Max Verstappen wins sprint race in Austria ahead of Oscar Piastri

After Shanghai and Miami, reigning world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) bagged his third sprint race of the season in Spielberg, Austria, on Saturday, June 29. Starting in the lead after setting the fastest qualifying time on Friday, the 26-year-old driver held on to the lead over the 21 laps to be covered today.

After an aborted first start due to a photographer being badly positioned at the first corner of the circuit, the championship leader took the lead of the race, without ever being overtaken. The Dutchman finished more than four seconds ahead of Australian Oscar Piastri (McLarren), who was able to overtake his teammate Lando Norris at Turn 4, on the fifth lap of the race. George Russell (Mercedes), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), Charles Leclerc (Ferreri) and Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) completed the top 8, collecting valuable points in the race for the general classification.

Eighth and ninth in qualifying on Friday, Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ultimately finished in 11th and 12th place in the race. No additional points for Alpine, which is stuck in seventh place in the constructors’ standings, but a good move for the McLarren team, which collects 13 points thanks to the two and third places of its drivers.