Russell won Austria GP qualifying after Verstappen's crash

Mercedes driver George Russell secured pole position for the Austria Formula 1 round, moving ahead of Ferrari drivers with a final flying lap. Russell outpaced runner-up Charles Leclerc by more than two-tenths of a second. Verstappen's qualifying session ended in a crash.

Mercedes driver George Russell earned a surprise qualifying victory at the Austria Formula 1 round, managing to overtake both Ferrari drivers on his final flying lap and claim pole position.

Russell showed impressive pace at the Red Bull Ring exactly when it mattered, outpacing second-placed Charles Leclerc by more than two-tenths of a second. This is a significant achievement for Mercedes at a time when the team has been chasing the title contenders.

The qualifying session was significantly affected by Max Verstappen's crash, which disrupted the plans of the pre-race favourites. The Dutch title defender ended the session prematurely, which opened the door for Russell's triumph.

The Austria GP main race gives Russell the opportunity to back up his pole position, but the Ferrari pairing has strong pace in reserve to apply pressure on the British driver.