Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix with a controlled execution of superior pace for Red Bull. He beat the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz into second and fourth, with his team-mate Sergio Pérez coming back well from 15th to third. The world champion however demonstrated the advantage he currently enjoys. Having dropped behind both Ferraris, he dispatched them on track with insouciant ease at the Red Bull Ring.
Lando Norris was a very strong fifth for McLaren, Fernando Alonso sixth for Aston Martin and Lewis Hamilton seventh for Mercedes.
For Verstappen this was another walk in the park at Red Bull’s home grand prix. He was all but untouchable, the gulf to the second-placed team Ferrari still a chasm for all the hopes the Scuderia might move closer in Austria. Mercedes once more could not eke out the best from their car on a track were they have never really enjoyed great performance, with Hamilton complaining he could barely control his ride.
Moreover, in what was a somewhat tepid affair, barring some scrapping cameos in the field, it was littered with penalties for track limits being exceeded, a regulation that exasperates drivers and fans alike and adds nothing to the spectacle. The win ensures Verstappen has extended his lead in the championship to 81 points over Pérez.
Verstappen is in a class of his own in the championship this year. He has proved quicker and far more consistent than Pérez in qualifying and in race pace has been simply untouchable. He now has seven wins from nine races and has barely been challenged at the front as he exerts an iron grip on the title. Red Bull meanwhile remain unbeaten in 2023.
It is his fourth win at the Austrian GP making him the meeting’s most successful driver and his fifth at the circuit, having also won the Styrian GP here in 2021.
Verstappen held his lead from the off into turn one but Leclerc harried him up the hill and into turn three but the Dutchman had his measure and held him off.
Hamilton had moved from fifth to fourth, passing Norris on the opening lap and attempting to keep both Ferraris in range. Out front however Verstappen was demonstrating an all-too-familiar advantage. He had put a second and half on Leclerc by lap six.
Hamilton, having to push to fend off Norris, was repeatedly pinged for exceeding track limits and given a warning on lap 13. One more offence and he would take a five- second time penalty. The British driver however was fighting his ride and told the team: “I can’t keep it on the track, the car won’t turn.”
Hamilton then led a slew of pit stops under a virtual safety car on lap 15, Ferrari followed a lap later but Verstappen stayed out, maintaining track position. Sainz, stacked behind Leclerc for the stop, lost places dropping to sixth. A lap later however Hamilton once more exceeded track limits and was duly penalised.
Verstappen, still needing to stop, had a 15-second lead from Leclerc and came in on lap 25, ceding the lead to Leclerc and Sainz. The Dutchman had fresher tyres but now needed to pass them both for the lead. Sainz fell within a lap, into turn four, and he set off after Leclerc.
The gap was five seconds to the Monégasque driver, just as Norris passed Hamilton for fourth while Sainz was also given a time penalty for track limits. Verstappen caught Leclerc and passed him with ease on lap 35 into turn three with DRS. Job done, the race was effectively his.
Hamilton pitted again on lap 43 for the final time and took his penalty as Sainz followed a lap later and also took the one he had incurred. Verstappen meanwhile had already opened an 11-second lead in the clean air out front. His team-mate Pérez had fought back strongly from 15th and by the final third was in the mix for the podium.
Verstappen came in on lap 50 and as the final stops shook out, Verstappen held his lead, with Leclerc in second, Sainz third and Norris defending from Pérez, with Hamilton in seventh behind Alonso.
Pérez moved through, past Norris, with a clear pace advantage and then vied with Sainz, wheel to wheel across two laps, a highlight of a somewhat processional race. The Spaniard defended with great vim and vigour until Pérez made it stick at turn four to take third.
The result however was never in doubt. So confident was Verstappen he insisted on a late stop to take new soft tyres to go for the fastest lap, which he duly scored on his way to the flag and another dominant win.
George Russell was eighth for Mercedes, Pierre Gasly ninth for Alpine and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin. – Guardian
