The 2025 F1 Austrian GP did not wait to deliver chaos. Before the formation lap even ended, Carlos Sainz’s Williams was stuck in gear, only to catch fire moments later in the pit lane. As the grid stewed under the midday heat, drivers like Fernando Alonso voiced frustration over temperatures. Did the qualifying results hold true? Let’s find out how the grand prix unfolds.
[adrotate banner=”10″]
Get 10% off all official F1 Merch at TheRaceWorks.com using code ‘EF1‘ at checkout.
Lap 1 Shenanigans
Once the lights went out, it was McLaren domination from the start. Lando Norris shut the door on Charles Leclerc into Turn 1, allowing teammate Oscar Piastri to slip by and form a McLaren 1–2. But the drama didn’t stop there! At Turn 3, Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli locked up and tagged Max Verstappen. Both were forced to retire, prompting an early Safety Car.
Battle of the Titans: McLarens Go at It
Once racing resumed on Lap 4, Norris and Piastri pulled away from the field. By Lap 9, they had a 3.6s cushion over Leclerc and were in a league of their own. Behind them, Hamilton in P4 began pulling clear of Russell, showing flashes of his vintage form.
What followed was arguably the most sustained battle for the lead we’ve seen all year. Piastri kept the pressure on Norris through every sector, with Lap 11 offering the most thrilling wheel-to-wheel action. Both drivers kept it clean, but it was clear neither was holding back. It was great to see McLaren letting them race.
Pit Stops, Penalties, and Strategy
Strategy started shaping the race by Lap 13. The soft-tire runners dove in early. By Lap 21, Norris pitted from the lead, swapping his mediums for hards. Piastri stayed out a bit longer, boxing on Lap 24. Ferrari held off on their stops, but the call didn’t pay off. Leclerc and Hamilton both rejoined behind the McLarens.
Yuki Tsunoda’s messy day continued with contact on Franco Colapinto at Turn 4, earning him a 10-second penalty. Later, Colapinto had a similar incident when he pushed Piastri into the grass, netting himself a 5-second penalty. As the second round of stops unfolded, Norris found himself momentarily slowed by Colapinto’s in-lap, allowing Piastri to close the gap to under three seconds.
Hamilton, meanwhile, had quietly pulled out over 20 seconds on Russell by Lap 46. Prompting questions, again about Ferrari’s strategy as they called Hamilton in for his final stop, despite his radio protests to stay out longer.
Holding Out in the Heat
With 10 laps to go, Piastri inched closer, cutting the lead to ~2.6 seconds. Norris was pushing hard to keep the lead. So hard that he dropped his wheels into the gravel multiple times. Backmarkers Colapinto and Alonso complicated things late, slowing Norris again. But on the final lap, Piastri locked up into Turn 4 while trying to make one last charge. That sealed the race for Norris.
Norris crossed the line first, securing a 1–2 for McLaren that showcased both their pace and team trust. Leclerc came home third, over 19 seconds behind, while Hamilton and Russell rounded out the top five. We also cannot forget Sauber’s incredible double-points finish.
With Silverstone up next, the papaya cars are miles ahead. And for Norris, this win might be the most complete drive of his F1 career, and closes the gap to Piastri.
*
F1 returns next weekend with the 2025 British GP. FP1 kicks off at 12:30 p.m. track time on Friday, July 4th.
Feature Image Credit: EverythingF1
[adrotate banner=”10″]
Get 10% off all official F1 Merch at TheRaceWorks.com using code ‘EF1‘ at checkout.