Verstappen’s first practice session (FP1) was disrupted due to a sensor issue.
Red Bull has acknowledged that Max Verstappen was incredibly fortunate to bounce back from the FP1 setback and secure pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix Sprint in Formula 1.
During the only practice hour of the weekend, Verstappen experienced a sudden halt on the pit straight, forcing his Red Bull car to be pushed back to the garage.
However, in a remarkable turn of events, the Dutch driver quickly returned to the track and ended the session with the fastest lap time.
In Sprint Qualifying, Verstappen outperformed McLaren’s Lando Norris to claim the top spot. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admitted that luck played a significant role in their success.
Marko revealed that Red Bull was grateful that Verstappen’s car came to a stop with a disabled oil pressure sensor on the start-finish straight at the Red Bull Ring.
“We are extremely pleased to have secured pole position,” Marko shared with Servus TV.
“During the first practice session, Max went straight ahead in Turn 1 and unfortunately hit some bumps that disabled the sensor indicating oil pressure. In theory, there was no oil pressure.
“To protect the engine, we had to turn it off. However, we were incredibly lucky that it happened right in front of the pits. This allowed the car to be pushed out, the sensor was deactivated, and we only lost a couple of laps.”
Marko dismissed any concerns about a potential penalty for Verstappen rolling back on the track during a subsequent red flag period, stating that their sporting director, Jonathan Wheatley, is well-versed in the rules and in communication with the stewards.
Furthermore, Marko emphasized that rolling back quickly is not possible.
Before the weekend, Marko had worries about Red Bull’s ability to maintain their position as the leading team with the Sprint format, which only includes one practice session.
However, those concerns were alleviated as the RB20 showed competitive performance from the beginning, allowing Verstappen to edge out Norris by 0.093 seconds.
“This time, the car had a good balance right from the start,” Marko expressed his satisfaction.
“It’s no secret that in the past few races, we had to go through three practice sessions and qualifying to find the right balance.
“But this time, the car had a good balance from the beginning, and of course, Max delivered an exceptional lap.”