Verstappen says P3 was possible before Turn 9 crash in Austrian GP qualifying

Max Verstappen's final qualifying run at the Austrian Grand Prix ended in the barriers at Turn 9, costing him a shot at P3 and leaving him fifth on the grid. The Dutchman revealed the RB22 felt increasingly unstable through Spielberg's high-speed sections before a sudden loss of grip ended his session.

Why it matters:

The crash capped a frustrating Saturday for Red Bull at their home circuit, where a significant upgrade package had shown genuine promise. Verstappen's lost grid positions sting given the team's ongoing struggles with race starts, though he conceded he would have likely dropped back to fifth regardless. The result underscores how tight the margins are at the front of the 2026 field.

The details:

• Verstappen reported a "very weird snap" at Turn 6 during his final Q3 lap, an issue he had not experienced earlier in the weekend. The instability returned with greater force at Turn 9, sending him into a spin without warning.
• No setup changes: The Dutchman insisted he had not pushed beyond reasonable limits, stating the balance "completely went away" as soon as he turned into the corner.
• Upgrade caution: While Red Bull's new parts appeared to bring the RB22 closer to the pace on a short lap where the field was tightly packed, Verstappen refused to label the package a definitive success after just one session.
• Hadjar's struggles: Teammate Isack Hadjar qualified eighth after battling front locking at Turns 1 and 3, finishing roughly half a second off George Russell's pole time.

What's next:

Verstappen and Red Bull face an uphill battle from fifth on the grid at a circuit where overtaking is possible but starting position remains crucial. The team will need to analyze whether the upgrade gains translate beyond the unique demands of the Red Bull Ring, even as Verstappen remains hopeful that the underlying pace offers more in race trim.