McLaren stands in a class of its own in this year's World Championship circus, but in Saturday's qualifying, Ferrari cracked the dominance.
The Monegasque Charles Leclerc came in as second, ahead of Piastri and will drive right on the heels of Norris on the Red Bull ring in Spielberg on Sunday afternoon.
I think it was Monaco last time we started in the front row. This was a good start to the weekend and usually we have a better car in the actual race, said Leclerc.
"A good day"
The Briton Norris is 22 points behind the Australian Piastri in the overall standings. Norris was half a second faster than Leclerc in a qualifying session where Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, finished fourth ahead of George Russell, Mercedes.
I knew that there were a few places, if I did it right there, it would pay off. And I succeeded. It was a good day. It's a long season and hopefully this is the start, said Lando Norris who took his third pole position of the season.
Piastri, who did not get out on the second lap after Pierre Gasly had spun his car, gives himself a good chance ahead of Sunday's race.
We are not here to come third.
Dissatisfied Verstappen
World Championship third-place Max Verstappen, Red Bull, had the seventh-best time. For the reigning world champion, this means that he will not start the Austrian GP from pole position for the first time since 2021.
He was dissatisfied with how the car handled the heat, where the track temperature almost reached 50 degrees.
No grip, it's worse than before. I do not know what to say, complained the Dutchman.
The standings in the drivers' World Championship ahead of Sunday's race:
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 198 points
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Lando Norris, McLaren, 176
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 155
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George Russell, Mercedes, 136
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 104.
