Max Verstappen returned to the Formula One pole position with a dominant performance at the Austrian Grand Prix, some three hours after winning the sprint race at the home race of team owners Red Bull.
Verstappen clocked 1 minute 4.314 seconds on the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring for a 40th career pole to hold off McLaren's Lando Norris and George Russell of Mercedes who was ranked third after Oscar Piastri's lap was scrapped due to a track limit violation.
The triple world champion has eight poles for the season as he ended a three-race drought of not being first on the grid.
Verstappen had earlier Saturday won the sprint race from Piastri and Norris in similarly commanding fashion.
Verstappen has won seven of the 10 grands prix this season, and all three sprints, to top the championship 71 points ahead of Norris.
