F1 RESULTS TODAY: George Russell Triumphs in Austrian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen Produces Home Heroics
By Hugo Harvey
Sunday, June 28, 2026
George Russell returned to the top step of the Formula 1 podium with a commanding victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, holding off relentless pressure from Max Verstappen to give Mercedes another memorable success in the 2026 season.
The race at the Red Bull Ring delivered thrilling wheel-to-wheel action, mechanical drama and strategic battles as Russell converted his strong pace into his second victory of the campaign. The Briton crossed the finish line 1.611 seconds ahead of Verstappen, who delighted the home crowd with a determined drive to second place despite falling just short of claiming Red Bull’s first victory of the season.
Verstappen showed throughout the afternoon that the RB22 still possesses impressive race pace in the right conditions. The four-time world champion pushed Russell hard during the closing stages while also surviving an intense battle with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton earlier in the race.
Although Verstappen briefly looked capable of challenging for victory, Mercedes ultimately had enough pace and tyre management to secure the win, leaving the Dutchman to settle for second after another superb defensive performance.
Mercedes completed a double podium as championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished third. The young Italian remained within striking distance of Verstappen during the closing laps but crossed the line just 0.375 seconds behind the Red Bull driver, underlining Mercedes’ dominance throughout the weekend.
Russell’s victory also carries major championship significance, allowing him to move ahead of Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship standings while strengthening Mercedes’ position in both title battles.
Ferrari endured a much more frustrating afternoon despite showing promising pace in recent races. After appearing competitive in Spain, excessive tyre degradation proved costly around the high-speed Austrian circuit.
Hamilton was forced into tyre conservation for much of the race and even had to adjust his Ferrari’s power unit settings after the SF-26 began overheating during the Grand Prix. Despite the technical concerns, the British driver recovered to finish fifth.
Charles Leclerc experienced an equally difficult afternoon. The Monegasque struggled to maintain tyre performance over longer stints and eventually finished eighth after spending much of the race defending from rivals behind.
McLaren enjoyed another solid points haul with Oscar Piastri finishing fourth after another consistent drive. Reigning world champion Lando Norris could only recover to seventh after failing to match his teammate’s pace throughout the weekend.
Red Bull’s second car also enjoyed an encouraging afternoon as Isack Hadjar delivered another mature performance to finish sixth, giving the Milton Keynes outfit two cars inside the top six.
Racing Bulls celebrated an excellent result as Liam Lawson and rookie Arvid Lindblad secured ninth and tenth respectively, despite Lawson reporting worrying overheating issues early in the race. The New Zealander informed his engineers over team radio that there appeared to be “fire in my car,” but fortunately managed to nurse the car home.
Audi also collected valuable points with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg finishing 11th and 12th respectively.
Further down the field, Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto finished 13th and 15th, while Haas teammates Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon claimed 14th and 16th.
Williams experienced a mixed afternoon. Alex Albon finished 17th, but Carlos Sainz retired after suffering a mechanical failure on lap 24.
Aston Martin also endured disappointment as Lance Stroll recorded his fifth retirement of the season following a suspected ERS problem. Fernando Alonso eventually finished 18th after losing several laps during the race.
Cadillac suffered perhaps the most frustrating afternoon of any team. Valtteri Bottas retired after his brakes caught fire just five laps into the race, while Sergio Perez also pulled over after reporting smoke inside the cockpit. The double retirement continues a difficult start to the American manufacturer’s Formula 1 campaign.
Austrian Grand Prix 2026 – Race Results
Position| Driver| Team| Gap
1| George Russell| Mercedes| Winner
2| Max Verstappen| Red Bull| +1.611s
3| Kimi Antonelli| Mercedes| +1.986s
4| Oscar Piastri| McLaren| +21.809s
5| Lewis Hamilton| Ferrari| +26.393s
6| Isack Hadjar| Red Bull| +29.399s
7| Lando Norris| McLaren| +31.505s
8| Charles Leclerc| Ferrari| +45.659s
9| Liam Lawson| Racing Bulls| +1 Lap
10| Arvid Lindblad| Racing Bulls| +1 Lap
11| Gabriel Bortoleto| Audi| +1 Lap
12| Nico Hulkenberg| Audi| +1 Lap
13| Pierre Gasly| Alpine| +1 Lap
14| Oliver Bearman| Haas| +1 Lap
15| Franco Colapinto| Alpine| +1 Lap
16| Esteban Ocon| Haas| +2 Laps
17| Alex Albon| Williams| +2 Laps
18| Fernando Alonso| Aston Martin| +3 Laps
19| Lance Stroll| Aston Martin| DNF
20| Carlos Sainz| Williams| DNF
21| Sergio Perez| Cadillac| DNF
22| Valtteri Bottas| Cadillac| DNF
Russell’s victory provides Mercedes with another huge confidence boost as the championship battle continues to intensify heading into the next round. Verstappen’s remarkable drive demonstrated Red Bull’s improving competitiveness, while Ferrari will leave Austria searching for answers after tyre degradation prevented Hamilton and Leclerc from challenging for the podium despite encouraging pace earlier in the weekend.
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