Lando Norris’s seventh profession GP victory cuts Oscar Piastri’s championship lead from 22 to fifteen factors after 11 rounds.
Lando Norris has held off a race-long problem from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to win the Austrian Grand Prix and elevate his Formulation 1 title hopes.
Norris and Piastri battled for the lead within the early phases of the race on Sunday with the Australian briefly within the lead earlier than Norris took the place again. A rash lunge by Piastri practically brought about a collision quickly after.
Piastri misplaced floor on the pit stops and was run large onto the grass by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto whereas reducing by way of site visitors. He quickly made up floor on Norris however wasn’t fairly shut sufficient to strive overtaking.
Over the radio, Norris referred to as it a “lovely one-two” end for the workforce.
“We had a fantastic battle, that’s for certain,” he added later. “A number of stress however plenty of enjoyable. A pleasant battle, so properly executed to Oscar.”
A two-horse race on the prime
Greater than ever this season, the title combat focuses on the 2 McLarens after defending champion Max Verstappen was hit by Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap, ending his race. Antonelli was later handed a three-place grid penalty for the following race.
Total chief Piastri leads second-placed Norris by 15 factors with Verstappen nonetheless third however now 61 off the lead.
Piastri apologised to McLaren for the near-collision between the 2, which got here one race after Norris collided with him in Canada. The Australian stated he regretted not making extra of his few seconds within the lead earlier within the race.
“I hope it was good watching as a result of it was fairly exhausting work from the automotive,” Piastri stated. “I attempted my very best and possibly may have executed a greater job once I simply bought forward momentarily. It was a great battle, a bit on the sting at instances.”
Ferrari sturdy with third and fourth
Charles Leclerc was third for his third podium end in 4 races, and his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton was fourth.
George Russell, who received the final race in Canada, was fifth for Mercedes and Liam Lawson sixth for Racing Bulls in his finest results of the season.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin held off Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto for seventh. The second Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg was ninth, and Esteban Ocon completed tenth for Haas.
McLaren are 207 factors away from Ferrari – who moved again as much as second within the absence of workforce boss Fred Vasseur, who needed to return house for private causes – within the constructors championship.
Spherical 12 of the F1 World Championship takes place subsequent weekend on the British Grand Prix.
