Russell took advantage of a clash between Verstappen and Norris | The Briton won the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix

Britain’s George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes after Red Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris collided near the end of the race while battling for victory.

The victory was the first for Mercedes since November 2022, when Russell himself triumphed in Brazil, and the second of the Briton’s career. The Australian Oscar Platesby McLarenfinished second and the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, by Ferrari, third, at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

Norris and Verstappen are friends off the track but fierce rivals on race weekends, and that spilled over at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg as they battled for the lead in the final stages of the race..

LoThe track stewards ruled that three-time world champion Verstappen was primarily at fault for the collision and handed him a ten-second time penalty, which had no impact on his result, as well as two penalty points.

Verstappen, who fell from first to fifth in the competition but now leads Norris in the championship by 81 points after 11 races, said the penalty was ridiculous and was backed by his team boss, Christian Horner. “He (Norris) didn’t behave properly there Max. Desperately unfortunate, especially here, but you did the best you could.”Horner said over the team radio.

Norris, who retired with a puncture and damage to the car, said it was hard to take and accused Verstappen of being reckless and desperate in his driving. “It depends on what he says. If he says he didn’t do anything wrong, then I lose a lot of respect for that.”he told Sky Sports when asked if their relationship would change.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella, meanwhile, suggested that Verstappen’s behaviour in moving while braking into corners was a result of the sport’s rules not being properly enforced for years.We have so much respect for Red Bull, so much respect for Max, they don’t need to do this. It’s a way of almost compromising your reputation. Why would you do that?added Stella, for whom “the regulations must be applied in a way that is effective, because when a car is out of the race as a result of this accident, the punishment has to be proportional to the result.”

“It’s not over until it’s over”said an exultant winning Russell, after taking the checkered flag in a race that stored its emotion until the last 20 laps, when the battle between Verstappen and Norris came to a boil. A slow 6.5-second pit stop for Verstappen on lap 52 put Norris back within reach, and the ensuing duel saw the McLaren enjoy a drag reduction advantage as Norris attempted to overtake using the DRS.

The two leading drivers collided and suffered punctures. Norris returned to the pits and retired, while Verstappen rejoined and finished fifth behind seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes. Russell, who had started third with Verstappen on pole and Norris alongside him on the front row, took the lead on the 64th lap of the 71-lap schedule.

Nico Hulkenberg was sixth for Haas, Mexican Sergio Pérez of Red Bull seventh and Kevin Magnussen eighth also for Haas. Daniel Ricciardo gave RB two points in ninth, with Pierre Gasly taking the final point for Renault-owned Alpine.

2024-07-01 03:01:00
#Russell #advantage #clash #Verstappen #Norris #Briton #won #Austrian #Formula #Grand #Prix