Five takeaways: Austrian Grand Prix
- Elaina Russell
- 5h
- 4 min read
Written by Elaina Russell, Edited by Charlotte Mui
The 2025 Austrian Grand Prix delivered a thrilling blend of action, emotion and emerging storylines across the grid. From redemption drives to rookie breakthroughs and ongoing team struggles, Spielberg provided a snapshot of what’s shaping up to be a fiercely competitive second half of the season.
Here are five key takeaways from race day at the Red Bull Ring:
Ferrari show signs of life with strongest weekend yet
Ferrari delivered their most complete race weekend of the season so far, with Charles Leclerc securing third place behind the ever-consistent McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. It was also Lewis Hamilton’s strongest non-sprint performance since joining the team—an encouraging sign with his home race just around the corner.
The Red Bull Ring remains a unique challenge—with just ten corners, harsh kerbs and a blend of high-speed straights and technical low-speed sectors that test both vehicle suspension and tyre management. For a team like Ferrari, often caught out by temperature sensitivity and in-race inconsistency, this was a much-needed breakthrough. More importantly, it was a weekend where the strategy finally came together.
McLaren bounce back with a dominant 1-2
After a difficult weekend in Montreal, McLaren returned to the top in style—delivering a commanding 1-2 finish with Norris leading Piastri across the line. The MCL39 looked sharp on every compound and the team appeared in full control from lights out to the chequered flag.
With Silverstone next on the calendar, Norris will have the opportunity to carry this momentum into his home Grand Prix. If current form continues, the title battle is well and truly on.
Rookies: brilliance and growing pains
This weekend was yet another reminder of the highs and lows that come with rookie seasons in Formula One. After a sensational first podium in Canada, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli collided with Max Verstappen on the opening lap, earning himself a three-place grid drop for the upcoming round at Silverstone.
On the other end of the rookie spectrum, Gabriel Bortoleto shone for Sauber. The Brazilian not only scored his first career points with an eighth-place finish but also enjoyed an on-track scrap with his manager, Fernando Alonso.
As Alonso said post-race: “Yeah, incredible, happy for him”.
Another strong Sauber showing
After a slow start to the season, Sauber enjoyed another productive weekend in Austria, scoring six points courtesy of both drivers finishing inside the top ten. As previously mentioned, Gabriel Bortoleto secured his first Formula One points with a composed drive to eighth; on the other side of the garage, Nico Hülkenberg surged from last on the grid to finish ninth, gaining 11 positions in one of the standout recovery drives of the season.
Austria marks the team’s third consecutive points-scoring weekend, following Hülkenberg’s fifth-place finish in Spain and eighth-place finish in Canada. The momentum shift since Barcelona has been undeniable.
“We will try to continue this—it’s never easy, we always have to work hard but I’m happy and optimistic for now,” Hülkenberg said.
Now sitting ninth in the Constructors’ standings with 26 points, Sauber has closed the gap to Aston Martin and Haas in the midfield battle. With Hülkenberg contributing 22 points and Bortoleto now officially on the board, the team is showing signs of real progress as the summer stretch begins.
Trouble continues for Williams
It was another weekend to forget for Williams, as both cars retired from the Austrian Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz was unable to start the race due to a brake issue, while Alex Albon, after running in points contention from P12 on the grid, was forced to retire early.
“It felt inside the cockpit a bit like Canada,” Albon said, referring to his DNF in Montreal last time out. “We need to review it, we seem to be struggling a bit with…I’m not sure if it’s temperature-related, but we’ve had a few DNFs now in a row so it’s a bit annoying, especially when we’re in the fight for points.”
Williams have now had at least one car retire in each of the last three races, raising understandable concerns about reliability and consistency—two things they’ll need to address quickly if they want to stay in the midfield mix.
Looking ahead
With the British Grand Prix on the horizon, many of the weekend’s top performers will head into Silverstone riding a wave of momentum. McLaren and Ferrari appear to be back in rhythm, while Sauber has firmly joined the midfield battle. For rookies like Antonelli and Bortoleto, the learning curve continues, but with clear signs of future promise.
As the second half of the season nears, the Austrian Grand Prix has set the stage for a compelling summer stretch—one filled with title tension, team redemption, and rookie stories still being written.
