06/28/26 10:21:00
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06/28 10:19 CDT George Russell beats Verstappen and the heat to win Austrian
Grand Prix and boost F1 title chances
George Russell beats Verstappen and the heat to win Austrian Grand Prix and
boost F1 title chances
SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) --- George Russell showed he can stand the heat in more
ways than one as he won the Austrian Grand Prix to revive his Formula 1 title
chances.
Racing in a heatwave with a broken drinks system, Russell held off Max
Verstappen and his own teammate Kimi Antonelli to turn his controversial pole
position into a dominant win.
It's the first win for Russell, excluding sprint races, since the
season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Russell said it was "incredible to be
back on the top step" after a "tricky run of form."
Verstappen took the fight to Mercedes with his upgraded Red Bull car at the
team's home race, but couldn't get close enough for a shot at Russell and
finished up on the defensive against Antonelli. The top three were separated by
just two seconds at the finish.
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari failed to build on his breakthrough win at the
Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last time out, fading badly in the race despite
qualifying well, with the seven-time champion fifth and teammate Charles
Leclerc eighth.
Russell takes back second in the standings from Hamilton with his seventh
career win and cuts Antonelli's lead to 40points.
Russell's smart win
Russell took pole Saturday with a lap time set as a yellow flag was displayed
for a crash by Verstappen. Russell argued he'd lifted off enough to be safe and
the stewards agreed.
Sunday's win showed off Russell's smart approach to racing in a different way
as he managed his pace and stayed out of trouble, even as those behind him lost
time battling each other for position.
Leclerc had started second, with Hamilton third, but they gradually dropped
back through the field on a track where they lacked power compared to Mercedes
and also had difficulties with tire wear.
Hamilton didn't give up without a fight, bringing back memories of his fierce
battles with Verstappen in 2021. Hamilton and the Dutch driver fought side by
side in the early part of the race and Verstappen complained Hamilton had
forced him wide into a gravel trap.
Racing in the heat
The heatwave sweeping Europe made this the first race of the year to be run
under F1's "heat hazard" rules, with drivers required to use cooling vests or
carry an equivalent weight in ballast. They lined up for the pre-race Austrian
anthem in cooling gear and carrying umbrellas.
Overheating brakes were a hot topic, with Antonelli among those struggling to
stop the car. Both Cadillac drivers retired early, with the team's crew rushing
to put out a small fire on Valtteri Bottas' car before Sergio Perez reported
smoke.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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