Formula One champion Max Verstappen took his fourth pole position in a row at Red Bull's home Austrian Grand Prix on Friday but was still frustrated.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will line up alongside Verstappen on the front row on Sunday with team mate Carlos Sainz and McLaren's Lando Norris, in a newly upgraded car, right behind.
The session proved a nightmare for Sergio Perez, already 69 points behind Verstappen after eight races all won by Red Bull, who had three laps deleted for exceeding track limits and failed to make the top 10 for the fourth race in succession.
The Mexican had been second fastest in phase two of qualifying, held on Friday because of the sprint weekend format, but repeatedly went over the white lines with all four wheels between turns nine and 10.
Verstappen later lashed out at the race stewards for being too strict during qualifying.
Verstappen and other drivers were annoyed at having lap times deleted for failing to stay within track limits, on a circuit where visibility is poor in some places. His Red Bull teammate Perez suffered the most.
Verstappen also had earlier lap times deleted, as did other drivers.
“It’s clearly not that easy and I don’t think we’re all idiots out there,” said Vestappen.
“Today, it was very silly. It made us look like amateurs with the amount of laps that were being deleted and some of them were so marginal. ... It was not a good look today. People will say, ‘you should have kept the car in the white lines’. If it was that easy, you can take my car and try it, but you probably wouldn’t get up to speed in time.”
Verstappen was later summoned by race stewards for allegedly impeding Haas driver Kevin Magnussen on Turn 1 during the first part of qualifying, but was cleared without a penalty.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth for Mercedes but team mate George Russell will start 11th after also having a lap deleted in the second phase.
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How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Zayed Sustainability Prize
