Russell wins Austrian Grand Prix; driver ratings

At the Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell secured his second victory of the season and his second career win at the Red Bull Ring, as reported by F1 commentator Harry Benjamin on 28 June 2026. Russell's win reduced the gap to his Mercedes teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 40 points. Having previously won the season-opening race in Australia, Russell's latest triumph came after Antonelli's five consecutive wins had given him control in the championship standings.

Lewis Hamilton, who had won in Barcelona two weeks earlier, struggled to achieve a fifth-place finish in his Ferrari despite the team's recent upgrades.

Here are the driver ratings from the weekend's performances in Spielberg:

• George Russell - 9/10: Converted pole position into a well-controlled victory, despite losing his drinks system in the extreme heat; faced pressure from Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli while demonstrating his race-winning abilities.
• Max Verstappen - 8.5/10: Made a strong comeback after a qualifying crash and finished second, displaying aggressive speed and competitive spirit during battles with Lewis Hamilton.
• Kimi Antonelli - 7.5/10: Returned from his retirement in Barcelona with a podium finish, maintaining a comfortable lead in championship standings, though a poorly timed VSC stop cost him a chance to fight for the win.
• Oscar Piastri - 7/10: Had a quiet but effective race to secure fourth place and maximized the McLaren package despite lacking pace to join the leaders.
• Lewis Hamilton - 6.5/10: Looked fast in qualifying but fell behind during the race, with Ferrari's performance unable to match the pace of Mercedes and Red Bull, while team strategies left him feeling limited.
• Isack Hadjar - 6/10: A solid drive to finish sixth after a challenging qualifying performance, the weekend felt frustrating as his teammate celebrated a podium.
• Lando Norris - 6.5/10: Struggled after a poor start and could not recover, marking a disappointing race following promising pace on Friday.
• Charles Leclerc - 5/10: Started strong on the front row but faded during the race, leading to disappointment from an advantageous starting position.
• Liam Lawson - 7/10: Competently secured points with a solid race, maximizing the potential of his Racing Bulls machinery.
• Arvid Lindblad - 6.5/10: Another commendable outing as a rookie, finishing in the top 10 while looking confident throughout.
• Gabriel Bortoleto - 6/10: Led Audi home with a tidy race yet finished just outside the points.
• Nico Hulkenberg - 5.5/10: Had a decent race but was overshadowed by Bortoleto's performance despite gaining places from a low starting position.
• Pierre Gasly - 5/10: Experienced a disappointing Sunday as Alpine struggled with pace.
• Ollie Bearman - 4.5/10: An unremarkable race day for Bearman and the Haas team.
• Franco Colapinto - 4.5/10: Steadily finished while maintaining composure.
• Esteban Ocon - 4/10: Lacked competitiveness compared to his teammate, experiencing difficulties at the start.
• Alex Albon - 4/10: Finished two laps down, with Williams struggling throughout the race.
• Fernando Alonso - 4.5/10: Gained places late in the race primarily due to retirements but had a disappointing outing.
• Lance Stroll - 3.5/10: Retired after 45 laps, concluding a challenging race.
• Carlos Sainz - 4/10: Forced to retire early, leaving a disappointing mark after a strong qualifying.
• Sergio Perez - 4/10: Had a troubled day with his Cadillac struggling in race conditions.
• Valtteri Bottas - 3.5/10: Retired after only two laps, marking a difficult race for him.