This archive report was first published on 29 June 2019.
On June 29, 2019, Charles Leclerc stayed cool under pressure to claim a convincing pole position for Ferrari at the Austrian Grand Prix, setting a track record lap of one minute and 3.003 seconds.
This achievement marks Leclerc's second career pole, following his success in Bahrain, and comes as Ferrari seeks to end Mercedes' record run of eight season-opening triumphs and 10 victories in succession, having not won a race since the 2018 United States Grand Prix, which was won by Kimi Raikkonen.
Qualifying Session ¶
The qualifying session was dramatic, with Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel unable to run due to an air pressure problem. Max Verstappen of Red Bull came in third, backed by a strong contingent of fans in the Styrian Alps, while Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes struggled for outright speed and faced a stewards' inquiry after the session.
Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who had taken pole for the last two years, came in fourth, followed by Kevin Magnussen of Haas, who will take a five-place grid penalty for taking a new gearbox. British rookie Lando Norris of McLaren, Raikkonen, and his Alfa Romeo team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi also secured spots in the top ten.
Driver Reactions ¶
Leclerc expressed his delight, saying,
The car felt amazing... I struggled in P1, but after some changes we did well and I'm happy to bring pole home. Tomorrow, we have to finish the job.
Hamilton congratulated Leclerc on his achievement, stating,
Congratulations to Charles. He's been quick all weekend.... It's cool to see three different teams as the top three and I get to fight the young ones tomorrow.
Verstappen also praised the support he received from his fans, saying,
It's so great and it brings a smile to my face... With our upgrades, the car seems to be working better and this is an amazing result for us.
