Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc held off a late charge by the Red Bull of Max Verstappen to win the Austrian Grand Prix. Starting from second position Leclerc passed the reigning world champion twice on the track to win at Red Bull’s home race.
The front row got off to a clean start as the action started unfolding behind the front runners, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz tried to leapfrog his teammate but when that idea died a quick death, his attention focussed on the advancing Mercedes of George Russell and the Red Bull of Sergio Perez.
Sainz eventually moved into clear air and George Russell found his mirrors full of Perez’s Red Bull, who tried to make a move outside Russell, which resulted in contact between the two drivers and Perez in the gravel.
Russell got a five-second penalty for his part in that crash and that destroyed any hopes he had of getting a podium.
Race leader Max Verstappen started losing pace and traction as it got closer to the first pit stop window.
Second-placed Charles Leclerc used this as an opportunity to pass the reigning world champion which he duly did before the Red Bull dived into the pits.
Leclerc went long by managing his tyres a lot better than his rivals and when he pitted, he came out behind Verstappen but with fresher tyres, it was only a matter of time before he passed him a second time.
Leclerc reclaimed the lead from Max and the Red Bull driver found himself in even more trouble as third-placed Carlos Sainz started reeling him in.
The British Grand Prix winner moved into a position to strike and as he huffed to blow away Max’s Red Bull car, his engine blew up and he had to end his race early in a blaze of fire.
With the virtual safety car coming out, the front runners Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen opted to take up the free pit stop to make sure they are in the optimum tyre. Then in the closing laps, Charles Leclerc found a throttle problem with his car and as the laps tumbled, the chasing Red Bull of Max Verstappen moved closer.
In the end, Charles Leclerc hung on for the win and trimmed the overall gap in the drivers’ championship to championship leader Max Verstappen to 38 points.
Lewis Hamilton got the final podium position, followed by teammate George Russell who recovered well from his five-second penalty.
The sport of Formula One now moves to Paul Richard circuit in France.
Le Clerc and Ferrari celebrate Austrian GP victory:
Charles is back on top! 💪#AustrianGP @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/V8tv3zcDfc
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 10, 2022
