Max Verstappen wins in Austria as Perez finishes third in Red Bull's home race

Max Verstappen wins Austrian Grand Prix, extends series lead

Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday to take another step towards a third successive world title.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second to split the Red Bulls at their home circuit with Sergio Perez completing the podium at Spielberg.

This was double world champion Verstappen's seventh win out of nine this season and his fifth successive victory. Perez has won the other two races.

It followed the Dutchman's success in Saturday's sprint and with the fastest lap gave him a maximum 34 points from the weekend.

"That is the full sweep, classy Max, very very classy," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner over the team radio.

"The car was on fire!" replied Verstappen.

- AFP

Max Verstappen wins! The Red Bull driver drove impeccably to gift Red Bull its 101st victory in F1.

Top 10:

1. Max Verstappen

2. Charles Leclerc

3. Sergio Perez

4. Carlos Sainz

5. Lando Norris

6. Fernando Alonso

7. Lewis Hamilton

8. George Russel

9. Pierre Gasly

10. Lance Stroll

5 laps remaining: Verstappen and Perez are first and third for Red Bull, while Leclerc and Sainz are second and fourth for Ferrari.

Verstappen is 24 seconds clear of Leclerc, with the win basically in the bag.

Lap 60/71: Verstappen is cruising away at the front, leading Leclerc by 20 seconds.

Sainz and Perez are fighting for third place, with neither driver not giving an inch.

Lap 50/71: Perez is now up into second, but 26 seconds behind Verstappen. Leclerc is third and 34 second behind the race leader. Verstappen is looking good for another win in 2023.

The defending champion pits for a fresh set of Medium tyres, but is comfortably ahead of Perez and Leclerc.

Ferrari telling Leclerc that tyre degradation is higher than expected. They suggested a three-stop race, but the driver gave a defying "No."

Verstappen is now just 1.3sec behind, having closed the gap in less than 8 laps.

Lap 30/71: Leclerc leads, but Verstappen is quickly decreasing the gap. It is now under 4 seconds and devastatingly in the Red Bull driver's favour.

Sainz has been given a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits.

Lap 17/71: The virtual safety car period ended, but Verstappen stayed out while the drivers behind him pitted. He leads by more than 17 seconds, but he needs a perfect pit stop when he stops.

Hamilton has been given a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.

Lap 15/71: Verstappen leads from Leclerc by 5.5 seconds. He is comfortably ahead and extending his advantage with every passing lap.

Sainz is 0.5sec behind Leclerc, but has been told not to attack.

Hamilton, meanwhile, has been shown the black and white flag for exceeding track limits. He risks receiving a five-second time penalty.

Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday at his team Red Bull's home circuit in Spielberg.

The double world champion and series leader was joined on the podium by his teammate Sergio Perez with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in third.

Verstappen, who started from pole, also heads the grid for Sunday's main race where he is hunting his seventh win from nine this year.

Verstappen had a minor skirmish with Perez in the first couple of turns but soon pulled clear to dominate and cross the line over 20 seconds clear.

- AFP

Lap 20/24: Drivers are pitting for dry tyres! And Russell, who knocked the domino over first, is making up good places. He is now up to 10th and two positions away from a point.

Verstappen leads Perez by 16 seconds. Will he keep stick it out on Intermediates?

Lap 15/24: Perez is now up into second, but the gap to race leader Verstappen is 10 seconds. Sainz also displaced Hulkenberg for third, with the Haas driver a respectable fourth having held onto second place for the opening 13 laps.

However, grip levels seem to be on the decline for Hulkenberg as the two Aston Martins of Stroll and Alonso begin closing in.

Lap 10/24: Verstappen leads Hulkenberg by 5.5 seconds, with Perez now under a second behind the Haas driver.

Down the order, Russell overtakes Magnussen for 11th, with Hamilton looking to do the same in 13th.

Lap 5/24: Verstappen is keeping it steady at the front, leading Hulkenberg by almost 3 seconds. Perez is trying to find a way past the Haas driver, but the gap increases to over 2 seconds.

Norris, who had a poor opening lap, is still 10th.

Lap 2/24: What an opening lap!

Perez took the lead from Verstappen into Turn 1, but the defending champion got his elbows out to retake the position. But the surprise is Hulkenberg is second at the end op the first lap!

Norris who started 3rd is down in 10th.

Welcome! We're ready for the Austrian Sprint Race.

Coming into the session, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has been hit with a three-place grid penalty for impeding Oscar Piastri during the Sprint Shootout this morning. He will start down in 9th.

Verstappen tops Shootout 2 with a strong lap. Sainz and Ocon are the next quickest drivers.

It's a session to forget for Mercedes as Russell is eliminated. He did not participate in this part of the Sprint Shootout.