Source :- THE AGE NEWS
If you were George Russell you’d be feeling a little queasy.
Max Verstappen has cut the margin to just 1.4 seconds and is rapidly gaining on his rival.
That is some magnificent stuff from Aussie Oscar Piastri.
The McLaren driver lunged towards Charles Leclerc on the inside of turn 3 to steal fourth place. The two cars almost banged wheels but Piastri managed to stay ahead.
Leclerc appears to be missing a little bit of his front wing.
Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton took advantage of the chaos and also overtook his teammate.
Oscar Piastri is gaining on Charles Leclerc, getting closer to the Ferrari driver’s gearbox.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is hunting Mercedes leader George Russell and is approx 2 seconds behind him.
The gap between them is four seconds.
Aston Martin’s year just keeps getting worse with Fernando Alonso noted for speeding in the pit lane
Oscar Piastri has fought is way up into the fifth (starting from seventh on the grid).
He is roughly three seconds behind Charles Leclerc, with Kimi Antonelli in third.
Pole sitter George Russell is still leading the race, however he has Max Verstappen breathing down his neck.
Lewis Hamilton – who pitted again for soft tyres – passed Hadjar and is now in sixth.
Oh dear.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz’s car has spluttered to a halt. That’s another retirement for today.
This is diaster for Sainz and even worse for Kimi Antonelli.
The Italian youngster had already committed to coming into the pits a lap too early, and now misses out on the advantage of a virtual safety car.
This is nail-biting stuff.
At turn 6, Verstappen made a gigantic lunge up the inside to overtake Lewis Hamilton.
The seven-time world champion attempts to snatch it back, and the two almost touch.
Ferrari has pitted Hamilton for the hard compound tyres. Meanwhile, George Russell has established a five-second lead over the rest of the grid.
Mercedes finally pit Russell on Lap 20/71, with Max Verstappen Piastri to follow.
We hear over the radio that Russell might consider a one-stop strategy? This seems unlikely.
The temperatures are scorching and it could be a message to throw off other teams. But you never know.
Ad commentators note, Russell is a known “tyre whisperer”.
George Russell still has the lead in Austria and leads Lewis Hamilton by around three seconds.
BUT WAIT.
A third-placed Max Verstappen sweeps around the inside in Turn 3 and overtakes the seven-time world champion. Moments later the Ferrari driver snatches it back near turn four, after Verstappen locked his tyres.
This is spectacular stuff and makes you feel nostalgic for the extraordinary 2021 championship battle between the two.
Verstappen complains on radio, claiming Hamilton forced him off. Race stewards take note.
Charles Leclerc has struggled with pace and sits in fifth with Aussie Piastri in sixth.
Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are both out of the Austrian Grand Prix – marking a double retirement for Cadillac.
