Lando Norris back on form, Red Bull struggle and Gabriel Bortoleto's breakthrough: Austrian GP talking points

The National

a day ago

The Austrian Grand Prix continues to justify its reputation as one of the most thrilling stops on the Formula One calendar.
The future of the race is also secure, with the Red Bull Ring confirmed to remain on the schedule until 2041 following a newly announced contract extension.
This year, the paddock was buzzing with theories after it was revealed the track had mysteriously grown by eight metres compared to 2024 – a subtle change, but more than enough to spark curiosity.
Drama hit before the race even began, with Carlos Sainz forced to retire after the rear brakes of his Williams caught fire on the formation lap. As he jumped out of the smoking car, Fernando Alonso sat roasting on the grid, claiming his seat had reached 200 degrees during the delay.
From setbacks to sweltering conditions and a spectacular battle at the front, the Austrian Grand Prix delivered chaos and spectacle from start to finish. Here are the key takeaways from a weekend that had it all.
Norris back to his best
Unsurprisingly, McLaren emerged as the dominant force, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri delivering a masterclass in pace and precision. From the start of the weekend, race winner Norris looked back to his best. Helped by the upgrades the team introduced, he led every session from FP2 onwards, sealing pole with a commanding lap over half a second clear of Charles Leclerc.
After qualifying, he radioed in with a telling message: 'Nice to see the old me back every now and then.'
Sunday's race delivered a gripping duel between the McLaren pair, with Piastri consistently applying pressure to his teammate. The intensity peaked around lap 10, when Norris erred and Piastri momentarily slipped ahead, only for the Brit to reclaim the position soon after. From that moment on, the pair fought tooth and nail, pushing each other to the limit while managing to avoid any serious trouble.
'We had a great battle, that's for sure,' Norris said. 'It was a lot of fun, for me a lot of stress but a lot of fun! A nice battle, so well done to Oscar.'
With his victory in Austria, Norris cut Piastri's lead in the drivers' championship to just 15 points heading to Silverstone next week.
It was a commanding response to the frustration of Canada – and a clear sign that, when supported and settled, Norris can deliver under pressure. This time, there was no self-sabotage, no misstep – just a calm, confident drive backed by a team that has fully embraced him and helped rebuild his belief.
No home comforts for Red Bull
Red Bull endured a weekend to forget at their home circuit, as Max Verstappen's race came to an abrupt end on the opening lap.
Despite struggling with grip issues, the Dutchman looked promising in practice, but his momentum stalled in qualifying when yellow flags, triggered by Pierre Gasly's spin, cut short his final flying lap. He was forced to settle for seventh on the grid.
But Verstappen's hopes of making progress were over just moments after lights out. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli locked up and made contact with the Red Bull driver, forcing both into early retirement. The incident resulted in Verstappen's first DNF since the 2024 Australian Grand Prix and proved costly for his title ambitions, leaving him 61 points adrift of championship leader Piastri.
'I think every driver has made a mistake like that. No one does that on purpose as well, so for me, that's not a big deal,' a surprisingly understanding Verstappen said of Antonelli's error. The stewards have since handed the Mercedes man a three-place grid penalty for Silverstone.
It was an even worse weekend for Yuki Tsunoda, who failed to advance past Q1 and qualified a disappointing 18th on the grid. On Sunday, a careless collision with Alpine's Franco Colapinto saw Tsunoda handed a 10-second penalty and two penalty points, capping off a difficult afternoon in which he ultimately finished at the back of the field. It marked Red Bull's first point-less race in 77 Grands Prix and saw them drop to fourth in the constructors' standings.
Things are looking up for Ferrari
It was a significant weekend for Ferrari, both on and off the track. With Fred Vasseur absent for the first time since taking charge in 2023 due to personal reasons, Jerome D'Ambrosio stepped in to lead the team at the Red Bull Ring.
The Scuderia arrived in Austria with momentum and a promising starting position, as Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton lined up second and fourth on the grid respectively, supported by recent upgrades – including a new floor – aimed at narrowing the gap to the front.
Leclerc lost second place to Piastri almost immediately but recovered to finish third, securing his fourth podium of the season.
Hamilton, meanwhile, equalled his best result of the season in fourth and praised the team's direction. 'For us to be the second fastest team this weekend, we're not a minute down from McLaren, which is positive. To bag some really strong points, I'm definitely happy with it,' said Hamilton.
Bortoleto's breakthrough
Gabriel Bortoleto enjoyed a breakthrough weekend in Austria, securing the first Formula One points of his career with a composed and confident P8 finish at the Red Bull Ring.
The Brazilian rookie impressed with his calm under pressure and consistent pace. The result was particularly meaningful – not only did it end a long wait for a Brazilian driver to score points in F1, but it came at a track Bortoleto described as 'a special place' after qualifying. With F3 and F2 titles already to his name, his performance served as a timely reminder of the talent and promise he brings to the grid.
The weekend began with promise as Kick Sauber introduced key upgrades – including a new floor, diffuser, and rear wing – that gave Bortoleto the confidence to target points.
'We did a great job on the pit stops, we did a great job with the strategy,' he said. 'I feel like we did everything that was in our hands. I just hope that we can keep this up. I think we can score more points in the season and have great results.'