Formula 1 experienced the first escalation between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in Austria. The two good friends, who have been dueling for Grand Prix victories for weeks, clashed in a tough duel for the race win in Spielberg and ultimately both lost the chance of victory. George Russell thanked them. All the winners and losers at the race in Spielberg.
Formula 1 Austria, Losers: Lando Norris & Max Verstappen
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen simply have to appear together on this list. Because the reason for their defeat is the same: Both of them wanted to win the Austrian GP and tried to prevail by any means possible, and both ended up without a trophy at the end of the Formula 1 race.
Verstappen was primarily to blame for the collision, as the stewards clearly stated. Without any malicious intent, but still, he did not give the McLaren driver enough space before turn 3 and thus caused the contact that ultimately killed both drivers. Norris’ driving was also anything but famous after a series of extremely late braking maneuvers. He also received a penalty for his fourth track limit violation.
On the way back to the pits, emotions boiled over again: Norris steered into another completely unnecessary collision after the first one, and Verstappen also pushed him onto the grass unnecessarily. The somewhat dirty ending is just part of the exciting show that the two of them put on at the Red Bull Ring. The next few weeks will show whether Norris and Verstappen’s friendship will suffer as a result. In any case, no one wants to be blamed. Racing drivers, after all!
Formula 1 Austria, Winner: George Russell
When two people argue, the third one is happy. On Saturday at the Formula 1 sprint in Spielberg, the ominous third place was Oscar Piastri, who took second place. On Sunday, George Russell was there to profit from the heated duel between Norris and Verstappen. A second career victory that came out of nowhere. But no one questions that later.
The fact is that Russell had delivered a clean Grand Prix before that too. He had Lewis Hamilton under control the entire weekend and even more clearly than was the case in the entire Formula 1 season so far – not just on race Sunday. Accordingly, the crowning of the year so far with victory is well deserved.
Formula 1 Austria, Loser: Lewis Hamilton
But even in the days before, the record world champion’s performance was not the best. Hamilton himself admits this: “I was pretty bad this weekend, not because I didn’t try, I was just slow.” The most successful Formula 1 driver of all time has been waiting for a win since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP. In Spielberg, he “only” had to beat his teammate… Who knows when Hamilton will get another chance like this.
Formula 1 Austria, Winner: Haas
Twelve points in a single Formula 1 race?! With this result, Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu probably never imagined this in his wildest dreams before the Austrian weekend. But 6th and 8th place made it a reality. Even without the damage to Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, as well as Lando Norris’s retirement, both drivers would have finished in the points. So it was anything but luck.
It was the perfect strategy for the conditions on Sunday that Haas pulled out of the hat. While everyone else wanted to avoid long stints due to the high temperatures, the team from Kannapolis brought their drivers into the pits extremely early and pulled through. The fact that the tire wear was a little less than expected played into their hands and the undercut by Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen paid off perfectly.
Formula 1 Austria, Loser: Sergio Perez
The same scenario applies to the Formula 1 race as with Hamilton: Damage on the first lap cost him a lot of performance. But also, like Hamilton, damage that he brought upon himself. Qualifying: P8, almost nine tenths behind, sprint: P8, with no chance against the drivers in front of him, sprint qualifying: P7. That simply cannot be what Red Bull is aiming for.
In 2023, the team from Milton Keynes could at least console themselves with the fact that Perez is performing better overall than his direct predecessors Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly in their respective Red Bull times. This can no longer be said. The Mexican, who recently extended his contract, still enjoys the support of the team management – Dr. Helmut Marko even spoke of an “upward trend” – but the question must be allowed: for how long.
Formula 1 Austria, Winner: Daniel Ricciardo
Liberation! That is probably the right word for the racing Sunday of Daniel Ricciardo at the Formula 1 weekend in Austria. Ricciardo, who has reacted sensitively to criticism of his person several times in recent weeks, was finally able to grin again after the race in Spielberg.
On Sunday he scored points for only the second time this Formula 1 season. Since the Canadian GP was only three weeks ago, this time we can actually speak of a positive trend. To do this he needed the right strategy and a bit of racing luck. But also enough pace to keep the battle-tested Pierre Gasly behind him towards the end of the race. He had Yuki Tsunoda under control in qualifying and in the race anyway.
Formula 1 Austria, Loser: Fernando Alonso
The trend is not on the two-time Formula 1 world champion’s side at the moment, and it will not be on his side at Silverstone either. Fernando Alonso is convinced of this, at least. He gave the assembled journalists his summary of the Great Britain qualifying, which will take place next Saturday, in advance of the event in Spielberg. He does not expect any improvement.
At least his media rounds are still world class. Alonso himself was not at the Austrian Grand Prix. In the race he caused a more than unnecessary collision with Zhou Guanyu. In the other sessions of the weekend, Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll was the benchmark that he always failed to meet, apart from qualifying.
Formula 1 Austria, Winner: Pierre Gasly
It was a lucky point for Pierre Gasly and Alpine at the end of the Formula 1 race in Spielberg. Given what the competition at Haas achieved, this was not necessarily a success. But personally, Gasly will probably look back on this weekend in Styria with some fondness.
His contract extension with Alpine was announced on Thursday. On Sunday he had the upper hand in a duel with his teammate Esteban Ocon, with whom he is known not to get on particularly well. Incidentally, Ocon’s robust defense probably played a major role in Gasly not making any further progress. Ricciardo and Magnussen were definitely within striking distance.
Formula 1 Austria, Loser: Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc in a frenzy of joy. Jumping into the harbor together with team boss Fred Vasseur, a tearful award ceremony. The images from the Monaco Grand Prix now seem like a fever dream for Scuderia fans, or at least as if they were a long time ago. But Leclerc’s glorious triumph in the principality only happened 35 days ago.
But since then, nothing has been going right for Ferrari – and especially for Leclerc. The SF-24 is now only the fourth force in the field and then it had bad luck in turn 1. When the former Austrian winner ran out of space between Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri, his front wing broke. He was unable to recover from the extra stop that this necessitated by the end of the race. He only finished in 11th place. “I’m glad this race is over,” said Leclerc afterwards.