2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix Highlights

George Russell claimed victory at the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth in a race that was slow to the boil; late drama made up for the early stages, with George taking advantage of a clash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to win.

Starting P3 and P5, respectively, George held position at the start, with Lewis passing Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari at turn one. However, the incident was noted because Lewis gained an advantage by running off track, so he gave the position back. While he pushed hard to achieve the position again, floor damage picked up early on, compromising his race and leading to a loss of performance.

Both drivers ran a two-stop strategy, starting on the Medium compound tyre. George took a new Medium compound at his first stop with Lewis the Hard. Lewis was noted for crossing the white line at pit entry, however. That led to a five-second penalty he served at his second stop, as he took the Medium compound tyre and dropped him behind the McLaren of Piastri.

The team’s race looked set to end with George finishing P3 and Lewis P6 before Verstappen and Norris clashed for the lead on lap 64. With both cars suffering damage, it was with an element of good fortune that George cycled through to the lead. He closed out the final few laps without incident to take his second Grand Prix victory and the team’s first since the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix.

George Russell

Incredible! That’s the only way I can describe it. We had a tough fight early to ensure we held on to P3. That would prove crucial in the end. I saw that Max (Verstappen) and Lando (Norris) had a big battle. We were only just over 10 seconds behind the pair of them, which is really encouraging pace-wise. I knew there was a possibility that they could come together, even if it were only a slim chance. You have to be there at the end to pick up the pieces, and that’s exactly where we were. I am so proud to be back on the podium’s top step.

The team have done an amazing job to get us closer to the fight at the front. We have made so many strides since the start of the season. The last few races have been great; hopefully, more will come. It’s no secret that Max and Lando are ahead of us, but we’re consistently putting ourselves in that third position. It’s an exciting time for us; we’re riding a bit of a wave, and I can’t wait to go to my home race at Silverstone next week and see what we can do there.

Lewis Hamilton

Congratulations to George and the team. Everyone at Brackley and Brixworth really deserves this result. They have worked so hard to bring performance to the car, and we are starting to get closer and closer to the very front. We put in so much effort that getting a result like this is a well-deserved reward for everyone’s efforts.

From my side, it wasn’t the cleanest weekend. Unfortunately, I picked up some damage early on, which compromised my race. We now look ahead to Silverstone. It is always such a special weekend, and I can’t wait to see all the fans there. It is a track that should hopefully suit us a little better than here in Austria, so let’s see what we can do.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO

It is a great feeling to return to the podium’s top step. It is a fantastic reward for everyone’s hard work and efforts at Brackley and Brixworth. We have taken good steps forward in recent races and are excited about what is still to come. We knew our outright pace today wouldn’t quite be enough to challenge for victory. Therefore, we ensured we maximised our race and could pick up the pieces should anything happen. We enjoyed some good fortune, but it was motor racing.

George did a fantastic job throughout the race to keep himself within touching distance of the front two. It was third place on pace, and we would have been pleased with that as it highlights the progress we continue to make. We did think there could be a chance for more, though, with the battle ahead, and we were able to take advantage of that. Lewis, meanwhile, was unfortunate today. Firstly, he had to give the position back to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, and secondly, he picked up floor damage, which caused him to lose his performance. Nevertheless, he fought hard and drove a strong race to take a valuable P4.

We now look forward to Silverstone next week. We are encouraged by our overall performance this weekend at a track that has not normally been a favourite for our cars. Our aim over the next few races is to continue to show progress and aim to get closer to the front.

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