George Russell is celebrating his second victory of the season in Austria, having boosted his morale for the championship battle. The British Mercedes driver, who withstood the pressure from Max Verstappen, was the first to see the checkered flag three months after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and narrowed the gap to his teammate Anton, who finished third on the podium, to just 0.3 behind the Red Bull and 1.6 behind Russell.

The 19-year-old Italian attempted a move in the final laps that would have given him second place, but the four-time Red Bull champion from the Netherlands held his ground. On a fairly hot day at the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen managed his tires exceptionally well and achieved his best result of the season.

It was a setback for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton finishing 5th due to engine temperature issues, and Leclerc coming in 8th after struggling with his tires throughout the race. Neither driver matched the performance or speed they showed in Barcelona, and it’s telling that they were the only drivers in the top ten to make three pit stops. It was a mediocre day for McLaren, with Piastri in 4th and Norris in 7th, behind the impressive Hajar.

Apart from overheated brakes, the two Cadillacs driven by Bottas and Pérez were out of the race.

*photo source: AP