Lando Norris Leads McLaren One-Two at Austrian GP as Verstappen Retires

Starting from pole position, Norris fought off a strong challenge from teammate Oscar Piastri in a tense early-race battle and maintained his lead despite relentless pressure until the checkered flag. The Briton’s third victory of the season closed the championship gap to Piastri from 22 to just 15 points after 11 of 24 rounds.

Piastri, who started second, briefly took the lead on lap 11 in an aggressive but fair duel before Norris retook it immediately. Another bold move on lap 20 from the Australian, which saw him lock up and nearly collide with Norris, had the McLaren pit wall holding their breath — but both cars survived the scare.

“It was tricky, hot, tiring — a lot of stress but a lot of fun,” Norris said post-race. “Oscar kept the pressure on all the way. It was a tough one inside the car, especially when he had DRS.”

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell claimed fourth and fifth for Mercedes, respectively. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen suffered a rare DNF after a first-lap collision with rookie Kimi Antonelli, shaking up the title race. Verstappen, now 61 points behind Piastri, remains third in the championship standings.

It was a milestone day for several drivers. Liam Lawson took a career-best sixth for Racing Bulls, while Fernando Alonso finished seventh for Aston Martin. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto scored his first Formula One points in eighth, marking a strong showing for Sauber. His teammate Nico Hulkenberg finished ninth, continuing his consistent points streak.

Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten with a point for Haas.

McLaren’s dominant performance has widened their constructors’ championship lead to 207 points over second-placed Ferrari, who competed without team principal Fred Vasseur due to personal reasons. Red Bull’s home race disappointment — marked by Verstappen’s retirement — leaves them struggling to keep pace.

The battle between Norris and Piastri is shaping up to be a thrilling intra-team showdown as the season progresses. With half the season still ahead, the momentum is clearly with McLaren, and Formula One fans can expect more wheel-to-wheel action as the teammates continue to fight for supremacy.