.153, putting him initially in second. But, other drivers start improving on that time. Dropping him eventually to ninth.
Hamilton takes pole, followed by Rosberg and Hulkenberg, suprisingly. Vettel finished in P4 and Button in fifth. Due to a gear box change by both Rosberg and Vettel, Hulkenberg and Button will be starting from respectively second and third position. Max moves up a spot and is starting from P8.
Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring - Saturday 2 July
RESULTS QUALIFYING 01 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:06.947 1:06.228 1:07.922 21 02 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:06.516 1:06.403 1:08.465 20 (+5 position drop) 03 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India Mercedes 1:07.385 1:07.257 1:09.285 25 04 5 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1:06.761 1:06.602 1:09.781 18 (+5 position drop) 05 22 Jenson Button McLaren Honda 1:07.653 1:07.572 1:09.900 22 06 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:07.240 1:06.940 1:09.901 21 07 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer 1:07.500 1:06.840 1:09.980 20 08 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams Mercedes 1:07.148 1:06.911 1:10.440 18 09 33 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer 1:07.131 1:06.866 1:11.153 17 10 19 Felipe Massa Williams Mercedes 1:07.419 1:07.145 1:11.977 21 11 21 Esteban Gutierrez Haas Ferrari 1:07.660 1:07.578 18 12 94 Pascal Wehrlein MRT Mercedes 1:07.565 1:07.700 17 13 8 Romain Grosjean Haas Ferrari 1:07.662 1:07.850 19 14 14 Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda 1:07.671 1:08.154 12 15 55 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso Ferrari 1:07.618 10 16 11 Sergio Perez Force India Mercedes 1:07.657 5 17 20 Kevin Magnussen Renault 1:07.941 10 18 30 Jolyon Palmer Renault 1:07.965 9 19 88 Rio Haryanto MRT Mercedes 1:08.026 11 20 26 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso Ferrari 1:08.409 8 21 9 Marcus Ericsson Sauber Ferrari 1:08.418 12 22 12 Felipe Nasr Sauber Ferrari 1:08.446 13
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