Austrian GP: George Russell holds off Max Verstappen to end winless streak and reinvigorate title bid

28.06.2026, 17:55 skysports.com

George Russell held off Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix to reinvigorate his championship challenge with a first victory since the opening round of the season.

Mercedes' Russell produced a composed display to convert pole position to victory in Spielberg, holding off pressure from Verstappen over the second half of the race to take the chequered flag 1.6 seconds clear of the Red Bull.

Verstappen went from hunter to hunted over the final laps at the Red Bull Ring as Russell's Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli, the world championship leader, almost snatched second, closing to within four tenths at the conclusion of the last of the 71 laps.

Russell's victory reduces his championship deficit to Antonelli to 40 points and moves the Brit back up to second in the standings ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who finished in fifth behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Russell's win, at the eighth of the season's 22 scheduled rounds, was his first in a grand prix since the season opener in Australia, after which he appeared to be an overwhelming title favourite.

More to follow...

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1) George Russell, Mercedes2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull3) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes4) Oscar Piastri, McLaren5) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari6) Isack Hadjar, Red Bull7) Lando Norris, McLaren8) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari9) Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls10) Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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