Russell regains second place in the World Championship thanks to his victory at the Austrian Grand Prix

The British driver took victory at the Red Bull Ring after a race he controlled from the start, in which tyre management played a key role. He managed to regain second place in the World Championship thanks to his victory at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix, a performance that allowed him to reduce the lead held by the championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, to 40 points.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, who started fifth on the grid, finished second after closing the gap in the final laps thanks to better pace, although he had no clear chance of challenging for the win. Antonelli completed the podium and retained the championship lead. In contrast, Ferrari ended the race on a sour note despite Leclerc and Hamilton starting in second and third place respectively. Hamilton was at the centre of one of the race’s most memorable moments, engaging in several on-track duels with Verstappen in an intense but fair battle.

As for the Spanish contingent, the outcome was once again disappointing. Sainz retired due to a mechanical failure, whilst Alonso, hampered by his car’s lack of competitiveness, finished well outside the points.

The race at Spielberg confirmed Mercedes’ strength, allowed Verstappen to secure another podium finish in front of his home crowd, and cast doubt on Ferrari’s prospects.

Final standings

Here are the final results of the Austrian Grand Prix:

Posición	Piloto	País	Equipo	Time
1	George Russell		Mercedes	1:26:37.979
2	Max Verstappen		Red Bull Racing	+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 Racing	+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