Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

By: Geoff Creighton

Summary

Verstappen wins the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring
Leclerc second, having lost the lead to Verstappen with three laps to go
Bottas third completes the podium, just ahead of Vettel
Status: Stopped
 
 
One of Honda's representative collects the constructors' trophy, in deference to their relationship with Red Bull.
First win for Honda too since Button in 2006, although the conditions have been significantly more favourable than they were on that rainy ol' day in Hungary.
You could cut the pre-podium atmosphere with a bit of broken front-wing endplate. Not much conversation going on...
Quotes from the cool-down room: "..."
Leclerc: "I had more degradation than I thought at the end. We touched and I had to go wide, and I didn't have a chance to fight back."
Verstappen: "After that start, I thought the race was over! But after the pitstop we were flying." On the Leclerc 'incident', he says "it was hard racing. If it's not allowed, what's the point in racing in F1?"
That's Giovinazzi's first F1 point, better late than never! Also, it's the first time an Italian driver has scored an F1 point since Liuzzi in 2010.
PHWOAR! What an absolute corker of a race. Norris, Gasly, Sainz, Raikkonen and Giovinazzi complete the top 10.
Guess what? This seemed inevitable. The incident between Leclerc and Verstappen is under investigation.
Leclerc crosses the line 2.7s behind Verstappen, with Bottas third, Vettel fourth and Hamilton fifth.
Verstappen strokes the Red Bull home through the final few corners well clear of Leclerc, and crosses the line to take a brilliant Austrian Grand Prix victory!
What a statement this is. Hamilton and Vettel resigned to battling over fourth and fifth, as Verstappen and Leclerc take centre stage. We're in good hands.
Away from all that excitement, Vettel has just passed Hamilton to reclaim fourth with a lap to spare.
Contrasting views on that move - Verstappen says "he turned into me", whereas Leclerc simply offers "what the hell was that?"
No complaints about the racing this weekend; this has been a classic.
He's done it! Verstappen goes for it into Turn 3 this time, and makes sure there's no chance for Leclerc to come back by showing the Ferrari out wide exiting the corner!
Leclerc has a look for the lead at Turn 3 and gets ahead of the Ferrari, but Leclerc gets better drive off the corner and, despite having DRS, can't make the move stick on the run to Turn 4!
The Red Bull gets mighty close into Turn 3 but Leclerc holds position in the middle of the road, then hangs onto the place at Turn 4.
Both cars clear Gasly, and Verstappen starts lap 67 with DRS against Leclerc into Turn 1.
Leclerc's reply is curt when he's told the gap back to Verstappen. "Leave me alone."
The gap between Leclerc and Verstappen is less than a second for the first time on lap 66.
Last time round, Verstappen was nine tenths faster than the Ferrari.
Verstappen is still getting the breaks in this traffic and is 1.7s behind Leclerc now. Six laps to go.
Now then. The next car for Leclerc to lap is... the Red Bull of Gasly. How difficult is the Frenchman going to make life for the Ferrari driver?
Magnussen locks up as Leclerc laps him, probably a very nervy moment there...
Verstappen has a much easier time lapping Sainz and remains 2.8s behind Leclerc.
Gasly's challenge on Norris has somewhat abated, having fallen 2.2s behind - as Sainz loses a second letting Leclerc through.
Red Bull isn't wrong. Leclerc has a rough lap in traffic and loses around eight tenths to Verstappen on that lap - so there's now less than three seconds between the leaders.
"Blistering pace Max. Keep it up mate."
Another new fastest lap from Verstappen, who sets a 1m07.475s. He's just four seconds behind Leclerc now!
...never mind, Giovinazzi's let Verstappen through and has tumbled off the back of Raikkonen.
The two Alfas are line astern, with Giovinazzi really giving it everything to pass Raikkonen.
Leclerc gets below the 1m08s mark for the first time, but Verstappen goes even quicker and sets a new fastest lap of the race. He's 4.8s behind the race leader, and is told to go to engine mode 11.
Sainz has shaved a second off of the Gasly gap, and he's coming to help Norris out with the Frenchman.
Vettel hasn't set the world alight with on his softs, and is still 4.5s behind Hamilton right now.
Leclerc responds with a new personal best on his most recent lap. a 1m08.225s takes his advantage over Verstappen back above five seconds.
Game well and truly on. Verstappen is 4.9s behind Leclerc with 15 laps to go.

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe