Russell wins Austrian GP after late Norris-Verstappen collision

George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix after a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris while they were fighting for the lead.

Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Norris after he overtook the McLaren driver as Norris attempted to pass him. The Briton was forced to retire.

It was a controversial climax to a battle that lasted several laps, as each complained about the other’s driving.

Russell’s win was Mercedes’ first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix. He came under pressure from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the closing laps but was able to maintain his winning lead.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took the final podium spot ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, despite a five-second penalty for Hamilton for crossing the white line while pitting at his first stop.

Verstappen crossed the line in fifth position and held on to it despite his penalty as Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas was 23.7 seconds behind.

What happened between Norris and Verstappen?

Verstappen appeared to be heading towards victory with a seven-second lead over Norris before his final pit stop, even though the McLaren had been closing in on the Red Bull and the world champion was complaining that his tires were losing grip in the last laps of that period.

But a slow stop for Verstappen, as both pitted together for their final stops, and Red Bull’s choice to fit a set of medium tyres that saw three laps of use while Norris had a fresh set set up a rostrum finish.

Verstappen and Norris rejoined the track with the McLaren just 1.7 seconds behind and the Briton followed after two laps.

They battled hard for several laps. Norris complained that Verstappen made an illegal braking manoeuvre when he attacked at Turn Three on lap 55, with 15 laps to go.

Norris then passed the Red Bull in turn three on lap 59, only to run off the track at the exit, earning him a five-second penalty for abusing track limits because he had already been given a white flag. and black for the same infraction.

After another close race through turns three and four, Norris spoke on the radio to say that Verstappen was repeatedly moving under braking and responding to his attacks in ways that are now permitted.

The critical moment came on lap 62. Norris attacked on the outside and Verstappen fell back towards him as they approached the corner.

The two cars touched each other and both suffered punctures: Verstappen on the left rear and Norris on the right rear and that was the end of their chances of victory.

Verstappen managed to make it to the pits without too much damage as his tire remained intact, but Norris’s tire became agitated on the rim and mangled the rear bodywork and McLaren was forced to retire the car.

Verstappen scoffed at the 10-second penalty he was given for the incident, but former F1 driver Jack Aitken, a 5 Live commentator, said: “It’s very clear to me that Verstappen overstepped his bounds. He was pushing the limits and it’s very clear.” Of course, according to the rules, he was reacting too late.

“It’s a track where it’s very difficult to stay clean, but you still have to leave room for your competitors, give them room if they come on the inside, and he wasn’t doing that today.

“He was lucky not to receive a penalty earlier and the penalty for the incident with Norris was deserved.”

Finishing fifth means Verstappen further extends his championship lead, which now stands at 81 points ahead of Norris heading into next weekend’s British Grand Prix.

End of a long drought for Mercedes

Until the incident between Norris and Verstappen, Russell had been running a lonely race in third place.

He said he had been watching the battle unfold on television screens around the track and knew Norris would fight hard for victory after missing out in Canada and Spain.

A virtual safety car late in the race caused some nervous moments for Mercedes, with Piastri just two seconds back and with a tyre advantage, but Russell held on.

It was a reward for Mercedes’ great progress in recent races after a series of car improvements have brought the team much closer to the battle between Verstappen and McLaren at the front.

Russell said: “You have to be there until the end to pick up the pieces and that’s what we were.”

“They were going all out and I couldn’t believe how close we were to Lando and Max. You always dream, but you’re very proud to be back on top. We’ve made a lot of progress since the start of the season. The last few races have been incredible and there’s still more to come.”

Piastri lamented a controversial penalty he had been given for exceeding track limits in qualifying.

McLaren was very upset by the sanction and appealed, but the appeal was dismissed.

It dropped him from third on the grid to seventh, and without him he would have been in the fight for the front from the start, with all that that could entail.

Sainz, like Russell, had a lonely run in fourth place after an early fight with Hamilton was resolved with the Mercedes driver’s penalty.

And behind Hulkenberg and Perez, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen was eighth, ahead of RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was 5.2 seconds away from fighting his way back into the points after his car was damaged when he became trapped between Perez and Piastri in the first corner, requiring a stop at the end of the first lap to replace a damaged front spoiler.