Nico Rosberg dominates the race of the Grand Prix of Austria followed by his teammate and the two Williams with Bottas achieving his first podium. Alonso was fifth and Red Bull teams had a disastrous weekend at home.
Austria was an experience somehow like in Bahrain. Battle between Williams and Mercedes with a silver victory and fights back and many more things have made the Red Bull Ring race an entertaining one. Dietrich Mateschitz, who Bernie Ecclestone was grateful to in a virtual message on television, did not appear throughout the race after seeing that all retired cars had the name of his company.
After a clean start Massa held his first position and Rosberg attacked Bottas to take the position though he returned the attack. Magistral start from Hamilton who in a single curve went ahead of five drivers and later Fernando Alonso, standing in fourth place just ahead of his teammate. The Williams and Mercedes escaped and Alonso was left alone.
The theatre started when Sebastian Vettel rolled slowly because he had run out of power. He needed a time of a lap to resolve the problem, then he reincorporated in the competition in the last position having been overtaken by all drivers.
Pitstops began and Red Bull stopped with Force India, Toro Rosso and Mercedes. Also Gutierrez, who had a misplaced wheel, this made him lose time and then he would be given a Stop & Go of 10 seconds. The Williams were squeezing extremely the degradation of the supersoft compounds. When Massa stopped, he would came back to track ahead of Hamilton who overtook the Brazilian in a single curve. On next corner, it was the turn of Bottas to enter the pits, the Finn also coming out ahead of Hamilton and the fight began after a Rosberg plugged by Perez, who had not yet made his stop.
Kvyat punctured the rear wheel and left the race for the third time claiming brake problems. Meanwhile, Pérez tires began to degrade and Bottas and Rosberg went ahead of him in one go. Hamilton did the same and the fight came in the first position with Massa far behind. Bottas was able to try to overtake Rosberg after a mistake, but then it was Hamilton who attacked him. A three-way battle.
In Ecuador of the race problems came to Vettel. After having to stop to repair a broken wing after a touch with Gutierrez, German was called on the radio to enter the pit lane and retire. A weekend to forget for the four-time world champion.
Second stop for Lewis Hamilton. His goal was to overtake Bottas in pits after failing to do so on the track. Immediately on the next lap was called Nico Rosberg and this came out well ahead of his teammate. Bottas came out behind Hamilton and Mercedes consolidated their leadership.
Alonso, virtual leader, also conducted stop and stood sixth. In fourth
position and pressing Massa was Perez, who had not shoes the supersoft tires.
Vergne abandoned too because of the brakes and Ricciardo burned along with tenth position, the Austrian Grand Prix was becoming a bit of a shame at the home of Red Bull; the only retired (3) cars were sponsored by the energy drink brand. No one had yet seen Dietrich Mateschitz during the race, surely he was still hiding in the motorhome.
After Perez stop the race settled. With separate cars there were twenty laps battle. With a lack of just ten laps Alonso entered DRS zone after being three tenths faster than Massa. But the Brazilian reacted within five laps and the gap was back to three seconds. As Perez overtook Kevin Magnussen cleanly Hamilton returned to the attack to enter DRS zone. Four laps to go.
After a final round of pit wall infarction in the Mercedes garge Nico Rosberg comes in first place with Hamilton stuck to his shadow. Ricciardo got ahead of Hülkenberg on the final lap to finish eighth. Bottas demonstrated his ability and after a spotless race was able to achieve his first podium having been much higher than his teammate.
Alonso was pleased with the start of the race, despite his fifth place.. “It was the best race all year and I will have to try to improve for next time, it is practically impossible to keep back, a Mercedes is another level. Also was impossible to overtake Massa and we both knew so we drove up. The four drivers ahead were unattainable but have reduced the distance.I have also gotten close to Ricciardo in the drivers’ championship and that’s something positive.”
Massa regretted not having a car to fight with Mercedes: “There was no pace to win the race. The Mercedes are much faster and the highest aspiration was the podium. There is nothing more.”
Formula One returns in Silverstone on July 4.
