Highlights of the Austrian Grand Prix

Stellar recovery for Max Verstappen

In a race described as an instant classic, Max Verstappen delighted the tens of thousands of Dutch fans at the Red Bull Ring when he won the Austrian Grand Prix following issues on the start that saw the popular driver drop from second to seventh over the course of the opening lap. Verstappen delivered a masterclass in recovery, and despite a panicked radio message to the team in which he complained of losing power, the 21-year-old quickly overtook Valtteri Bottas for P2 before setting his sights on race leader Charles Leclerc. The closing laps battle between the two was a tribute to the level of talent in F1’s new generation.

The Red Bull driver overtook Leclerc late in the race, in an incident which saw the Ferrari running off the track. A lengthy post-race deliberation resulted in the FIA judging it a racing incident and confirming Verstappen’s win.

"It was hard racing. If it's not allowed, what's the point in racing in F1?” said Verstappen on the incident.

Variety is the spice of life

There were five different teams in the top six slots on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix, the biggest mix the sport has seen in some time. Instead of the Mercedes 1-2 finish that has come to define the 2019 season so far, the mix of pit stop strategies in the top ten saw close fighting throughout the pack, with Lando Norris again delivering a strong performance for a resurgent McLaren. Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas lost places in the closing stages of the race, the former to a two-stopping Sebastian Vettel and the latter to a charging Max Verstappen. Bottas managed to hold off Vettel to finish on the podium in third.

It’s the pits for Hamilton and Vettel

Both Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel suffered separate pit stop dramas at the Austrian Grand Prix, although neither proved to be too costly in the long-term. Thanks to a problem with the Ferrari team radios, the tyres were not ready when Vettel pulled in to make his first stop, a 6.1-second error that cost him valuable time. But fortune was on Vettel’s side, as rival Hamilton suffered damage to a flap on his front wing, necessitating a nose cone change during the Briton’s stop. While Mercedes pulled off the task with typical efficiency, the move resulted in an 11-second stop for Hamilton.