George Russell beats Max Verstappen and the heat to win Austrian Grand Prix and boost F1 title chances

George Russell beat Max Verstappen and the extreme heat to win the Austrian Grand Prix, reviving his Formula 1 title chances after turning a controversial pole into a dominant race. In a heatwave at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Russell held off Verstappen and his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli despite a broken drinks system. The victory was Russell’s first outside sprint events since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and it came in a fight that saw only two seconds separate the top three at the finish. Verstappen finished behind Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc struggled to maintain momentum after qualifying well, taking fifth and eighth respectively. Russell’s seventh career win moved him back into second in the standings and cut Antonelli’s lead to 40 points. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished fourth, and Lando Norris was seventh. Team principal Andrea Stella praised strategy but said the car is not yet competitive for pure pace podiums.