Whereas the complete System 1 grid heads to Silverstone this week for the British Grand Prix, there are nonetheless some hours remaining till we have to flip the web page.
That provides us simply sufficient time to take a ultimate have a look at the Austrian Grand Prix.
As with the dramatic Canadian Grand Prix, as soon as towards McLaren teammates had been combating for place on the monitor. Nonetheless, in contrast to in Montreal the place Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had been combating for P4, this time a win — and momentum within the title race between the pair — was at stake.
Norris got here out on high as each drivers got here house after a clear, and thrilling, battle. That allowed McLaren to increase their Constructors’ Championship whereas closing the hole between the pair within the Drivers’ title race.
It additionally made Norris one in every of our winners from the Austrian Grand Prix. Listed here are some extra groups and drivers who can depart Crimson Bull Ring with a smile on their face, in addition to two groups that most likely couldn’t wait to board their flights house.
Winner: Lando Norris
A number of occasions this season Lando Norris entered Q3 because the prohibitive favourite for pole place, solely to see one in every of his rivals take P1.
That was not the case Saturday, as Norris delivered a thunderous ultimate lap to take pole place in dominant vogue.
Nonetheless, the job was not performed, not till Norris fought off teammate Oscar Piastri in an exhilarating opening stint that had followers and McLaren administration alike on the sting of their seats. Whereas Piastri fought onerous to get again to Norris’ rear win within the closing laps, the British driver had sufficient tempo to fend him off over the ultimate levels, taking his third win of the season.
A win that put him proper again within the thick of the Drivers’ Championship race.
Norris now sits simply 15 factors behind Piastri, with nearly half of the season remaining. He now will get to move to his house race, the place a grandstand in his honor now sits alongside Stowe Nook on the historic Silverstone circuit.
Saturday’s qualifying session, in addition to the race itself, took on an air of significance given what occurred on the Canadian Grand Prix between Piastri and Norris, and the questions over how the British driver would reply.
He responded in dynamic vogue, and as Alex Jacques puzzled in the course of the broadcast Sunday, this can be a day we glance again on in December as one that really remodeled the title chase.
Winners: Sauber
What per week it was for Sauber on the Austrian Grand Prix.
Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto started the week in the hunt for his first factors in F1. However the younger driver bought off to a powerful begin at Crimson Bull Ring, posting the sixth-fastest time in FP1, and superior to Q3 for the primary time in his profession on Saturday, in the end qualifying eighth.
That’s the place he completed on Sunday, on a day that noticed him operating within the high 5 at one level, and battling for seventh with a member of his administration workforce, Fernando Alonso, within the closing laps. Whereas Bortoleto didn’t win that battle, he nonetheless introduced house his first F1 factors, and it was Alonso who was the primary to greet him when the rookie parked on pit lane:
That consequence alone would have made Sauber winners on Sunday, however Nico Hülkenberg delivered a stellar restoration drive to complete ninth, after qualifying in the back of the sector on Saturday. Hülkenberg was among the many first drivers to make a pit cease, coming in on Lap 12, however the technique labored because the veteran driver labored up into the highest ten earlier than the day was via.
Staff Principal Jonathan Wheatley hailed the outcomes.
“A incredible consequence for the workforce right here in Austria. Nico turns into the primary Sauber driver since Valtteri in 2022 to attain factors in three consecutive races – and it’s solely the eighth time in our 32-year historical past {that a} driver has climbed from twentieth or decrease to complete within the high 9. We hadn’t completed within the high eight right here since 2001 – so this result’s one thing very particular for the workforce,” stated Wheatley.
“Gabriel was on a medium – medium – onerous technique and confirmed robust tempo however, sadly, bought caught in visitors and lapped by the McLarens close to the top – in any other case, I believe he may have completed increased. He’s proven spectacular tempo and consistency all weekend and actually deserves his first factors in System One. With Nico, we took a daring strategy on a comfortable – medium – medium technique, and his good, measured drive delivered our first double factors end of 2025,” added the Sauber boss.
“Big credit score to everybody on the manufacturing facility – Mattia and the entire workforce have performed an excellent job bringing these upgrades. The instruments are correlating nicely, the automobile is responding, and the workforce is executing to more and more excessive requirements. We depart Austria energised for Silverstone and able to battle for each place and for each level.”
Losers: Crimson Bull
Whereas it was per week to recollect for Sauber and Wheatley, his former workforce can not wait to show the web page to the British Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen’s race ended earlier than it started, because the defending Drivers’ Champion began seventh and was worn out at Flip 3 shortly after the beginning, left sufferer to a lockup from rookie driver Kimi Antonelli.
Yuki Tsunoda was the only Crimson Bull driver left within the battle, however he began in the back of the grid after a tough qualifying session and couldn’t battle his manner via the sector. Whereas a end within the factors appeared doable for him, a collision with Franco Colapinto not solely required him to cease for a brand new entrance wing but in addition noticed the stewards hand down a ten-second penalty.
When the checkered flag flew, Tsunoda was again in P16.
“It was a horrible race for us and desperately unfortunate for Max to be taken out at flip 3 when he had performed nothing flawed, he had an excellent begin and made good progress,” stated Staff Principal Christian Horner after the race. “It’s a disgrace, I don’t assume we might have been racing the McLarens immediately however we might have been racing the Ferraris fairly onerous. With Yuki it was once more not an amazing race, he had harm to the entrance wing, a penalty and so forth, sadly for us it was a weekend to overlook.”
Winner: Liam Lawson
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Picture by Kym Illman/Getty Photos
Whereas Liam Lawson’s former workforce struggled, the Visa Money App Racing Bulls driver loved his greatest day in F1.
Lawson superior to Q3 for simply the second time this season on Saturday, qualifying sixth for the Austrian Grand Prix. He backed up that efficiency with an identical drive on Sunday, combating inside the highest ten for a lot of the day and coming house with a sixth-place end.
Lawson was additionally one in every of simply two drivers who made a one-stop work, the opposite being Fernando Alonso. He started the day with only one set of medium tires, and one set of onerous tires, and after stopping on Lap 32 to make the change to onerous tires, he noticed them via to the top.
“It was an amazing weekend, and it feels good to execute every part nicely,” stated Lawson. “It’s been a troublesome season up to now, with a whole lot of potential, and on this race, we had been fast the place it mattered and managed to see it via. After the primary lap, I believed it is likely to be over, however the workforce made a courageous name with the one-stop technique, it labored out completely. Full credit score to them, they’ve been working extremely onerous behind the scenes, and I’m tremendous proud.
“The automobile was actually quick all weekend, we’re continuously pushing and making small changes to make it extra snug. The aim now’s to hold this momentum via the remainder of the season. We have to take the positives, maintain combating, and maintain scoring factors.”
Staff Principal Laurent Mekies praised Lawson’s efficiency.
“At present’s race started with Liam ranging from the third row in P6, because of an distinctive efficiency yesterday that showcased his velocity. It’s by no means straightforward to start out in a brand new workforce midseason, and he wanted time to get used to our automobile. Yesterday’s nice laps present the progress he’s doing, along with the workforce,” described Mekies.
“The tempo and the race execution had been good, Liam was unstoppable and defended for 70 laps to Fernando.”
Winners: Ferrari
The McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri might have completed up the highway from them, and as is usually the case there are some technique selections that the workforce and their followers might need to revisit. However when the checkered flag flew Charles Leclerc was on the rostrum for the fourth time this season — and the third time in 4 races — and Lewis Hamilton was simply behind him in fourth.
On a day when each Crimson Bull and Mercedes struggled, Ferrari took benefit within the battle for second behind McLaren. The outcomes had been sufficient to propel Ferrari into P2 within the Constructors’ Championship race, only one level forward of the Silver Arrows.
“I charge our weekend as a workforce rather well. We introduced some upgrades which helped us to take a step ahead and begin closing the hole to McLaren. Sadly, they had been simply sooner immediately,” described Leclerc. “Within the first nook, I needed to shut in on Lando (Norris), however that left the door open for Oscar (Piastri) who was in a position to cross me for second place. I pushed so much on the primary stint and had fairly a little bit of degradation, however that’s a part of the sport. We don’t have any regrets immediately. We gave it every part and extracted the utmost from our race. We’ll proceed to work onerous to make extra progress with the goal of getting again onto the highest step of the rostrum. That’s our fundamental precedence and the entire workforce deserves it.”
Regardless of some frustration over the radio from Hamilton, notably on the finish of 1 stint the place the veteran driver needed to remain out however the workforce referred to as him in to pit, the seven-time champion described the Austrian Grand Prix as a “strong weekend” for Ferrari.
“It’s been a strong weekend for the workforce – we continued to enhance our qualifying tempo and the workforce did an amazing job all through. We didn’t have the race tempo we anticipated, however nonetheless, we got here away with some strong factors and a podium, which is one thing we will be pleased with,” stated Hamilton. “We’ll analyze the information fastidiously to grasp the place enhancements will be made. Thanks to everybody on the monitor and on the manufacturing facility for his or her onerous work and dedication. We stay targeted and I’m trying ahead to my first house Grand Prix with Ferrari.”
Losers: Williams
One other workforce looking forward to the flight house?
Williams.
Shortly after the race started a pricey buddy and fellow F1 fan despatched me a textual content that learn partly: “[f]eels like Williams is bouncing between legitimately pushing for fifth and looking out like previous Williams.”
It’s onerous to disagree with that evaluation.
After a troublesome qualifying session on Saturday left him in the back of the grid, Carlos Sainz Jr.’s day by no means bought began. When the primary try at a formation lap started Sainz couldn’t get out of his beginning spot on the grid, and when he lastly bought rolling he got here again to pit lane after race officers referred to as for an aborted begin, together with his rear brakes on hearth.
His day was over.
Issues weren’t significantly better for Alex Albon. Whereas he was in a position to get underway, Albon retired after simply 15 laps.
It’s his third consecutive DNF.
“A really disappointing day. We had the tempo immediately to comfortably end sixth, and but we stroll away with a double DNF,” stated Staff Principal James Vowles. “We had two totally different points that should be understood to ensure we rectify them going ahead. We’re on an excellent journey in the direction of constructing a quick automobile however we’re not full but when it comes to operation and reliability.
“We [have] 13 races in entrance of us this season they usually’re key races to construct this muscle and this functionality to guarantee that, as we transfer up the grid and we get sooner and sooner, we’re in a position to battle on the entrance with the perfect.”
