Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had a massive enough lead in the final laps of the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix that it allowed him make a pit stop so he could grab the solitary point for the fastest lap while winning the race. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second and Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, recovered from starting 15th on the grid to snag the third and final podium position.
Verstappen was on pole position and led all but 10 laps of the race – which occurred during the first set of pit crossovers – and led from Lap 35 onward without being contested. Leclerc was under early pressure but also held second place for all but two laps from Lap 35 onward. Third place was the only podium position that occasionally changed hands in the second half of the race with Perez finally staving off a challenge from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Jr.
With the victory, Verstappen widens his already whopping lead in the Formula One driver’s standings with 229 points to 148 points for Perez, followed by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso with 129 points, Mercedes’ seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton with 108 points and Sainz, Jr. with 86 points.
2023 Austrian Grand Prix Top 10 Finishers
1] Max Verstappen – Red Bull
2] Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
3] Sergio Pérez – Red Bull
4] Carlos Sainz Jr. – Ferrari
5] Lando Norris – McLaren
6] Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
7] Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes
8] George Russell – Mercedes
9] Pierre Gasly – Alpine
10] Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
