George Russell Secures Victory in Austria, Verstappen Penalized

George Russell triumphed in the Austrian Grand Prix after a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Verstappen received a 10-second penalty for causing the crash while defending against Norris, who was forced to retire. This incident marked a controversial end to their battle, with each driver criticizing the other’s moves. Russell’s win was Mercedes’ first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.

He held off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the final laps to secure victory. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished third, ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who received a five-second penalty for a pit entry violation. Verstappen crossed the line in fifth place, maintaining his position despite the penalty. The critical moment came on lap 62 when Norris tried to pass Verstappen on the outside.

Verstappen moved towards Norris, resulting in a collision that caused punctures for both cars. Verstappen managed to pit without major damage, but Norris’ car suffered extensive damage, leading to his retirement. Former F1 driver Jack Aitken supported the penalty for Verstappen, stating he did not leave enough space for Norris. Despite the penalty, Verstappen extended his championship lead to 81 points over Norris.

George Russell, who had been running third before the incident, capitalized on the situation to take the win. His victory highlights Mercedes’ progress after recent car upgrades. Piastri finished second, lamenting a penalty from qualifying that affected his starting position. Sainz had a quiet race in fourth, while Hamilton finished fifth despite his penalty.