Formula 1: Leader Max Verstappen takes pole position in Austria Grand Prix, title rival Lewis Hamilton fourth

Formula One leader Max Verstappen clinched his third straight pole position with a commanding drive for Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday with title rival Lewis Hamilton managing only fourth on the grid for Mercedes.

The pole was Verstappen’s third in a row and set him up perfectly for a hat-trick of wins after winning the Styrian Grand Prix last Sunday and the French race the previous weekend.

The 23-year-old is 18 points clear of seven-times world champion Hamilton after eight races, with Red Bull chasing a fifth successive victory to pull further ahead in both championships.

Verstappen’s pole lap of one minute 03.720 seconds was only 0.048 faster than Norris’s effort, Mercedes-powered McLaren’s first front row since 2012.

Another one for the collection! @Max33Verstappen picks up his 4th @pirellisport Pole Position Award of the season #AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Ci5aYcuiiy

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 3, 2021

McLaren’s lando norris joined Verstappen on the front row, a sensational career best for the young Briton, with Verstappen’s Mexican team mate sergio perez qualifying in third place at the scenic Red Bull Ring.

Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas will line up fifth, with Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda sixth and seventh for AlphaTauri.

Sebastian Vettel qualified eighth for Aston Martin but was summoned to stewards for blocking Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, with George Russell an impressive ninth on merit for struggling Williams.

“I am happy to be on pole, but not the way we like it,” Verstappen said. “I didn’t expect to lose so much time on the straights, but that’s what we’ll know for next time.”

Norris almost caught Verstappen, too, placing just .05 seconds behind him.

“I feel epic,” the jubilant Norris shouted on team radio. “Probably one of the best laps I’ve done.”

In clinching the first of his three career podiums on the same track last year, Norris became the youngest British driver on a podium and third-youngest overall behind Lance Stroll and Verstappen.