Max Verstappen won the Austrian GP

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins the Austrian Grand Prix, round 10 of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship.

Verstappen dominated the race, although Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led a few laps during the pitstop cycle, finishing second ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.^Th to third place after his disastrous qualification.

2023 F1 Austrian GP Results

How the 2023 F1 Austrian GP unfolded

Verstappen held on to his pole position heading into Turn 1, leading Leclerc and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). Leclerc challenged Verstappen at Turn 3 and Turn 4, but was repulsed each time. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) moved up to fourth ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren).

A safety car was needed at the end of the opening lap to clear debris from the Turn 1 collision, while Yuki Tsunoda (Alfadauri) – who lost part of his front wing – went into Turn 4.

Sainz challenged Leclerc for second, but the pair were 5 seconds behind Verstappen and the Ferrari was advised to pit.

Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas pit stop on lap 14, causing a virtual safety car. The top three had already crossed the pit entrance, so Hamilton and Norris went full field for new tires – apart from Fernando Alonso, who started on hard-compound tyres, his Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll and Perez.

The Ferraris were pitted a lap later, while Verstappen dropped out, Sainz dropping from third to sixth at this stage and he punished his strategist. Sainz passed Norris on lap 17, then overtook Hamilton two laps later, earning him a 5-second penalty for exceeding track limits.

Sainz also moved past Perez for third, but was over 6 seconds ahead of Leclerc at this stage.

Verstappen put on the hard tires on lap 25, handing the top two spots to Leclerc and Sainz. He needed a lap to deal with Sines (he received a 5s track limits penalty) and then took off after Leclerc, who broke Max’s consecutive laps-lead streak from Miami.

On lap 29, Norris moved ahead of fourth-placed Hamilton with brake-trouble. But Hamilton more than made up for his 5-second penalty as he stopped a lap later.

Verstappen passed Leclerc at Turn 3 to take the lead on lap 35.

Perez started from 15^Th After a disastrous series of laps eliminated for track limitations, he moved up to fifth. He briefly fell behind Saines Norris after receiving a 5 second penalty at the final pit stop, but drove past him at Turn 4 after rejoining.

Verstappen had the luxury of making his second pitstop with 21 laps to go, joining 13 seconds clear of Leclerc, who was well ahead of Sainz and Norris.

On fresh tires, Perez chased down Norris and passed him at Turn 4 on lap 57, then battled hard with Sainz for third. He finally made the move on the third attempt at Turn 4 on lap 62. But Leclerc was 13 seconds up the road, sealing his second place.

Verstappen had enough of an advantage to pit again on the soft tires with two laps to go to ensure he set the fastest lap. He was ahead of Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Norris, Alonso, Hamilton, George Russell (Mercedes), Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Stroll.

2023 F1 Austrian GP Fast laps

2023 F1 Austrian GP led by Labs