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Styrian Grand Prix 2020: What time does the race start today, what TV channel is it on and what are the odds?

Telegraph Sport
·4-min read
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car followed by Red Bull driver Alexander Albon of Thailand during the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, July 5, 2020 - Austria F1 GP Auto Racing
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car followed by Red Bull driver Alexander Albon of Thailand during the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, July 5, 2020 - Austria F1 GP Auto Racing

What is it?

The 2020 Styrian Grand Prix, the belated second round of the Formula One season, which takes place at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. Yes, that's where last week's Austrian Grand Prix took place. As we could not have two Austrian Grands Prix in one year they have named the race after the region in which the track resides, Styria, or Steiermark.

What is the weather forecast?

There is a 0 per cent chance of rain, according to most recent updates.

When is it?

The Styrian Grand Prix is on Sunday July 12, i.e. today.

What time does it start?

The race starts at the now customary time of 2.10pm BST on Sunday. We will be liveblogging all that from around 1pm.

What happened in qualifying?

Lewis Hamilton tiptoed his way to pole position for Sunday’s Styrian Grand Prix with one of the most emphatic single-lap performances in recent Formula One memory.

Hamilton has long been considered among the sport’s wet-weather maestros, but here in Austria, the six-time world champion moved to another level by crushing the opposition - his pole lap an astonishing 1.2 seconds faster than second-placed Max Verstappen and 1.4 sec quicker than Valtteri Bottas in identical Mercedes machinery.

What were the times in qualifying?

  1. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1min 19.273secs

  2. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:20.489

  3. Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:20.671

  4. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:20.701

  5. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Renault 1:20.922

  6. Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:20.925

  7. Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:20.011

  8. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:21.028

  9. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:21.192

  10. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:21.651

  11. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:19.628

  12. George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:19.636

  13. Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point 1:19.645

  14. Daniil Kyvat (Rus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:19.717

  15. Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:20.211

  16. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:21.372

  17. Sergio Perez (Mex) Racing Point 1:21.607

  18. Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:21.759

  19. Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:21.831

  20. Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 No Time

What TV channel is it on?

Sky Sports F1 have exclusive coverage rights in the UK this year and indeed for the next few. Their qualifying program starts at 1pm, with race coverage on Sunday at 12.30pm.

Channel 4 also have highlights this season, and their qualifying coverage starts at 6.30pm on Saturday, with race highlights at the same time on Sunday.

You can also keep up to date throughout the race with Luke Slater right here at Telegraph Sport.

Watch the Styrian Grand Prix through Now TV for £9.99.

What do we know about the Red Bull Ring?

  • Circuit length:  4.318km

  • First grand prix:  1970 (as the Osterreichring)

  • Laps: 71

  • Race distance: 306.452km

  • Race lap record: 1.06.957 - Kimi Raikkonen, 2018

  • 2019 winner: Max Verstappen, Red Bull

  • Number of corners:  Officially 10 but it's really nine as turn two is a complete non-event

  • Overtaking chances:  Best chances are into the heaviest braking zones on the track, turn one and turn three, both uphill right-handers which have the opportunity for contact if someone misjudges it all.

What are the odds (top six)?

  • Lewis Hamilton 4/7

  • Max Verstappen 2/1

  • Valtteri Bottas 13/2

  • Carlos Sainz 33/1

  • Alexander Albon 40/1

  • Esteban Ocon 100/1

What was our pre-weekend prediction?

Given we have just had an entire Grand Prix weekend on this very track, the art of forecasting becomes a little easier. It is difficult to see Mercedes not being the quickest team. Red Bull had a couple of chances to disrupt them in the race but took neither and scored a total of 0 points. I think Hamilton, on balance, looked the better driver of the Mercedes pair on Sunday, though, and I expect he will bounce back with a victory after the a slightly scrappy weekend.

I do think, however, that Racing Point's pace and potential was hidden in both qualifying and the race and expect Sergio Perez to be a factor in the race on Sunday, with a decent chance of a podium.

Podium prediction: 1st Hamilton 2nd Bottas 3rd Perez