Whereas the complete Method 1 grid heads to Silverstone this week for the British Grand Prix, there are nonetheless some hours remaining till we have to flip the web page.
That provides us simply sufficient time to take a closing have a look at the Austrian Grand Prix.
As with the dramatic Canadian Grand Prix, as soon as in opposition to McLaren teammates have been preventing for place on the observe. Nevertheless, in contrast to in Montreal the place Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been preventing for P4, this time a win — and momentum within the title race between the pair — was at stake.
Norris got here out on prime as each drivers got here dwelling after a clear, and thrilling, battle. That allowed McLaren to increase their Constructors’ Championship whereas closing the hole between the pair within the Drivers’ title race.
It additionally made Norris one in every of our winners from the Austrian Grand Prix. Listed below are some extra groups and drivers who can go away Crimson Bull Ring with a smile on their face, in addition to two groups that in all probability couldn’t wait to board their flights dwelling.
Winner: Lando Norris
A number of instances this season Lando Norris entered Q3 because the prohibitive favourite for pole place, solely to see one in every of his rivals take P1.
That was not the case Saturday, as Norris delivered a thunderous closing lap to take pole place in dominant vogue.
Nonetheless, the job was not accomplished, not till Norris fought off teammate Oscar Piastri in an exhilarating opening stint that had followers and McLaren administration alike on the sting of their seats. Whereas Piastri fought exhausting to get again to Norris’ rear win within the closing laps, the British driver had sufficient tempo to fend him off over the ultimate phases, taking his third win of the season.
A win that put him proper again within the thick of the Drivers’ Championship race.
Norris now sits simply 15 factors behind Piastri, with virtually half of the season remaining. He now will get to go to his dwelling race, the place a grandstand in his honor now sits alongside Stowe Nook on the historic Silverstone circuit.
Saturday’s qualifying session, in addition to the race itself, took on an air of significance given what occurred on the Canadian Grand Prix between Piastri and Norris, and the questions over how the British driver would reply.
He responded in dynamic vogue, and as Alex Jacques puzzled through the broadcast Sunday, this can be a day we glance again on in December as one that really reworked the title chase.
Winners: Sauber
What per week it was for Sauber on the Austrian Grand Prix.
Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto started the week searching for his first factors in F1. However the younger driver received off to a robust begin at Crimson Bull Ring, posting the sixth-fastest time in FP1, and superior to Q3 for the primary time in his profession on Saturday, in the end qualifying eighth.
That’s the place he completed on Sunday, on a day that noticed him operating within the prime 5 at one level, and battling for seventh with a member of his administration group, Fernando Alonso, within the closing laps. Whereas Bortoleto didn’t win that struggle, he nonetheless introduced dwelling his first F1 factors, and it was Alonso who was the primary to greet him when the rookie parked on pit lane:
That end result alone would have made Sauber winners on Sunday, however Nico Hülkenberg delivered a stellar restoration drive to complete ninth, after qualifying in the back of the sphere on Saturday. Hülkenberg was among the many first drivers to make a pit cease, coming in on Lap 12, however the technique labored because the veteran driver labored up into the highest ten earlier than the day was by.
Staff Principal Jonathan Wheatley hailed the outcomes.
“A unbelievable end result for the group right here in Austria. Nico turns into the primary Sauber driver since Valtteri in 2022 to attain factors in three consecutive races – and it’s solely the eighth time in our 32-year historical past {that a} driver has climbed from twentieth or decrease to complete within the prime 9. We hadn’t completed within the prime eight right here since 2001 – so this result’s one thing very particular for the group,” stated Wheatley.
“Gabriel was on a medium – medium – exhausting technique and confirmed robust tempo however, sadly, received caught in visitors and lapped by the McLarens close to the top – in any other case, I feel he might have completed larger. He’s proven spectacular tempo and consistency all weekend and really deserves his first factors in Method One. With Nico, we took a daring method on a gentle – medium – medium technique, and his sensible, measured drive delivered our first double factors end of 2025,” added the Sauber boss.
“Enormous credit score to everybody on the manufacturing unit – Mattia and the entire group have accomplished an excellent job bringing these upgrades. The instruments are correlating properly, the automotive is responding, and the group is executing to more and more excessive requirements. We go away Austria energised for Silverstone and able to struggle for each place and for each level.”
Losers: Crimson Bull
Whereas it was per week to recollect for Sauber and Wheatley, his former group can not wait to show the web page to the British Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen’s race ended earlier than it started, because the defending Drivers’ Champion began seventh and was worn out at Flip 3 shortly after the beginning, left sufferer to a lockup from rookie driver Kimi Antonelli.
Yuki Tsunoda was the only Crimson Bull driver left within the struggle, however he began in the back of the grid after a troublesome qualifying session and couldn’t struggle his means by the sphere. Whereas a end within the factors seemed doable for him, a collision with Franco Colapinto not solely required him to cease for a brand new entrance wing but in addition noticed the stewards hand down a ten-second penalty.
When the checkered flag flew, Tsunoda was again in P16.
“It was a horrible race for us and desperately unfortunate for Max to be taken out at flip 3 when he had accomplished nothing unsuitable, he had a great begin and made good progress,” stated Staff Principal Christian Horner after the race. “It’s a disgrace, I don’t suppose we might have been racing the McLarens at present however we might have been racing the Ferraris fairly exhausting. With Yuki it was once more not an excellent race, he had harm to the entrance wing, a penalty and so forth, sadly for us it was a weekend to overlook.”
Winner: Liam Lawson
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Picture by Kym Illman/Getty Pictures
Whereas Liam Lawson’s former group struggled, the Visa Money App Racing Bulls driver loved his greatest day in F1.
Lawson superior to Q3 for simply the second time this season on Saturday, qualifying sixth for the Austrian Grand Prix. He backed up that efficiency with the same drive on Sunday, preventing inside the highest ten for many of the day and coming dwelling with a sixth-place end.
Lawson was additionally one in every of simply two drivers who made a one-stop work, the opposite being Fernando Alonso. He started the day with only one set of medium tires, and one set of exhausting tires, and after stopping on Lap 32 to make the change to exhausting tires, he noticed them by to the top.
“It was an excellent weekend, and it feels good to execute all the things properly,” stated Lawson. “It’s been a troublesome season up to now, with a whole lot of potential, and on this race, we have been fast the place it mattered and managed to see it by. After the primary lap, I assumed it is likely to be over, however the group made a courageous name with the one-stop technique, it labored out completely. Full credit score to them, they’ve been working extremely exhausting behind the scenes, and I’m tremendous proud.
“The automotive was actually quick all weekend, we’re always pushing and making small changes to make it extra snug. The purpose now could be to hold this momentum by the remainder of the season. We have to take the positives, preserve preventing, and preserve scoring factors.”
Staff Principal Laurent Mekies praised Lawson’s efficiency.
“As we speak’s race started with Liam ranging from the third row in P6, because of an distinctive efficiency yesterday that showcased his pace. It’s by no means straightforward to start out in a brand new group midseason, and he wanted time to get used to our automotive. Yesterday’s nice laps present the progress he’s doing, along with the group,” described Mekies.
“The tempo and the race execution have been sensible, Liam was unstoppable and defended for 70 laps to Fernando.”
Winners: Ferrari
The McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri might have completed up the street from them, and as is commonly the case there are some technique selections that the group and their followers might wish to revisit. However when the checkered flag flew Charles Leclerc was on the rostrum for the fourth time this season — and the third time in 4 races — and Lewis Hamilton was simply behind him in fourth.
On a day when each Crimson Bull and Mercedes struggled, Ferrari took benefit within the struggle for second behind McLaren. The outcomes have been sufficient to propel Ferrari into P2 within the Constructors’ Championship race, only one level forward of the Silver Arrows.
“I charge our weekend as a group very well. We introduced some upgrades which helped us to take a step ahead and begin closing the hole to McLaren. Sadly, they have been simply quicker at present,” described Leclerc. “Within the first nook, I needed to shut in on Lando (Norris), however that left the door open for Oscar (Piastri) who was capable of move me for second place. I pushed so much on the primary stint and had fairly a little bit of degradation, however that’s a part of the sport. We don’t have any regrets at present. We gave it all the things and extracted the utmost from our race. We are going to proceed to work exhausting to make extra progress with the goal of getting again onto the highest step of the rostrum. That’s our predominant precedence and the entire group deserves it.”
Regardless of some frustration over the radio from Hamilton, notably on the finish of 1 stint the place the veteran driver needed to remain out however the group known as him in to pit, the seven-time champion described the Austrian Grand Prix as a “strong weekend” for Ferrari.
“It’s been a strong weekend for the group – we continued to enhance our qualifying tempo and the group did an excellent job all through. We didn’t have the race tempo we anticipated, however nonetheless, we got here away with some strong factors and a podium, which is one thing we may be happy with,” stated Hamilton. “We’ll analyze the info fastidiously to know the place enhancements may be made. Thanks to everybody on the observe and on the manufacturing unit for his or her exhausting work and dedication. We stay targeted and I’m wanting ahead to my first dwelling Grand Prix with Ferrari.”
Losers: Williams
One other group looking forward to the flight dwelling?
Williams.
Shortly after the race started an expensive buddy and fellow F1 fan despatched me a textual content that learn partly: “(f)eels like Williams is bouncing between legitimately pushing for fifth and looking out like previous Williams.”
It’s exhausting to disagree with that evaluation.
After a troublesome qualifying session on Saturday left him in the back of the grid, Carlos Sainz Jr.’s day by no means received began. When the primary try at a formation lap started Sainz couldn’t get out of his beginning spot on the grid, and when he lastly received rolling he got here again to pit lane after race officers known as for an aborted begin, together with his rear brakes on hearth.
His day was over.
Issues weren’t a lot better for Alex Albon. Whereas he was capable of get underway, Albon retired after simply 15 laps.
It’s his third consecutive DNF.
“A really disappointing day. We had the tempo at present to comfortably end sixth, and but we stroll away with a double DNF,” stated Staff Principal James Vowles. “We had two totally different points that must be understood to ensure we rectify them going ahead. We’re on a great journey in the direction of constructing a quick automotive however we’re not full but when it comes to operation and reliability.
“We (have) 13 races in entrance of us this season they usually’re key races to construct this muscle and this functionality to ensure that, as we transfer up the grid and we get quicker and quicker, we’re capable of struggle on the entrance with the easiest.”
