Defending champion Max Verstappen on Sunday continued his relentless charge toward a third world title when he claimed a record fourth Austrian Grand Prix victory in emphatic style.
The 25-year-old Dutchman finished 5.155 seconds clear of a revived Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, in second, with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, showing revitalized form, taking a battling third after starting 15th on the grid.
It was a race of attrition, punctuated by safety cars and influenced by a high number of drivers’ receiving penalties for exceeding track limits.
Photo: AFP
Several drivers served pit penalties during the race, but after a stewards’ investigation, eight received further late-night punishments including Carlos Sainz, demoted from fourth to sixth and Lewis Hamilton from seventh to eighth.
During the race, Verstappen’s unbroken run of laps led ended on 249, when he pitted.
It was only a pause in his serene progress to a fifth consecutive victory, seventh in nine races this year to extend his lead ahead of Perez in the title race to 81 points.
It followed his success in Saturday’s sprint, with the fastest lap giving him a maximum points haul from the weekend.
“That is the full sweep, classy Max, very, very classy,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner said over the team radio.
“The car was on fire,” Verstappen replied after his 42nd career win.
Despite a third title being his to lose Verstappen said he preferred to take it one race at a time.
“I don’t like to think about that yet,” he said. “I am just enjoying driving this car and racing for this team. The sprint weekend can be very stressful, so I’m just glad it all went to plan.”
His win total lifted him to fifth in the all-time list of winners and clear of Ayrton Senna, with whom he had shared 41 victories since winning in Canada.
Including a triumph in the 2022 Styrian Grand Prix, run during the Covid pandemic, this was Verstappen’s fifth win at the Red Bull Ring circuit overall.
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