F1 LIVE | Q3 battle underway as Perez and Russell out in Q2 at Austria

16:00, 30 Jun 2023
47 Comments

It is already time for qualifying for the 2023 F1 Austrian Grand Prix. Due to the sprint race weekend, qualifying for the Grand Prix is already underway. Who can keep Max Verstappen off his sixth pole of this season at the Red Bull Ring? You can follow it with this live blog from GPblog.

F1 LIVE | Qualifying: Austrian Grand Prix

Verstappen favourite at Red Bull Ring

It is only Friday, but in a sprint race weekend, that means time for qualifying. The Sprint Shootout and sprint race are scheduled for Saturday, but Friday is the first day to qualify for the Austrian GP on Sunday 2 July. With only one free practice behind them, the teams will be hoping that they have found the correct set-up to set their position for Sunday's starting grid.

The big favourite is Verstappen. The Dutchman dominated F1 with his RB19 in 2023, and the expectation is that the same will be true in Spielberg. The two-time world champion already captured five poles and six wins this season. Two wins and poles went to his teammate Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, with one pole, is the only non-Red Bull driver with a pole position behind his name in 2023. Who conquers pole position for the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix?

47 Comments
dayDrivver 30 June 2023 at 18:21+ 407

As a checo fan these was so hard to take... he was in but the stewards said no, these is so frustrating, just gave Danny Ric the seat and move over its time for Checo to go to Indy

Ferrarifanatic 30 June 2023 at 18:11+ 14286

Charles proving what I said all along. The closest driver to Max is Charles!!!

Verstappen_is_king 30 June 2023 at 18:14+ 9233

Definitely his 1 lap pace is amazing

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JohnAndrews 30 June 2023 at 17:58+ 11006

Perez is not going to get the title this year, I am sure.

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Cain 30 June 2023 at 17:53+ 15585

Perez is making himself look really bad. Just take easier on 1 corner, that's it. You don't need to get 1st or 2nd place. But in his defence, this track limit thing in Austria is a total joke. You should push the maximum, not lap deleted from some driver after every 15 seconds. If FIA does not understand how stupid this is, then no hope. And Russell shows again he is no match to Hamilton. It's ironic this came, after he said he is closest to his team-mate than all others :P

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Zvezdan Jasovic 30 June 2023 at 17:53+ 7811

RB should look for another driver immediately, I can’t believe Perez is that dumb to do what he did today.

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F1isBack 30 June 2023 at 16:55+ 31513

Great to see Bernie Collins on the panel for her excellent in depth technical contribution.

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 16:36+ 52498

Whats your predictions folks.? Max¹ Alonso² Lewis³ Not sure about the Ferrariz this weekend ?

Verstappen_is_king 30 June 2023 at 17:52+ 9233

Lewis won't be there lando is better then him aready

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 18:18+ 52498

Yip if you say so myfriend .

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 18:10+ 2333

Lewis got his ass kicked by the Ferrari's and Lando. Lol

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 18:18+ 52498

Yip, the Mercedes is the 4th fastest car m, so nothing unusual their. Also Mercedes are focusing on the 2024 season.

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 19:05+ 2333

Lol what happened to we are catching Red bull. All of a sudden Ferrari passed Mercedes.

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 19:28+ 52498

@Speed, I guess things have changed since Redbull announced by Horner they moved focused to their 2024 car, I think Mercedes is doing the same .

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 19:26+ 2333

"my team doesn't make mistakes really came and bite Mercedes. Even old loud mouth "I can beat max in the same car" can't even get out of Q2. How the mighty has fallen. Arrogance is the root to all evil. Also Mercedes are focusing on the 2024 season. So you think Mercedes is focusing on next year's car. How hypocritical of Lewis then if he wants rules to be changed if Mercedes is doing the same as Redbull. Or is it again made up only in your head like usual.

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 20:12+ 52498

Yip, Speed freak I laugh as well, cause I got you good ?

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 20:04+ 2333

Lol

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 19:44+ 52498

At least you're honest about it my friend. Cause you're words are your words , Horner is trying to win off the track by asking the FIA to change the rules ,terrible not so .

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 19:39+ 2333

When logic is absent the mind is lost

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 19:29+ 52498

@speed freak, Like you said "Unfortunately Lewis and toto don't want to win on track they want to win with rule changes" And In 2015 Christian said Is it healthy to have a situation like this? The FIA, within the rules, have an equalisation mechanism and that needs to be looked at. “Take nothing from Mercedes, they have done a super job. They have a good car, a fantastic engine and two very good drivers. “The problem is that the gap is so big that you end up with three-tier racing and that is not healthy for Formula One. “I fear the interest will wane. I didn’t see much of Mercedes on the television and I can only imagine that it isn’t interesting watching a procession so the producer was looking for other battles going on in the race – except there weren’t that many cars to look at. The highlight for me was Arnie Schwarzenegger on the podium.” So you agree that Horner wants to win off track, your words my friend not mine

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 19:18+ 2333

Like I said when logic is absent the mind is lost.

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 19:17+ 52498

@Speed Freak , glad you owned up to your response ,Honer is wanting to win races off the track, terrible , I agree with you on that. Enjoy the race tomorrow my friend .

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 19:10+ 2333

Lol vegan I already responded to your question. I can't help if you don't get it. If logic is absent the mind is lost. Nothing that I or anyone else can do to help unfortunately. I'm looking forward to a exiting race tomorrow.

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 18:11+ 52498

@Speed freak, your words "..Unfortunately Lewis and toto don't want to win on track they want to win with rule changes.." As I have pointed out Christian Horner has done what you accused Toto and Lewis off. Terrible right ✅, wanting to win off track , you wanna criticize that right ✅

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 17:38+ 2333

Lol are you ok my girlfriend. Toto did the same numerous times. Mercedes is known through the paddock for trying to manipulating the FIA. This is exactly the problem with Mercedes as of late. They concentrate on Red bull and not on themselves.

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 17:26+ 52498

Are you okay my friend, Christian Horner , asked for the FIA to intervene, and like you said "thats winning off track" You agree right ,your words right ✅ ?

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 16:20+ 2333

Lol you been caught out a long time ago. Toto last season was crying so loud because Mercedes build a bouncing ball that the FIA changed ride height and implemented extra floor stabilizer. as I said before Mercedes miraculously had the stabilizer ready even before it were made legal.

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 16:24+ 2333

Oops We need to look at it” - Toto Wolff hints need for rule changes after “boring” F1 Azerbaijan GP

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 16:26+ 2333

Toto Wolff has told Formula One chiefs to step back from making the fundamental changes to the sport planned for 2017. Those changes must be agreed before the end of the month and the details will be chewed over at imminent meetings. But after an intriguing, highly entertaining Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes’ head of motorsport said it would be much better to leave well alone. Oops burned. Again

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 16:28+ 2333

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has called F1's typical practice of introducing new rules to hinder a team's dominance as "almost embarrassing".

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 16:31+ 2333

Lol my favorite Wolff: “Well, sorry they didn’t do their job in the way we have done. I find this whole discussion absurd. If this is the agenda then we should not talk the sport down as a total. We should say, hold on a minute. Mercedes has done a better job.” Toto Wolff, Mercedes, Bahrain, 2014

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 16:33+ 2333

F1: Rule change to help Mercedes porpoising has made the racing worse Posted by AR1 staff March 23, 2023 –by Mark Cipolloni– Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff and his design team came up with a car so poorly designed last year that it bounced like a jackhammer from a phenomenon called porpoising. Red Bull and some other teams had no such issue, but Wolff went crying to the FIA and got them to make a change to help stop their porpoising caused by their inferior design. The change was made by raising the floor height 15mm higher on the side edge, 10mm higher at the diffuser groove, the diffuser edge stiffness has been increased; and an additional sensor has been mandated to more effectively monitor the porpoising phenomenon. The FIA and Formula 1 are worried that despite the regulations meant to improve overtaking and the ability to follow other cars, the situation looks worse in 2023 as a result of Toto crying Wolf, and the FIA placating him.

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 16:11+ 52498

@Speed freak, Toto has never said what Christian is saying my friend but evidently your hypocrisy knows no end, glad I caught you out, it was simply lovely lol ?

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 15:23+ 2333

I'm just trying to follow your example

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 13:05+ 52498

@Speed freak, you understand that quote was in 2015 ,exactly one half seaons after Redbull had won 4 in row , asking the FIA to restrict Mercedes. Are you saying you being critical of Toto and not Horner?

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Speed freak 01 July 2023 at 12:44+ 2333

Well Redbull never had a part ready before it was implemented like Mercedes with the extra floor stabilizer.

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VeganWarrior 01 July 2023 at 12:26+ 52498

@Speed Freak"Unfortunately Lewis and toto don't want to win on track they want to win with rule changes. " So you're fine with Honer doing this right ✅

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 20:26+ 2333

Agee with Christian. Nothing ever happened to Mercedes in the dominant era. That statement was spot on from Christian. The only thing your statement proves is that toto is doing the of track manipulation for a long time.

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 20:18+ 52498

@Speed freak, blantant from Christian you would agree ?, wanting to win of the track right ✅

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 20:09+ 2333

So were was this in the dominant Mercedes era.

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 20:04+ 52498

Well if it doesn't matter what Lewis says, why do you get bent out of shape when Lewis suggest the FIA sets a date for teams to start working on the 2024 car? Lewis needs a conpetive car, so does Max both drivers have said so, but you're a Lewis hater so this point is more a lie you would like to belive is true. Well read these statements from Christian in 2015, whats your thoughts ? “When we were winning – and we were never winning with an advantage that Mercedes has – double-diffusers were banned, exhausts were moved, flexible bodywork was banned, engine-mapping was changed mid-season – anything was done to pull us back. That was not just us, it was done to McLaren and Williams in other years.” “Is it healthy to have a situation like this? The FIA, within the rules, have an equalisation mechanism and that needs to be looked at. “Take nothing from Mercedes, they have done a super job. They have a good car, a fantastic engine and two very good drivers. “The problem is that the gap is so big that you end up with three-tier racing and that is not healthy for Formula One. “I fear the interest will wane. I didn’t see much of Mercedes on the television and I can only imagine that it isn’t interesting watching a procession so the producer was looking for other battles going on in the race – except there weren’t that many cars to look at. The highlight for me was Arnie Schwarzenegger on the podium.” Wanting to win off track right ✅

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 19:53+ 2333

Doesn't matter what Lewis say. Lewis is irrelevant. Without a second a lap faster car Lewis is fading away. The longer he stays in f1 the worse his win ratio will get. Unfortunately Lewis and toto don't want to win on track they want to win with rule changes. I do got a lot of respect for Lewis the driver. But unfortunately his of track behavior overwhelm his legacy as one of the best.

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VeganWarrior 30 June 2023 at 19:34+ 52498

Hey when I was saying this was gonna happen, and now it is ,don't complain. The FIA can stop Mercedes by simply creating the regulations Lewis suggested not so.

Namor Castillos 30 June 2023 at 19:54+ 2335

Sorry mate. This comment is completely unecessary. What's wrong with this new generation of fans? I miss the times where people were just cheering for their favorite driver and didn't come up with such ret***ed omments. But yeah times are changing. To the topic: Great drive by Max once again. He is unstoppable. Extremely talented this guy, just wow. :)

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 20:01+ 2333

New generation of fans lol. So you ok with vegan badmouthing max and Red bull every opportunity she gets.

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Speed freak 30 June 2023 at 20:06+ 2333

I'm fine with that. Like 44x legend always say. I'm here to troll the trolls.

Namor Castillos 30 June 2023 at 20:03+ 2335

No I am not but you are no better to be honest. You are kinda the Vegan of the Max camp as you act on the same level mate.