In the thrilling conclusion of the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell emerged as the victor after a collision between title contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at Turn 3. The incident occurred with just seven laps remaining in the race.
Russell, driving for Mercedes, had been holding onto second place behind Verstappen's Red Bull when Norris began to close the gap. The McLaren driver was determined to take the lead and repeatedly attempted to pass at Turn 3. However, each attempt resulted in track limits infringements for Norris.
Despite these penalties, Norris continued his pursuit of Verstappen, who was on a different pit strategy with fresh hard tyres. With just a few laps remaining, the Red Bull driver pitted for medium tyres to try and maintain his lead. However, the slow pitstop cost him valuable time and position.
As Norris exited the pits, he found himself right behind Verstappen once again. The McLaren driver made another attempt to pass at Turn 3 but this time, contact was made between the two cars. Norris's right-rear tyre sustained damage from the collision and he was forced to retire from the race.
Verstappen, who had also suffered a puncture as a result of the incident, received a 10-second penalty for causing the collision. He finished fifth in the final standings.
Russell's win marked Mercedes' first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix and was celebrated by both him and his team. Oscar Piastri finished second for McLaren, while Carlos Sainz took third place for Ferrari.
The collision between Verstappen and Norris sparked controversy, with Norris accusing the Red Bull driver of reckless driving. The stewards ultimately ruled that Verstappen was at fault for the incident.
Despite the intense battle on track, all drivers showed great sportsmanship and respect towards each other in their post-race interviews.
