Verstappen wins back-toback races at Red Bull Ring
Max Verstappen raced to a hat-trick of wins as Lewis Hamilton faltered to fourth in the Austrian Grand Prix yesterday. Verstappen crossed the line 18 seconds clear of Valtteri Bottas with Lando Norris a supreme third.
Hamilton sustained damage after running on the kerbs at Turn 10, dropping from runner-up to fourth.the seven-time world champion is now 32 points behind Verstappen following the Dutchman’s commanding win at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring.
Hamilton was running in second for the majority of the 71-lap race, but was unable to keep Bottas and Norris behind as he nursed his wounded Mercedes.
Initially, Bottas was told by the Mercedes pit wall not to race Hamilton, hoping their star driver would be able to hang on to second and limit the championship damage to rival Verstappen. But with Norris breathing down Bottas’ neck, Hamilton was asked to concede the position with 19 laps remaining.
Two laps later, Norris – on the most impressive afternoon of his three-season Formula One career – moved on to Hamilton’s gearbox before striking with a fine move at the left-handed sixth corner. The world champion pitted at the end of the lap and his chances of a podium were over.
For Verstappen, there were no such worries as he cruised to his fifth win from nine races. After holding off Norris on the run down to the opening corner, the Dutchman never looked back, and his victory was greeted with huge cheers from the 60,000-strong Red Bull Ring.
Perez finished fifth, ahead of Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz and Mclaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. But Perez, also hit with two five-second penalties for forcing Charles Leclerc off the track twice, was demoted to sixth, promoting Sainz one place.
George Russell missed out on his first top-10 finish for Williams after Fernando Alonso passed him with three laps remaining. The Englishman took 11th.