Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen dominated last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, which took place at the Red Bull Ring and served as the tenth round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship.
After taking pole and winning the sprint race, the reigning world champion won the main race ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and team-mate Sergio Perez, who finished second and third respectively. Verstappen managed to build a 24-second lead in the final third of the race, giving him enough distance to pit for a set of soft tires and claim the bonus point for fastest lap.
Verstappen was joined at the front of the grid by Leclerc, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Lando Norris behind them. Meanwhile, Pérez had to start from 15th place after another disastrous qualifying. He failed to reach Q3 for the fourth consecutive weekend after losing all three of his Q2 laps at the track boundaries, where all four wheels of the car cross the track’s white boundary line.
Track restrictions were also an issue during the race, with a total of eight drivers receiving various time penalties: the list included Sainz, Mercedes-Benz AMG’s Lewis Hamilton, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, Williams’ Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant. and AlphaTauri’s Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda.
2023 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix
There was little further drama, although Tsunoda tangled with one of the Alpines early in the race, damaging his front wing and bringing out the safety car as the debris was cleared. The virtual safety car would later be needed when Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg was forced to retire due to fuel problems.
For Ferrari, the race proved the effectiveness of recent developments, including a new front wing and floor design. It was clear that both drivers could maintain a strong pace throughout the race.
In the case of Sainz, there were spectacular overtaking moves and at the same time the progress made in tire management was confirmed. This was Leclerc’s first podium finish this season.
After the weekend’s action, Verstappen clearly leads the 2023 drivers’ championship with 229 points, compared to second-placed Perez’s 148 points. Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso is third in the standings with 131 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull leads with 377 points, compared to the 178 points of the second Mercedes and 175 points of the third Aston Martin. The next race on the calendar is the British Grand Prix next weekend.
Max Verstappen at the 2023 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix – Photo: Getty Images
Below you will find the full results of the 2023 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix:
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +5.155 seconds
3) Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing +17.188 seconds
4) Lando Norris, McLaren +26.327 seconds
5) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +30.317 seconds
6) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +31.377 seconds
7) George Russell, Mercedes-Benz AMG +48.403 seconds
8) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-Benz AMG +49.196 seconds
9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +59.043 seconds
10) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri +67.667 seconds
11) Alexander Albon, Williams +79.767 seconds
12) Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo +1 round
13) Logan Sargeant, Williams +1 round
14) Esteban Ocon, Alpine +1 round
15) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo +1 lap
16) Oscar Piastri, McLaren +1 lap
17) Nyck De Vries, AlphaTauri +1 round
18) Kevin Magnussen, Haas +1 lap
19) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri +1 round
20) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas – DNF
