Piastri pushes Norris to the limit in Austrian GP thriller

Oscar Piastri delivered another impressive performance at the Austrian Grand Prix, finishing second in a thrilling race-long battle with McLaren teammate Lando Norris that showcased both drivers' exceptional skill and McLaren's current dominance in Formula 1®.

The McLaren duo put on a spectacular show for fans at the Red Bull Ring, engaging in a nail-biting contest that featured multiple overtaking attempts and wheel-to-wheel racing. Their battle became the focal point of the race after championship leader Max Verstappen was eliminated in a dramatic first-lap incident.

While Norris converted his pole position into the lead at Turn 1, Piastri wasted no time making his presence felt. The Australian made a brilliant start, sweeping around the outside of Charles Leclerc to claim second position before mounting a sustained challenge on his teammate.

The intensity of their battle reached its peak on Lap 11 when Piastri used DRS to grab the lead from Norris into Turn 3. However, a slight lock-up at the apex left the door ajar, allowing Norris to reclaim P1 with a clever switchback move on the run to Turn 4.

Register your interest in tickets to the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026.

"We had a great battle, that's for sure," Norris acknowledged after the race. "It was a lot of fun – for me a lot of stress, but a lot of fun! A nice battle, so well done to Oscar."

The contest between the McLaren teammates continued to thrill throughout the race, with Piastri remaining glued to Norris' gearbox and making several determined overtaking attempts. A particularly heart-stopping moment came on Lap 20 when Piastri locked up heavily into Turn 4, nearly colliding with the back of Norris' car.

Following this close call, Piastri's race engineer delivered some pointed feedback from the McLaren pit wall: "The manoeuvre in Turn 4 with the front lock-up was too marginal," he warned.

The Australian's strategy diverged slightly from Norris as he opted to stay out longer on his starting set of tyres despite carrying a flat spot, eventually pitting on Lap 24. This alternative approach saw him emerge some 5.5 seconds behind Norris, but with fresher rubber that allowed him to begin closing the gap once again.

As the race progressed into its final stages, Piastri's efforts to hunt down Norris were hampered by traffic issues. A particularly dramatic moment came when Franco Colapinto, who was battling with Yuki Tsunoda, wildly cut back across the track and forced Piastri onto the grass – an incident that earned Colapinto a five-second penalty but did not impact the Australian's finishing position.

Despite these challenges, Piastri's performance throughout the weekend highlighted his continued growth as a Formula 1® driver. His ability to pressure Norris – widely regarded as one of the grid's elite talents – demonstrated his competitive spirit and raw pace.

Behind the McLaren duo, Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth in the second Ferrari. George Russell was the sole Mercedes finisher in fifth after his rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli dramatically collided with Verstappen under braking for Turn 3 on the opening lap.

Liam Lawson impressed with a strong sixth-place finish for Red Bull Racing, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto, who scored his first F1® points after a spectacular battle with the two-time World Champion.

"It was a tough race, pushing the whole way through – tricky, hot, tiring – but a perfect result for us as a team," Norris reflected. "A 1-2 is exactly what we want and we did it again, so I'm very happy."