Verstappen Wins 2024 Austrian Sprint

Max Verstappen survived a competitive opening phase to win 2024 Austrian Sprint.

Verstappen led from lights out after the initial start was aborted but lost the lead briefly to McLaren’s Lando Norris on Lap 4 into Turn 3, but repassed the Brit at the next corner for the win ahead of Oscar Piastri.

George Russell finished fourth ahead of Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez.

Verstappen’s win meant that he extended his title lead over Norris slightly to 71 points in the drivers’ standings.

The start of the initial 24-lap sprint was aborted due to photographers not fully behind the barriers at Turn 1 but once underway, Verstappen made a lightning start to fend off Norris and Piastri whilst Sainz jumped Russell for fourth.

Leclerc meanwhile had started 10th due to an ignition issue in the final segment of Sprint Qualifying but quickly recovered to seventh on the opening lap ahead of Perez, whilst Kevin Magnusson and Lance Stroll jumped Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly for ninth and tenth positions.

Up front, Norris briefly seized the lead on Lap 4 with an inside lunge on Verstappen into Turn 3 but Verstappen deliberately braked late into Turn 4 to nudge the Brit slightly wide, which allowed Piastri to pass his McLaren teammate for second behind Verstappen.

Sainz meanwhile tried to fight off Russell for fourth but the Brit managed to pass the Spaniard on Lap 8 into Turn 4 with DRS to take the position, whilst Hamilton, Leclerc and Perez found themselves rounding out the top eight points-finishers.

Drivers now switch their focus to Qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix at 4pm CEST (3pm UK Time), where Verstappen and Norris will be favourites for pole position.

Hulkenberg – 38.423

*Hulkenberg finished 14th at the checkered flag but got a ten-second time penalty for forcing Alonso wide at Turn 3.