The reigning world champion and current leader of the provisional championship standings, who signs his third pole position of the season, beat Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, the two Ferrari drivers.
The two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both victims of road trips in the 3rd and final phase of qualifying but Russell will nevertheless start 5th and Hamilton 10th for the sprint race.
The Austrian GP, which starts on Sunday, is the second of the three races of the season to offer a sprint race on Saturday, a format inaugurated last season and already used this year during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola in April.
This sprint race will determine the starting grid for the Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 4th position for the start of the sprint race will be occupied by Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) will be 6th ahead of the two Haas of Dane Kevin Magnussen and German Mick Schumacher and the other Alpine of Spaniard Fernando Alonso.
© 2022 AFP