George Russell claims surprise win in Austria after Verstappen and Norris collide in battle for the lead.

Mercedes' George Russell clinched an unexpected victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.

The race took a dramatic turn in the final laps when Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collided while battling for the lead, dropping Verstappen down the order and forcing Norris to retire.

The day had started well for Verstappen, who held the pole position and maintained P1 for most of the race. However, the tide began to turn during the final pit stops on Lap 52 of 71.

A rare slower pit stop by Red Bull, caused by an issue with the left rear wheel, brought Norris within two seconds of Verstappen, setting the stage for a thrilling duel.

Norris, hot on Verstappen's tail, made several attempts to snatch P1. The climax came on Lap 64 when both drivers made contact, resulting in punctures for both and forcing them to limp back to the pits.

This mishap allowed George Russell, who had been running a steady third, to seize the lead. He held on until the chequered flag, marking the second win of his F1 career.

In a bittersweet outcome for McLaren, Oscar Piastri managed to secure P2, while Carlos Sainz in the lead Ferrari took third place.

There was a significant gap back to Lewis Hamilton in fourth, with Verstappen crossing the line in fifth, despite a 10-second penalty for the incident with Norris.

Haas had a strong showing with Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen finishing sixth and eighth, respectively, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez sandwiched between them in seventh.

Daniel Ricciardo brought home points for RB with a ninth-place finish, and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten for Alpine.

Charles Leclerc had an eventful day, recovering from a first-lap incident with Piastri to climb to P11 after four pit stops.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon followed in P12, having enjoyed a close squabble with teammate Gasly earlier in the race.

Photo Credits: Formula One