Max Verstappen edged out Lando Norris to take pole position for the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday. (More Motorsport News)
Verstappen, who claimed his eighth sprint pole for Red Bull, topped all three seg🐬ments of qualifying, but🌊 was pushed all the way by Norris in the decisive session.
However, Norris finished 0.093 seconds behind the Dutchman, with Oscar Piastri coming in third for McClaren.
Mercedes' George Russell finished in fourth with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz just behind. Lewis Hamilton will start Saturday's sprint sixth on the grid.
Charles Leclerc failed to get around to ꦫthe line in time before starting his flying lap and will 🌸therefore start 10th.
It was another disappointing afternoon for Verstappen's team-🔥mate Sergio Perez, who was seventh and a huge 1.322s slower than the Dutchman, with the Alpine pairing of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly set to start in eighth and ninth.
“It is great to be first here in front of basically my home fans, my home Grand Prix. It has been🌳 a good day so far," Verstappen said at Red Bull's home track, where he holds a record four F1 wins.
"It has been nice to dr𒀰ive the car. Immediately it was well-balanced.
"Of course you make some small changes before spring qualifying and everything has been wor🦹king really well."
Verstappen's 🐟victory came after team principal Christian Horner was questioned on the Dutchman's future w♌ith the team following rumours of a potential move to Mercedes, who Hamilton will leave next season.
The three-time world champion has insisted this week that he is hap♔py at Red Bull and is already focusing on next year's car.
"It only reaffirms everything that we already know," Horner responded. "Max 𒊎is an important part of our team. He’s had all of his victories and podiums in Red Bull Racing cars, his thre😼e World Championships so far."
With eight points available for the sprint race winner, Verstappen will look to increase his lead at the top of the drivers' championship,♓ having pulled 69 clear of Norris following his victory at the Spanish Grand Prix last week.
He has seven race wins already this season, and has comꦍe out on top in thr𓂃ee of the last four despite huge pressure from Norris.
"Max has been absolutely outstanding," H🎉orner said when quizzed on whether this is the best version of Verstappen that we have witnessed in F1. “I think what you’re seeing is a driver that just continues to evolve and continues to develop.
"I think that you’re seeing drives at the calibre that the greats in the sport were capable of deliv🌌ering – the Ayrton Sennas and the Jim Clarks. You’ve only got to look through t𝓰he generations.
"What we’re seeing with Max are th♉ose key moments, the big moments are what defines any outstanding sportsman or sportswoman, and that’s what he’s delivering."
