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From Norris’ hard-earned win to Antonelli’s apology and Tsunoda’s doubt, here’s what the drivers had to say after the chaotic Austrian GP.
The sun-soaked hills of Spielberg delivered another dramatic chapter in the 2025 Formula One season, as McLaren pulled off a commanding 1-2 finish and chaos unfolded behind them in the Austrian Grand Prix.
Norris Vs. Piastri
Lando Norris emerged victorious once again, but not without a hard-fought duel with teammate Oscar Piastri. The opening 20 laps saw Norris caught in a tactical storm, fighting to shake Piastri out of DRS range while juggling battery management.
“I was just in a very difficult position,” Norris explained post-race. “I had to keep using my battery to try and get [Oscar] out of DRS.”
The duel was fierce but fair, with Norris edging ahead after the first round of pit stops. Piastri, who had looked razor-sharp early on, was left reflecting on a strategy that ultimately cost him the win. “It was a good race, very happy with the pace I had today. After getting into a good spot at the first corner I was happy to stay in DRS and then try and put up a fight… After the first stop I think maybe we did the wrong thing trying to go a bit longer,” Piastri admitted.
Antonelli Owns The Crash
The biggest shock of the day came barely minutes into the race: Max Verstappen, on Red Bull’s home grounds, out before Turn 4. Rookie Kimi Antonelli locked up into the braking zone, skidding helplessly into the reigning champion.
“When I locked the rear, I lost the car and I had to first avoid the Racing Bull. But then I just couldn’t stop the car and unfortunately I hit Max. I just feel very sorry towards the team.” -Kimi Antonelli
To Verstappen’s credit, his reaction was calm and composed. “It is what it is,” he shrugged. “I think every driver has made a mistake like that. No one does that on purpose as well. So for me that’s not a big deal.”
Ferrari Rising, While Bortoleto, Hülkenberg, and Lawson Shine
Charles Leclerc brought home a solid P3 and Lewis Hamilton followed closely behind in P4 – an encouraging result for Ferrari, bolstered by recent upgrades. While neither driver could touch the McLarens, the signs of life from Maranello are clear.
“I think I’m slowly making progress which is a real positive,” Hamilton smiled. “It’s great for us to be the second fastest team this weekend and to be so close.” Still, both drivers admitted there’s a gap to close.
The midfield saw its own kind of magic. Gabriel Bortoleto earned Driver of the Day with a composed, strategic drive that brought home Sauber’s best result yet.
“We did everything that was in our hands,” he said. “I hope we can keep up like this.”
Nico Hülkenberg was equally pleased with the results and team strategies. Liam Lawson was also happy with the strong finish that felt like validation for months of quiet hard work.
Pain and Promise Elsewhere
Esteban Ocon called it “a great recovery,” salvaging a point after a bruising race. Ollie Bearman showed promise but struggled mid-race, while Isack Hadjar was robbed of points by an unfortunate floor damage.
On the flip side, Yuki Tsunoda owned up to a clumsy collision with Franco Colapinto, who was left nursing front wing and floor damage.
“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong… It’s really hard to find the reason for what I’m doing so wrong to drive this slow.” -Yuki Tsunoda
Williams suffered another bad weekend as Carlos Sainz didn’t start the race due to issues, while Alex Albon had to DNF.
“As an athlete, you always go through luckier times, unluckier times,” Sainz mentioned. “As a team, for sure we need to look at many things and see how we can stop having so many issues.”