F1 Austrian GP Qualifying As It Happened

-Live text commentary of qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix

-Second of three sprint weekends in 2022

-Verstappen on pole for the sprint race

17:28

That will bring our commentary to a close. Thanks for joining us.

17:27

Max Verstappen:“It was a really tight qualifying. I’m very happy with pole. It’s incredible to see the crowd here”

17:26

The top three are speaking to Billy Monger.

17:24

Positions 1-10:

1st. Verstappen

2nd. Leclerc

3rd. Sainz

4th. Pérez

5th. Russell

6th. Ocon

7th. Magnussen

8th. Schumacher

9th. Alonso

10th. Hamilton

17:22

How has that happened. Verstappen was so far behind the Ferraris after sector two, but he somehow pulled it back during the final two corners.

17:21

MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE IN AUSTRIA!!!!!

17:20

Here we go; this is it for qualifying.

17:17

The Dutch fans are having a great time in their grandstand, an afternoon that will be made much better should their hero hold onto pole here.

17:14

Despite crashing, Russell may still be able to keep his fifth place.

17:12

Russell is now under investigation for entering the track without permission.

17:11

What could have been for Mercedes? A day where they looked a genuine threat for pole ends with two broken cars.

17:09

RED FLAG! Russell has spun off at the final corner.

17:07

George Russell is the first man out on track.

17:06

Top 5 as it stands:

Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Pérez, Russell

17:05

Back underway.

17:03

Back underway at five past the hour.

17:02

Hamilton was on a lap good enough for the front row, according to Mercedes.

17:00

We should be getting back underway fairly soon. Leclerc sounds very irate with Hamilton for getting in the way on his push lap.

16:58

Hamilton's rear goes really early in the corner, he is slightly off line, he corrects it, but the gravel sends him sideways then rear into the barrier.

16:57

Hamilton is out of the car and ok.

16:56

Hamilton: "So sorry to damage the car guys."

16:55

HAMILTON IS IN THE WALL!!!!! RED FLAG!!!!!!!

16:54

Still waiting on Lewis Hamilton to set a lap here

16:53

Verstappen goes fastest after the Q3 banker laps.

16:52

Verstappen quickest in the second sector.

16:51

Verstappen quickest in the first sector.

16:50

Sergio Pérez will be investigated after the session for his track limit violation. Pretty clear cut track limits violation there.

16:48

The cars are out for Q3.

16:45

This could be shaping up for a three-way team battle for pole here, if Mercedes can just about hang in there.

16:43

Positions 11-15:

11th. Gasly

12th. Albon

13th. Bottas

14th. Tsunoda

15th. Norris

16:41

Could Sergio Pérez have his lap deleted here? The BBC's Marc Priestley thinks he crossed the white line at turn 6.

16:41

No-one is improving

16:40

Lando Norris is out.

16:40

Pérez on a scrappy lap.

16:40

Magnussen goes sixth.

16:40

Albon goes tenth.

16:39

Worrying stuff to hear from Lando there.

16:39

Norris: "I'm scared to hit the brakes."

16:38

Leclerc posts a new fastest time as Norris can only go thirteenth.

16:37

Norris locks up at turn 3 and turn 4.

16:36

In the knockout zone:

Pérez, Gasly, Norris, Tsunoda, Albon.

16:35

Pérez: "There is a lot of understeer."

16:34

Sergio Pérez has lost his best lap time. Things are getting difficult for the Mexican sitting in eleventh as Alonso goes sixth.

16:33

Mick Schumacher goes quicker than Magnussen to go into 6th.

16:32

Kevin Magnussen on a strong lap. He crosses the line and goes 6th with a 01:05.153.

16:32

Lewis Hamilton does a 01:05.4 to go even quicker.

16:31

Alexander Albon and Esteban Ocon go into the top ten with strong laps.

16:30

Sergio Pérez has lost time due to a lock-up.

16:29

Leclerc and Verstappen both on used tyres for their first laps in Q2.

16:28

Leclerc goes top to begin the Q2 times, but is displaced by Verstappen pretty quickly. Hamilton then goes faster than them both.

16:26

Cars are out for Q2.

16:23

Daniel Ricciardo sounds crestfallen at the news of his day coming to an early close. Things just won't come together for the Aussie.

16:21

Positions 16-20:

16th. Ricciardo

17th. Stroll

18th. Zhou

19th. Latifi

20th. Vettel

16:20

Both Aston Martins are out.

16:19

Daniel Ricciardo is out.

16:19

Nicholas Latifi is out.

16:19

Zhou Guanyu is out.

16:17

Stroll and Norris both escape the knockout zone - for now.

16:15

At risk of elimination:

Norris, Vettel, Latifi, Stroll, Albon

16:14

Verstappen goes to the top, but is immediately displaced by Sainz, and then Leclerc.

16:13

Fernando Alonso, and Alpine for that matter, look in really good shape this weekend.

16:11

Lewis Hamilton goes top with a 01:06.079, 0.064 seconds faster than Sergio Pérez.

16:10

Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris both have moments of oversteer up at turn 3.

16:09

Max Verstappen comes out on track and immediately goes top, but his time is deleted for track limits.

16:08

Sainz slots into second place.

16:07

Mick Schumacher then goes top briefly, before Charles Leclerc improves to a 01:06.200.

16:05

Carlos Sainz Jr sets a time of a 01:06.363, which is subsequently deleted for track limits violations. Lance Stroll also loses his first flying lap.

16:04

The pyros are already off in the Oranje Army grandstand.

16:02

What can Max Verstappen do to bounce back from last weekend's disappointment at Silverstone? The Dutchman took pole and won both races at this circuit last year.

16:00

Green light; We are go in Spielberg!

15:58

What happened in practice?

Red Bull's Max Verstappen set an impressive pace in first practice at the Austrian Grand Prix before qualifying at this 'sprint' event. The world championship leader was 0.255 seconds quicker than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Mercedes' George Russell was third, a further 0.145 seconds adrift. Red Bull's Sergio Perez was fourth and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton fifth. Qualifying sets the grid for a short race on Saturday that defines starting positions for the main grand prix. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen was sixth fastest, followed by the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso's Alpine - using the medium tyres while everyone else at the front set their times on the softs. Haas' Mick Schumacher and the Alpha Tauri of Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10.

15:55

Good afternoon and welcome to our live text commentary of qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. The cars will be on track shortly.