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Austrian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog

9th July, 2017
Where: Red Bull Ring
When: 10pm AEST
Circuit length: 4.318 km
Race length: 306.452 km
Laps: 71
F1 must evolve (GEPA Pictures/Red Bull Content Pool).
Roar Guru
9th July, 2017
100

Following a thrilling grand prix in Baku a fortnight ago, what does Formula One have in store for us this time out in Austria? Tune into The Roar from 10pm AEST for live blog coverage of what should be another exciting grand prix in Austria.

Much has been made of the controversial clash between title protagonists in Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, however it is time to resume the racing at the Red Bull Racing.

The 4.3km circuit boasts a short, fast and undulating layout, yielding some of the quickest lap times to be seen all season in the new generation cars.

71 laps will be contested during the race, with the cars being subject to the unforgiving kerbs – which have bitten drivers across the weekend.

Since the return of the Austrian Grand Prix in 2014, no other team than Mercedes AMG have won in Spielberg. Hamilton himself only has the one win to his credit, claiming it after a last-lap coming together with Nico Rosberg in 2016.

Ferrari must look back to 2003 and the final race at the erstwhile A1 Ring, for their last victory in Austria – in the hands of none other than Michael Schumacher.

The ball appears to be in the court of Ferrari, with Vettel qualifying second along with his teammate Kimi Räikkönen in third.

Clinching his second career pole, was Valtteri Bottas, who faultlessly took the top spot to continue a good run of form in Austria.

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Hamilton originally claimed third, however has been subjected to a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled change of gearbox coming into the weekend.

Being 14 points arrear of Vettel in the championship, the Briton will start eighth and on the supersoft tyres with an alternative strategy.

Previous race winner Daniel Ricciardo will start fourth for Red Bull, at their namesake circuit, because of the Hamilton penalty.

The long straights haven’t proved a major deterrent to the power-deficient RB13, thus the Aussie being a contender as well as Max Verstappen.

With such a jumbled mid-field, it will be an interesting race to see whether some of the buried runners in the Williams cars and Renaults can make their way up to join Force India and Haas.

What’ll the race deliver then, with Hamilton charging from eighth? Can Bottas hold off the Ferrari assault for his second win? Or will either of the red cars or a Red Bull spoil the silver party?

Tune into The Roar from 10pm AEST for live blog coverage of what should be another exciting grand prix in Austria.

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