Austrian GP: Russell wins, Lewis Hamilton ‘clear penalty’ Verstappen call ignored

George Russell claimed a crucial Austrian Grand Prix victory to get his title quest back on track. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen went to battle.

A scrap of trademark elbows-out fashion, Verstappen at one point called for a Hamilton penalty, but the FIA stewards did not agree. Verstappen secured a season-best result of P2, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli completed the podium.

George Russell delivers statement Austrian GP win

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The drivers were greeted by scorching air and track temperatures on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring. Tyre management would be critical.

There was a brief scare for Norris on the formation lap as he complained of a long brake pedal. McLaren had that fixed ready for the start.

After a pole position which sparked plenty of debate, Russell would launch from the P1 grid slot which is not always decisive in Austria. He had Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for company on the front row. Lewis Hamilton and championship leader Kimi Antonelli lined up directly behind.

Verstappen was right in the mix for pole before his late Q3 crash, and posed a danger from fifth on the grid with two sets of new mediums and hards at his disposal.

It was medium tyres for most of the drivers at the start. Gabriel Bortoleto and Carlos Sainz were starting on softs, indicating a potential three-stopper.

With thunderstorms in the area, rain could not be ruled out.

Lights out! Russell covered off Leclerc. Antonelli was off at Turn 1 and 3. The Ferraris went side-by-side into T4, and Hamilton emerged ahead in second.

Antonelli was off again at T1 as Lap 2 began. He returned ahead of Leclerc, a position which he gave back. This, opened the door for Verstappen.

Verstappen out-dragged the Mercedes heading down to T4, and picked off Leclerc for good measure. Up to third for Verstappen.

Russell, Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc and Antonelli was your top five.

Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac had a brake fire. He was out of the race. Liam Lawson said he had “fire” in his Racing Bulls car.

Antonelli had been noted for two potential instances of leaving the track and gaining an advantage. A ‘no further action’ soon followed.

Lap 5 and both Cadillacs were now out. Sergio Perez had smoke in the cockpit. It was a frustrating race weekend for Cadillac, the team bringing a 10-part performance upgrade to the Red Bull Ring.

Lap 7 and the top three were beginning to ditch Leclerc and Antonelli, who knew he had to get a move on. Antonelli had a look around the outside of T4, again through T5/6, before it became clear that Leclerc had drained his battery.

Antonelli breezed through before reaching T9. Now, he could go after the leaders. Hamilton had fallen into Verstappen’s clutches.

As Verstappen kept the pressure on Hamilton, Russell was pulling away. His lead was up to three seconds.

Lap 11, here came Verstappen at T3. He passed, but back came Hamilton, as the former title rivals proceeded go side-by-side through the sweeps. Muscled up to the gravel, Verstappen called it off.

“Clear penalty,” he exclaimed over team radio.

Hamilton pitted at the end of Lap 12. He was back out in P11, on hards. Would Red Bull respond? Verstappen stayed out.

Leclerc was in though, also for hards. Another three-stopper was brewing for the Ferraris.

The SF-26 is a car clearly demanding of its tyres, but Ferrari knew from Barcelona the rewards that this strategy could offer.

Hamilton and Verstappen had been noted over a potential forcing another driver off the track at T6. No further action from the stewards

Russell led by five seconds from Verstappen by Lap 17. Antonelli was running a comfortable third.

Hamilton was asking for an update on his pace. “Better now. You are faster than Charles,” came the reply from Carlo Santi.

Verstappen was in at the end of L19. Hard tyres went on, but Hamilton still had track position, by a comfortable margin.

Russell was in next time around, also for hards. Oscar Piastri did the same.

McLaren wanted Lando Norris to stay out in clear air, but the reigning world champion said he had “no pace.” He came in at the end of Lap 21. An off at T3 would not have done those hard tyres much good.

Verstappen and Hamilton were at it again. Verstappen passed at T3, Hamilton came back. Again, side-by-side through the sweeps, Verstappen went aggressive down the inside at T6, and got the job done.

Hamilton was not enjoying life on these tyres.

L25 and Sainz had come to a stop down the main straight. Under yellow flags, Antonelli pitted from the lead. As he re-joined the track, the Virtual Safety Car came out. Unlucky. He was down to fifth, behind the Ferraris.

Hamilton had been asked to dive into the pits, but replied: “You told me too late.” He did come in next time around for the cheap stop. He switched to used softs. Shortly after, the pit lane closed as Sainz’s Williams was recovered.

Antonelli had “no confidence” in the brakes, as race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington explained that one brake was hotter than the other.

The VSC ended on L27, and the pit lane was open again.

Antonelli was back on the attack as L31 came around. A T4 move down the inside of Leclerc worked a charm. Now, he would look to reel in Verstappen.

Hamilton said he had “no power” and was now being told to go to “mode TS” due to “temperature” concerns.

Verstappen was closing in on Russell.

Piastri and Leclerc were banging wheels at T3, as Hamilton looked to pounce on his alternate strategy. Hamilton was through on Leclerc around the outside of T6, as Leclerc peeled off into the pits for hards. Leclerc was carrying some front wing damage.

Hamilton was told that he had to clear Piastri ASAP too. A huge snap of oversteer going into T9 did not help Hamilton’s quest at all.

Fernando Alonso, running last in 19th, was hit with a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Oh the irony as a challenging Austrian GP for Aston Martin continued.

Lance Stroll, in the sister Aston Martin, was noted for potentially ignoring blue flags.

Hamilton was in on L43 for a third stop. Piastri pitted too. Piastri maintained track position, the pair coming out behind Leclerc. Both drivers were now on hards.

Russell pitted from the lead next time around, also for the hard compound.

Stroll was called in at the end of L47 to retire the car. Norris boxed for hards and had to take some swift evasive action to avoid the slowing Aston Martin. Piastri made a simple pass on Leclerc down the inside of T3.

Verstappen pitted at the end of L49. It was a new set of hards. Antonelli led from Russell, Verstappen third, with 21 laps to go.

Verstappen was not particularly thrilled with the strategy, but was now committed as he looked to reel in the Mercedes with six laps fresher tyres.

Leclerc was now under fresh pressure from Hamilton. Antonelli, meanwhile, boxed at the conclusion of Lap 51. Hew returned in third, on hards, as Hamilton made an easy overtake on Leclerc into T3.

Norris had been noted for a potential pit-lane infringement.

VSC, briefly. Alex Albon had hit the T3 bollard. That was quickly retrieved by a marshal. Again, Antonelli had been in one lap before a VSC.

Just in case this race needed more drama, there was rain popping up on the radar.

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Hadjar was next to challenge Leclerc. With a switchback out of T4, Hadjar took sixth, as Leclerc gave an X-rated review of his hard tyres.

Norris was taking chunks of time out of the Ferrari. He quickly caught and passed Leclerc down the inside of T3. From the front row to eighth, this was turning into a nightmare race for Leclerc.

He was soon called in for a fourth pit-stop. Well out of range of Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls machine, Leclerc re-joined still P8, on softs.

Out front with 10 laps to go, Verstappen was catching Russell, but not by enough. The gap stood at just over five seconds.

Verstappen continued to whittle down that deficit, but perhaps of greater concern was Antonelli, now right on the gearbox of that RB22 by the last lap.

Russell took the chequered flag, while Verstappen, by three tenths, held on to second from Antonelli. Two seconds covered the top three at the finish.

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Continue reading: 2026 Austrian Grand Prix Results – Russell sees off Hamilton, Verstappen challenges to win