A reinvigorated Lando Norris in the title fight, a somewhat disappointing Oscar Piastri, and then there’s Max Verstappen with a Red Bull he claims is too slow. All these factors combined could potentially create a new dynamic in the title race today in Austria. We explain why, discuss the role of the sun, and tell you why there’s a chance for a celebration for the Gabriel Bortoleto fan club.
1. Impending Revenge of Lando Norris
He was the first to admit it: Lando Norris made a mistake during the Grand Prix of Canada. The combination of his retirement, total disappointment, and an even larger deficit in the World Championship seemed to put a significant dent in Norris’s championship aspirations. But behold, fortunes can change. In Austria, Norris is in command, dominating the weekend with his McLaren and outperforming everyone, including teammate Piastri, who also missed the first row in qualifying. Ouch!
This gives Norris the opportunity for sporting revenge and to reduce the gap in the title race. The deficit is currently 22 points, but the Austrian GP could make things exciting again. Given Norris’s dominance this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, nothing should stand in the way of his victory in Spielberg. To illustrate: he was not only the fastest in every session he participated in, but also in every part of the qualifying. And… his lead of a whopping 0.521 seconds over second-placed Charles Leclerc was the largest margin of a pole sitter so far this season.
And Piastri, who could potentially finish second and thus limit the damage? Well, that remains to be seen. The MCL39 is more than capable of achieving a one-two finish, but is Piastri really in the groove this weekend? The qualifying was disappointing, visibly and audibly. Perhaps a new dynamic in the title race will emerge in Austria.
2. Heavy Task for Verstappen
Is the title race now really just a duel between Norris and Piastri? The fact that Verstappen is already 44 points behind Piastri doesn’t help, and neither does his seventh starting position. Verstappen certainly had bad luck in qualifying, but even then, P3 was theoretically the highest achievable. How will the race go today? Verstappen doesn’t have much confidence in his RB21, as he stated that “it wasn’t running well at all.”
In the race, Red Bull is not always superior to its qualifying performance, which doesn’t necessarily promise a positive outcome. An even larger gap to Piastri – and Norris – after today is likely. With eleven races already completed, defending the title becomes even more challenging than it was before this weekend. HOWEVER… If there’s one person who has often surprised friends and foes alike on a Sunday afternoon, it’s Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. So, who knows?
3. The Sun Also Plays a Role
Warm, warmer, warmest. This superlative is applicable to the race weekend in Austria. Day by day, the temperatures are rising, and the teams and drivers are feeling it in their cars. Some cars handle it better than others. It’s noticeable that Mercedes, not for the first time, slows down as the air temperatures rise. But Red Bull also doesn’t benefit from the sun that has increasingly been peeking around the corner in Spielberg. According to Verstappen, the car struggles with it, which doesn’t bode well.
4. Special Points on the Horizon
Members of the Gabriel Bortoleto fan club – of which there are plenty in the Netherlands too – are overjoyed. For the first time in his budding F1 career, the Brazilian managed to qualify for Q3, earning a commendable eighth place on the grid. This means a chance for his first points. And yes, the Sauber has not proven to be a particularly good car. But since the Spanish Grand Prix, clear progress has been visible. And this could lead to a special result for Bortoleto.
And Furthermore…
- P4 is Lewis Hamilton‘s best qualifying result so far with Ferrari.
- A lap on the Red Bull Ring is 4326 meters long.
- Piastri has started from the first or second row in every GP this year.
- The race lasts 71 laps and the chance of a safety car is 38 percent.
