Wins chaotic F1 opener
Norris sent McLaren’s garage into raptures, and threw social distancing out of the window amid the euphoria as CEO Zak Brown hugged everyone in sight.
It was the 20-year-old British driver’s first career podium and his superb final lap was the fastest of the race. Norris became the youngest British driver to secure a podium finish and the third youngest in F1. Only Verstappen and Lance Stroll were younger.
All drivers wore ‘‘End Racism’’ T-shirts before the race, but six drivers did not take the knee: Verstappen, Leclerc, Kimi Raikkonen, Daniil Kvyat, Antonio Giovinazzi and Carlos Sainz Jr.
Hamilton, the only black driver in F1, wore a T-shirt with Black Lives Matter on the front and End Racism on the back.
Verstappen was chasing a hattrick of wins at the Red Bull Ring,
Valtteri Bottas but his race ended early while Sebastian Vettel’s miserable form from last season carried over as he finished 10th.
Hamilton’s three-place grid penalty pushed Verstappen up to second place on the grid. Norris jumped to third and Albon to fourth.
Bottas made a strong start from pole position while Hamilton took a little while to overtake Norris and Albon, but he was gifted a position as Verstappen crawled to a halt.
Daniel Ricciardo (Renault), Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean (Haas), Stroll (Racing Point), George Russell (Williams), Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) and Kvyat (AlphaTauri) also abandoned.
When Magnussen went off track after trying to overtake Esteban Ocon’s Renault, a first safety car was deployed for two laps – allowing Hamilton to claw back a few seconds on Bottas.
When the race restarted on lap 30, Bottas got away cleanly.
But moments later Vettel tried to pass Sainz on the outside but misjudged his attack, spinning his car after nudging into the McLaren and losing several positions.
Hamilton lurked right behind Bottas for the next 20 laps but could not find a way past.
The safety car came out a second time on lap 52 and again after the right tyre flew off the front of Raikkonen’s car and narrowly missed Vettel’s car.
After that restart, Albon made a daring but slightly hasty move on the outside of Hamilton, who appeared to impede him just as he was passing.
F1 stays in Austria next weekend, then goes to Hungary as part of an eight-race European swing.
A fierce header from Abby Erceg helped the North Carolina Courage maintain their perfect start to the NWSL Challenge Cup in the United States. The Football Ferns defender put her side in front of the Chicago Red Stars in the 81st minute yesterday, setting up a win in a rematch of last year’s National Women’s Soccer League final. The Courage have now won three in a row to start the eight-team tournament in Utah, which features two other Ferns – Katie Bowen at the Utah Royals and Rosie White at OL Reign. All Whites goalkeeping coach Jason Batty is also involved as a member of the Royals’ staff. ‘‘I think it comes down to fitness at the end of the day,’’ Erceg said post-game. ‘‘We have always had really tough battles against Chicago, they seem to be our Achilles heel, and they played really well.’’
‘‘I dodged a few bullets today.’’