Norris Triumphs Over Piastri in Thrilling McLaren Duel at Austrian GP

Lando Norris secured a significant victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, triumphing over his McLaren teammate and championship contender, Oscar Piastri, in a captivating battle on the track.

Norris successfully defended his position against Piastri during an intense 20-lap segment early in the race. He then withstood persistent pressure in the closing stages to clinch his third win of the season.

This victory comes two weeks after a collision with Piastri at the Canadian Grand Prix and reduces Piastri's lead in the championship standings from 22 to 15 points.

"Well done everyone, beautiful one-two," Norris exclaimed over the radio immediately after crossing the finish line. In his post-race interview, he added, "We had a great battle, that's for sure. It was a lot of fun. For me, a lot of stress! But a nice battle."

"Well done to Oscar. Hopefully, it was a nice one for everyone to watch. But it was tough, especially when he was in the DRS."

Reigning champion Max Verstappen's chances for another title suffered a potentially decisive blow when he was forced off the track by Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap. McLaren demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the entire weekend.

Norris and Piastri quickly established a lead over the Ferrari drivers at the start, maintaining a close formation for the initial phase of the race.

Piastri briefly overtook Norris, making a move on the inside at Turn 3. However, Norris swiftly regained the lead, powering past at the subsequent corner.

Jump to: Race results

Championship leader Piastri nearly collided with the back of Norris's car on lap 20 while attempting to gain position. Pit stops subsequently provided Norris with the necessary advantage to secure the victory.

"Sorry for the move in Turn 4," Piastri admitted after the race. "My bad."

The race results suggest that the 2025 championship is shaping up to be a battle between two drivers, with Verstappen's non-finish and George Russell's distant fifth-place finish further solidifying this notion.

Charles Leclerc secured a podium finish for Ferrari, crossing the line 17 seconds behind the second-place finisher, while Hamilton finished fourth.

Liam Lawson, who was replaced as Verstappen's teammate earlier in the season, delivered an impressive performance for Racing Bulls, finishing sixth with a well-executed one-stop strategy.

Yuki Tsunoda, Lawson's replacement, finished last, continuing a string of disappointing results in the underperforming Red Bull car.

Fernando Alonso finished eighth for Aston Martin, employing a similar strategy to Lawson, and successfully fended off his protégé, Gabriel Bortoleto, in an exciting duel during the final laps.

Bortoleto ultimately finished eighth, earning his first points of his rookie season as the reigning Formula 2 champion. His Sauber teammate, Nico Hülkenberg, continued the team's recent strong form by finishing ninth. This marked the first time since 2018 that Sauber had both cars finish in the top 10.

Haas's Esteban Ocon claimed the final points-paying position, finishing tenth.

Williams experienced a disastrous race. Carlos Sainz was unable to start due to a brake fire during the formation lap, which delayed the race start by 15 minutes. Sainz's teammate, Alex Albon, retired in the pit lane later in the race.