George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix after a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris while they were fighting for the lead.
It was a controversial climax to a battle over several laps as each complained about the other’s driving.
Verstappen had appeared to be cruising to victory with a seven-second lead over Norris before his final pit stop, even though the McLaren had been closing in on the Red Bull and the world champion complaining his tyres were losing grip in the final laps of that stint.
But a slow stop for Verstappen as both pitted together for their final stops, and the choice by Red Bull to fit a set of medium tyres which had three laps of use on them while Norris had a new set set up a grandstand finish.
Verstappen and Norris rejoined the track with the McLaren just 1.7secs behind and the Briton was on his tail within two laps.
The critical moment came on lap 62. Norris attacked on the outside and Verstappen moved back towards him as they approached the corner.
The two cars touched, and both suffered punctures – Verstappen on the left rear and Norris on the right rear and that was the end of their chances of victory.
Russell’s win was Mercedes’ first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix. He was under pressure from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the final laps but was able to maintain his winning advantage.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took the final podium position ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, despite a five-second penalty for the seven-time champion for crossing the white line on pit entry for his first stop.
Verstappen crossed the line in fifth place, and held it despite a 10 second penalty with the collision with Norris because Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas was 23.7 seconds behind.
And behind Hulkenberg and Perez, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen took eighth from RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
