Lando Norris won the battle of the McLarens to land a morale-boosting victory in Austria which breathes fresh life into his world championship charge.
Norris kept his nerve in a thrilling duel with Oscar Piastri to take his third triumph of the season, reducing the title deficit to his team-mate to 15 points from 22.
A fortnight after Norris ran into the back of Piastri in Canada, the two McLaren men came within centimetres of another collision on lap 20 of 70. Piastri momentarily lost control of his car as he attempted a lunge at turn four, before he was warned not to attempt a similar move - a clear sign McLaren had called off the fight.
Norris took the chequered flag 2.7 seconds clear of Piastri, with Charles Leclerc finishing third. Lewis Hamilton was fourth with the seven-time world champion's wait for a first podium in Ferrari colours extending to his home race at Silverstone next weekend.
Follow live updates of the Austrian Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Lando Norris wins the Austrian GP; Piastri 2nd; Leclerc 3rd
- NEW: Antonelli receives post-race penalty
- OUT! Verstappen and Antonelli collide on opening lap
- ABORTED START! Carlos Sainz catches fire
- COMMENT: Russell and Verstappen F1 swap would be unthinkable – but Mercedes man deserves clarity
NEW: Kimi Antonell receives three-place grid penalty
17:05 , Kieran JacksonThe Mercedes teenager has been punished for that collision with Verstappen.
The 18-year-old will have a three-place grid drop hanging over him at Silverstone next week.
Lewis Hamilton, after finishing fourth:
17:40 , Kieran Jackson“Mega progress for us as a team, huge thank you to the guys for bringing the upgrade, it didn’t seem much on paper, a small step but had a bigger influence on our performance.
“For us to be the second fastest team this weekend... from my side, struggling with the balance in the race and lost a bit too much ground, it’s a very hard balance to run through a race.
On not wanting to pit a second time round: “Just to get me a bit closer, try and see if we can offset. The gap would be as it was, I’ll just keep working at it. I’ve made progress this weekend, less than a tenth off Charles in qualifying. We found an issue with the brakes is where we want a brake.
“Everyone in the team will be happier, a lot calmer and more methodical this weekend, a better output from the team.”
Max Verstappen, after retiring from the race:
17:20 , Kieran Jackson“It’s just unlucky, like yesterday in qualifying, but we didn’t have great pace this weekend anyway. Hopefully can do better next weekend, not an ideal result today.
“We try to do our best, my mentality doesn’t change. We’ve won a lot in the past, sometimes you should just accept you’re not winning.”
On title race deficit: “Hopefully people won’t mention it too much anymore!”
Kimi Antonelli, after his retirement:
17:00 , Kieran Jackson“I didn’t necessarily brake too late but when I braked, in that moment I locked the rears. I just couldn’t stop the car. It was too late, I was arriving too quick. The crash was inevitable.
“Super sorry to the team and Max of course, he was just a passenger.
“It’s a big mistake, we need to move forward and focus on Silverstone. We’ll see if we get a penalty or not.”
Time for the podium!
16:44 , Kieran JacksonNorris’ third win, McLaren’s eighth, of the 2025 season!
Ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone gives Norris his winners medal on the podium!
And the British national anthem plays out in Spielberg!
Oscar Piastri, who finished P2:
16:30 , Kieran Jackson“Intense! It was hard work, tried my absolute best. Could have done a better job when I got ahead momentarily.
“Probably pushed the limits a bit far, but a good race. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Lando Norris after finishing first:
16:19 , Kieran Jackson“We had a great battle, it was a lot of fun. A lot of stress! Well done to Oscar, hopefully it was a nice one for everyone to watch. It was tough inside of the car.
“I managed things pretty well, it was good fun.”
Charles Leclerc, after coming home P3:
16:11“I rate our weekend as a team really well, our pace today was not enough. I left the door open to Oscar, but anyway they were too quick to stay in second. We’ve done our maximum, just not enough pace.”
Oscar Piastri:
15:59 , Kieran Jackson“Sorry for the turn 4 move, my bad.”
That was for when he locked-up at turn 4, almost hitting Norris!
Thankfully, he didn’t...
Lando Norris:
15:52 , Kieran Jackson“Well done everyone, beautful one-two. Thanks everyone, amazing work, let’s keep it up.”
Will Joseph, his engineer: “Keep with the process.”
TOP-10 IN THE AUSTRIAN GP
15:47 , Kieran Jackson1. Lando Norris
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. George Russell
6. Liam Lawson
7. Fernando Alonso
8. Gabriel Bortoleto
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Esteban Ocon
The gap between Norris and Piastri is now 15 points in the world championship.
And Gabriel Bortoleto picks up his first points in Formula 1.
Lando Norris wins the Austrian Grand Prix
15:43 , Kieran JacksonNow that is a response from Lando Norris!
A terrific win - the Brit claims his third victory of the season with a sumptuous drive in Austria!
Piastri 2nd; Leclerc 3rd.
4-10: Hamilton, Russell, Lawson, Alonso, Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Ocon
Final lap
15:42 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then.
One more lap for Lando Norris, with a 1.2-second lead to Piastri.
Alonso and Bortoleto get out of the way for the Brit....
Norris' gap to Piastri now 1.7 seconds (Lap 69/70)
15:41 , Kieran JacksonTwo laps to go.
Norris should be fine, here.
Only issue is Bortoleto and Alonso ahead of him are fighting for position.
Will Lando be held up at all?!
Lando Norris is pushing (Lap 66/70)
15:37 , Kieran JacksonRelief for Lando with five laps to go, with a 1.8-second lead.
The key is for him to keep it higher than 1 second, so Piastri doesn’t get DRS.
There’s still time though!
Top-10 with 5 laps to go: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Lawson, Alonso, Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Ocon
Lando Norris on team radio (Lap 62/70)
15:32 , Kieran JacksonNorris: “I need some pace, please help.”
Engineer: “It’s in straights, hopefully caused from traffic.”
It’s a massive race to the line now... 1.9 seconds between the McLarens!
Norris's gap to Piastri closing (Lap 60/70)
15:31 , Kieran JacksonNorris has a 2.1 second lead to Piastri now, but the Brit’s lead has reduced largely due to having to pass backmarkers... cars that Piastri will also have to pass.
Top-10 with 10 laps to go: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Lawson, Alonso, Bortoleto, Hulkenberg, Ocon
Franco Colapinto receives penalty (Lap 58/70)
15:28 , Kieran JacksonA straightforward verdict for Colapinto - he gets a five-second time penalty for that Piastri incident.
Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 54/70)
15:24 , Kieran JacksonPiastri follows suit a lap later - with a 2.0 second stop, very quick - and the Aussie comes out in second, 3.3 seconds behind his teammate.
Colapinto and Tsunoda are in-between the two cars, and Colapinto shoves Piastri onto the grass!
Did the Argentine not know that Piastri is a lap ahead of him?!
Scary for Piastri! But he progresses through eventually...
Lando Norris pits (Lap 53/70)
15:22Norris now comes in for his second stop - 2.5 seconds - and Piastri takes over the lead.
Norris back onto mediums to finish this race...
Lewis Hamilton pits (Lap 51/70)
15:20 , Kieran JacksonHamilton is not happy about it!
Hamilton: “Is my pace really bad, but my tyres are fine. Can I extend?
“I don’t want to stop!”
It’s an efficient stop nonetheless. Hamilton in fourth, eight seconds behind Leclerc...
Charles Leclerc pits (Lap 50/70)
15:19 , Kieran JacksonLeclerc dives in from third - 2.4 seconds - for his second pit stop and comes out in fourth.
Norris’ gap to Piastri is 4.2 seconds. Will that prompt McLaren?
Piastri closing the gap (Lap 43/70)
15:12 , Kieran JacksonPiastri has got the gap down to three seconds.
Norris: “Is he quicker everywhere now?”
Engineer: “Mainly straights.”
When will Norris pit again (on the assumption he does)?
Norris in control (Lap 40/70)
15:09 , Kieran JacksonThe race has just settled up now.
Norris is in control out in front, with a 3.8 second lead, while Piastri has a 14 second lead to Leclerc in third.
But those frontrunners are having to negotiate backmarkers now, which makes racing between the pair tougher.
When will Piastri’s fresher tyres make the difference?
TOP-10 AFTER 35/70 LAPS
15:031. Norris - leader
2. Piastri (+6 seconds)
3. Leclerc (+13)
4. Hamilton (+3.5)
5. Russell (+14)
6. Bortoleto (+3)
7. Hulkenberg (+3.7)
8. Ocon (+2.9)
9. Bearman (+3.7)
10. Gasly (+0.8)
Tsunoda-Colapinto collide
14:57 , Kieran JacksonTsunoda and Colapinto battle at turn 4, with the Red Bull diving down the inside and touching the wheel of the Alpine.
Colapinto spins! He continues on...
Tsunoda at fault, for me.
Austrian Grand Prix
14:53 , Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton pits (Lap 26/70)
14:52 , Kieran JacksonThe seven-time world champion pits - a rapid 2.2 second stop - on hard tyres.
Hamilton will come out behind Leclerc.
Norris back into the lead! The gap to Piastri is 6.6 seconds...
Charles Leclerc pits (Lap 26/70)
14:51 , Kieran JacksonFerrari respond straight away.
A 2.3 second stop and Leclerc comes out in sixth, behind a battle between Lawson and Alonso.
And so now Lewis Hamilton leads! But he hasn’t pitted yet...
Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 25/70)
14:50 , Kieran JacksonOh OK!
Piastri does pit - 3.4 seconds - and comes out in fourth. He switches to hards too.
The gap between Norris and Piastri: 6 seconds.
So Charles Leclerc now leads, in a Ferrari one-two. How long will the Scuderia wait?
Piastri now leads (Lap 22/70)
14:46 , Kieran JacksonPiastri told to push in free air, so they don’t pit him straight away.
Piastri complains of a flat spot on his tyre, but will continue...
Norris switched to the hard tyres in fourth - so a long stint coming up for the Brit.
Piastri almost collides with Norris (Lap 20/70)
14:44 , Kieran JacksonPiastri with a massive lock-up at turn 4 but just misses Norris!
Norris now pits - 3.1 seconds - and comes out fourth.
Will Piastri pit straight away now?
George Russell pits (Lap 19/70)
14:43 , Kieran JacksonA 2.4-second stop for Russell - the first frontrunner to pit.
Russell comes out on a fresh pair of tyres in 11th.
At the front, Norris’ lead is now 0.7 seconds. He’s still facing pressure.
Norris keeping his composure (Lap 17/70)
14:41 , Kieran JacksonSo far, Norris is holding his own under immense pressure from Piastri.
And McLaren are letting their two men race, which is great to see!
Top-10: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Bortoleto, Lawson, Alonso, Ocon, Tsunoda
Leclerc told to lift and coast
14:39 , Kieran JacksonLeclerc told to lift and coast at every corner, presumably to control temperatures.
Leclerc: “That’s what I’m doing.”
Meanwhile, Alex Albon’s car has been retired - a double DNF for Williams in Austria.
Piastri backs off a bit (Lap 14/70)
14:37Piastri a little further back now after that bit of drama, but he still has DRS with a gap of 0.6 seconds.
Piastri has to keep in mind keeping his car and brakes cool, while trying to take first place.
Norris and Piastri swap first place (Lap 12/70)
14:33 , Kieran JacksonIncredible racing from the McLarens!
Piastri takes first place with superior speed and DRS into turn 3, but Norris gets his teammate back with DRS down the inside at turn 4!
What about the next lap?! They’re clearly free to race here...
Norris thwarting challenge of Piastri
14:32 , Kieran JacksonThe McLarens are flying out in front, with Piastri four seconds clear of Leclerc.
Yet Norris is doing well to hold first place, with the Australian right on his gearbox.
3-10: Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Albon, Gasly, Bortoleto, Lawson, Alonso
VIDEO: Verstappen and Antonelli crash
14:29 , Kieran JacksonIT'S LIGHTS OUT IN AUSTRIA 🚥
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) June 29, 2025
Max and Kimi make CONTACT and both are out of the race 💥😳 pic.twitter.com/yIzmeDAz4j
Oscar Piastri duelling with Lando Norris (Lap 6/70)
14:28 , Kieran JacksonPiastri has a look down the inside at turn 4 but decides against the move!
The Australian has DRS, just 0.6 seconds behind.
Further back, Hamilton and Russell are battling for fourth.
Top-10: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Gasly, Albon, Bortoleto, Lawson, Alonso
Safety car heads in
14:24 , Kieran JacksonBoth cars have been removed speedily and now we’re down to 17 cars in Austria!
Norris gets away cleanly...
Antonelli at fault
14:23 , Kieran JacksonOh... Kimi!
It’s the teenager’s fault. Antonelli comes flying up the inside at turn 3 and clatters into Verstappen.
Verstappen: “I’m out. I got hit like crazy... idiots!”
Antonelli: “Sorry about that, locked the rear, sorry.”
That’s a 31-race points streak over for Verstappen!
Max Verstappen is out!
14:21 , Kieran JacksonHuge shock here!
Verstappen and Antonelli collided at turn 3 - they’re both out of the grand prix!
At the front: Norris 1st, Piastri 2nd, Leclerc 3rd, Hamilton 4th, Russell 5th.
Lights out!
14:19 , Kieran JacksonLando Norris gets off to a good start - and Oscar Piastri pulls a move around the outside of Charles Leclerc to take second!
And Max Verstappen spins at turn 3 after clashing with Antonelli!
I think they’re both out!
SAFETY CAR!
Formation lap No 2
14:16Fingers crossed for a smooth lap here and we can get going with a usual start.
Here we go!
George Russell on team radio:
14:12“Make sure there’s water for the mechanics, everyone’s dripping.”
The mechanics on the grid must be roasting!
Three minutes until formation lap...
FIA UPDATE
14:10 , Kieran JacksonThe formation lap will start at 2:15pm (BST).
And we are down to 19 cars on the grid!
Carlos Sainz's car catches fire!
14:08 , Kieran JacksonCrazy scenes here!
Sainz heads to the end of the pit-lane, before the rear of his car catches fire!
It’s a brake issue! And he’s out of the race before its even started!
Thankfully, the fire is quickly put out and the Spaniard is out of the car.
FIA: Aborted start!
14:04 , Kieran JacksonCarnage here!
Sainz has got going with the stewards pushing him, but Norris and the pack are back to the start-finish straight... with dozens of mechanics on the side of the track!
I think every car will go back to their starting spots - and we will restart in 10 minutes!
Carlos Sainz is stuck on the start line!
14:02 , Kieran JacksonNorris leads the pack around for the formation lap, but Sainz is stuck in first gear!
“Something is stopping the car from moving forward, we’re stuck.”
Will this be a delayed start?!
A reminder of the starting grid for the Austrian GP:
13:58 , Kieran Jackson1. Lando Norris
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Oscar Piastri
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. George Russell
6. Liam Lawson
7. Max Verstappen
8. Gabriel Bortoleto
9. Kimi Antonelli
10. Pierre Gasly
11. Fernando Alonso
12. Alex Albon
13. Isack Hadjar
14. Franco Colapinto
15. Ollie Bearman
16. Lance Stroll
17. Esteban Ocon
18. Yuki Tsunoda
19. Carlos Sainz
20. Nico Hulkenberg
Austrian Grand Prix:
13:55 , Kieran JacksonWe’re five minutes away from the 11th grand prix of the season!
Lando Norris is the favourite - he starts on pole! Charles Leclerc is in second, with Oscar Piastri in third.
And what about Lewis Hamilton, starting in fourth?!
Should be a cracker this!
Liam Lawson, who starts P6
13:54 , Kieran Jackson“It’s hard to know with strategy, we’ll react as quickly as we can.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, who starts an impressive P8:
13:52 , Kieran Jackson“First lap, keep it clean. Let’s see what we can achieve.
“Hopefully some points.”
Oscar Piastri, who starts P3:
13:50 , Kieran Jackson“Today can be good for us, it’s a lot hotter than we’ve had all weekend.”
Time for the Austrian national anthem!
13:45 , Kieran JacksonTrack temperatures around 50C in Spielberg as we hear the Austrian national anthem, with 15 minutes to go until lights out!
Karun Chandhok on Max Verstappen's P7 start:
13:41 , Kieran Jackson“The key for Max will be opening lap. Red Bull don’t have a car as fast as last year but he’ll be in the fight for the final spot on the podium.
“The overtaking opportunities are good here, three DRS zones. Max can come through and you can never discount him in wheel to wheel battles.
“The key will be the first two or three laps.”
Lando Norris, speaking this morning ahead of the race:
13:39 , Kieran Jackson“We’ve got a good car, great start and try and control things from there.
“The car has been proven from the timesheets that we’ve taken a step forward, it doesn’t feel different. It’s delivering what it’s should.
“I expect a good battle from them both, I expect them to be punchy. I have to put up a good defence and go from there.”
Driver standings heading into this weekend:
13:35 , Kieran Jackson1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 198 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 176 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 155 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 136 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 104 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 79 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 42 points
9. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 22 points
10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 21 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 20 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 14 points
13. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 13 points
14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 11 points
15. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
16. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 8 points
17. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 6 points
18. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 4 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 0 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Austrian GP winner - race odds:
13:28 , Kieran JacksonLando Norris - 4/11
Oscar Piastri - 7/2
Charles Leclerc - 9/1
Max Verstappen - 14/1
Lewis Hamilton - 30/1
George Russell - 30/1
Kimi Antonelli - 150/1
Liam Lawson - 150/1
Austrian GP preview: George Russell and Max Verstappen F1 swap would be unthinkable – but Mercedes man deserves clarity
13:22 , Kieran JacksonAs the Formula One enterprise returns to real racing this weekend in Austria – away from the sprinkle and stardust of movie premieres in New York and London – one of the season’s standout drivers so far is in an unusual predicament. A scenario, you might say, worthy of a drama. No doubt Box to Box, the producers of Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive, are rubbing their hands together.
George Russell, at this present stage, can do little more. The 27-year-old, in his fourth season at Mercedes and first without Lewis Hamilton by his side, has taken to the role of “team leader” with poise and serenity. As the Brit acknowledged to The Independent last month, he’s been “getting better and better”.
Full piece below:
Russell and Verstappen swap would be unthinkable – but Mercedes man deserves clarity
Bernie Ecclestone on Max Verstappen:
13:15 , Kieran Jackson“He should be where he’s happy, wherever it’s going to be,” said the ex-F1 supremo.
“He’s not a guy who messes around, very straightforward in what he says and what he does. I’d like to see him stay where he is.”
Lando Norris on his 'best lap of the year'
13:07 , Kieran Jackson“It was easily my best lap of the year,” Norris said. “I did what I planned to do, and when I do that and it goes right, it normally goes very, very well.
“Some of my tough moments have been in qualifying, so to have a performance like that is exciting.
“I am very happy, but I want to prove it to myself over and over again and I hope this is just the beginning.”
Starting grid for the Austrian GP:
12:59 , Kieran Jackson1. Lando Norris
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Oscar Piastri
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. George Russell
6. Liam Lawson
7. Max Verstappen
8. Gabriel Bortoleto
9. Kimi Antonelli
10. Pierre Gasly
11. Fernando Alonso
12. Alex Albon
13. Isack Hadjar
14. Franco Colapinto
15. Ollie Bearman
16. Lance Stroll
17. Esteban Ocon
18. Yuki Tsunoda
19. Carlos Sainz
20. Nico Hulkenberg
Lewis Hamilton reacts to ‘significant’ social media abuse F1 drivers face
12:52 , Kieran Jackson“The times have changed,” Hamilton, who co-produced the new F1 Movie, said. “I would say the racing space has probably got a lot busier with the fame of the sport, so it’s probably more intense.
“The media is more reactive, maybe. You’ve got social media presence and online abuse that we didn’t have when I got into the sport.
“It’s been pretty amazing to see how mature the young drivers that have come in – young men that have come in – have adapted and how they’ve carried that weight, because it’s no easy situation to be thrown into.”
F1 constructor standings after 10 races:
12:45 , Kieran Jackson1. McLaren - 374 points
2. Mercedes - 199 points
2. Ferrari - 183 points
4. Red Bull - 162 points
5. Williams - 55 points
6. Haas - 28 points
7. Racing Bulls - 28 points
8. Aston Martin - 22 points
9. Sauber - 20 points
10. Alpine - 11 points
List of team upgrades in Austria:
12:36 , Kieran JacksonMcLaren - new front and rear suspension aerodynamics and rear geometry;
Ferrari - entire new floor;
Red Bull - floor edge;
Mercedes - circuit specific brake and engine cover cooling;
Racing Bulls - front and rear wings;
Sauber - floor and rear wing.
What time is the Austrian GP?
12:30 , Kieran JacksonTime BST
Sunday 29 June
- Race: 2pm
Toto Wolff on a potential Russell-Verstappen line-up
12:28 , Kieran Jackson“I can imagine every lineup,” he said.
“I had Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for a World Championship, so everything else afterwards is easy.
“There are pros and cons of having two drivers fighting each other hard and we’ve seen examples where that functions and other examples where it didn’t.”
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur to miss Austrian GP
12:09 , Kieran JacksonFerrari statement: “Fred will not be at the track today, because he has had to return home for personal reasons.
“Deputy Team Principal, Jerome d'Ambrosio will stand in for him.”
F1 extends Austrian GP deal to 2041
11:30 , Kieran JacksonThe joint-longest contract on the calendar!
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali: "Austria has long been an incredibly special race for Formula 1 so it’s fantastic we have secured the long-term future of a Grand Prix so deeply rooted in the sport’s history.
“The vision and passion of Dietrich Mateschitz gave the race the investment and attention that allowed it to return as an incredible event on the Formula 1 calendar.
“Each year, returning to the stunning Styrian mountains is a highlight - an experience that evokes incredible emotion among our drivers, teams, and fans alike, creating an atmosphere unlike any other.
“I want to extend my sincere thanks to Mark Mateschitz and Thomas Überall and his team for their unwavering dedication to excellence, and to our incredible Austrian fanbase, whose enthusiasm and loyalty continue to elevate this iconic race."
Toto Wolff on a potential Russell-Verstappen line-up
11:00 , Kieran Jackson“I can imagine every lineup,” he said.
“I had Rosberg and Hamilton fighting for a World Championship, so everything else afterwards is easy.
“There are pros and cons of having two drivers fighting each other hard and we’ve seen examples where that functions and other examples where it didn’t.”
Lando Norris after qualifying P1 on Saturday:
10:00 , Kieran Jackson“It was a good lap. I knew there were a few places where I could get more time, I did what I planned to do. When it goes right, it usually goes very well, very happy.
“It’s a long season. It’s been some of my tougher moments in quali, it was pleasing for myself. It’s a long race tomorrow, I’m very happy with today, I want to prove it to myself...”
Austrian GP preview: George Russell and Max Verstappen F1 swap would be unthinkable – but Mercedes man deserves clarity
08:00 , Kieran JacksonAs the Formula One enterprise returns to real racing this weekend in Austria – away from the sprinkle and stardust of movie premieres in New York and London – one of the season’s standout drivers so far is in an unusual predicament. A scenario, you might say, worthy of a drama. No doubt Box to Box, the producers of Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive, are rubbing their hands together.
George Russell, at this present stage, can do little more. The 27-year-old, in his fourth season at Mercedes and first without Lewis Hamilton by his side, has taken to the role of “team leader” with poise and serenity. As the Brit acknowledged to The Independent last month, he’s been “getting better and better”.
Full piece below:
Russell and Verstappen swap would be unthinkable – but Mercedes man deserves clarity
RED BULL RING - FACTS:
07:00 , Kieran Jackson- Shortest circuit on calendar
- Length: 4.318km
- Fastest lap: 1:05:619 (Carlos Sainz, 2020)
- Corners: 10 (fewest on the calendar)
- DRS zones: 3
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur ahead of the Austrian GP weekend:
06:00 , Kieran Jackson“It only takes a little over a minute for a Formula 1 car to lap the Spielberg circuit, which means the field is closely bunched in terms of laptime, and thousandths of a second can make a big difference.
“Managing to put everything together will be crucial. The fact that seven of the ten corners are right handers combined with significant changes in elevation only adds to the challenge.
“We have been working hard in Maranello with the aim of ensuring that all the necessary elements come together in such a way as to deliver the best possible performance.
“Charles, Lewis and the whole team are determined to give their best at a track that often delivers one of the most spectacular races of the season.”
Allocated tyre compounds in Austria:
05:00 , Kieran Jackson- Hard: C3
- Medium: C4
- Soft: C5
Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari upgrades:
03:00 , Kieran Jackson"A huge amount of work went on to bring the floor but as you can see, it's not necessarily changed our competitiveness.," said Hamilton.
"The car actually doesn't feel bad, it's just we're a huge chunk off pace-wise. We need to look into that."
“We won't be at the front."
Lando Norris on backlash from Oscar Piastri crash: ‘Not the most joyful conversations’
02:00 , Kieran JacksonAddressing the post-Montreal summit in Spielberg, the British driver said: “Of course, they were not the most joyful conversations, but they were conversations that clearly needed to be had because it is not about just me, but it is about how we perform as a team, too, and we all know what the number one rule (not crashing into a team-mate) was, and continues to be.
“So, there were very constructive things that were said, in an unfortunate way but in a good way, too, because many things have come out stronger which you might not have expected.”
Verstappen teams up with different race engineer in Austria
01:00 , Kieran JacksonThis weekend, Simon Rennie will take over Lambiase’s duties and act as Verstappen’s race engineer, meaning he will also be heard over the team radio.
Lambiase misses this weekend due to personal reasons.
Irish teen Alex Dunne after finishing P4 in FP1 for McLaren yesterday:
Saturday 28 June 2025 23:00 , Kieran Jackson"I want to say a massive thank you, you made a little boy's dream come true. This is definitely the best day of my life," Dunne said over the radio as he made his way back to the garage at the end of the session.
"Thank you everyone for letting me do this and thanks to Lando as well for trusting me with his car. It means a lot."
Driver standings heading into this weekend:
Saturday 28 June 2025 19:00 , Kieran Jackson1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 198 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 176 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 155 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 136 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 104 points
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 79 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 42 points
9. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 22 points
10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 21 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 20 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 14 points
13. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 13 points
14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 11 points
15. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
16. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 8 points
17. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 6 points
18. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 4 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 0 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Carlos Sainz, after qualifying just P19:
Saturday 28 June 2025 18:30 , Kieran Jackson“The car was pulling to one side, had a lot of damage in the floor... in the end, obviously not happy. Too many issues and problems.
“We’ll see tomorrow, today was not our day. We need to find out why we’ve got so many problems.”
FIA on grass fires which caused Q2 red flag:
Saturday 28 June 2025 18:15 , Kieran Jackson“For clarification, the grass fire was caused by a car going off track, rather than by sparks flying off from cars on track, as in previous cases.
“Additional dampening of the grass will take place during the break between Q2 and Q3.”
Oscar Piastri, who qualified P3:
Saturday 28 June 2025 17:30 , Kieran Jackson“I didn’t get to start [my lap], Gasly spun. Lando’s been very quick all weekend but I think we easily had enough pace to be on the front row. Sometimes just not your day.”
Confirmation of the final qualifying results from the FIA:
Saturday 28 June 2025 17:12 , Kieran Jackson
What time is the Austrian GP?
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:59Time BST
Sunday 29 June
- Race: 2pm
Lando Norris after qualifying P1:
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:32 , Kieran Jackson“It was a good lap. I knew there were a few places where I could get more time, I did what I planned to do. When it goes right, it usually goes very well, very happy.
“It’s a long season. It’s been some of my tougher moments in quali, it was pleasing for myself. It’s a long race tomorrow, I’m very happy with today, I want to prove it to myself...”
TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:23 , Kieran Jackson1. Lando Norris
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Oscar Piastri
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. George Russell
6. Liam Lawson
7. Max Verstappen
8. Gabriel Bortoleto
9. Kimi Antonelli
10. Pierre Gasly
Charles Leclerc, in P2:
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:45 , Kieran Jackson“I'm very pleased, it's been a difficult season overall, team has kept pushing, we've brought some new parts. It's also thanks to the team, very happy with the lap. We know we have a better car in the race than in qualifying.
“Lando must have done an incredible lap, congrats to him.”
Gasly spun in the final corner!
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:20 , Kieran JacksonGasly spun, resulting in the yellow flag which disabled the DRS and impacted Verstappen and Piastri!
Lando Norris on pole position!
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:15 , Kieran JacksonLando Norris goes even faster and takes pole with a 1:03:971!
An astonishing 0.521 secs quicker than Charles Leclerc in second!
Verstappen only P7!
3-10: Piastri, Hamilton, Russell, Lawson, Verstappen, Bortoleto, Antonelli, Gasly
Verstappen and Piastri were impacted by a yellow flag in the final sector!
Final laps in Q3
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:11 , Kieran JacksonDo or die time now for the 10 remaining drivers - can anyone usurp Lando Norris?!
2:00 to go in Q3...
George Russell noted for an unsafe release:
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:10 , Kieran JacksonRussell released straight into the path of the Ferraris...
Lando Norris on provisional pole!
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:09 , Kieran JacksonBig moment for Lando - he has the first banker lap in and is top of the timesheet after the first laps!
Charles Leclerc is a surprise name in second, 0.224 seconds off Norris.
3-10: Piastri, Hamilton, Russell, Verstappen, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Gasly, Lawson (no time)
They’ll all head in and prepare for their second runs... 5:00 to go in Q3.
Q3 underway
Saturday 28 June 2025 16:04 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then with the top-10 shootout!
10 drivers involved: Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen, Russell, Antonelli, Lawson, Gasly, Bortoleto
Who will be on pole?
Alex Albon out in Q2!
Saturday 28 June 2025 15:56 , Kieran JacksonA tough day for Williams - Albon is out!
Hadjar and Alonso also out!
Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Alonso, Albon, Hadjar, Colapinto, Bearman
Gabriel Bortoleto all the way up in fifth for Sauber!
Top-3: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc
Cars heading out on track!
Saturday 28 June 2025 15:51 , Kieran JacksonGreen flag conditions and we’re back going with Q2.
Most cars taking their time until the three-minute mark to get back out there!
Any shocks for the top-10 shootout?
FIA UPDATE
Saturday 28 June 2025 15:45 , Kieran Jackson“Q2 to resume at 3:47pm (BST).”
Just over 5 mins to go.
Bottom-five (11-15): Albon, Bearman, Alonso, Bortoleto, Colapinto
Antonelli is P9 at the moment, with Gasly P10.
RED FLAG
Saturday 28 June 2025 15:43 , Kieran JacksonSession stopped with 5:42 to go - due to another trackside fire!
We had this issue in China and Japan previously... ah, dear.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
