George Russell wins Austrian Grand Prix after wild finish
May 4, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Mercedes driver George Russell (63) of Great Britain talks with the media during a breakout media session at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
George Russell on Sunday secured his first career victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, and he was able to win after benefiting from a collision by some opponents.
After leading by more than six seconds for most of the race, Max Verstappen slow’s pit stop on lap 52 led to a battle between Verstappen and Lando Norris for first place for the remainder of the race. However, with three laps remaining, Verstappen collided while trying to defend Norris, which resulted in Verstappen dropping to fifth and a retirement for Norris.
Verstappen 💥 Norris
Incredible scenes at the Red Bull Ring 😵#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/YvD0dg2TUH
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 30, 2024
Russell, Oscar Piastri, and Carlos Sainz, who finished 1-2-3 respectively, all benefited from the collision.
Despite not being able to secure the win, not all was lost for Verstappen, who won the sprint race on Saturday. He also finished fifth and secured an extra point with the fastest lap of the day on Sunday to widen his points lead on Norris. Norris did not secure any points due to his early retirement.
The battle for the drivers championship now seems to be down to Verstappen and Norris. While Red Bull and Verstappen are still clearly ahead, McLaren and Norris have been in contention and pushing for first place in every race since the Miami Grand Prix.
