Lando Norris has won in Australia, Monaco and Austria this year after starting from pole position Lando Norris fought off a challenge from McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to win the Austrian Grand Prix. Norris' third win of the year, leading home a McLaren one-two, reduced his deficit in the championship to the Australian to 15 points heading into the British Grand Prix next weekend. The McLarens utterly dominated the race - Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took the final podium place 17 seconds behind, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton fourth a further nine behind. Mercedes' George Russell took fifth, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen was taken out by the other Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli on the first lap and is 61 points off the championship lead. Piastri challenged Briton Norris hard in the first stint after passing Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, which had split the McLarens in qualifying, at the first corner. Norris made mistakes in Turns Nine and 10 at the end of lap 10, and that gave Piastri the chance to have a run on him into the following lap. The Australian briefly took the lead at Turn Three, only for Norris to repass at the next corner. And Piastri flirted with disaster when he made a late dive down the inside at Turn Four on lap 20, locking up his brakes and narrowly avoiding hitting the back of Norris' car. Norris made his first stop at the end of that lap. Piastri waited three further laps before making his, and Norris seemed to be in control through the middle stint. But after their final stops, which they made one after the other with 17 and 16 laps to go, Piastri began to close in again. Coming out from his stop four seconds behind, Piastri was within two seconds of Norris with 10 laps to go, and Norris went on the radio to tell his engineer Will Joseph that he "needed some pace - please help". But Norris, despite some damage on his front wing, managed to stabilise the gap and hold on to the chequered flag for a much-needed victory, two weeks after he ended his own Canadian Grand Prix by running into the back of with his team-mate. Oscar Piastri briefly passed Lando Norris in the first stint but the Briton was able to retake the lead on the same lap Max Verstappen's Red Bull is spun around after being hit by the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli on the first lap Antonelli climbs out of his damaged Mercedes Antonelli says he apologised to Verstappen for taking him out Carlos Sainz wasn't able to start the race after a mechanical problem with the Williams
Norris fights off Piastri for Austria win
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Lando Norris Claims Victory at Austrian Grand Prix, Narrowing Championship Gap"
Bbc News
8.6
TruthLens AI Summary
Lando Norris secured his third victory of the Formula 1 season at the Austrian Grand Prix, successfully fending off a strong challenge from his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. Starting from pole position, Norris showcased his racing prowess throughout the event, ultimately leading a McLaren one-two finish that significantly closed the gap in the championship standings. Heading into the British Grand Prix, Norris reduced his points deficit to Piastri to just 15 points, indicating a competitive battle ahead. The race saw Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finish third, a notable 17 seconds behind the leading McLarens, while Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and George Russell rounded out the top five. Red Bull's Max Verstappen faced an unfortunate early exit after being involved in a collision with Kimi Antonelli, further complicating his championship pursuit as he now trails by 61 points.
The race dynamics shifted notably during the first stint, where Piastri initially passed Leclerc, positioning himself to challenge Norris. Notably, Norris made some errors towards the end of lap 10, allowing Piastri to take the lead briefly. However, Norris quickly regained his position, demonstrating his resilience. Piastri's aggressive driving continued as he attempted a risky maneuver on lap 20, narrowly avoiding contact with Norris. As the race progressed, both drivers made their pit stops in close succession, with Piastri closing the gap to just two seconds with ten laps remaining. Despite reporting a need for increased pace to his engineer, Norris managed to maintain control, ultimately crossing the finish line first despite sustaining some damage on his front wing. This victory not only marked a critical moment for Norris after a challenging race in Canada but also set the stage for an exciting battle in the upcoming races as the season unfolds.
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