Championship leader Max Verstappen seals hat-trick with Austrian GP pole

Lewis Hamilton upstaged by compatriot Lando Norris in Spielberg on Saturday

Max Verstappen of Red Bull took the pole position in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg on Saturday.

Max Verstappen ahead of qualifying for the Austrian GP.

Spectators light flares during the qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielber.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull during qualifying.

Lando Norris of McLaren during qualifying on Saturday.

Fans show their support during qualifying in Spielberg, Austria.

George Russell of Williams during qualifying in Spielberg.

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton at the Red Bull Ring race track. AFP

Red Bull's world championship leader Max Verstappen continued to dominate in qualifying as he edged out Lando Norris for pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Verstappen completed a hat-trick of pole positions in the process, as Norris qualified a career-best second for Sunday's race.

However, title rival Lewis Hamilton could only manage fourth place for Mercedes. Hamilton was under pressure in his final lap and went too wide on the last two turns. On the day he announced a two-year contract extension, the seven-time F1 champion was upstaged by 21-year-old compatriot Norris.

Verstappen did just enough on his first run in Q3 at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring, with Norris only 0.048 seconds off securing a maiden pole.

"Q3 was pretty bad," said Verstappen. "I am happy to be first but not the way we got it.

"But to be on pole twice in a row here is very good and hopefully we can finish it off tomorrow."

Norris said: "I feel epic. It was cool. It puts us in a good position for tomorrow and it was one of the best laps I did and it is a great feeling."

Verstappen's travelling Orange Army erupted as their man continued to pile the pressure on Hamilton.

Earlier in the day, Hamilton's Mercedes team announced that their world champion will be staying for at least another two years.

The 36-year-old British driver and the Silver Arrows have been Formula One's all-conquering force for the past seven years, with Hamilton marching to six titles during that period.

But Hamilton heads into the ninth of a scheduled 23 rounds trailing Verstappen by 18 points, with the Dutchman looking good to extend his lead.

The 23-year-old has been great in recent races and in front of his partisan crowd, with more than 30,000 fans travelling from Holland to Spielberg in Formula One's biggest crowd of the Covid-19 era, the Red Bull driver was in form.

Norris has been one of the standout performers this year and the McLaren driver, now in his third season, delivered yet again with a brilliant one-lap performance.

Indeed, the future of British motor racing when Hamilton finally hangs up his helmet appears in good hands with Russell providing Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, should he need it, with another reminder of his credentials.

Elsewhere, George Russell staked another claim to join Hamilton at Mercedes next year, with his best qualifying result for Williams. The Briton will line up an impressive ninth for Sunday's race.

Also, Sebastian Vettel qualified eighth but faces a probable grid penalty for blocking Fernando Alonso as the Spaniard completed his final lap.

Alonso was furious with Vettel, gesticulating at the Aston Martin driver, as he was knocked out of Q2 and forced to settle for 14th.