F1 Austrian Grand Prix: Russel Wins in Austria as Verstappen and Norris Collide
A collision between championship leader Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, battling for the lead, saw Verstappen fall back and Norris retire, paving the way for Russell to seize the win at the 2024 F1 Austrian Grand Prix.
By Divyam Dubey
George Russell secured Mercedes' first win of 2024 at the Austrian Grand Prix, which saw a dramatic collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. With just seven laps remaining, a thrilling fight for the lead between Verstappen and Lando Norris took a dramatic turn. Norris had pushed Verstappen hard throughout the race, even earning a penalty for an aggressive manoeuvre. But on lap 54, as they entered the tight Turn 3, Norris challenged Verstappen on the outside, but their cars collided, leaving both with punctured tyres and their races over. This unexpected twist of fate handed Mercedes driver George Russell a golden opportunity. He capitalised brilliantly, taking the lead and ultimately securing a well-deserved victory, Mercedes' first of the season. Oscar Piastri crossed the line in second for a career-best finish, with Carlos Sainz rounding out the podium.
F1 Austrian Grand Prix: Race Result
Haas had a fantastic day with Hulkenberg and Magnussen scoring big points, coming in sixth and eighth! They even managed to sandwich Red Bull's Perez between them. Ricciardo grabbed some points for Red Bull in ninth, with Gasly getting a top-ten finish for Alpine.
Leclerc had a rough start with a first-lap crash but managed to recover for eleventh place, requiring a whopping four pit stops. Ocon trailed close behind in the twelfth after a battle with Gasly.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 71 Laps |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +1.906s |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +4.533s |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +23.142s |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +37.253s |
| 6 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | +54.088s |
| 7 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | +54.672s |
| 8 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | +60.355s |
| 9 | Daniel Ricciardo | VCARB | +61.169s |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +61.766s |
| 11 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +67.056s |
| 12 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | +68.325s |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1 Lap |
| 14 | Yuki Tsunoda | VCARB | +1 Lap |
| 15 | Alex Albon | Williams | +1 Lap |
| 16 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | +1 Lap |
| 17 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber | +1 Lap |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1 Lap |
| 19 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | +2 Laps |
| 20 | Lando Norris | McLaren | DNF |
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Aston Martin's struggles continued with Stroll in the thirteenth, followed by Tsunoda of Red Bull and Albon of Williams. Sauber remained scoreless with Bottas and Zhou finishing near the back. Despite setting the fastest lap, Alonso had a penalty and a lack of pace, ending up a disappointing eighteenth.
Norris' promising race ended in a retirement after his crash with Verstappen. He couldn't overcome the damage and a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits. Sargeant was the last Williams driver to finish, while Norris' retirement capped off a frustrating day.
