Bottas grabs pole as drivers unsure over taking a knee
Formula One drivers are divided over whether to “take a knee” before this afternoon’s Austrian Grand Prix.
The topic was discussed during a meeting between all 20 drivers in Spielberg on Friday night, but they were unable to reach a unanimous conclusion.
It is expectted that some aree set to adopt the stance which has become associated with the Black
Lives Matter movement.
But it is alsoo understood that a numbeer
ofb drivers are uneasy about performing the gesture due to the political outlook of the BLM organisation.
The teams will leave their drivers to make up their own minds on the matter, while the FIA says it is not the job of the sporting federation to instruct the drivers on what is essentially a political decision.
The differing views could leave the sport in the uncomfortable position of some drivers taking a knee and others not in the minutes before the first global event of the Covid-19 era.
All have agreed to weaar End Racism T- shirts when theyt line up at the front of the grid for the Austrian nat iona l an them aahead of the ra ce. A banner displaying the same mmessage will also be prominent.
Six- time world champion Lewis Hamilton ( inset) has been extremely vocal on the topic of racism in recent weeks, but earlier this week, he refused to confirm whether he would take a knee before the race.
His Mercedes team are racing in an all- black livery this year to send a defiant message against racism.
“The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association has held a number of virtual meetings with all 20 F1 drivers to agree how best to show their collective support for the fight against racism ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix,” said the GPDA yesterday.
“All 20 drivers stand united with their teams against racism and prejudice, at the same time embracing the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion and supporting F1’s commitment to these.
“Together the drivers will all show their public support for this cause ahead of the race, recognising and respecting that each individual has the freedom to show their support for ending racism in their own way and will be free to choose how to do this ahead of the race start.”
Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas upset the odds to beat Hamilton to pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix by just 12 hundredths of a second.
World champion Hamilton had dominated the weekend at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, topping every practice session.
But Bottas delivered when it mattered most to prevent his Mercedes team-mate from opening the defence of his title with top slot on the grid.
The Finn ran off the road on his final lap, but despite Hamilton improving with his last throw of the dice, it is Bottas who will line up first.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished third, with young Briton Lando Norris delivering the best performance of his career to qualify fourth for Mclaren.
Ferrari headed into the new campaign fearing they would be trailing the big- hitting teams.
And their dread was confirmed here when Sebastian Ve t t e l was eliminated from the second phase of qualifying.
The f o u r- t i m e w o r l d champion, who will be moved on by the Scuderia at the end of the year, qualified only 11th, 1.2 seconds off the pace.
His team- mate Charles Leclerc snuck through to the top-10 shootout but will line up only seventh.