Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix 2015: Results, Times for Practice and Qualifying

Reigning Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will be looking to build on his momentum picked up from his Canada win last time out by claiming victory in Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.

The Englishman had to dig deep to bounce back after disappointment in Monaco, but he managed to edge Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in Montreal.

The German—now 17 points behind Hamilton atop the drivers' standings—will be desperate to close the gap again on Hamilton this weekend.

There may be challenges from elsewhere at the front of the race at the Red Bull Ring, with Ferrari and Williams both having made upgrades for the weekend. 

As ever, the pole sitter will have a terrific advantage. Read on for updates from practice and qualifying in the 2015 Austrian Grand Prix. 

Qualifying: Lewis Hamilton Takes Pole as Mercedes Spin Late On

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Mercedes made it a full year of pole positions as Lewis Hamilton qualified fastest at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday in Spielberg.

The race at the Red Bull Ring in 2014 was the last time a Mercedes car was not at the front of the grid in a grand prix, but they put that right this year, as Nico Rosberg took second.

As ever in recent times, the Mercedes cars dominated qualifying, and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel had to settle for third on the grid despite having headed the time sheets in second and third practice. 

Hamilton had struggled in practice and was not at his best early in Q3, but things seemed to click on his second flying lap as he took provisional pole.

In the dying moments of the final session, the reigning world champion spun off the track, only for Rosberg to do the same on the final corner as he attempted to steal top spot.

Hamilton thus sealed pole position, with his German team-mate two-10ths of a second back.

Williams' Felipe Massa will start from fourth on the grid, split from his sixth-placed team-mate Valtteri Bottas by Force India's Nico Hulkenberg.

The full results can be found at Formula1.com.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was a surprising casualty of the first qualifying session on Saturday, along with McLaren's Jenson Button, Force India's Sergio Perez and both Manor drivers.

Former world champion Button has endured a trying season thus far but was excelling in Q1 in damp conditions before he fell down the standings as the track dried.

Button's team-mate Fernando Alonso fell in Q2 having just scraped in, while Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Lotus' Pastor Maldonado also failed to make the top 10 shootout.

Both McLarens will start at the back of the grid after picking up hefty penalties, while both Red Bulls have also been reprimanded, per Sky Sports' David Croft: 

"

Exciting qualy ahead here in Austria. Grid pens as they stand: Alonso 25 places, Button 25 places, Ricciardo 10 places & now Kvyat 10 places

— David Croft (@CroftyF1) June 20, 2015"

The short circuit in Austria should make for an exciting race on Sunday, which Rosberg won from third on the grid last year, coming from behind the two Williams cars.

However, Hamilton will surely prove much more difficult to pass as he looks to stretch his lead in the world championship. 

P3: Vettel Fastest as McLaren Woes Continue

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel was fastest once again in third practice at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday in a rain-hampered session.

The German was quickest on Friday afternoon and headed the time sheets again at the Red Bull Ring, 0.017 seconds up on reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton.

The Englishman had a frustrating time in second practice as he finished fifth, but he improved somewhat to go second fastest on Saturday, although he was far from perfect.

McLaren's shocking season continued as Fernando Alonso's car ground to a halt on the starting grid with half an hour of the session remaining, prompting a red flag.

Earlier in the day, Alonso and team-mate Jenson Button had both been handed harsh grid penalties, per BBC Sport's Andrew Benson:

"

After Alonso's 20-place penalty, now 25 for Button. Ouch

— Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) June 20, 2015"

Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg finished down in fifth, behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Force India's Sergio Perez.

After both finishing outside the top 10 in second practice, Williams' Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were sixth and seventh fastest respectively.

Rain had been threatening for much of the morning and came down hard as the session neared its end in Spielberg.

Rosberg and Raikkonen were both caught out by the downpour and spun as the track became increasingly treacherous.

Several drivers chose to test the conditions late on with qualifying looming on Saturday afternoon, providing some fine entertainment as the cars struggled for grip.

Ferrari will be convinced they can challenge Mercedes for pole position in the qualifying session as they have shown good pace in practice.

The full results for the final practice session can be found here, per Formula1.com.

P2: Vettel Heads Rosberg as Hamilton Labours

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel went fastest in Friday's second practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix, proving that the dominant Mercedes cars may have some challengers this weekend.

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton headed the morning session at the Red Bull ring, but the German driver finished just behind his compatriot in second practice.

Hamilton struggled somewhat in the afternoon in Spielberg as he failed to control his car through numerous corners. As a result, he had to settle for fifth at the end of a frustrating session for the reigning world champion.

Despite finishing top of the time sheets, four-time world champion Vettel will still have slight worries after another gearbox issue in the afternoon and being forced to finish his session early.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was third-fastest, while Pastor Maldonado had a terrific run, finishing fourth in his Lotus.

The Venezuelan's team-mate, Romain Grosjean, will have been satisfied with his seventh spot, just behind Force India's Nico Hulkenberg.

The Williams cars of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, who locked out the front row here last year in qualifying, both finished outside the top 10.

McLaren's day did not improve in the afternoon. Fernando Alonso was forced to sit out most of the morning session, and Jenson Button lasted only 17 laps before losing power and pitting in the afternoon.

To compound the misery, Alonso was also pulled in early in the second practice session as a precaution against his car befalling the same fate as Button's.

Hamilton has much more to give on the weekend, but his struggles will have been satisfying for both Vettel and Rosberg as they look to hold the edge ahead of Saturday's key qualifying action.

The full results can be found here, per BBC Sport.

P1: Mercedes Dominant as Vettel and Alonso Struggle

Charles Coates/Getty Images

Nico Rosberg beat team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the first practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday as Mercedes topped the time sheets with ease.

The German finished over three 10ths up on Hamilton at the Red Bull Ring, with the world champion enjoying a similar gap to third-fastest Kimi Raikkonen.

Williams' Valtteri Bottas went fourth fastest in Spielberg—his team-mate Felipe Massa was down in ninth—while Sauber's Felipe Nasr was fifth despite brief power issues.

Red Bull had a solid time in the early proceedings on Friday as Daniil Kyvat and Daniel Ricciardo finished paired together in sixth and seventh, respectively.

The woes continued for McLaren, though, as Fernando Alonso was forced out of the first practice session early with yet another engine problem.

The two-time world champion finally put in a lap time with less than 15 minutes remaining of the session, but he lost out on vital track time and was frustrated once again. 

Similarly, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel had gearbox problems, with the German having to abandon his car early on before it was wheeled back to the garage, and he did not return to the track.

Williams' Massa was forced into evasive action in the pit lane at one point as he had to break sharply to avoid Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene, who was attempting to cross to his garage. But no one was hurt, per Formula1:

"

No harm done...Massa and Arrivabene share a joke after their near miss in the pit lane #AustrianGP #FP1 pic.twitter.com/4JRgdvSaPA

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 19, 2015"

A Mercedes-dominated session once again, then, and Hamilton and Rosberg will hope to repeat the trick on Friday afternoon in the second practice run.

Here are the standings from P1, courtesy of the official Formula 1 Twitter feed:

"

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION #FP1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/x5igcttrS4

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 19, 2015"