Russell completes near-perfect weekend
George Russell turned pole position into victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, giving Mercedes another major result in a season that continues to tilt in their favour.
The British driver controlled the race at the Red Bull Ring and crossed the line ahead of Max Verstappen, while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli finished third. The result gave Russell his second Grand Prix win of the season, following his victory in Melbourne at the opening race of the year.
According to TV 2’s report on Russell’s Austrian Grand Prix win, the result completed an almost perfect weekend for the Mercedes driver, who had also taken pole position.
Russell’s win came under demanding conditions. The race was run in heavy heat, and AP reported that Russell also had to deal with a broken drinks system while holding off Verstappen and Antonelli.
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Mercedes take control again
The victory restored Mercedes’ momentum after Ferrari had shown signs of a response at the previous round in Barcelona, where Lewis Hamilton took victory.
In Austria, however, Ferrari could not turn qualifying promise into race pace. Hamilton finished fifth, while Charles Leclerc dropped from second on the grid to eighth at the flag.
As reported by AP’s race report from Spielberg, Verstappen showed improved speed in Red Bull’s upgraded car, but could not get close enough to seriously threaten Russell for the win. In the closing stages, the Dutchman’s main task became keeping Antonelli behind him.
The top three were separated by only two seconds, but Russell had done enough early in the race to keep control when it mattered.
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Antonelli still leads the championship
The result also changed the shape of the drivers’ championship.
According to Total Motorsport’s updated championship standings, Antonelli remains the championship leader with 171 points after eight rounds. Russell has moved back into second on 131 points, while Hamilton drops to third with 125.
That leaves Russell 40 points behind his teammate, but his Austrian performance has brought him firmly back into the title conversation.
Antonelli still holds the strongest position after a remarkable start to the season, including five consecutive wins earlier in the campaign. But Austria showed that Russell can still lead a Mercedes weekend from start to finish when the car, tyres and strategy fall into place.
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Ferrari leave Austria frustrated
For Ferrari, the weekend ended with more questions than answers.
Hamilton had arrived in Austria after winning in Barcelona, but his race faded after strategy and tyre management failed to deliver the same pace Mercedes and Red Bull found. Fifth place kept him close to Russell in the standings, but it was not the result Ferrari needed after qualifying strongly.
Leclerc’s afternoon was even more damaging. Starting from the front row, he gradually slipped backwards and finished eighth. It was a sharp contrast to the optimism Ferrari had carried into the race.
The result left Mercedes with seven victories from the first eight Grands Prix of the season. Ferrari have shown they can break through, but Austria suggested that their challenge is still inconsistent.
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Silverstone comes next
Formula 1 now moves quickly to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, where Russell will arrive with renewed belief and home support behind him.
For Mercedes, the next race is another chance to underline their control of the season. For Russell, it is an opportunity to build on a win that came at the right time.
Antonelli remains the championship leader, but Austria made one thing clear: Russell is not ready to let the title race become a one-driver story.
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