Verstappen pulls upset in F1 Austrian GP thriller

The two Red Bull Racing cars during the early laps of the Austrian GP. PHOTO FROM REDBULLRACING.REDBULL.COM

CHARLES Leclerc led the six cars with Ferrari engines that comprised the top 11 spots of the starting grid in the 2019 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

Leclerc took pole and set a lap record while teammate Sebastian Vettel failed to put in a time in Q3 due to mechanical trouble in his car, and thus started ninth on the grid.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton set the second-fastest time in final qualifying but was handed a penalty for blocking the Alfa Romeo Racing car of Kimi Raikkonen during Q1. The penalty put Hamilton fourth on the starting grid, behind teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Yes, Austria was not kind to Mercedes.

Red Bull Racing Honda’s Max Verstappen was promoted to second on the grid because of Hamilton’s penalty, handing Red Bull, after which the Austrian track is named, a front-row spot.

But, in racing, it’s not where one starts that matters; it’s where one finishes.

Because while Leclerc went on to prove Ferrari’s advantage on the track as he led the race seemingly unchallenged, what was looking to be as his maiden win turned into a “first loser” finish — or second place.

This is because Verstappen atoned for his flubbed start by delivering what could be the best drive yet of his career. Dropping to ninth at the end of the first lap, he made his way up the field until he caught Leclerc with less than five laps to go. After attempting a pass with three laps to the end, he finally managed to stick an aggressive move on the Ferrari driver to take the lead on lap 69 of the 71-lap race.

There was contact — no arguments there — so race officials said they are still investigating the incident hours after the podium ceremonies were over.

Verstappen handed Honda its first win since Jenson Button’s victory in 2006. Red Bull also became the first team to break Mercedes’ top-place finish lockout of all eight races in the 2019 F1 season prior to the Austrian GP.

Verstappen also won at the Red Bull Ring in 2018.

Bottas completed the podium. Hamilton finished fifth after Vettel overtook him to secure fourth in the closing laps of the race. It was the first time Hamilton finished outside the top two places this year.

But Hamilton still leads the driver’s championship with 197 points to Bottas’s 166, Verstappen’s 126, Vettel’s 123 and Leclerc’s 105.

In the manufacturer’s title Mercedes has a commanding lead of 363 points over Ferrari’s 228 and Red Bull’s 169.

The next F1 race is the British GP set on July 12-16.