George Russell wins Austrian Grand Prix as Verstappen finishes second

George Russell converted pole position into a victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, securing his second win of the 2026 season and moving back into second place in the drivers’ championship. Max Verstappen delivered his best result of the year, finishing second for Red Bull and praising the recent aerodynamic upgrades to the RB22, while noting that the team still needs to improve on starts and race procedures.

Mercedes teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli completed the podium in third place, prompting team principal Toto Wolff to stress that the young driver’s early‑race errors were part of his learning curve and would not be repeated. Ferrari struggled, with Charles Leclerc dropping from a front‑row start to eighth and Lewis Hamilton finishing fifth, leading team boss Frédéric Vasseur to acknowledge strategic missteps and a lack of grip on the new tires.

Post‑race commentary highlighted a brief on‑track duel between Hamilton and Verstappen, and rumors surfaced about Verstappen’s representatives contacting McLaren about a possible move for 2027, though the team officially denied any interest.