The Austrian Formula 1 race ended with excitement when George Russell won after a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. There have been some up and down star performances – while the Red Bull Ring event was a weekend to forget for some.
How did all the drivers perform throughout the event? RacingNews365 has weighed in with our driver ratings.
George Russell – 9
He was in the right place at the right time, but someone had to be there. Russell picked up the pieces from a dramatic collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to secure his first win of the season, cementing a strong weekend for the Briton, who is hitting his stride Strong progress towards stability towards the end of the season.
Nico Hulkenberg – 9
It slipped a bit under the radar amid the ongoing drama, but Hulkenberg’s sixth-place finish marked Haas’ best result in two years. Qualifying in ninth and finishing the race three positions higher, Haas has now surpassed his 2023 points total, thanks (largely) to another strong performance from Hulkenberg’s Audi.
Lando Norris – 8.5
Norris has long been Verstappen’s biggest challenger this year and while matters in Austria have become too close, the general consensus is that the Briton is not at fault. While his passing efforts in the lead up to the crash are questionable, Norris’s front-row qualifying position and his attack for the win maintained his status as Verstappen’s most worthy opponent on the current grid.
Carlos Sainz – 8
Ferrari needs an answer to its woes and soon. It could be argued that it is fourth in the current standings but Sainz’s steady lead in the Spielberg has ensured that it can claim podiums where its rivals falter. Faster than team-mate Leclerc throughout the weekend, Sainz’s performance could win him more time in the driver’s market amid reports that teams are tiring of waiting for his decision .
Daniel Ricciardo – 8
Much has been said about Ricciardo’s struggles in the 2024 F1 campaign, but there’s no denying his outing in Austria was strong. The RB driver admitted it was a “difficult” race as he was forced to go on the defensive to preserve points, but he did so successfully at a crucial time when his F1 career was at a crossroads .
Bottom five
Lewis Hamilton – 5
“Shocking” were the words Hamilton used to describe his Austrian Grand Prix. Hamilton was slightly disoriented throughout the race, held back by the damage he sustained on the floor of his car. But on a weekend where Mercedes had reason to celebrate, there wasn’t much to celebrate from the seven-time world champion in the garage.
Chu Guan Yu – 5
Another anonymous race for Zhou at the wheel of the Stake F1 car saw him finish 17th, having decided to change his setup overnight and start from the pit lane. Unfortunately, these changes did not help increase his speed, leading to another disappointing outing for the Chinese rider.
Sergio Perez – 4
Perez was injured on the opening lap of the race, significantly reducing his speed after a poor performance in qualifying. However, the clash with Piastri was avoidable and it immediately put him at a disadvantage. Despite a punctured tire and a 10-second penalty for Verstappen, Perez was still unable to overtake his teammate on the track.
Sergeant Logan – 4
A painful performance by Sargeant left him in last place for most of the race. Sargeant was also injured during the grand prix but this performance was similar to what we have seen from the American driver recently: disappointing.
Fernando Alonso – 3
What happened to Aston Martin and Alonso? Speed has completely disappeared from the car and the Spanish driver does not expect any quick fixes. A lack of pace at the weekend in Austria and an awkward charge at Chu made for a tiring weekend for the two-time world champion.
AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX DRIVER RATINGS
DRIVER | TEAM | RATING |
---|---|---|
George Russell | Mercedes | 9 |
Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | 9 |
Lando Norris | McLaren | 8.5 |
Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 8 |
Daniel Ricciardo | RB | 8 |
Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 7.5 |
Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 7 |
Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 7 |
Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 7 |
Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 6 |
Yuki Tsunoda | RB | 6 |
Alex Albon | Williams | 6 |
Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 6 |
Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 | 5.5 |
Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 5 |
Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 5 |
Zhou Guanyu | Stake F1 | 5 |
Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 4 |
Logan Sargeant | Williams | 3 |
Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 3 |