Publications
Partners
Spielberg - Max Verstappen retained his victory for Red Bull in a thrilling Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday following a stewards' hearing.
The 21-year-old Dutchman won the race after forcing his way past Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in a wheel-bashing passing move two laps from the end of a race that was a shot in the arm for Formula One after the soporific French GP.
The incident was swiftly put under official investigation by the race stewards, who confirmed the result nearly three hours after the race ended.
In a statement, the FIA said: "We did not consider that either driver was wholly or predominantly to blame for the incident. We consider that this is a racing incident."
The outcome meant more disappointment for Ferrari after they were on the wrong side of a stewards' decision in Canada, where Sebastian Vettel was deprived of victory after he had won the race. That race was handed to Mercedes’ defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who had finished second.
Leclerc has twice suffered disappointment and frustration when seemingly set for victory, having missed out in Bahrain where he was foiled by a late engine problems.
His barnstorming victory in Austria came after a thrilling charge following a terrible start that saw him drop to seventh on the opening lap, after starting alongside pole sitter Leclerc on the front row of the grid. The two drivers made up the youngest front row in F1 history.
It was the 21-year-old Dutchman's sixth career win and ended Mercedes record run of eight straight wins this season and ten overall. It also delighted a huge orange-clad army of Dutch supporters.
Leclerc finished second for Ferrari ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes, Vettel and Hamilton.
Hamilton now has 197 points in the drivers' standings, 31 ahead of Bottas, with Verstappen third on 126.
"It's the right result, the right thing for Max, for Formula One and for Honda,” said Red Bull team chief Christian Horner.
"It's been a very stressful last few hours," said Verstappen.
"But it is the right result and the right result for F1."
Before the stewards delivered their verdict, Verstappen said the incident was merely "hard racing" and that if he were penalised there would be "no point in F1 - and we should all go and stay at home."
Horner said the sort of wheel-to-wheel racing that sparked the investigation was essential for the future of Formula One.
"This is what we need - drivers going wheel-to-wheel and fighting each other," he said.
Results from Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday:
1. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) 306km in 1:22:01.822
2. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) at 2.724
3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes-AMG) at 18.960
4. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 19.610
5. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes-AMG) at 22.805
6. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Renault) at 1 lap
7. Pierre Gasly (FRA/Red Bull-Honda) at 1 lap
8. Carlos Sainz jnr (ESP/McLaren-Renault) at 1 lap
9. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) at 1 lap
10. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) at one lap
11. Sergio Perez (MEX/Racing Point-Mercedes) at 1 lap
12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault) at 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) at 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll (CAN/Racing Point-Mercedes) at 1 lap
15. Alexander Albon (THA/Toro Rosso-Honda) at 1 lap
16. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) at 1 lap
17. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso-Honda) at 1 lap
18. George Russell (GBR/Williams) at 2 laps
19. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas) at 2 laps
20. Robert Kubica (POL/Williams) at 3 laps
Drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 197 pts
2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 166
3. Max Verstappen (NED) 126
4. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 123
5. Charles Leclerc (MON) 105
6. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 43
7. Carlos Sainz jnr (ESP) 30
8. Lando Norris (GBR) 22
9. Kimi Räikkonen (FIN) 21
10. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 16
11. Nico Hülkenberg (GER) 16
12. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 14
13. Sergio Perez (MEX) 13
14. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) 10
15. Alexander Albon (THA) 7
16. Lance Stroll (CAN) 6
17. Romain Grosjean (FRA) 2
18. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) 1
Constructors' standings
1. Mercedes 363 pts
2. Ferrari 228
3. Red Bull-Honda 169
4. McLaren-Renault 52
5. Renault 32
6. Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari 22
7. Racing Point-Mercedes 19
8. Toro Rosso-Honda 17
9. Haas-Ferrari 16
