Russell wins Austrian GP for Mercedes, leads all 71 laps
NXTbets Pro | Published On: June 29, 2026
Russell dominates Austria
Mercedes driver George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring, and he did it in complete control. He started from pole position, led from the opening lap and never gave the field a chance to catch him over 71 laps. Russell crossed the line 1.611 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, a gap that reflected how firmly he managed the race once the lights went out. It was Russell’s second Grand Prix victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season and his first since the Australian Grand Prix in March. The result also sharpened the fight at the top of the Mercedes garage because Russell’s finish trimmed Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the championship standings. On a circuit where track position mattered from the start, Russell made the clean getaway he needed and then kept the race on his terms. Sunday’s win added another strong day for Mercedes and gave Russell a clear statement result after a long stretch without a victory.
Mercedes doubles podium
Mercedes left Austria with a double podium after Kimi Antonelli finished third and completed the top three for the team. Antonelli’s run gave Mercedes a major points haul and kept the squad at the center of the fight at the front, even as Russell controlled the victory. Verstappen’s second-place finish gave Red Bull a better race day than some recent outings, and the team showed improved race pace as the Grand Prix unfolded. The margin to Russell was still decisive, but Verstappen’s performance offered a stronger sign of life on home soil for the Austrian race weekend. Ferrari, by contrast, missed the podium entirely. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth for the team, while Charles Leclerc came home eighth, a result that left Ferrari chasing Mercedes and Red Bull rather than joining them on the podium. Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren and remained just outside the rostrum, adding another solid but unspectacular points finish to the front half of the field. With Russell on top, Antonelli third and Verstappen second, the race settled into a familiar shape at the front, but Mercedes had the day’s sharpest overall return.
Midfield battles in Austria
The rest of the top 10 filled out a crowded points picture behind the leaders. Isack Hadjar finished sixth, Lando Norris came seventh, Liam Lawson took ninth and Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top 10 in tenth. That group kept the race busy after the leading positions stabilized, and each driver picked up valuable ground in a Grand Prix that was shaped early by Russell’s pole-to-flag pace. Norris’ seventh-place finish came one year after he won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole, a reminder of how quickly the same venue can shift from triumph to a tougher Sunday. Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas did not finish the race, which thinned the field and altered the finishing order behind the front-runners. The retirement list also gave more weight to the drivers who stayed clear of trouble and brought their cars home. In a race that never let up at the front, Russell’s precision stood out most. He kept the lead from the opening lap, Verstappen stayed close enough to make the result meaningful and Antonelli made sure Mercedes turned one strong drive into a full-team success.
