If you buy through our eBay links, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. This keeps our site free for you to use.
George Russell claimed his second victory of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, holding off a fierce late challenge from Max Verstappen to win the Austrian Grand Prix by just 1.6 seconds. Kimi Antonelli completed the podium in third as Mercedes again locked out two of the top three places.
George Russell delivered a composed and clinical victory at the Red Bull Ring, converting pole position into his second win of the 2026 season and denying Max Verstappen a home victory for Red Bull. The 71-lap race produced a dramatic closing stint as Verstappen mounted a fierce challenge in the final laps, cutting the gap to under two seconds before Russell held his nerve across the line.
Verstappen's second place — his best result of the 2026 season — was a statement from the Red Bull camp, and his home crowd gave him a thunderous reception despite not standing on the top step. The Dutchman passed Kimi Antonelli in the closing stages to claim second, with Antonelli slipping to third but still scoring vital points for his championship campaign.
Kimi Antonelli finished third — just 1.986 seconds off Russell's winning pace. The result preserved his overall championship lead but gave Russell a significant boost, the Briton picking up 25 points to Antonelli's 15 in a round that tightened the title picture considerably. The 10-point swing to Russell kept the championship battle alive heading into Silverstone.
The race was shaped by a high attrition rate in the early stages. Valtteri Bottas was the first retirement, crashing out on lap 2, followed quickly by Sergio Pérez on lap 4 — a painful afternoon for Red Bull's second car at their home race. Carlos Sainz retired on lap 23 with a technical failure, and Lance Stroll's race ended on lap 45.
Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren, while Lewis Hamilton took fifth for Ferrari — a solid but unspectacular afternoon for a driver who needed victories, not fifths, to properly challenge at the top. Isack Hadjar was a fine sixth, the young RB driver continuing his impressive debut season with another consistent points haul.
The result marked Russell's second victory from his last three starts — a remarkable resurgence. With Antonelli still ahead in the championship, but the gap considerably tighter than it had been at the season's midpoint, the second half of 2026 promised to be a genuine fight.
Russell's 25 points to Antonelli's 15 in Austria narrow the championship gap at the top. Verstappen's second place injects Red Bull back into the conversation. Hamilton's fifth keeps him in third overall. With the season past its halfway point, the title fight between Antonelli and Russell is set to intensify over the remaining rounds.
George Russell won the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix driving for Mercedes. Race time: 1:26:37.979 over 71 laps.
1. George Russell (Mercedes) — 1:26:37.979; 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +1.611s; 3. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.986s.
George Russell (Mercedes) took pole position at Red Bull Ring, Spielberg.
