Author: Barkha Roy
Max Verstappen continued his reign of dominance at the Austrian Grand Prix, securing both pole position and the race win in a commanding display. The Red Bull driver completed a clean sweep, leading from start to finish and leaving his competitors in his wake.
Verstappen’s win at the Red Bull Ring marked his fifth in a row and seventh of the season. Despite an exciting race with penalties for violations of track limits and various strategies, Verstappen proved untouchable.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc briefly took the lead, taking advantage of a virtual Safety Car period, but Verstappen quickly regained his position, demonstrating the raw pace of his car. He secured the win and also earned the bonus point for the fastest lap.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez made an impressive recovery, starting from 15th place on the grid and securing his first podium since the Miami Grand Prix. Perez’s excellent performance included overtaking Carlos Sainz in the final stages, benefiting from the Ferrari driver’s punishment.
In fact, the post-race review carried out by the stewards resulted in several punishments. Sainz received a 10-second time penalty for violations of the track limit, promoting Lando Norris to fourth place. McLaren had a promising weekend with its updated car.
The stewards’ investigations, triggered by a protest from Aston Martin, revealed additional punishments. Logan Sargeant, Nyck de Vries, Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were penalized for exceeding the track limits.
After the reprimands, the revised standings saw Norris secure fourth place, with Fernando Alonso in fifth. Sainz dropped to sixth, while George Russell and Hamilton finished seventh and eighth for Mercedes. Lance Stroll, Gasly and Albon completed the top 11.
Haas suffered a disappointment when Nico Hulkenberg retired due to a loss of power, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. The race began with a minute’s silence to pay tribute to Dutch driver Dilano van ‘t Hoff, who tragically lost his life in an accident, and to remember the late co-founder of Red Bull, Dietrich Mateschitz.
Verstappen’s flawless start allowed him to defend Leclerc’s pole position and maintain his lead throughout the race. Despite the intense battles and incidents involving several drivers, Verstappen’s mastery remained unquestioned.