2023-07-02 14:29:06
Published on July 2, 2023 at 4:29 p.m. – updated on July 2, 2023 at 10:20 p.m. Mathieu Warnier
At the end of a race during which he was little worried, Max Verstappen signed his fifth victory in a row during the Austrian Grand Prix. The Dutchman was clearly ahead of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Pérez at the finish line.
Max Verstappen was right at home this weekend in Austria. Dominant during the qualifications this Friday then during the shootout and the sprint disputed this Saturday, the double world champion signed this Sunday a fifth victory in a row this season on the land of his team. If the start was not eventful for the Dutchman as well as for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr, there is mayhem behind. Indeed, Yuki Tsunoda left part of his wing in contact with Esteban Ocon at the first corner then pulled straight at turn 4, approached at too high speed. The track having to be cleaned, the race direction was immediately sent to the track for three laps. The relaunch of the race did not change the hierarchy but Sergio Pérez started his rise in the peloton, he who had started from 15th position. Behind Max Verstappen, the Ferrari stand froze the positions to the chagrin of Carlos Sainz Jr, who passed on the message. An Austrian Grand Prix which panicked on the 14th lap when Nico Hülkenberg, who had just made his first pit stop, was betrayed by his engine and stopped his Haas at the edge of the track.
Bad pick for Ferrari
The virtual safety car was then deployed, opening a tire change window. Two weeks after a good tactical pick in Canada, Ferrari fell back into their ways with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr waiting one more lap to veer into pit lane for two less than optimal stops. If the Monegasque kept second place behind a Max Verstappen who remained on the track, the Spaniard fell to sixth place behind Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Pérez. Visibly pissed off, the Ferrari driver swallowed his three rivals in the space of four laps to regain third place but five seconds behind his teammate. The start of the 25th loop saw Max Verstappen make his first stop and give way to Charles Leclerc. That ended a streak of 248 consecutive first-place laps for the Dutchman, the third-best streak in F1 history behind Alberto Ascari in 1952 and Ayrton Senna in 1988. Sergio Pérez imitated his leader on the following lap, falling back to 11th place before quickly passing Esteban Ocon to return to the points.
Pérez author of a great comeback
Very quickly, like this Saturday during the sprint, the track limits became a problem with Carlos Sainz Jr who was the first to be sanctioned. Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon and Nyck de Vries were also penalized when Esteban Ocon paid dearly for a cavalier pit exit in front of Logan Sargeant. Coming out of the pits six seconds behind Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen only needed seven laps to come back and then overtake the Monegasque. From there, the Dutchman was no longer worried for the first place. The second waltz of tire changes started around lap 40, with many penalties being served. The positions at the head of the race did not move but, for third place, the fight was bitter between Carlos Sainz Jr and Sergio Pérez with the Spaniard who was able to trap the Mexican twice by recovering the DRS at the exit of turn 3 but the Red Bull Racing driver finally understood and, on lap 59, took place on a podium which seemed difficult to get after a missed qualifying session.
Verstappen takes maximum points
At the start of the penultimate loop, with more than 20 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen did not hesitate to make a third stop to put on soft tires and get the point for the fastest lap in race. Under the checkered flag symbolizing his seventh success of the season, the Dutchman reached his goal and was a full card with 26 points. Five seconds behind, Charles Leclerc signs his second podium of the season and his best result in 2023 ahead of Sergio Pérez. At the finish, Carlos Sainz Jr edged out Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso for fourth place. But, after the complaint lodged by Aston Martin, the situation changed. Scooping a ten-second penalty, the Ferrari driver fell to sixth place. Lewis Hamilton, having suffered the same fate, finally finished behind his teammate George Russell in 8th place. On the French side, Esteban Ocon had finished the race in 12th position but the addition of 30 seconds to his time made him drop to 14th position. His teammate Pierre Gasly, initially 9th ahead of Lance Stroll, was finally ranked 10th behind the Canadian after receiving a ten-second penalty. Thanks to this new success, Max Verstappen flies a little more in the championship standings with now 81 points ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez when Fernando Alonso grabs a little more against Lewis Hamilton. After this intense Austrian weekend the drivers will not have time to breathe, they are expected next weekend at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.
FORMULA 1 / AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
Final classification – 71 laps (306.452km) – Sunday July 2, 2023
1- Max Verstappen (PBS/Red Bull Racing) en 1h25’33’’607
2- Charles Leclerc (MCO / Ferrari) at 5”155
3- Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull Racing) at 17”188
4- Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren) at 26”327
5- Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin) at 30”317
6- Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) at 31”377
7- George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) at 48”403
8- Lewis Hamilton (GBR / Mercedes) at 49”196
9- Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin) at 59”043
10- Pierre Gasly (FRA / Alpine) at 1’07”667
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14- Esteban Ocon (FRA / Alpine) 1 lap away
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Fastest lap in the race (+1 point): Max Verstappen (PBS/Red Bull Racing) – 1’07”012 (71st lap)
Ranking of the drivers’ world championship after 10 Grands Prix (out of 23)
1- Max Verstappen (PBS/Red Bull Racing) 229 points
2- Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull Racing) 148
3- Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin) 131
4- Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 106
5- Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 82
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9- Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine) 31
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11- Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine) 15
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Constructors’ world championship ranking after 10 Grands Prix (out of 23)
1- Red Bull Racing 377 points
2- Mercedes 178
3- Aston Martin 175
4- Ferrari 154
5- Alpine 47
…
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