Lando Norris stunned the paddock by taking pole position for the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, outpacing Charles Leclerc by a remarkable 0.521 seconds — the largest margin seen all season.
Norris’ pole wasn’t just about the raw pace. A late yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s spin meant others couldn’t improve their final laps, helping Norris extend an already strong advantage in Spielberg, where he’d looked quick throughout the weekend.
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In previous rounds, Norris has usually been separated from rivals by tenths or less. His pole in Australia came by 0.084s over Oscar Piastri, while Leclerc was just 0.109s behind Norris in Monaco.
But this time, the gap was clear. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was also affected by the late yellow and had to settle behind Piastri in P4. As the cars returned to the pits, it was Norris who left no doubt over who was the fastest at the Red Bull Ring.
Lando Norris has every reason to be smiling after dominant qualifying performance
Norris’ advantage over Leclerc was the largest seen this season. The previous high had been the 0.209s that Piastri held over Norris in Spain. At the Red Bull Ring, Norris topped every session he entered.
The 25-year-old knows he will need every advantage, as he looks to cut into Piastri’s 22-point lead in the World Drivers’ Championship. Starting on pole has already been a good omen for him this season — he’s won every race he’s started from the front so far, though those wins haven’t always come easily.
Piastri has had the edge on Norris in Sprint Races in 2025. He won two out of the first three, while Norris has finished behind him in every Sprint this season so far. But Norris’ seventh pole for a Grand Prix puts the pressure back on his teammate, who will be looking to stay close come Sunday.
One person who took notice of Norris’ mood after qualifying was Damon Hill. The former F1 world champion commented on X about the “massive” smile Norris had as he got out of the car: “As well be might. 0.5s around a 1:03.971 lap is MASSIVE!”
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Ferrari debuted a new floor and rear diffuser in Austria, while Norris said McLaren also brought “a few small things that should help us.”
It didn’t take long for those upgrades to show. Norris beat Piastri by over a quarter of a second in Q1, topped Q2 by the same margin, and then finished half a second clear in Q3.
Race engineer Will Joseph summed it up when he radioed Norris after qualifying: “It doesn’t get much better than that. Not only pole, but quickest in every session you took part in. Great job, mate.”
Now Norris will look to translate that speed into another victory – something he’s managed every time he’s started from pole this season.
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