Verstappen wins without a shot in Austria

Max Verstappen continues to set a furious pace at the top of the world championship. The pilot Red Bull pockets a 4th success this season by winning with authority at the Styrian Grand Prix from pole position. 

Unlike what happened last Sunday in France, the Flying Dutchman did not need an aggressive strategy to get the better of his great rival. Lewis Hamilton, which once again limits the damage with a 2nd place. 

The seven-time world champion made a second pit stop at the very end of the race to try to steal the bonus point for the best lap during the final loop. With success. 

However, there will be no shortage of questions in the clan Mercedes because Hamilton will never have been able to compete with his opponent, who increases his advantage in the Drivers' championship by 6 points after his 3rd personal victory in Austria. 

Behind the duettists, their faithful lieutenants also fought a fine duel. While Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) had the advantage at the start of the race, a bad pit-stop caused him to slip behind Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes). Red Bull then chose to stop the Mexican a second time in order to give him the tire advantage at the end of the race. 

The bet almost worked out since Pérez finished on the heels of Bottas, who retained 3rd place for barely half a second. 

3th on the grid, Lando Norris must be satisfied with the honorary title of best of the others in a race where only the first 4 finish in the same lap. The Briton, who remains the only driver to have scored points in every race in 2021, is ahead of a solid Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), which uses a staggered strategy with a longer first stint, to move up from 12th to 6th place. 

The Spaniard precedes his teammate Charles Leclerc, forced to go through the pit box on the first lap following contact with Pierre Gasly. The Monegasque recovered well and managed to get back to 7th place, at the cost of sometimes muscular maneuvers. 

Lance stroll (Aston Martin), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), And Yuki tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) complete the Top 10 in Styria this Sunday. 

The day was very disappointing for the French. Well qualified in 6th position, Gasly (AlphaTauri) lost everything on the first lap due to a rear-left puncture caused by contact with the Ferrari of his friend Leclerc. As for Esteban Ocon (Alpine) he finished his afternoon of work in an anonymous 14th place, the result of his elimination in Q1 on Saturday. 

After his 14th career victory, Verstappen is now 18 points ahead of Hamilton. Can Mercedes respond to Red Bull in a week on the same ground? The German team and its leader don't really have a choice if they don't want to see their Austrian rivals and their Oranje spearhead slip out of the standings.