Verstappen wins sprint at Austrian GP
Sports Desk, Jul 1 (EFE).- Points leader Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took top honors Saturday in the sprint event of the Formula One Grand Prix of Austria, ahead of Mexican teammate Sergio “Checo” Perez and Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari).
The Dutchman overcame losing the lead to Checo at the start and finished the race 21 seconds ahead of the other Red Bull driver to claim the 8 points and boost his total to 203 as he pursues a third consecutive F1 title.
The Aston Martin duo of Canadian Lance Stroll and Spanish two-time champion Fernando Alonso finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in wet-dry conditions at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.
Germany’s Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) was sixth and Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) took seventh place.
British driver George Russell, who started from 15th on the grid, made it all the way up to eighth and earned a point. Fellow Britons Lando Norris (McLaren) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) completed the top 10.
Verstappen, winner in six of eight races this season, will start Sunday’s Grand Prix from pole, followed by Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Sainz, and Norris.
Seven-time champion Hamilton and Stroll will share the third row, in front of Alonso (P7) and Hülkenberg (P8).
France’s Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Thai driver Alex Albon (Williams) will start from the fifth row on the grid.
Checo Perez, the only other person besides Verstappen to see the checkered flag this season, fared badly in qualifying and had to settle for P15.
The Mexican has 133 points in the driver standings. Alonso is third with 121, followed by Hamilton (102) and Sainz (74).
EFE arh/dr
