George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix after a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris as they battled for the lead.
Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Norris after moving into the McLaren driver as Norris tried to pass. The Briton was forced to retire.
It was a controversial climax to a multi-lap battle, with each complaining about the other’s driving.
Russell’s win was Mercedes’ first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix. He was under pressure from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the closing laps but managed to maintain his winning lead.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took the final podium spot ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, despite a five-second penalty for Hamilton for crossing the white line when entering the pits for his first stop.
Verstappen crossed the line in fifth place and held on to it despite his penalty as Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas was 23.7 seconds behind.
What happened between Norris and Verstappen?
It looked like Verstappen was driving to victory before his final pit stop with a seven-second lead over Norris, even though the McLaren was closing in on the Red Bull and the world champion was complaining that his tyres were losing grip in the closing laps of the stint.
But a slow stop for Verstappen as they both pitted together for their final stops, and Red Bull’s choice to fit a set of medium tires to be used for three laps, while Norris had a new set for a finish on the stand.
Verstappen and Norris rejoined the track with the McLaren just 1.7 seconds behind and the Briton hot on his heels within two laps.
They fought hard for several rounds. Norris complained that Verstappen made an illegal move under braking when he attacked in turn three on lap 55, with fifteen to go.
On lap 59, Norris passed the Red Bull entering turn three, but went off track on the exit. This earned him a five-second penalty for breaching the track limits. After all, he had already received a black and white flag for the same violation.
After another short run through Turns 3 and 4, Norris came on the radio to say that Verstappen was repeatedly moving under braking and responding to his attacks in ways that are now permitted.
The critical moment came on lap 62. Norris attacked on the outside and Verstappen closed in on him as they approached the corner.
The two cars collided and both suffered punctures: Verstappen on the left and Norris on the right, ending their chances of victory.
Verstappen reached the pits without too much damage, as his tyre remained intact. But Norris’ tyre went over the rim and tore the rear of the car apart. McLaren had to park the car.
Verstappen scoffed at the 10-second penalty he was given for the incident, but former F1 driver Jack Aitken said during five live commentary: “It’s very clear to me that Verstappen overstepped the mark. He pushed the boundaries and the rules make it very clear that he reacted too late.
“It’s a very difficult circuit to stay clean, but you still have to leave space for your competitors, give them space when they come in, and he didn’t do that today.
“He was lucky not to be given a penalty earlier and the penalty for the incident with Norris was fair.”
By finishing fifth, Verstappen continues to extend his championship lead, which is now 81 points ahead of Norris heading into next weekend’s British Grand Prix.
End of a long drought for Mercedes
Until the incident between Norris and Verstappen, Russell drove a lonely race in third place.
He said he had been watching the battle on the TV screens around the track and knew Norris would fight hard for the win after missing out in Canada and Spain.
A late virtual safety car caused some nervous moments for Mercedes, with Piastri just two seconds behind and with a tire advantage, but Russell held on.
It was a reward for the strong progress Mercedes has made in recent races, after a series of upgrades to the car brought the team much closer to the battle between Verstappen and McLaren at the front.
Russell said: “You have to be there at the end to pick up the pieces, and that’s exactly what we did.
“They went for it and I couldn’t believe how close we were to Lando and Max. You always dream, but you are so proud to be on the top step again. We have made so many steps since the start of the season. The last few races have been incredible, there will be more to come.”
Piastri was disappointed with the controversial penalty he received for exceeding track limits during qualifying.
McLaren was very angry about the punishment and appealed. However, this appeal was rejected.
This dropped him from third to seventh on the grid. Without this race he would have been fighting at the front from the start, with all the consequences that entailed.
Sainz, like Russell, had a lonely race in fourth place after an early battle with Hamilton was settled by the Mercedes driver.
And behind Hulkenberg and Perez, Haas’s Kevin Magnussen took eighth place, followed by RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc needed 5.2 seconds to fight back into the points after his car was damaged while sandwiched between Perez and Piastri at the first corner. At the end of the first lap he had to stop to replace his damaged front wing.
