Red Bull’s Max Verstappen led from start to finish in a snoozefest as he won the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix without any pressure from any other competitor. Mercedes’ seven-time defending Formula One world champion, Lewis Hamilton, started alongside Verstappen in the first row but was never a factor for the race lead and Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, finished in the third and final podium position.
Verstappen began in the pole position and gradually drove away from Hamilton from the first lap while Bottas – starting in fifth after being assessed a three-place grid penalty for spinning his car in pit lane during the second practice session – took advantage of a temporary power loss from Mclaren’s Lando Norris and a poor pit stop from Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to pass both of them for third and barely retained it, fending off a late rush from Perez, who pitted for fresher tires late in the race.
With the victory, Verstappen extends his lead to 18 points – 156-138 – over Hamilton, who pitted late and was able to grab the fastest lap single point consolation prize for the race.
