George Russell wins Austrian Grand Prix amid record heat and Verstappen crash

George Russell secured pole position and went on to win the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg after a late‑season crash forced Max Verstappen off the track. The race was run in unprecedented heat, with ambient temperatures above 33 °C and track surfaces exceeding 50 °C, prompting a FIA heat warning and allowing drivers to wear cooling vests.

Russell described his performance as “abnormal” and stressed the difficulty of managing tyres in the extreme conditions, while Verstappen remarked, “Das ist alles komisch,” after his retirement. Mercedes capitalised on the situation, with Russell’s victory moving him within 40 points of team‑mate Kimi Antonelli, who finished third. Ferrari struggled, seeing Charles Leclerc finish eighth and Lewis Hamilton fall to seventh after an early safety‑car‑induced pit stop. The result reshapes the early‑season drivers’ standings and highlights the challenges teams face in managing heat‑related tyre wear and strategy.