SPIELBERG, Austria: Valtteri Bottas upstaged Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton on Saturday to take pole position for Formula One’s season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.
The Finnish driver edged out the world champion by .012 seconds at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third place and Lando Norris giving McLaren a boost by finishing fourth. Verstappen has won the past two years here.
Bottas had the leading time when drivers embarked on their final laps and beat his own mark before sliding off the track into the gravel.
Hamilton was chasing a record-extending 89th career pole. He was ahead but then dropped off slightly as Bottas secured a 12th career pole.
Ferrari struggled for speed, with Charles Leclerc nearly one second behind in seventh and Sebastian Vettel failing to make it into the third and final part of qualifying, known as Q3. He starts the race from 11th on the grid.
Vettel is leaving Ferrari at the end of the season with his future in F1 uncertain.
Earlier, Hamilton posted the fastest time in morning practice. The 35-year-old British driver was also quickest in both sessions on Friday.
Midway through third practice, F1 newcomer Nicholas Latifi misjudged the exit of a turn and spun his Williams car into a protective tire wall.
Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas takes pole position for season-opening Austrian Grand Prix
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Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas takes pole position for season-opening Austrian Grand Prix
- The Finnish driver edged out the world champion by .012 seconds
Bangladesh board says ICC considering request to move their World Cup games from India
- Bangladesh cites security concerns amid strained ties with India as it seeks venue change for T20 World Cup matches
- ICC says it is engaging with Bangladesh board and reviewing request as part of tournament security planning
NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Wednesday that the sport’s global governing body, the International Cricket Council, is considering their request to move their Twenty20 World Cup matches out of India over safety concerns.
Amid fraught relations between the two countries, Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders said at the weekend that the country’s cricket board (BCCI) had told them to drop Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman.
Bangladesh’s interim government has since banned broadcasts of the IPL, and the BCB have refused to play their World Cup matches in India, which is co-hosting the February 7 to March 8 event with Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play three World Cup matches in Kolkata next month.
“In its communication, the ICC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team in the tournament,” the BCB said.
“The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and has assured that the board’s inputs will be welcomed and duly considered as part of the detailed security planning for the event.”
The ICC and Indian board did not immediately reply to requests for comment from Reuters.
Some media reports have suggested the ICC, which is headed by former Indian board chief Jay Shah, had told Bangladesh they must play in India or forfeit the matches.
However, the BCB said reports of such an ultimatum were “completely false” and that it would work with the ICC to arrive at a solution that ensures their successful participation.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks between India and Bangladesh.
Hundreds protested near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi last month after a Hindu factory worker was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district over allegations he insulted the Prophet Muhammad.
