STYRIA: On Sunday, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix, further solidifying his pursuit of a third consecutive world title.
Verstappen was followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the second position and Sergio Perez in third.
According to the official website of Formula 1, “Despite an action-packed encounter at the Red Bull Ring that saw several drivers penalised over track limits and strategies differ – Verstappen one of few drivers to stay out during an early Virtual Safety Car period – the Red Bull driver could not be stopped en route to his fifth win on the bounce, and seventh of the season.”
“Leclerc briefly led the way after taking advantage of the VSC, but he fell back behind Verstappen as the pair worked through their opposing tyre plans and the Red Bull showed its raw pace – underlined by a late and successful bid for the fastest lap bonus point.”
“Perez delivered a fine recovery from 15th on the grid to end a difficult run and take his first podium since the Miami Grand Prix four races ago, overhauling Carlos Sainz in the closing stages and making the most of the Ferrari driver’s time penalty for track limits.”
A post-race review by the stewards would later see Sainz handed a 10-second time penalty for track limit violations, promoting Lando Norris to P4, capping off the Briton and McLaren’s encouraging weekend with their batch of upgrade.
Sainz was far from the only driver to find themselves penalised following a post-race protest lodged by Aston Martin, however. Logan Sargeant, Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda would all receive additional five-second penalties, while De Vries again, plus Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly were all handed 10-second time penalties post-race.
Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, was retrospectively handed a pair of five-second penalties and a pair of 10-second penalties.
That left the order behind Norris in P4 as Fernando Alonso in fifth, with Sainz sixth, followed by the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in seventh and eighth.
Lance Stroll was promoted a place from the provisional classification to claim ninth, ahead of Gasly in 10th and Albon in 11th. The penalties promoted Zhou Guanyu to 12th (up from 14th at the flag), ahead of Sargeant, Ocon, and Valtteri Bottas in P15.
Oscar Piastri, De Vries, Kevin Magnussen and Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the order.
Haas’s strong start to the event ended with the disappointment of retirement for Nico Hulkenberg, whose loss of power forced him to park at the side of the track, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. (ANI)