Formula 1 Austrian GP

Verstappen’s Austrian GP FP1 stoppage-then-resurgence explained

A sensor issue stopped the Dutch driver on the Red Bull Ring’s main straight in practice before he went on to top FP1

Alex Kalinauckas

Published: Jun 28, 2024, 4:32 PM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Marshals push the car of Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, back to his garage

Max Verstappen's bizarre Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix practice session stoppage was caused by him hitting kerbs hard and disabling an oil pressure sensor, according to Helmut Marko.

Verstappen caused this weekend's sole one-hour practice action to be halted for nearly five minutes mid-way through when he pulled over on the pit straight lacking drive aboard his RB20.

This then rolled back down the Red Bull Ring's steep uphill pit straight, with marshals subsequently pushing Verstappen through a pitwall opening, from where he was returned to the Red Bull garage.

But the world champion was only confined to this for a few moments before rejoining the running and going on to set the fastest time, in a surprise turnaround given how serious the issue initially appeared and with the memories of his Montreal FP2 engine problem still fresh.

This was an Energy Recovery System issue that apparently badly damaged that unit's Internal Combustion Engine element and likely required Verstappen to serve a grid penalty later in the season.

Speaking after Verstappen then topped this evening's sprint qualifying session in Austria, Marko explained the issue to Red Bull's TV channel, ServusTV.

"We're very happy to have achieved this pole position," Marko said.

"In the first practice session, Max drove straight ahead in Turn 1 and unfortunately went over these humps [track-limits kerbs plus a big sausage kerb at the right-hander] with almost all four wheels and that disabled a sensor that indicates oil pressure, so theoretically there was no oil pressure.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

"So of course you have to turn it off to save the engine, but then we had all the luck in the world that it happened right there at the front [of the pits].

"That allowed [the car] to roll back, they were able to push it out, we deactivated the sensor and it continued - and we only lost maybe one or two laps."

When asked if Verstappen had risked a penalty in rolling back towards the marshals under the red flags, Marko replied: "I believe that our Jonathan Wheatley, our sporting director, has a very good handle on all these rules and is in communication with the stewards.

"And you can't roll back quickly anyway!"

After Red Bull's near defeats in Canada and Spain in the two most recent F1 races, Marko reckons the team being on top of the RB20's handling from the off at its home track was key to Verstappen edging McLaren's Lando Norris to sprint pole by just 0.093s.

"This time the car was also good right from the start," Marko explained.

"It's no secret: the last few races we've had to do three practice sessions and qualifying to get the balance right. This time the car was in a good balance right from the start and then of course Max did the lap."

Marko also said that in the other RB20, Sergio Perez's latest underwhelming qualifying result – he finished seventh in SQ3 – was down to the Mexican driver being stuck in traffic with Alpine's Esteban Ocon after leaving the pits in the frantic late pitlane exit stacking.

"I'd say Sergio was a bit unlucky," said Marko. "I think Ocon was in the way, otherwise he would have been further ahead. But for once it's a very pleasing start [to a weekend overall for Red Bull]."

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Leclerc explains issue that led to setting no time in SQ3 in Austria

Next article Hamilton labels Austria sprint qualifying performance "pretty disastrous"

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

3 h

FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned

TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return

IMSA

IMSA IMSA 3 h

TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return

Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Singapore GP

3 h

Why Isack Hadjar doesn’t like F1 sprints anymore

Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen to race for JR Motorsports again in 2027

NASCAR O'Reilly

NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly

Phoenix II

4 h

Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen to race for JR Motorsports again in 2027

Feature

Discover prime content

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

How levelling the playing field isn’t antithetical to the principles of F1

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How levelling the playing field isn’t antithetical to the principles of F1

Lights, Camara, action: How Haas picked F1's latest rookie for 2027

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Lights, Camara, action: How Haas picked F1's latest rookie for 2027

Employing team orders can simply be a matter of common sense

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Employing team orders can simply be a matter of common sense

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts