In a thrilling turn of events at the Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell and Mercedes emerged as the victors after a dramatic collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Verstappen had dominated the race, building a significant lead over Norris. However, Verstappen’s struggles with the hard tires and a slow pitstop allowed Norris to catch up. The two drivers engaged in a fierce battle, with Norris briefly overtaking Verstappen but relinquishing the position due to a track limits breach. Ultimately, the collision between the two resulted in punctures and damage to their cars. Norris retired, while Verstappen finished fifth after receiving a penalty. Russell, who had been consistently strong throughout the race, capitalized on the incident and claimed a well-deserved victory.
Meanwhile, Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri had a strong performance but was hindered by a controversial track limits penalty in qualifying. Despite starting from seventh on the grid, Piastri showcased impressive skill as he made his way through the field, overtaking several competitors, including Hamilton and Sainz. He finished just 1.9 seconds behind Russell, highlighting his potential.
Carlos Sainz secured a podium finish, while Hamilton had a disappointing race, finishing in fourth place. Haas also had a standout performance, with both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen scoring points. Their success was attributed to early pitstops and effective tire management. Perez, on the other hand, faced challenges due to damage sustained in an incident with Piastri and Leclerc on the first lap. Leclerc could only manage an 11th-place finish, while Ricciardo and Gasly rounded out the points-scoring positions.
Overall, the Austrian Grand Prix provided a thrilling spectacle, with unexpected twists and turns that ultimately led to George Russell and Mercedes celebrating a long-awaited victory.