The starting grid for Formula 1’s Styrian Grand Prix has undergone a few adjustments following the application of two grid penalties.
Valtteri Bottas qualified second but drops down to fifth after he was handed a three-place penalty for dangerous driving on Friday. The Mercedes driver spun in the pitlane during practice as he attempted to light up his rear tyres.
That penalty promotes his team-mate Lewis Hamilton to the front row of the grid alongside title rival Max Verstappen. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez take up row two.
A penalty for Yuki Tsunoda drops the Japanese driver to 11th after qualifying eighth. Tsunoda was found to have impeded Bottas during qualifying and drops behind Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and George Russell, all of which move up a place.
Russell will still have free choice of starting tyre, having been eliminated in Q2, despite moving into the top 10 on the grid.
Sole supplier Pirelli expects a one-stop strategy to be favoured though there remains a 60 per cent chance of stormy weather hitting the venue during the race.
2021 Styrian GP Starting Order
| Position | Driver | Team | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | – |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | -1 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | -1 |
| 4 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | -1 |
| 5 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | +3 |
| 6 | Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | – |
| 7 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | – |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Alpine | -1 |
| 9 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | -1 |
| 10 | George Russell | Williams | -1 |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | +3 |
| 12 | Carlos Sainz Jr | Ferrari | – |
| 13 | Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | – |
| 14 | Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | – |
| 15 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo | – |
| 16 | Nicholas Latifi | Williams | – |
| 17 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | – |
| 18 | Kimi Raikkonen | Alfa Romeo | – |
| 19 | Mick Schumacher | Haas | – |
| 20 | Nikita Mazepin | Haas | – |
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