Lando Norris withstood two sustained periods of pressure from team-mate Oscar Piastri to claim a crucial win over his title rival in the Austrian Grand Prix and get his F1 world championship bid back on track.
In a race where reigning champion Max Verstappen retired on the first lap after being spun out by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, the McLaren drivers dominated the battle for victory around the Red Bull Ring – with Norris eventually prevailing to cut Piastri’s lead over him to 15 points heading into his home British GP this coming week.
A fortnight after hitting the back of his team-mate in Canada, polesitter Norris capped a fine bounce-back weekend in the Styrian hills by fighting off his team-mate’s challenge in the first stint as the McLarens went wheel-to-wheel and then keeping his cool to stay ahead as Piastri came back at him into the closing laps.
But Verstappen is now 61 points off the pace approaching the season’s halfway mark after his race on Red Bull’s home track lasted a mere three corners before he was spun out at Turn Three after a mistake from Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc capped an improved weekend for Ferrari by taking third for his and their fourth podium finish of the year, finishing nine seconds ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, whose wait for a first podium at the Scuderia goes on to Silverstone this coming week.
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There was chaos at the start of the Austrian Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli crashed into Max Verstappen on the opening lap
The 50-degree track temperatures in Austria exposed Montreal victors Mercedes’ Achilles’ heel again as George Russell came home 33 seconds behind fourth-placed Hamilton in fifth – and a full minute behind the race winner.
Liam Lawson took a fine sixth for Racing Bulls as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso just held off Gabriel Bortoleto for seventh, the Brazilian rookie claiming his maiden F1 points at the 11th attempt after a fine weekend.
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Oscar Piastri goes deep into Turn 4 and narrowly escapes another team-mate collision with Lando Norris
Nico Hulkenberg made it a double celebration for Sauber by racing from 20th on the grid to ninth, while Esteban Ocon won a ding-dong battle for the final point in the Haas.
More to follow…
Next up in the 2025 Formula 1 season is the big one, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone – live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase with coverage from Thursday to Sunday’s race at 3pm. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
