McLaren double victory as Verstappen fails to score

Following the North American round, the Formula 1 World Championship returned to Europe for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. After a two-week break, teams arrived with various upgrades and technical updates.

From the very first practice sessions, McLaren showcased strong performance. During qualifying, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the front row, while Ferrari’s updates also proved effective, placing Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on the second row. The surprises came from Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), who both achieved their career-best qualifying results.

The start of the race was delayed due to a technical issue with Carlos Sainz’s Williams car, which caught fire during the formation lap. The race eventually got underway, but drama unfolded early as Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli collided with Max Verstappen at Turn 3, forcing both to retire.

McLaren took control from there. Despite early pressure, Norris held off Piastri to take his third win of the season and seventh overall, partially making up for his disappointment in Canada. Piastri’s second-place finish gave McLaren their fourth double podium of the year.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished third, securing his fourth podium of the season, while Lewis Hamilton continues to search for his first podium in red overalls. George Russell finished fifth. Liam Lawson recorded a career-best sixth place, followed by Fernando Alonso, who fended off his protégé Gabriel Bortoleto. The Brazilian celebrated his first career points, while his teammate Nico Hülkenberg (9th) and Esteban Ocon (10th) rounded out the top ten.

For the first time in 77 races, Red Bull finished outside the points.

In the standings, Piastri now leads Norris by just 15 points. Verstappen sits 61 points behind. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren maintains a solid lead, while Ferrari has overtaken Mercedes for second place by just one point.

Next up is the legendary Silverstone Circuit – the birthplace of Formula 1 – where the championship fight continues.