Verstappen beats Red Bull team-mate Perez to win sprint race in Austria
Max Verstappen’s crushing dominance of Formula 1 continued at the Austrian Grand Prix after he put his Red Bull on pole position.
The world champion, a winner at six of the first eight races, saw off his rivals at the Red Bull Ring to seal his fourth pole on the spin for today’s 71-lap grand prix.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc provided Verstappen with a late scare, but the Monegasque had to settle for second place, crossing the line 0.048 seconds shy of the Dutchman.
Carlos Sainz took third in the other scarlet car, while Lando Norris impressed in his revamped McLaren to take fourth spot. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, 0.428 sec adrift. Sergio Perez’s torrid time continued after all three of his laps in Q2 were deleted for track limits. He lines up a lowly 15th on Sunday.
Follow live updates from the Austrian GP with The Independent – the race started at 2pm (BST).
F1 AUSTRIA GRAND PRIX – LIVE UPDATES
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Nyck de Vries receives a five-second penalty (Lap 39/71)
Not for track limits though! For forcing Kevin Magnussen off track! A battle right at the back of the pack…
We’re entering second pit stop territory, who will gamble and switch tyres again?
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:55
Max Verstappen overtakes Charles Leclerc (Lap 35/71)
Max Verstappen, with DRS, surges down the inside of the sitting duck of Charles Leclerc at turn 3! And keeps DRS heading down to turn 5!
The Red Bull back in the lead of this terrific race!
Top-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Hamilton, Alonso, Perez, Gasly, Russell, Albon
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:48
Max Verstappen right on the tail of Charles Leclerc (Lap 34/71)
The pace of the Red Bull looking too much for the Ferrari right now… is a change in the lead inevitable here?!
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:46
Lando Norris overtakes Lewis Hamilton for fourth (Lap 28/71)
Lewis Hamilton just does not have the pace today, as Lando Norris gets the move done in turn 3!
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz is the latest driver to receive a five-second time penalty for track limits!
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:44
Max Verstappen squeezes past Carlos Sainz (Lap 27/71)
Valiant defence from the Ferrari, but with DRS the Red Bull has the pace to get past Sainz at turn 3!
Max Verstappen up to second – now the hunt is on to Charles Leclerc! The gap is 4.8 seconds.
Sergio Perez, meanwhile, also pits and drops to ninth.
Top-10: Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Hamilton, Norris Alonso, Gasly, Russell, Perez, Albon
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:40
Max Verstappen pits (Lap 25/71)
Max Verstappen pits – and despite a quick two-second pit stop, he comes out behind the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz!
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:36
Carlos Sainz up to third and flying (Lap 23/71)
Carlos Sainz is rapid! He’s already up to third from sixth… but he does receive a black-and-white flag for track limits!
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, is right on the tail of Sergio Perez but can’t quite get the move done – and is complaining about the Mexican going over the white line!
At the front, Max Verstappen – who is yet to pit – is 13 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Top-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Norris, Alonso, Gasly, Russell, Albon
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:34
Lewis Hamilton receives a five-second time penalty (Lap 18/71)
Lewis Hamilton has used up all his lives for track limits – he gets a five-second time penalty!
Yuki Tsunoda receives the same too, for the same reason. They will have to serve it at their next pit-stop or, if they don’t pit again, it will be added onto their overall time.
Top-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Hamilton, Norris, Alonso, Gasly, Tsunoda, Russell
Charles Leclerc is 16 seconds behind Max Verstappen – that’s less than a pit-stop gap!
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:29
Both Ferraris pit! (Lap 16/71)
They double stack at Ferrari but it’s slow – Charles Leclerc does get back out in second though, with Sergio Perez now in third!
Carlos Sainz drops to sixth! “Guys, why we not stay out come on!” – the Spaniard not happy!
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:25
Virtual safety car (Lap 15/71)
Chaos in the pits! It’s a virtual safety car and everyone below Lewis Hamilton in the leaderboard has pitted!
The leading four cars – Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz and Alonso – all stay out – are they pursuing a one-stop strategy?
Leaderboard has shaken up now…
Kieran Jackson2 July 2023 14:23