Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, 21, secured pole position, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen, also 21, promoted to second. Hamilton should have been on the front row at the Red Bull Ring, but for an uncharacteristic mistake in the opening moments of qualifying. “Hamilton completely blocked me,” said an angry Raikkonen on the team radio after giving Hamilton the middle finger. After hearing from the world champion, and reviewing video evidence, they deemed he “unnecessarily impeded” Raikkonen, throwing him down the grid. The rising McLaren star will have a 34-year-old five-time world champion breathing down his neck on the 300-metre charge to the opening corner.

Source: The Irish Times June 29, 2019 16:18 UTC