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Autosport Podcast: Austrian GP review

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Just when it looked like Max Verstappen had a comfortable win at Red Bull’s home track in Spielberg, a poor final stop and a questionable tyre choice opened the door for another Lando Norris chase. Only this time, the two drivers collided at the Turn 3 hairpin, with George Russell picking up the pieces for a shock win!

Joining Bryn Lucas is Alex Kalinauckas and Filip Cleeren as they breakdown the actions that led to the clash, the questionable racecraft as both Norris and Verstappen battled for the win, and ponder whether McLaren team boss Andrea Stella was right to question whether their fight was a product of the stewards.

Also, the trio discuss another missed opportunity of a weekend for Ferrari, whether the new implementations of track limits worked despite a controversial penalty for Oscar Piastri in qualifying, and the best weekend of the year so far for Haas as they scored a dozen points to solidify seventh in the standings.

 



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Red Bull regrets not warning Verstappen about Norris investigation in Austrian GP

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Red Bull’s failure to warn Max Verstappen that Lando Norris faced a track limits investigation might have avoided their late 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix crash, reckons Helmut Marko.

Verstappen and Norris collided in the closing stages of Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring, after the McLaren driver had gone off the track three times and earned a track limits black-white-warning flag, before then going off in their second skirmish at the track’s Turn 3.

This would later earn Norris a five-second time penalty, as is automatic in F1’s rules once a track limits warning has been issued, but before that came through the pair had collided at Turn 3 – this time when the McLaren driver attacked on the outside line and Verstappen moved across on him.

Speaking to Red Bull’s own TV channel, ServusTV post-race, Marko said: «The victory was lost by several factors.

«The fact that the [second Verstappen] pitstop went wrong, Lando slipped into the DRS window as a result, and also our assumption that the hard tyres would be the better choice in hot weather, which was not the case.

«The temperatures were lower, meaning that Lando had fresh tyres in the last stint and we had used ones, which was also a factor.

«But I would say that both drove unnecessarily hard. We could perhaps be blamed for this: we knew that an investigation with track limits was underway against Lando.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Sutton

«But we didn’t know whether and how he would be punished. So, with hindsight, you could have said: ‘OK, let him go’.

«But let’s look on the bright side, we’ve extended our championship lead, both in the constructors’ championship and in the drivers’ championship.»

Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, also reckoned Verstappen locking up and nearly going off on his out-lap after his second stop was another factor that «all this together made it possible» and allowed Norris to get a victory shot that had long looked unlikely.

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Verstappen had controlled the race to that point, with his pace on the medium tyres in the first stint much better than Norris’s, before the McLaren started to close in as their second stint on hards wore on.

Marko reckoned their late fight was «a really great battle at times» until «it somehow degenerated into who was pushing who more, who was violating more track limits, instead of concentrating on finishing fairly».



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Verstappen/Norris Austrian GP clash caused by unpunished 2021 F1 moves

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McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella believes Max Verstappen’s collision with Lando Norris in the Austrian Grand Prix was a result of his 2021 clashes with Lewis Hamilton not being properly punished.

Verstappen and Norris crashed late in the race at the Red Bull Ring when the former moved across the latter at the track’s tight, sharply-uphill Turn 3 right-hander, after Norris had sent a series of moves to the corner’s inside in previous laps.

Norris and McLaren felt Verstappen was moving under braking in all of the moves – something the Red Bull driver later denied.

In an interview with Sky Sports F1 in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s main event in Austria, Stella said: “I see it as the entire population in the world will know who is responsible, expect for a group of people [Red Bull, its fans and Verstappen and his fans].

“But the problem behind it is that if you don’t address these things honestly, they will come back.

“They have come back today because they were not addressed properly in the past when there was some fights with Lewis that needed to be punished in a harsher way.

“You learn now to race in a certain way, which we can consider fair and square.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle for the lead

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle for the lead

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Stella was referencing the multiple times Verstappen and Hamilton collided in their bitter 2021 world title contest – where they made contact at Imola, Silverstone, Monza and Jeddah.

The Jeddah clash followed their near-collision at the 2021 Brazilian GP, where Verstappen forced Hamilton off the track at Turn 4 and Interlagos – a move that went unpunished by the officials, with Hamilton nevertheless going on to get ahead.

When asked if he was referencing that particular incident, Stella replied: “Yes, there is many episodes.

“The fact is that we have so much respect for Red Bull, so much respect for Max that they don’t need to do this. They don’t need to do this.

“This is a way to almost compromise your reputation. Why would you do that?”

Stella also said “the stewards found that Max was fully at blame in this episode so it is not about racing in a driver’s way, it is about racing in the regulations”.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, battles with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, battles with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

He added: «The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective, because when a car is out of the race as a consequence of this accident the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome.

“We had, before this episode [the crash], twice moving under braking. I think it is evident and we have to enforce the way to go racing because we want to have fun, we want to enjoy.”

Stella believes that even if Norris had been able to pass Verstappen, he was unlikely to have sailed clear to victory – despite his strong pace at the start of the race’s final stint.

The Italian reckons that the aerodynamically efficient Red Bull would have been able to stay in DRS threat of the McLaren and so attacked back at a later point.

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“Even if Lando would’ve passed Max, it could be that Max with DRS effect which is very large he could have been in position to attack Lando again,” Stella explained.

“So, actually I think we were prevented from looking at a pretty exciting final part of the race because I am not sure Lando would’ve gone away.

“I think the fight would’ve gone to the chequered flag. It is a shame as we’ll never know.”



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What the Red Bull Ring sprint race and qualifying tells us about the 2024 F1 Austrian GP

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Those hoping that Max Verstappen’s challengers would use the three-hour tinkering time between the Austria sprint race and grand prix qualifying to close the gap might feel, to put it lightly, a little downbeat.

A frisson of excitement permeated the Red Bull Ring on Saturday as the field was compressed within 0.798 seconds after Q1, intimating that the battle for pole might be a closely run affair, especially if the teams with an outside shot could find any smoking guns worth a couple of tenths over the short, 10-turn lap.

Instead, the opposite was true. Verstappen and Red Bull spent their time after lunch deciding how to hone up their already razor-sharp RB20, and tightened everything up to squeeze even more out of it over a lap. Case in point: Verstappen’s pair of Q2 laps would have already been good enough for pole had he set them in the final stage, where he found two more that were even quicker.

On lap time alone, the top five on the grid would have been thus: Verstappen, Verstappen, Verstappen, Verstappen, and Norris. Amusingly enough, Verstappen’s time for pole in sprint qualifying on Friday also would have been good enough to start at the front of the grid. That’s the kind of insight you were looking for with your Autosport Plus subscriptions, wasn’t it?

Looking ahead to the grand prix, we’ve got a glut of data to comb through with the earlier sprint and the progression into qualifying. It might be obvious which way the wind is blowing but, seeing as you’ve clicked on this, you might as well go the distance…

Verstappen looks set for glory with 0.4s gap in qualifying

Verstappen set the four fastest times across qualifying and may be tough to catch

Verstappen set the four fastest times across qualifying and may be tough to catch

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

«Of course, I would like to win by 20 seconds, 30 seconds,» Verstappen said in the press conference after the Austria sprint. «Naturally, you still do the best you can. You’re still optimising your performance. But now that it’s a lot closer, then it requires you to be really on top form.»

Those aspirations of reprising his previously usual plunderings from the front of the grid have been upgraded to ‘quite likely’ given Verstappen’s hefty advantage in qualifying. Extrapolating his 0.4s advantage over Norris across the 71 laps around the Spielberg venue, that equates to 28.4 seconds in hand at the end — which probably fits within the Dutchman’s bracket of an acceptable winning margin.

It’s worth looking at where Verstappen found more than three tenths on his qualifying lap from the sprint; normally, one would consider track evolution but, for comparison, Norris only found 0.06s between qualifying sessions.

Versus Norris’ Q3 time, Verstappen had much more confidence in the rear end of his car and this ensured that he carried about 10kph more through Turn 9 than the McLaren driver

What Red Bull appeared to do was sacrifice a tiny fraction of outright top-end speed for greater traction out of the corners; this ensured that although the car was very slightly slower in the actual mid-corner, the car got up to speed on the straights much more easily. This is a strength that McLaren showed in sprint qualifying on Friday and something that Red Bull has appeared to dial in, but without sacrificing performance in the longer-radius corners.

Verstappen thus collected more time on the straights through the stronger corner exit phases, and experimenting with the throttle in the second and third sectors allowed for the delta over his SQ3 best to grow.

«It was a bit more connected front to rear, and that worked out well,» Verstappen said of his set-up changes. «I think we made the right changes. And then you can see that it’s little things that sometimes can actually make quite a bit of a difference in lap time.»

The only downside was losing perhaps half a tenth either side of Turn 4 versus his sprint pole time, having perhaps killed the speed a little too much through dropping the revs a fraction more. But it was time easily recovered in the next phase of the lap, which contributed to his dominant qualifying display. Versus Norris’ Q3 time, Verstappen had much more confidence in the rear end of his car and this ensured that he carried about 10kph more through Turn 9 than the McLaren driver.

Verstappen's Red Bull was much punchier on acceleration compared to Norris in the McLaren

Verstappen’s Red Bull was much punchier on acceleration compared to Norris in the McLaren

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Pirelli has brought the same tyre compounds as last season, its C3, C4, and C5 compounds, so expect a similar series of two-stop strategies. Verstappen stopped a third time at the end to shake a fastest lap out of a used soft set, such was his margin at the front, and assuming a 0.4-second-per-lap advantage over Norris does suggest that this could very well happen again.

All that, and Verstappen has also saved an extra set of hard tyres for Sunday to give himself a bit more strategic latitude. Draw from that what you will.

Russell reckons he can lead the fight for third

Last year’s hotly contested ‘best-of-the-rest’ battle between Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Aston Martin appears to have fractured; McLaren is nipping at Red Bull’s heels (or, in this weekend’s case, barking at the postman from the living room while the postman continues to deliver his mail), Aston Martin has collapsed into midfield obscurity, to leave Ferrari and Mercedes battling for mid-top-10 placings.

This weekend, there might be a podium on offer. Oscar Piastri had his best lap from Q3 — good enough for third — deleted, which handed George Russell a late call-up to the press conference room post-session.

Had Piastri’s lap been reinstated as a result of McLaren’s protest, then the top three might be a locked door to either Ferrari or Mercedes unless force majeure befell any of the front-running trio. But as the Australian’s time remained in the bin, following the decision of the stewards to render the protest inadmissible, it’s up to the Ferraris and Mercedes drivers to contain him throughout the race to make a well-aimed stab at finishing on the podium’s shortest step.

Russell believes that Mercedes should have the edge on Ferrari over the course of the race, as the Italian squad has perhaps regressed a little of late relative to the Silver Arrows. Across the sprint race, Russell generally had the edge on Sainz after the early laps, and reversed the Ferrari driver’s successful lap one attack at Turn 4 six laps later.

Hamilton had the legs on Leclerc as well, although the Monegasque made an electric start to shrug off his 10th-by-default grid position following a lap-less SQ3. Although temperatures are expected to be slightly lower, tyre preservation will be key, particularly if the trio of DRS zones lead to trains forming in the upper mid-pack.

Mercedes had the legs on Ferrari in the sprint, and Russell is optimistic that Piastri's woes could leave open a path to the podium

Mercedes had the legs on Ferrari in the sprint, and Russell is optimistic that Piastri’s woes could leave open a path to the podium

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Downforce losses following other cars will start to exacerbate the effect of sliding as the tyres lose peak performance. Ensuring Piastri bears the brunt of that will help Mercedes’ cause in its hope of clinching a third successive podium finish.

«I’m confident Lewis and I can probably beat the Ferraris tomorrow, and hopefully hold up Oscar’s progress,» Russell reckoned. «But it’s a long race, high degradation, anything can happen.

«Last week I lost a lot of time battling with Lando and probably focused too much on the guys ahead of me. And ultimately that cost me the position to Lewis and almost with Charles as well. I think the race is behind us tomorrow.»

How will the rest get on?

Assuming no retirements among the front-runners, this leaves the bottom three positions in the top 10 up for grabs. Sergio Perez likely has one locked down, although it’s telling that Russell did not really include the Red Bull driver in his estimations. Perhaps the Mexican will enjoy a stronger race and battle through the order, but the sprint race provided few indications of that; he finished nearly four seconds down on Leclerc.

Magnussen’s pace, before the Aston Martin posed a roadblock to the Alpines, was stronger than both Ocon and Gasly in any case, so Hulkenberg might be able to build a break over his fellow points-fanciers

Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon start from the fifth row, but Pierre Gasly and the RB duo will attempt to challenge for a point or two. Alpine’s run of form suggests that it might be the favourite to continue its form from Montreal and Barcelona and account for ninth and 10th, but neither were able to make a break past Lance Stroll despite closing down the Aston Martin driver in the sprint. Tyre degradation can account for that, and strategic offsets permitted in the full grand prix should be able to yield track position, but the pair — Gasly in particular — might struggle to break down the RB of Ricciardo on-track.

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Hulkenberg should be buoyed by Kevin Magnussen’s efforts in the sprint. Although the Dane couldn’t make inroads towards Perez in the 23-lap race, he capitalised on Stroll holding up the cars behind to put together his own ‘race’ in ninth.

Magnussen’s pace, before the Aston Martin posed a roadblock to the Alpines, was stronger than both Ocon and Gasly in any case, so Hulkenberg might be able to build a break over his fellow points-fanciers. It all depends on whether the Haas driver can get the degradation under control.

Magnussen was a comfortable ninth in the sprint, which suggests Hulkenberg could be in the mix for points

Magnussen was a comfortable ninth in the sprint, which suggests Hulkenberg could be in the mix for points

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images



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‘Horrified’ Tsunoda fined for using slur in F1 Austria qualifying

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RB Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda has been handed a 40,000 euro fine for using offensive remarks during Austrian Grand Prix qualifying.

Towards the end of Q1 at the Red Bull Ring Tsunoda was overtaken in the pitlane by Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu, and responded by saying “these guys are f***ing retarded” over his team radio.

The remarks were brought to the attention of the FIA’s race stewards, who have handed Tsunoda a 40,000 euro fine for breaching the governing body’s International Sporting Code.

Half of the fine is suspended for the rest of 2024, provided no more similar infractions happen.

In the verdict, the stewards said Tsunoda was apologetic during the hearing and that he didn’t fully realise that his language was inappropriate, but the stewards still deemed him to be breach of the code.

In their verdict, the stewards wrote: “During Q1 when car 22 was queuing in the fast lane and another car blended into the fast lane ahead of him, the driver was heard to make a statement over team radio using offensive language.

“During the hearing the driver was very apologetic and explained that because English is not his first language he was unaware until after the session what the meaning of the words used is in the English language.

“He said that he was horrified when he learned this. He contended that his understanding of the words was different, but acknowledged that this should not be considered as an excuse for what he did.

Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

Yuki Tsunoda, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“The stewards appreciate the honesty of the driver, but reinforce the fact the words used are offensive and wholly inappropriate.

“To have used such words over a platform that is available to the public amounted to misconduct as defined in Article 20 of the International Sporting Code.”

Because Tsunoda was candid and apologetic, and offered to apologise in public, the stewards decided to convert half of the fine into a suspended penalty.

“Considering the circumstances, the stewards determine that a severe fine is required, but also take into account the genuine remorse of the driver and his offer to issue a public apology and for these reasons decide to suspend part of the fine imposed,” they wrote.

Article 20 of the ISC defines verbal misconduct as “the general use of language… that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive and might reasonably be expected or be perceived to be coarse or rude or to cause offense, humiliation or to be inappropriate”.

Tsunoda soon posted that apology on his Instagram account, writing the following statement: «I wanted to say big apologies [for] what I said in the radio today.

«Obviously I didn’t use it intentionally and was completely misunderstanding from myself that exact meaning of it.

«I now have a better understanding for what the word means and am very apologetic for what I said. This type of language has no place and is not tolerated and for that I am sorry.»

He will start the Austrian GP from 14th position after being eliminated in Q2.



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Verstappen says latest Red Bull row «could have been avoided»

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Max Verstappen says the latest row between his father Jos and Red Bull Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner was unnecessary. 

Jos Verstappen had accused Horner of blocking his appearance in a parade before the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

While the F1 team says it did not try to stop him from appearing in the event, which is organised by Red Bull’s Austrian HQ, it did not want to use the imagery or footage on its social channels.

Verstappen Sr was left furious and has since withdrawn from driving in the Legends Parade in protest, but not without taking aim at Horner.

In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Verstappen said: «Over the past few days, I have heard from several people that Christian Horner did everything he could to make sure I didn’t drive.

«And to otherwise make sure nothing would be filmed. Then I think: say it to my face. This way I don’t want to do it anymore, I find it very disappointing.»

The comment has increased tensions within the team and again pulls Max Verstappen into the firing line.

He had only just pledged to stay with Red Bull on Thursday, after ongoing question marks about his future at the team, despite his long-term deal that runs until 2028.

Jos Verstappen, Dr. Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing

Jos Verstappen, Dr. Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

But after being questioned about the latest in the long-running saga, the Red Bull driver said he is siding with his father which is set to increase tensions once again.

He said: «Naturally, of course, it is not nice, for myself, for my dad, for Christian or the team. Of course, I don’t want these things to happen.

«My dad has been quite clear about the reasons behind it and of course, I can understand his opinion on that because, at the end of the day, he gets asked to drive the car and finds out he is not wanted to drive the car.

«Well, my dad actually doesn’t care, but he was asked to drive it for the Dutch fans. Red Bull — we have a great relationship with the whole track.

«And I understand the other end is to focus on performance that it takes, so I want a good relationship with everyone, but of course this scenario could have been avoided.»

It comes on a weekend when Red Bull was due to celebrate its 20th anniversary in F1 and again puts the strained relationship between Verstappen and Red Bull Racing under the microscope.



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Who has won the most fan-voted awards?

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Driver of the Day is a fan-voted feature which can add an exciting element to an F1 race. Although there is no prize — other than bragging rights — it can still be a great achievement for a driver to claim at the end of the race.  

The award was first introduced in 2016 at the opening race of the season — the Australian Grand Prix — with the award being handed to Romain Grosjean at Haas. The French driver made up 13 places after starting 19th and finishing in sixth, scoring Haas their first points on their debut race.

Who has won Driver of the Day the most?

Max Verstappen has been named the Driver of the Day the most since the vote was introduced in 2016. He took his first one at the 2016 Spanish GP after winning his debut race for Red Bull.

In taking that first race win at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya he became not only the first Dutchman to claim the top spot on the podium, but also the youngest driver to both win a race and stand on an F1 podium at 18 years and 288 days old. Verstappen broke the records that had previously been set by Sebastian Vettel at the 2008 Italian GP when the German was 21 years and 74 days old. 

Verstappen has taken two memorable Driver of the Day wins at the Austrian GP. The first came in 2016 after his second career podium, giving Red Bull its first podium at its home race. The Dutchman also won the vote at the 2018 race when he took the victory and secured the team its first win at the Red Bull Ring. 

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Spanish, Canadian, Austrian, British, Malaysian, Japanese, United States & Brazilian 

Chinese, Japanese & United States 

Austrian, Singapore, Russian 

United States, Mexican & Brazilian 

Spanish, Monaco, Austrian, German, Hungarian, Mexican & Brazilian  

Hungarian, 70th Anniversary (UK), Russian & Abu Dhabi 

French, United States & Saudi Arabian 

Emilia Romagna, Miami, Hungarian, Belgian & Dutch 

Saudi Arabian, Miami & Belgian  

2. Sebastian Vettel — 23 wins

Vettel has the second-most Driver of the Day awards with 23 wins between 2016 and 2022. The German took his first fan-voted win at the 2016 Singapore GP after converting a qualifying position of 22nd into fifth. The Driver of the Day award was one of three he received that year, with further wins at the Mexican and Abu Dhabi grands prix. 

Another Driver of the Day win came at the controversial 2019 Canadian GP after Vettel had faced a close fight with Lewis Hamilton. The German was handed a five-second penalty for re-entering the track unsafely and forcing Hamilton off the track at Turn 4.  
Podium: race winner Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

Podium: race winner Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

Photo by: Ercole Colombo

Despite winning the race on track, the penalty dropped Vettel behind Hamilton, handing him second place. Incensed by the penalty, he then performed one of his more memorable moments when he picked up the first-place sign from in front of Hamilton’s car and placed it in the empty spot where he had refused to park his Ferrari. 

Vettel’s last Driver of the Day came at the 2022 Abu Dhabi GP — the four-time world champion’s final race in F1 – as fans chose to show him their support.  

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Singapore, Mexican & Abu Dhabi 

Australian, Bahrain, Spanish, Monaco, Canadian, Malaysian & Mexican  

Canadian, French & Belgian 

Canadian, Singapore & Russian 

Japanese, United States & Abu Dhabi 

Norris is quickly racking up Driver of the Day wins, topping half of the polls already this season. The Brit’s first win came during his rookie season at the 2019 French GP after he finished in ninth despite battling a hydraulics problem which left him unable to use his DRS.  

Another Driver of the Day win came at the 2021 Russian GP, when Norris looked set to take his maiden victory. Having qualified on pole and led most of the race, Norris was faced with a dilemma when heavy rain fell in the closing laps. Opting to remain on slicks, this decision backfired and resulted in him dropping to seventh as Hamilton took the victory. 

He took the Driver of the Day vote at the 2023 British Grand Prix after getting a better start off the line and taking the lead into the first corner. Norris’ home crowd went wild as the Brit held off the chasing Verstappen for the first four laps. Although he was not able to take the win, Norris did finish second, just ahead of fellow British driver Hamilton. 

Norris has proven increasingly popular with the fans this season, taking half the Driver of the Day wins in 2024. His most notable win came at the Miami GP when he claimed his maiden victory after taking the lead on lap 27. 

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Emilia-Romagna, Austrian & Russian 

Austrian, British, United States, Mexican & Sao Paulo 

Chinese, Miami, Emilia Romagna, Canadian& Spanish 

=4. Lewis Hamilton — 14 wins

Seven-time world champion Hamilton is tied fourth in this ranking. His first win came at the 2016 Belgian GP after starting the race in 21st and finishing in third, making him the first driver to claim three podiums after starting 20th or lower. 

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1st position, celebrates after the race with a Union flag

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1st position, celebrates after the race with a Union flag

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Hamilton also took the Driver of the Day vote at the 2018 German GP after winning the race from 14th. The victory allowed both the British driver and Mercedes to snatch the lead in the respective championship battles from Vettel and Ferrari. 
Hamilton’s most recent Driver of the Day win came at the 2023 Spanish GP after finishing third, despite floor damage from a first-corner crash with his team-mate George Russell.  

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Belgian, Singapore & Abu Dhabi 

Spanish, British & German 

Spanish, Azerbaijan & Sao Paulo 

Perez has equalled the 14 Driver of the Day wins of Hamilton just four races after the British driver. The Mexican driver took his first award at the 2016 Monaco GP and claimed his second of the year two races later at the European GP — the first F1 race held at the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan.  

He failed to claim another Driver of the Day for four years, with his next fan-voted award coming at the 2020 Styrian GP, where he qualified 17th and finished in sixth, setting several fastest laps as he fought for a potential podium finish.

Perez also took the Driver of the Day vote at the 2021 Mexican GP, where he claimed third place and became the first Mexican driver to take a podium at his home race. 

His latest Driver of the Day came at the 2023 Hungarian GP when he qualified ninth but ended up on the podium. 

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Monaco & European (Baku) 

Bahrain, Portuguese, Dutch & Mexican  

Monaco, British & Singapore 

Australian, Azerbaijan & Hungarian 
Leclerc took his first Driver of the Day win at the 2018 Azerbaijan GP where he finished sixth and scored his first points in Formula 1 while driving for Sauber. He became the first Monegasque driver to take points during a race since Louis Chiron finished third at the 1950 Monaco GP.  
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, 1st position, celebrates on arrival in Parc Ferme

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, 1st position, celebrates on arrival in Parc Ferme

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

After moving to Ferrari in 2019, Leclerc claimed another Driver of the Day win at that year’s Italian GP after he was able to claim his second F1 victory. This followed directly on from his win at the Belgian GP.

Leclerc’s only Driver of the Day win of 2023 came at the Las Vegas GP, which saw him defeat Perez after a tense battle before finishing in second.

His latest Driver of the Day came at the 2024 Monaco GP, when he was able to finally break the so-called ‘curse’ to stand on the top step of the podium on his hometown streets. 

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Bahrain, Azerbaijan, British & Italian 

Bahrain, Saudi Arabian, Australian & Canadian 

Daniel Ricciardo claimed his first Driver of the Day at the 2016 German GP, after taking second place in his 100th grand prix start. His 13th podium finish ended with the first of his iconic shoey celebrations, with the Australian pouring champagne into his boot before drinking it. 

Ricciardo took the Driver of the Day win at the 2017 British GP after he qualified at the back of the grid and was able to climb to fifth by the time he crossed the finish line. He took another Driver of the Day at the Tuscan GP, after finishing fourth in the race and was in contention to secure Renault’s first podium in nine years. 

He also claimed Driver of the Day at the 2021 Italian GP in Monza after scoring McLaren’s first grand prix win since Hamilton’s success at the 2010 Canadian GP.

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Chinese, Monaco, Hungarian & Japanese  

Alonso has claimed just six Driver of the Day wins since its introduction in 2016. The Spaniard’s first win came at the 2018 Australian GP after he turned the qualifying position of 11th into fifth during the race. He then also took the win at the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi GP, as fans seemed to give him a parting gift before he exited the sport for a short-lived retirement. 

Fernando Alonso, McLaren, at the drivers parade

Fernando Alonso, McLaren, at the drivers parade

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Alonso made his return to F1 in 2021 and was given a Driver of the Day win at the Qatar GP when he took his first podium since the 2014 Hungarian GP. It was his first podium Team Enstone — currently racing as Alpine — since the 2009 Singapore GP when it raced as Renault.

He started the 2023 season with a string of strong performances after joining Aston Martin. Alonso took the Driver of the Day win during the season opener in Bahrain when he found himself back on the podium, with a surprise third-place.  

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Sainz has equalled the number of Driver of the Day wins of Alonso, after claiming two so far in 2024. His first fan-voted win came at the 2021 Turkish GP after making a number of overtakes in the first laps of the race, moving from 19th to eighth.  

The Spaniard claimed the Driver of the Day win at the 2023 Singapore GP when he was able to secure his second career win. Sainz had led the entire race and then strategically kept Norris in his DRS range during the final laps, making it harder for both Mercedes drivers to fight for second place. The Ferrari driver’s victory was the only win by a non-Red Bull driver in the 2023 season. 

Sainz’s two 2024 awards came early, in Bahrain and Australia. In the latter, he also secured the race win as Verstappen was forced to retire with a brake issue. This was only the second non-Red Bull victory in 25 races, the other occasion also resulting on Sainz taking a trip to the top step of the podium.

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Bottas took his first Driver of the Day win at the 2017 Russian Grand Prix after the Finnish driver claimed his maiden grand prix victory. He took the win just four races into his first season with Mercedes, leading Vettel by just 0.617 seconds. 

Bottas took another Driver of the Day win at the 2019 Australian GP where he claimed the race victory from second place, which then gave him the lead in the drivers’ championship standings.  

Number of Driver of the Day awards won 

Russian, Austrian & Abu Dhabi 

How to vote for F1 Driver of the Day

Driver of the Day is free for fans to pick which driver they think has driven the best during a grand prix. Fans can vote on the official F1 website Driver of the Day page which will list all the drivers actively competing in the race.

The vote will open during the race and will close with a few laps left to go. The real-time results will usually appear on the screen multiple times before the vote closes, to show fans who is sitting in the top three positions.  

The driver of the day will be announced towards the end of the race and the driver will be told if they have won once the race has finished. 

What is the prize for Driver of the Day?

There is no prize for an F1 driver when they win the Driver of the Day at a grand prix. The vote shows the fans’ recognition for a driver’s performance and does not come with any financial incentive or trophy prize.



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F1 Austrian GP sprint race and qualifying

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Max Verstappen grabbed sprint race pole position at the Red Bull Ring by beating Lando Norris by 0.093s in sprint qualifying.

Charles Leclerc was held up by an anti-stall issue with his Ferrari which denied him the chance to set his sole lap time in the final segment of qualifying, which means he’ll start the sprint race in 10th.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Alpine duo Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly almost tripped over each other trying to start their final qualifying laps which effectively wrecked all their times – leaving Perez seventh, Ocon eighth and Gasly ninth.

What time does the sprint race start for the F1 Austrian Grand Prix?

The sprint race for the Austrian GP starts at 12:00pm local time (11:00am BST), covering a distance of 24 laps or 60 minutes.

Date: Saturday 29 June 2024

Start time: 12:00pm local time – 11:00am BST

What time does qualifying start for the F1 Austrian Grand Prix?

Grand prix qualifying for the Austrian GP starts at 4:00pm local time (3:00pm BST), using the traditional Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout session format.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Date: Saturday 29 June 2024

Start time: 4:00pm local time – 3:00pm BST

How can I watch Formula 1?

In the United Kingdom, Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, except for the British GP which is shown live on both Sky Sports and Channel 4, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.

Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £18 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.99p or a month membership of £34.99p per month.

How can I watch F1 Austrian GP sprint race and grand prix qualifying?

In the United Kingdom, every F1 practice, qualifying and race is broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with Austrian GP sprint race coverage starting at 10:00am BST on Sky Sports F1, and grand prix qualifying coverage starting at 2:00pm BST on Sky Sports F1.

  • Channel: Sky Sports F1
  • Start time – Sprint Race: 10:00am BST Saturday 29 June 2024
  • Start time – Qualifying: 2:00pm BST Saturday 29 June 2024

When can I watch the highlights of F1 Austrian GP sprint race and grand prix qualifying?

In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of the sprint race and grand prix qualifying for the Austrian GP at 6:30pm BST on Saturday evening. The full programme will run for 90 minutes, covering both the sprint race and grand prix qualifying and wrapping up the major talking points of the race weekend so far.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, runs through the gravel

Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, runs through the gravel

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

For the entire 2024 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on-demand catch-up services.

  • Channel: Channel 4 
  • Start time: 6:30pm BST Saturday 29 June 2024

Will F1 Austrian GP sprint race and grand prix qualifying be on the radio? 

Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2024 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra or via the BBC Sport website.

Coverage of Austrian GP sprint race will start at 11:00am BST on the BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app.

Coverage of Austrian GP qualifying will start at 3:00pm BST on the BBC Sport website.

What’s the weather forecast for the sprint race and grand prix qualifying at the Red Bull Ring?

Dry and sunny conditions with a low chance of rain is forecast for all of Saturday at the Red Bull Ring. The temperature is set to reach highs of 27 degrees Celsius at the start of the sprint race and 30 degrees Celsius at the start of grand prix qualifying.



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Why ‘miles off’ Alpine didn’t prompt Gasly to give up on its F1 recovery

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Pierre Gasly could easily have been forgiven for thinking that Alpine is not the best place to make him a winner again in Formula 1.

After starting the campaign at the back of the grid, seeing key staff leave and there being talk of a potential end-of-works team status down the road, it has been a far from ideal season.

But after agreeing on a contract extension ahead of the Austrian GP that commits him to the French manufacturer, Gasly is adamant that Alpine can still deliver him everything that he wants.

Rather than thinking what has been witnessed in 2024 is a sign of where he thinks it will be over the next few years, he points to the fluctuating form of top teams like McLaren and Mercedes as evidence that performance never sits still for long in F1.

So instead of basing his final decision on how the A524 is performing now, he says what he is seeing behind the scenes – with infrastructure changes and a fresh approach – is far more critical to sealing his belief in what Alpine can offer.

«Personally, I’ve seen enough in F1 that you cannot rely on a single-car concept,» he said.

«McLaren has proved it in the last two years, and Mercedes also showed they sometimes get it right and sometimes get it wrong. It takes some time to get back to the top.

«But it is mainly in the structure, in the facilities and in the technical stuff you are bringing. That was the most important to me, so that is why I tried to pay attention [to it].

«Over the last couple of months, I tried to see the dynamic going on at the factory and, regardless of the performance on the track, which is miles from where we want to be, we are trying to see solutions and things we can bring on board.

Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team

Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

«Obviously Luca [de Meo] and Bruno [Famin] played a big part, as everyone is trying to defend what they have, and 2026 is also going to be a big change of regulations. It is why it took a bit of time before making my own decision.»

While confirmation of his new deal comes just one week after the arrival of Flavio Briatore as a consultant to de Meo, Gasly is adamant that the Italian’s presence in the team was not key to him putting pen to paper.

«No, Flavio didn’t really influence,» he said. «It was a long conversation over the last couple of months, but it was time to commit for my future. I am very happy and very excited to commit to the team, because it is also good to have some stability in my career.

«I went through Toro Rosso, Red Bull, back, and then to Alpine. But not always with a strong dynamic.

«And from what I am seeing from the team and from my relationship with the team, with Luca de Meo, with Bruno, it is going extremely well, and we have clear ambitions. I really like Luca’s ambition and where he wants to bring the team over the next few years, and I trust in his management. I am very excited to be a part of the project.»

While Briatore may only have been at Alpine a week, it has already become clear that he has been commissioned to complete a root-and-branch review of everything that the team is doing to get it back to the front.

It potentially marks a change of direction, but one that Gasly thinks was already underway back at Enstone in a bid to recover from the poor start to 2024.

Asked if Alpine was in need of an outsider to make some tough calls, Gasly said: «You have different approaches. I don’t think there is a secret person or tool that can really trigger a big change.

«We talk a lot about the main figures of a race team but, when you see how many people are working back at the factory, finding the performance, finding the gains, in the wind tunnel, the CFD, mechanically…

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

«I’ve been going quite deep in the team in all the different departments and giving my input and working quite closely with them and trying to lead them to where I want. There is a very good and transparent communication.

«It will take some time to correct the slow start to the year that we had, but I do see some good potential. And hopefully with new people, already inside the team or coming outside, with new ideas and a strong desire to make the team great again, hopefully we can make it all work.»

And with Briatore talking of a two-year target that he has laid down to get Alpine back near the front of F1, Gasly thinks it not impossible that where things are at by 2026 will be different to now.

«I am an optimistic person and a positive person, and I definitely welcome anyone who is coming to contribute positively to the team,» he said.

«He has got very clear ideas and ambitions, and he has been there and won and he has worked with the team. He is very excited to bring all these ingredients to Enstone. If we can make it in two years, I’ll be more than happy.»



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