Formula 1
MAX WINS AGAIN! LECLERC GIVES FERRARI HOPE AND SERGIO PUTS IN A HARD DAYS WORK TO FINISH P3 AND OF COURSE THE PENALTIES WERE OUT OF CONROL INCLUDING PENALTIES FOR NOT TAKING YOUR PENALTY CORRECTLY!
Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen strengthened his hold on the Formula1 Drivers’ Championship lead with a dominant victory in the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, while team-mate Sergio Pérez delivered an impressive drive from 15th to claim the final step on the podium behind Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JULY 02: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Third placed Sergio Perez of Mexico and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 02, 2023 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
After topping the qualifying session and Saturday’s sprint race, Verstappen was imperious during the 71-lap ra. Leading from the start, he then easily dispatching both Leclerc and second Ferrari Carlos Sainz after the first round of pit stops to cruise to an untroubled victory by 5.155s over Leclerc, even making a late stop for soft tyres so he could also claim the fastest lap of the race.
Pérez meanwhile impressed as he carved through the field from a lowly 15th position on the grid to secure a vital podium position with a late-race pass on Carlos Sainz after a few highlight laps of battling for position.
Victory today was Verstappen’s fourth win at the Austrian Grand Prix, his seventh from nine starts so far during the 2023 season and maintains Oracle Red Bull Racing’s unbeaten year.
The Dutchman now sits on 229 points in the Drivers’ Championship standings, extending his lead over Pérez to 81 points ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 9.
MAX:
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JULY 02: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 02, 2023 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
“It’s been a pretty incredible weekend; it couldn’t have been any better to be honest. We did everything well as a team, from the strategy through to the pit stops. Heading into the race we all had question marks around the tyres, but we were all happy with how they performed compared to our competitors.
I felt really comfortable in the car all weekend and we were able to do everything that we had planned. The final pit stop was a risk, of course. I think the Team could hear from my voice on the radio that I wanted to pit. From the outside it might have looked crazy, but I knew we could do it. I saw there was a gap and I wanted to make the most of it.”
CHECO:
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JULY 02: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 makes a pitstop during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 02, 2023 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
“It was a really good race. I think we had the pace this weekend: we showed it in the Sprint and we showed it today. It was a nice comeback and I feel really comfortable with the car, it has been really special. I think we were all racing quite hard and it is always a pleasure to battle with drivers like Carlos.
We’ve had a tricky few races, so it has been nice to get back and have that pace and form. I’m still not one hundred percent physically however, so now I need to look ahead and recover ahead in time for Silverstone.”