Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) won the Austrian F1 Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull) after an undecided race until the end.
Leclerc, victim of accelerator problems, finished with less than 2 seconds ahead of the Dutchman who keeps the lead in the world championship after 11 contested races. The podium is completed by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) following the retirement of the other Ferrari driven by Carlos Sainz Jr whose engine caught fire while trying to snatch 2nd place from Verstappen about ten rounds of arrival.
“It was a very good race with good pace. I had a throttle issue and only had 20-30% open left but I was able to manage that until the end”said the Monegasque driver after the finish.
He had not finished on the podium in the previous five Grands Prix and was left behind by Verstappen in the championship. “It was time” to win another victory, the third of the season for him, he admitted.
“We suffered with the tires”said Verstappen. “But it’s still a second place”he pointed out.
“It’s a shame for the fans, I couldn’t offer them a victory”he regretted at the place of the tide of his supporters and those of Red Bull who came to watch the race on the Austrian circuit of Spielberg, owned by the giant of sodas Red Bull and the eponymous team.
Sergio Perez’s other Red Bull retired early in the race after a collision with George Russell’s Mercedes which finished 4th ahead of Frenchman Esteban Ocon’s Alpine.
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