All Series
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.

Registration Sign in

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Formula 1
Commentary

Live: F1 Austrian GP commentary and updates

Minute by minute updates from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

The Austrian GP has seen the return of the sprint race weekend format this weekend.

Max Verstappen claimed pole position and won the sprint race at the Red Bull Ring, after he had his lead in the F1 world drivers’ championship trimmed in a dramatic British GP last time out.

Verstappen is joined on the front row for the Austrian GP by Charles Leclerc, with Carlos Sainz third in front of George Russell, as Sergio Perez recovered from a grid penalty in qualifying to charge from 13th to fifth in the sprint race.

By: Jake Boxall-Legge, Haydn Cobb, Lewis Duncan

Summary

  • Leclerc wins Austrian GP despite late technical issues
  • Sainz out on lap 57 with engine failure
  • Perez, Latifi retirements 
Leaderboard
  1. Leclerc, Ferrari
  2. Verstappen, Red Bull
  3. Hamilton, Mercedes
  4. Russell, Mercedes
  5. Ocon, Alpine
  6. Schumacher, Haas
  7. Norris, McLaren
  8. Magnussen, Haas
  9. Ricciardo, McLaren
  10. Alonso, Alpine
Status: Stopped
And that's all we've got time for folks! Thank you, as always, for joining us - and we'll see you in two weeks' time for the French Grand Prix. Au revoir!

Here's the report from an exciting Austrian Grand Prix: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-austrian-gp-leclerc-ends-barren-streak-after-late-throttle-scare/10336252/
Big ol' winners' step on the podium that Leclerc gets to stand atop. His reward is the jolly Monegasque anthem.
Hamilton: "Definitely wasn't expecting that. It's been a bit of a rough weekend, but as a team we've got third and fourth, good points."
Leclerc: "It was a really good race. At the end I had trouble with the throttle, it got stuck at about 20-30%. Weirdly it was at the same time [as Sainz's blow-out]."
Verstappen: "Tricky day. Seems we struggled quite a bit with the tyres, had too much degradation to attack Charles really."
"I was scared. I was really scared!" Leclerc admits, visibly delighted.
Vettel is given a five-second penalty for track limits, just to finish off the show. It drops him to 17th place and last of the finishers.
Ocon is fifth from Schumacher, who takes an excellent sixth. Norris, Magnussen, Ricciardo and Alonso complete the scorers.
Verstappen claims second, as Hamilton will pick up another podium in third place - 18.6s ahead of team-mate Russell.
But despite those issues with his throttle, Charles Leclerc wins the Austrian Grand Prix!
Alonso overtakes Bottas on the final lap to take 10th place!
Verstappen's found a chunk of time on the Ferrari now he's cleared Schumacher, but the gap is 2.3s at the final lap.
Alonso gets by Albon to take 11th so he's doing all he can if a post-race penalty is set to come his way.
"The downshifts are refused," Leclerc reports, a legacy of the throttle sticking slightly. The gap between he and Verstappen opens to three seconds, with two tours left.
The stewards are going to investigate Alonso after the race for Alpine releasing his car in an unsafe condition - he did have an unusual double stop under the virtual safety car but it wasn't shown on the live feed.
Leclerc's still struggling a little bit with the throttle pedal, but Verstappen's chipping away at the gap very slightly. The gap remains 2.7s with three to go.
It could get worse for Albon, who has both Alonso and Stroll directly behind him on a late charge on the mediums. Bottas will be hoping they hold each other up to keep the final points place.
"Sometimes the throttle gets stuck," Leclerc is being told. We've got five laps left and Leclerc will want them to be over soon.
Albon, defending the final points place, has Bottas on his tail and takes to the inside at Turn 3, but is powerless to stop the Finn out-dragging him and he goes around the outside before Turn 4. Pitlane to points for Bottas?
"What's happening with the throttle?" Leclerc hurriedly asks. Verstappen is told to keep the pressure on.
The McLaren vs Haas battle has been non-stop all race, as Norris gets back by Magnussen to take seventh place with a charge into Turn 4.
It's now a 1m07.275s for Verstappen, but it's a 1m07.583s for Leclerc - so they're closely matched.
Stroll is the latest driver to pick up the black-and-white flag accolade. It isn't one any of them want, mind.
"From data, everything is fine on the throttle pedal," Leclerc's engineer reports. "Yep, everything's okay now," the leader replies.
It's a 1m07.804s for Verstappen this time around, but Leclerc is only about a tenth and a half slower.
"Throttle pedal feels a bit strange," Leclerc reports.
Verstappen fires up his tyres - and gets less traffic - on the restart and cuts the lead down to four seconds.
Alonso has dropped back to 14th place after pitting again, so the cheap stop ploy hasn't worked.
The VSC comes to an end, and we're back under way.
Alonso also pits under the virtual safety car to profit from a cheaper pitstop and comes out in ninth place, splitting the McLarens.
Leclerc gets a cheap VSC stop, as does Verstappen, and they both grab medium tyres.
The marshals finally stop the burning Ferrari from rolling down hill, as we get a virtual safety car. Sainz is absolutely disconsolate.
Sainz's engine calls it a day! Sainz was about to get a move on Verstappen done, but that's it. "No, no, no..." he says, as the car is on fire.
It's a 1m08.649s for Sainz, who's becoming a larger presence in Verstappen's mirrors now.
Gasly won't face any sanctions for supposedly failing to serve his penalties after a review by the stewards. The AlphaTauri continues untroubled in 14th place.
Meanwhile, Russell clears Alonso to move into the top six, as the Alpine driver has only stopped once - and will have to come in again at some point.
Sainz will be next to close Verstappen down, he's about 2.7s down at the start of lap 55,
Schumacher is the next driver shown the black and white flag for track limits.
"What a joke the traction is," Verstappen says, displeased with his pace.
Load more

Top Comments

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

Trending

1.
NASCAR denies Kyle Larson a qualifying attempt at Talladega

NASCAR denies Kyle Larson a qualifying attempt at Talladega

NASCAR Cup
Talladega
NASCAR denies Kyle Larson a qualifying attempt at Talladega
2.
Ricciardo: Stroll "making my blood boil" after China F1 contact

Ricciardo: Stroll "making my blood boil" after China F1 contact

Formula 1
Chinese GP
Ricciardo: Stroll "making my blood boil" after China F1 contact
3.
McLaren admits Malukas injury “more serious than we thought”

McLaren admits Malukas injury “more serious than we thought”

IndyCar
Long Beach
McLaren admits Malukas injury “more serious than we thought”
4.
Stroll explains why F1 China penalty for Ricciardo contact felt like "a joke"

Stroll explains why F1 China penalty for Ricciardo contact felt like "a joke"

Formula 1
Chinese GP
Stroll explains why F1 China penalty for Ricciardo contact felt like "a joke"
5.
The 10 best Formula 1 drivers ever: Hamilton, Schumacher & more

The 10 best Formula 1 drivers ever: Hamilton, Schumacher & more

Formula 1
The 10 best Formula 1 drivers ever: Hamilton, Schumacher & more

Latest news

Ferrari "made too many mistakes" for podium fight at F1 Chinese GP

Ferrari "made too many mistakes" for podium fight at F1 Chinese GP

Chinese GP
Ferrari "made too many mistakes" for podium fight at F1 Chinese GP
What is a wildcard in MotoGP and why is it used?

What is a wildcard in MotoGP and why is it used?

What is a wildcard in MotoGP and why is it used?
How abruptly slowing down helped WRT to WEC Imola victory

How abruptly slowing down helped WRT to WEC Imola victory

Imola
How abruptly slowing down helped WRT to WEC Imola victory

Latest videos

F1 24 Official Gameplay Deep Dive

F1 24 Official Gameplay Deep Dive

05:17

F1 24 Official Gameplay Deep Dive
F1 24 Official Reveal Trailer

F1 24 Official Reveal Trailer

01:36

F1 24 Official Reveal Trailer
F1 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Review – Verstappen dominates

F1 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Review – Verstappen dominates

33:07

F1 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Review – Verstappen dominates

Contact us

© 2024 Motorsport Network All rights reserved.

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.

Registration Sign in

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe