George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes, inheriting the lead and winning. A fierce, testy but thrilling battle ensued between Max Verstappen and Norris with Verstappen falling behind.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished second, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz third and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton fourth.
It’s a moment of celebration for Russell and Mercedes. The 26-year-old from King’s Lynn claimed his second career win and Mercedes’ first since winning in Brazil in 2022.
The team has won eight consecutive constructors’ championships since 2014, marking their second most important step since the rule change that year.
However, the race was defined by the battle between Verstappen and Norris, old friends from way back when, a relationship that may have been put to the test in the final third of the Red Bull Ring.
What had started to be an uneventful affair, with Verstappen in control until the final third, came to life as the final set of stops changed the complexion of the battle.
When Red Bull pitted Verstappen on lap 52, Verstappen was less than seven seconds ahead, with Norris close behind. To less than two seconds.
Norris had the advantage on the new medium tyres, while Verstappen only had the old ones, setting up a tense finish to the race. Norris put on new tires and closed the gap to less than a second within two laps.
He closed in on him at the third corner on lap 55 but was aggrieved that Verstappen was defending late in the corner. Norris knows that when he has an advantage and applies pressure, he has to make the most of the tires.
These are the two fastest drivers on the track and the two drivers in the title race, neck and neck. On Lap 59, Norris braked late entering Turn 3 and gained position, but in doing so went off track and he quickly lost the lead.
Norris accused Verstappen of dangerous driving and forced him to take the outside line. The two continued to collide head-to-head. Four laps later, Norris tried again from the inside at the third corner. This time Verstappen took the outside line to maintain this position. .
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The two exchanged blame on the radio and they went wheel-to-wheel again on lap 64, with disastrous consequences. Push aside.
Verstappen was found at fault and given a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision. He rejoined in fifth, the victory long gone, and an aggrieved Norris stared impassively at the monitor in the garage.
Their battle was over, with Russell fending off Piastri’s charge to claim victory, a victory that Mercedes would be delighted with but both Red Bull and McLaren felt the victory was theirs.
Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were sixth and eighth respectively, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was seventh, and RB’s Daniel Ricciardo In ninth place, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was tenth.
