George Russell picked up the F1 Austrian GP win after tangle between Verstappen/Norris, as Oscar Piastri was P2 and Carlos Sainz in P3.
It was a clean start from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen from pole in F1 Austrian GP at Red Bull Ring, with McLaren’s Lando Norris slotting in second from Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was sixth in the order.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was up to sixth after clearing McLaren’s Oscar Piastri but it was not as clean with the Australian also brushing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was forced to pit to change the front wing after his endplate was gone by the hit.
The push at Turn 3-4 from Perez against Piastri was also noted, much like Hamilton’s pass on Sainz at Turn 1. The Brit gave back the place later on but not before a back and forth fight against teammate Russell where they exchanged places.
Piastri was down to seventh with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg in eighth, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon ninth and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen rounding the Top 10 points places. It was not just Leclerc pitting early but even Williams’ Logan Sargeant had to pit on Lap 1.
At the front, Verstappen stretched out a lead over Norris and Russell, as Sainz defended fourth well from Hamilton, with Piastri back in sixth after moving ahead of Perez. The early stop from Haas pair dropped them outside the points but not without a fight.
Hulkenberg had to give up to Magnussen after the Dane’s earlier stop but the German came back on him to retake the track position. It resulted in a spicy radio call from Magnussen, as Ocon stayed out in eighth from teammate Pierre Gasly.
Likewise Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda was 10th without stopping, whereas Daniel Ricciardo pitted early. There was also a second stop for Leclerc, who lost out to Williams’ Alexander Albon at the fag end of the pecking order.
There was a collision at Turn 3 as Stake F1 Team’s Zhou Guanyu was hit at the back by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, when the Chinese driver lost out to Ricciardo just at the same time. The Spaniard was handed a 10s time penalty for his collision.
There was an investigation against Hamilton after he had slide at the pit entry and went over the white line, which ended up in a 5s time penalty. Verstappen, meanwhile, was put under investigation for unsafe release against Norris.
There was no further action on that but the other Red Bull of Perez was handed a 5s time penalty for speeding in the pitlane. The Dutchman continued to lead at nearly the halfway mark from Norris, Russell, Sainz and Hamilton in the Top 5.
Piastri was up to sixth from Perez, Hulkenberg, Magnussen and Ricciardo, where the Australian jumped the two Alpine cars in the pits. Ocon was chasing Alonso with Gasly right behind where the Spaniard was yet to stop to get in their way.
Ocon eventually got through him aggressively, as Gasly tried a move at him on the outside at Turn 4, but was pushed onto the sausage kerb. He stayed behind in 12th but not before a radio call. The fight, though, continued between the two of them.
Gasly came back on him and tried a move around the outside at Turn 4 and they went wheel-to-wheel for couple of corners but Gasly took track position over Ocon. The latter was being looked for his defence against Alonso just before that.
The tyre degradation was large at play but it didn’t deter Piastri to take track position away from Hamilton. The fight for the win got a bit tasty due to a slower stop for Verstappen. Red Bull had to wait for Norris to arrive at his pit box which closed the gap.
Verstappen locked-up on his out lap and the fresh compound for Norris allowed him to be on his tail in the next few laps. The Brit tried a move at Turn 3 but the Dutchman closed the gap, which resulted in complaints from the McLaren camp.
Their fight continued on as Norris tried a move again which didn’t work. They went around for another try and Verstappen went off to keep the lead, while the Brit was handed a 5s time penalty for track limits but the two came together again.
Norris went for an outside move at Turn 3, but their rear touched to puncture. They both went off and had to limp back into the pits where Verstappen managed to continue in fifth, but the Brit was forced to retire due to heavy damage.
Verstappen was handed a 10s time penalty for causing a collision, as the Virtual Safety Car was deployed just after Piastri took second from Sainz, with Russell in the lead of F1 Austrian GP. Hamilton was fourth from Verstappen and Hulkenberg.
The German was fending off Perez, with Magnussen in eighth, Ricciardo ninth and Gasly 10th, with Leclerc just outside the points in 11th. At the front, Russell held it calmly to win F1 Austrian GP amid troubles between Verstappen and Norris.
Piastri was second from Sainz, with Hamilton fourth from Verstappen and Hulkenberg who lost sixth to Perez but the German came back on him to take the place back. Magnussen made it double points in eighth from Ricciardo and Gasly in the Top 10.
Leclerc had to settle with 11th from Ocon, with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in 13th from Tsunoda, Albon, Stake F1 Team’s Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu, Alonso and Sargeant to round out the 19 finishers, where the Spaniard took the fastest lap away from Verstappen.
Everyone from Stroll until Alonso ended up a lap down to the leaders, with Sargeant finishing two laps on Russell.
Here’s how F1 Austrian GP sprint panned out
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