Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Oracle Red Bull Racing is back! Max Verstappen finishes 2nd at Austrian GP
The hottest race of the season delivered spectacular duels as Max Verstappen pushed his tyres to the limit to score his second podium of the season.
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In sweltering conditions in Spielberg, Max Verstappen kept his cool as he delivered a stunning drive to secure second place at the Austrian Grand Prix. The four-time world champion started from fifth on the grid before executing a series of expert overtakes as he pushed to catch race leader George Russell of Mercedes.
The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver then went from hunter to hunted over the final laps at the Red Bull Ring, showcasing his defensive skills as he held off a late charge from Russell’s team-mate and world championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar also produced another strong showing as he finished in sixth place to mark a much-improved weekend for Red Bull Racing after the team introduced a major upgrade package for its home race.
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Drivers battle intense heat at the Red Bull Ring
A major upgrade package was introduced by Oracle Red Bull Racing in Austria
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
With much of Europe experiencing a heat wave, the racing conditions in Spielberg presented an extra challenge for all of the teams and their drivers. On Sunday, the air temperature at the Red Bull Ring reached 34.5°C, while the track was 46.8°C when racing got underway.
This led to the race being held under FIA Heat Hazard protocols, with teams having to install a special Driver Cooling System.
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The draw of the Austrian Grand Prix
Despite the soaring temperatures, the fans flocked to the Red Bull Ring, with plenty there to show their support from Oracle Red Bull Racing. The grand prix has long been a highlight on the F1 calendar, thanks to its high-speed corners and long, fast straights that often lead to exciting races.
The fans were out in force to show their support for Verstappen
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This also makes it a favourite among the drivers, particularly Verstappen who holds the record for the most number of wins at the track, having triumphed on four occasions in the last 10 years.
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Verstappen’s injury scare during qualifying
Ahead of Sunday’s main race, there was a moment of concern during qualifying when Verstappen lost control of his car at the high-speed Turn 9 and crashed into the barriers at pace.
Not only did it cost him a chance to challenge for pole position, as he had to settle for fifth, but he was also at a loss to explain what had caused him to crash in the dying moments of qualifying.
“On that final lap, I can’t really explain why it felt like that,” Verstappen told reporters after qualifying. “As soon as I turned the wheel it just completely snapped, and it was not even controllable anymore.”
The Dutchman also went on to reveal after his second-place finish in the featured race that he had injured his knee, saying: "I knocked my knees in qualifying, that was not nice, but today it was okay."
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Plenty of positives for Verstappen and Oracle Red Bull Racing
Starting from fifth on the grid, Verstappen soon became locked in a battle with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. In a throwback to their famous rivalry in 2021 when they were both chasing the world title, the duo went wheel-to-wheel as they jostled for position.
The hugely exciting exchange was captured using the world’s fastest camera drone, which has a top speed of more than 350kph (217mph). Used for the first time at a Grand Prix, the drone closely followed the exchanges between Verstappen and Hamilton, giving viewers at home a unique perspective.
After exchanging places throughout the lap, Verstappen was eventually able to make his overtake stick before moving through the field and even taking the lead.
In the end, he finished just 1.611 seconds behind race winner Russell as he scored his best result of the season and his second podium after finishing third in Montreal.
“It was a very good race for us today. The first two laps were quite fun and the first half felt really good and fun to drive. Then, it was basically just about trying to manage our tyres, especially after the battles with Lewis," explained Verstappen.
Both Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen excelled at the Red Bull Ring
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
"We did some good racing and I didn’t expect us to be that strong against the Mercedes. It was a great effort from the team: they have worked really hard to get the upgrades to the car, so thank you very much to everyone. It was better than expected and the race pace was a lot better than we thought. I didn't think we would fight for the win when I jumped in the car this morning, so to finish sitting here in the top three is a really positive result for us!"
Hadjar also underlined the progress of Oracle Red Bull Racing as he held off the challenge of reigning world champion Lando Norris to finish in sixth position.
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