On Saturday, Max Verstappen held off a furious attack from Lando Norris to win the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race for Red Bull.
After being passed by McLaren’s Norris in the early circuits, the series leader and three-time world champion fought back to triumph at the Red Bull Ring.
His win was his third sprint victory this year, his fifth in a row, and his tenth in 15 races, as he finished 4.616 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and 5.348 seconds ahead of Norris, who was unable to maintain his early pace.
“I had a good first lap,” said Verstappen. “But once the DRS opened it took a few laps for me to get away and then I drove my own race. I had to work for it in that race and we have a few things to think about for tomorrow.”
George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes. Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was seventh.
Sergio Perez came home eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.
Verstappen was given a rousing reception by the massed ranks of his ‘orange army’ in the grandstands, notably roaring with delight when he responded to snatch back his lead from Norris.