The eighth round of the Formula 1 World Championship in Austria delivered a major boost for George Russell, whose victory narrowed the gap to his Mercedes teammate and championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, to just 40 points (171–131). Antonelli finished third. Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari sits third in the standings with 125 points after finishing fifth, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri remains fourth with 80 points following a fourth-place finish.
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc are tied for fifth with 79 points each. Max Verstappen of Red Bull–Ford has 73 points, and his teammate Isack Hatzar stands on 42.
Post-Race Reactions
George Russell – Mercedes:
“Unbelievable to be back on top of the podium. It’s been a while, so I’ll definitely enjoy this tonight. Max and Red Bull–Ford were incredibly fast this weekend — huge credit to them. I had to push every lap; I knew how quickly the guys behind were closing in.”
Max Verstappen – Red Bull–Ford:
“It was a very strong race for us — the opening laps were quite exciting. Honestly, the car was in a good window for about half the race, but then we hit some issues that prevented me from finding a clean rhythm. Still, finishing second so close to victory is very satisfying. I bruised my knees in yesterday’s incident — not ideal — but today they felt fine.”
Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes:
“I was overly enthusiastic in the early laps and didn’t drive well — made too many mistakes. But after the tyre change, my pace was strong. It’s a shame I joined the fight a bit too late.”
Toto Wolff – Team Principal, Mercedes:
“Kimi was extremely eager to win the race right from the first corners, and that cost him early on — but I love that enthusiasm. He climbs the hill, drops anchor 30 metres later, and does it all over again.”
Laurence Mikkelsen – Team Principal, Red Bull–Ford:
“The most satisfying thing is our race pace. For the first time this season, we’ve shown the speed to challenge for victory. The season is still long — we know there’s more work ahead — but it’s impressive to be this close to the top step of the podium. Strategy will be reviewed, but it’s fair to say Kimi was the fastest driver out there, and Max may have been slightly quicker than George. Still, starting positions matter — and we paid the price for yesterday’s result.”