Russell wins Austrian GP heat battle as Verstappen charges to second
George Russell claimed his second win of the Formula 1 season at the Austrian Grand Prix, holding off Max Verstappen in a race defined by track temperatures above 50 degrees.
Heat dominates the Red Bull Ring
With air temperatures exceeding 34 degrees and asphalt hotter than 50 degrees, the Austrian Grand Prix became the hottest race in the country's 63-year Formula 1 history. The FIA issued a heat warning days before the event, allowing drivers to use cooling vests. Many, however, opted against the system, calling it not mature enough and a disturbance in the tight cockpit.
This is probably the hottest I've experienced in recent years. Everyone will have problems.
It will be a tough day for man and machine.
From lights out to the chequered flag
Russell converted pole into a comfortable lead and never relinquished it. Behind him, Max Verstappen, driving a significantly updated Red Bull and undeterred by a qualifying crash, carved through the field. He overtook both Charles Leclerc and championship leader Kimi Antonelli within the first three corners, moving into third. By lap 11, Verstappen was wheel-to-wheel with Lewis Hamilton, the two ex-champions fighting spectacularly through the undulating circuit.
A virtual safety car, triggered when Carlos Sainz parked his defective Williams, briefly cooled the action. At the front, Russell's Mercedes engine proved superior, allowing him to post the fastest laps and manage the crucial tyre strategy comfortably. Verstappen, who pitted as early as lap 19, closed in lap by lap but never got close enough to challenge.
Ferrari's mixed fortunes
Hamilton, who had taken his first Ferrari win only two weeks earlier, faded after a questionable strategy call from Scuderia. He complained of insufficient power and dropped to sixth before recovering to fifth. Teammate Leclerc also slipped back after an early duel with Hamilton, finishing outside the podium places. Antonelli, the championship leader, took third despite reporting brake problems late in the race.
Championship picture
Russell's second win of the season, his first since the Melbourne opener, lifts him to second in the drivers' standings. He now trails teammate Antonelli by 40 points. Verstappen's second place underlined Red Bull's regained competitiveness. Nico Hülkenberg, in his Audi, missed points again, finishing 12th. The race drew around 100,000 spectators to the Red Bull Ring.
