Austria
ROUND RECAP
AN EPIC MCLAREN BATTLE FOR THE WIN
A misjudged overtake last time out in Canada saw Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri clash, with the former retiring from the race while Piastri’s eight-race streak of podium finishes also came to an end. The pair reset for another round at the Red Bull Ring, with Norris clearly meaning business as he established a comprehensive gap over his team mate in Qualifying, but Piastri was far from fazed, declaring he was "not planning on finishing third".
He quickly followed through on his words at lights out, charging past Charles Leclerc and immediately launching a challenge on Norris for the lead of the race. What followed was one of F1’s most gripping team battles, with the McLaren duo fighting wheel-to-wheel, blending strategy and tire management. Norris held the early advantage, but Piastri stayed within DRS range, relentlessly pressuring him.
On Lap 11, Piastri made a bold move to snatch the lead - only for Norris to reclaim it moments later. The tension peaked when Piastri locked up inches from Norris’ rear, narrowly avoiding disaster.
Pit stops then decided the duel. Piastri stayed out four laps longer, but the overcut failed to close the gap. Traffic, including Colapinto forcing Piastri onto the grass, left him stranded six seconds back. Norris managed the margin to the flag, securing a hard-fought victory.
A NIGHTMARE HOME RACE FOR RED BULL
Looking at past results, this weekend should have been a return to glory for Red Bull – Max Verstappen holds the most pole positions and victories in Austria, and, of course, the circuit itself bears Red Bull’s name in the team’s home country.
Hoards of fans rocked up in orange, ready for a Verstappen masterclass. But they were disappointed when the Dutchman ended up P7 in qualifying, deterred by yellow flags shown whilst Pierre Gasly recovered from a late spin. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda failed to reach Q2 for the second time in the last three rounds, starting P18.
While Verstappen labelled the result “painful”, he also admitted that there could be “some surprises in the race”, which certainly proved to be accurate. Maybe he was expecting some drama at the front that he could capitalise on, but the drama ended up involving him.
On the opening lap, Kimi Antonelli locked up his rear tyres and plowed into Verstappen, eliminating both. The rookie apologised immediately after the incident that caused the reigning World Champion’s first DNF since Australia 2024. He received a three-place grid drop for Silverstone.
Tsunoda, now Red Bull’s sole runner, struggled. On Lap 30, he was passed by Colapinto’s Alpine and, determined to reclaim the position, he clipped Franco Colapinto while overtaking, spinning the Alpine. A wing change and 10-second penalty dropped him to last, cementing his P16.
BORTOLETO TAKES HIS FIRST POINTS AND LAWSON SHINES
Amid a wealth of collisions and mechanical failures, it’s nice that at least one driver experienced the best weekend of their F1 career so far – enter Gabriel Bortoleto.
The combination of returning to a circuit he performed superbly at in his junior career and finding the rhythm he has been searching for in the C45 came together to produce the rookie’s first F1 points.
After making it into Q3 for the first time this season, Bortoleto raced those around him masterfully, including his manager/mentor Fernando Alonso – the two engaged in a heartwarming battle for P7 in the final laps of the Grand Prix, with the former World Champion clinging onto the position.
He was later seen hugging the Brazilian and congratulating him on defending his Qualifying position to finish in eighth place, just ahead of his team mate Nico Hulkbenberg.
Aside from Alonso, another driver to make the one-stop strategy work was Liam Lawson, who achieved his best Qualifying result so far (P6), in a similar vein to Bortoleto. He started and finished as the lead Red Bull-backed racer, securing an important six points for Racing Bulls as he escaped up the road from the Alonso-Bortoleto battle on the penultimate lap.
THE BIGGEST POLE MARGIN OF THE SEASON SO FAR
Saturday’s Qualifying was an exciting affair, with Lando Norris grabbing pole for Mclaren. Having sat out FP1, Norris topped FP2, FP3, Q1 and Q2 – so it was no surprise when he grabbed the P1 grid slot.
What was a surprise was the margin, the biggest of the season so far at 0.521s. That is a mighty gap at any circuit, but at Austria where the track is one of the shortest of the calendar, it laid down a form marker that Norris is back in business.
Yes, there was the caveat that a few drivers including Piastri did not get to complete – or even start – their second runs in Q3 thanks to yellow flags, but even so, Norris looked untouchable over one-lap.
It was the perfect response to some Q3 mistakes earlier this season, and his race-ending collision with his team mate in Canada.
STARS TURN OUT FOR AUSTRIA, WITH THE RACE HERE TO STAY
News broke on Sunday that Austria has been handed a contract extension and will be on the calendar until 2041. It is a firm favourite with fans and drivers alike, and one of the most picturesque tracks the F1 circus visits.
Plenty of stars wanted to judge that for themselves, with Liverpool’s former manager Jurgen Klopp attending the race on Sunday. He spent time in the Racing Bulls garage and perhaps that was what inspired such a strong performance from the team, with Liam Lawson grabbing a brilliant sixth-place finish.
Eric Bana was also spotted in the Austria paddock, the actor no stranger to the world of F1 as a big sports fan.
It remains to be seen if Pierre Gasly approached him for tips – after F1 The Movie star Brad Pitt cited Gasly as the driver most likely to make it in Hollywood, Gasly joked he might have to turn to acting as a second career unless he started scoring points.
And what did he fail to do in the race? Score points. Hollywood might beckon for Pierre.
