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Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP sprint race to move 44 points clear

By Chris King • Published: 10 Jul 2022 • 2:43

Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP sprint race to move 44 points clear

Image of the chequered flag at an F1 race. Credit: Twitter@F1

Dutch world champion Max Verstappen moved 44 points clear in the drivers’ table after winning the Austrian GP sprint race.

Current F1 world champion Max Verstappen edged further ahead of his rivals after winning the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday, July 9. He drove his Red Bull to a convincing victory, picking up another eight points to move 44 points clear at the top of the drivers’ table.

The Dutchman took the chequered flag 1.6 seconds ahead of the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Saturday’s positions determined the grid line-up for today’s race, Sunday, July 10, at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

Red Bull’s other driver, Sergio Perez pulled off a spectacular result, the Mexican moving from 13th at the start to finish in fifth. A bizarre incident as the lights changed saw Fernando Alonso’s Alpine stranded on the track, not moving, and with one of its tyre protectors still on the front wheel.

George Russell brought his Mercedes home in a respectable fourth place, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton just managed to creep into the points in eighth.

Verstappen was fastest off the starting line, and by the time the two Ferrari drivers had sorted themselves out, by the end of the third lap, the Red Bull was already two seconds clear.

“We had good pace at the beginning and after that, we were very closely matched, it was as a sprint should go, it was quite flat out. I do expect tomorrow is going to be a very interesting battle again”, commented Verstappen after the race.
 

“We are quick. We can get them tomorrow”, LeClerc was heard saying over the team radio. In his television interview though the Frenchman was more circumspect. “It was tricky. The first part of the race was all about managing. Max was pushing and I was just trying to look after my tyres. I had a small fight with Carlos and then I started to push towards the end and could close in a bit but it was very close”.

Esteban Ocon completed a fine drive in the Alpine to clinch sixth on the grid, with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen behind him in seventh. The other Haas driven by Mick Schumacher took ninth spot.

Valtteri Bottas thought that he had rounded out the top ten in the Alfa Romeo, but he was hit with an engine penalty and will now start from the back of the grid. That promoted Britain’s young McLaren driver Lando Norris to tenth.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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