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A brief chat with Max Verstappen: “We just try to do our own race, I honestly don’t know how fast or slow we are. The track temperature? Probably not ideal.”
And Oscar Piastri, the world championship leader: “Today could be good for us, it’s hotter than the rest of the weekend. Will it hurt our rivals? I hope so.”
Ever the optimist, Max Verstappen. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 13.53 BST
Time for the Austrian national anthem, sung by the Vienna boys’ and girls’ choirs. They do a fine job, but focus is stolen by a troupe of dancers leaping about in full F1 regalia. Why are they making them do this? It’s roasting out there.
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In last year’s race, George Russell took the chequered flag after a dramatic collision between Norris and Verstappen that turned up the heat on their developing rivalry.
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Updated at 13.38 BST
Some pre-race thoughts from Lando Norris:
“We’ve got a great car, so it’s just a good start and I’ll try and control things from there really. I expect a good battle from [Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri], I expect them on the first couple of laps to be punchy but that’s racing.
“It’s not like the car feels a different level but I think it’s an improvement, and to show that we’ve taken a step forward is what we want. The main thing is delivering what it should and that’s good.”
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The grid
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Lando Norris (McLaren)
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Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
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Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
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Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
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George Russell (Mercedes)
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Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
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Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
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Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
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Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
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Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
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Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
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Alex Albon (Williams)
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Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
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Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
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Oliver Bearman (Haas)
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Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
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Esteban Ocon (Haas)
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Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
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Carlos Sainz (Williams)
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Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber)
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Preamble
Brad Pitt may be wowing cinema audiences in the new F1 film, but if the current season is ever adapted for the big screen then Lando Norris would be the main protagonist. Tipped as the challenger most likely to dethrone Max Verstappen, the British driver struggled to deliver in the opening acts as teammate Oscar Piastri emerged as a title contender.
The McLarens’ collision in Canada marked a new low for Norris, but this weekend might see the narrative arc begin to turn. Norris is on pole here after producing his best qualifying drive of the season, while an angry Verstappen starts down in seventh. Piastri is in third place on the grid, with Ferrari making an overdue cameo – Charles Leclerc starts second, Lewis Hamilton fourth.
With Silverstone and the season’s halfway mark coming up next week, this could be a pivotal chapter for Norris and the F1 title race. It’s lights out at 2pm (BST) at a sweltering Red Bull Ring, where we can expect more absolute cinema.
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