Formula1, Verstappen wins the Sprint Race ahead of Perez and Sainz

Max Verstappen dominates and wins the Sprint Race of the Austrian Grand Prix. The Dutch Red Bull driver, after a battle with his teammate Sergio Perez that lasted just a few corners at the start, went on to triumph alone once again demonstrating all his strength and talent. The second place is taken by the Mexican himself, while Carlos Sainz with Ferrari takes the lowest step of the podium. Charles Leclerc’s other redhead was bad, with the Monegasque penalized and starting ninth, but even forced to cross the finish line in twelfth position.

«I had a bad start, but after taking the lead back everything went well, I managed the tires well. In the final the slick tires were obviously faster, but I had such a big advantage that it was useless to rejoin. Duel with Perez? It was a thorny moment, I found myself on the grass after turn 1 risking a bit, but in the end everything went well», these are the words of the Dutch champion after the triumph.

Looking at the race in detail, the start smiles at Perez who takes the first position for a few hundred meters, only to then give in to melee with Verstappen, bad and determined in taking back the lead of the race. In the meantime, Hulkenberg takes advantage of it to snatch second place from the Mexican of Red Bull, while Sainz follows immediately behind, taking advantage of the traffic jam found by Norris who, after starting from the third box, slips incredibly into tenth position behind Leclerc’s other Ferrari .

In front Verstappen runs away and loses track of his car, putting fast laps in his pocket repeatedly, while behind Perez and Sainz take second and third place at the expense of Hulkenberg who is unable to defend himself with the Haas. In the middle of the group, however, Leclerc was unable to overtake Ocon, making fun of Norris who made him climb to tenth position during the 16th lap.

The finale of the race heats up, with the track gradually drying out after a wet start: those behind dare to switch to slick tyres, while the first seven in front all stay on intermediate tyres. In the waltz of the pit stops, the latest one belongs to Ferrari with Leclerc, who has been in trouble since this morning and was forced to slip even to 14th place, then finishing 12th.