Russell on tyre management and adapting to Mercedes' 2026 car
George Russell said he drove “quite abnormally” to manage his tyres at the Austrian Grand Prix as he continues to adjust to Mercedes’ 2026 car. Russell said: "Coming into this race weekend maybe my previous approach would have really hurt me on a track like this. And I drove the race very differently and quite abnormally, to be honest, to manage the tyres, and it worked quite well. Last year, I really knew how to handle the tyres on hot tracks, cold tracks, smooth surfaces, rough surfaces. And this year, I don't, to be honest. So, I'm rebuilding that."
How Russell resorted to "abnormal" driving style to win F1 Austrian GP
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Mekies on Red Bull's strongest race of the season
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said the Austrian Grand Prix was “undoubtedly the strongest race” the team have had this season after Max Verstappen finished second. Laurent Mekies said: "It's a very, very strong race, probably undoubtedly the strongest race we have done this season and, as we discussed after Qualifying, it was visible the progress was there but difficult to put a number on it. To see us getting so close to the ultimate pace needed to win here on a difficult track in very hot weather is a good witness of how much work went on in Milton Keynes and how strong Max today was really in all phases of the race."
Mekies on how Austria was ‘undoubtedly the strongest race'
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Vasseur on Ferrari's lack of pace in Austria
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur says the team’s struggles at the Austrian Grand Prix were down to a lack of pace rather than strategy, after both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton switched to a three-stop race in the hot conditions. Vasseur said: "Oh, the strategy is not the issue, I think the issue is that we didn't have the pace of the Mercedes and [Max] Verstappen. We tried to compensate taking risks on the strategy, but it was not a good fight. I think it was more a matter of pace, and we paid also [the price for] the poor Friday we had."
Vasseur on main issue behind Ferrari's Austrian GP struggles
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Norris on Ferrari's struggles in Austria
Lando Norris said he felt sorry for Ferrari after Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton dropped out of podium contention in Austria. Lando Norris said: "The shock was Ferrari, struggling so much. So, to be honest, I feel bad for them. I mean, when you have no power, you have to push like hell in the straights, in the corners, and you can't do that with these front tyres. A tough race for them."
Lando Norris admits he felt sorry for Ferrari after Austria struggle
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Piastri on McLaren changes after tricky Barcelona weekend
Oscar Piastri says McLaren’s decision to “attack things pretty differently” after a “tricky” Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix weekend was backed up by his fourth-place finish at the Austrian Grand Prix. Piastri said: "We put a lot of effort into understanding why Barcelona was so tricky, and we attacked things pretty differently for this weekend, and I think the result is evidence of that work. So from that side, I am really happy, but you just don't get a trophy at the end and wish for a bit more, but that was the absolute most."
Oscar Piastri issues McLaren 'evidence' in progress defence
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Hamilton on Ferrari lacking pace in Austrian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton said Ferrari "just lacked pace" in the Austrian Grand Prix and he did not know why, after switching to a three-stop strategy in the hot conditions at the Red Bull Ring. Hamilton said: "I think that was pretty much it, for some reason we just lacked pace. On Sunday morning, in the strategy meeting, they said: 'It's a two-stop, a three-stop is four seconds slower.' They gave us that information, and I was dead set that it was a three for me, because I thought the degradation was going to be super high, particularly as the track temperature was the highest we've had in a long time, mid 50s to 60-degree track temperature."
Lewis Hamilton puzzled by Ferrari anticlimax after 'dead set' prediction
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Piastri cleared by stewards in Austria
Oscar Piastri will face no further action after being summoned to the stewards at the Austrian Grand Prix over an allegation he drove unnecessarily slowly on reconnaissance laps and exceeded the time limit between the Safety Car lines. After hearing from Piastri and a McLaren representative and reviewing video and timing data, the stewards said it was “evident that the car was well within the specified delta time”.
FIA announces verdict after Oscar Piastri summoned in Austria
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Who slept best last night: George Russell
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Sainz on Williams needing Silverstone upgrade package
Carlos Sainz said Williams’ weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix was “still not good enough” after he retired from the race, and added the team needs the upgrade package due at Silverstone to help it become more competitive. Sainz said: "To be honest, it's still not good enough. What I had today was a car that was closer to Barcelona and the rest of the year where I felt more comfortable with, but at the same time, we've had a run of very poor weekends in these high speed, hot tracks. We still need an upgrade which Silverstone will bring. Hopefully it means we start to get a bit more competitive."
Williams Austria performance 'not good enough' – Sainz
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Bortoleto on missing out on points after Austrian GP P11
Gabriel Bortoleto said he drove “the best race I could” at the Austrian Grand Prix but still missed out on points for Audi after finishing 11th. Bortoleto said: "It is what it is. I think I did the best race I could. I overtook the Alpine that was ahead of me. We had really good race pace but I couldn't capitalise on P10 because I think the Racing Bulls were just a bit ahead of us this weekend. No one broke down ahead of us. This race was very clean for everyone."
Bortoleto disappointed to miss out on points in Austria
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Lawson on Racing Bulls' step in long-run pace
Liam Lawson says Racing Bulls have “definitely made a step” in long-run pace after the team secured another double points finish at the Austrian Grand Prix. Lawson said: "It's good. Honestly, the car's been good all weekend. Compared to last week as well, we've definitely made a step in long run pace, so I'm very happy."
Lawson feels Racing Bulls ‘made a step' in Austria
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Russell on resilience after tough spell and return to winning
George Russell said he “needed a lot of resilience” to recover from a tough spell without a win, after the Mercedes driver took victory from pole position yesterday for his first win since the season-opening race. Russell said: "It's been a tough couple of months with some really tricky races, with races that felt like everything was going against me, then some races with some tough performances. Obviously, I've got a really incredible team mate next to me who, week-in, week-out, is delivering some pretty spectacular performances. So, for me, going into Canada, going into Barcelona from quite a low point, I needed a lot of resilience to be able to get back and deliver some strong performances. So to get the last two poles, to get the win here this weekend, especially on a track which I don't think is so suited to me, I'm really, really proud of."
Russell “needed a lot of resilience” to rebound from win-less spell
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Verstappen on Red Bull's title challenge limitations
Max Verstappen says Red Bull still have “too many issues” to mount a title challenge this year, despite their strongest weekend of the season so far ending with him finishing second behind George Russell. Verstappen said: "We had very good pace but I think to fight for a title we need to be more 'all-round'. I think we still have too many issues, from the starts to just procedural issues in the background, that even I think you guys don't know about, but I know about. It's not a big criticism or whatever. I think everyone is aware but we always want to be better, we chase to be the best."
Red Bull “still have too many issues” to fight for title this year – Verstappen
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Russell on lacking full confidence in Mercedes consistency
George Russell says he still does not have full confidence in consistently getting everything “aligned” with his Mercedes, despite his Austrian Grand Prix win from pole position. Russell said: "I have a lot of confidence in myself, knowing I can do it. I have less confidence in being able to get everything aligned with the car, the set-up and the tyres, because it's just been so up and down for me. And even this weekend, at points I was six tenths behind Kimi, and then come Q3 I was two tenths ahead. I don't honestly have a major answer for that."
George Russell unable to answer 'major' question despite breakthrough Austria win
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Vasseur on Ferrari focusing too much on Mercedes in Austria
Fred Vasseur admitted Ferrari were “too focused on Mercedes” with their approach during the Austrian Grand Prix. Vasseur said: "Looking back, we were probably too focused on Mercedes today. We pushed too hard in the opening laps with both cars and then perhaps reacted too aggressively with the strategy, trying to stay with them when, realistically, that wasn't our race today. We will learn from this, refocus on ourselves and immediately turn our attention to the British Grand Prix next week."
Ferrari boss admits 'we focused on Mercedes too much' in difficult Austrian GP
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Wolff on Ferrari's upgrades under the cost cap
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he is surprised Ferrari can keep bringing major upgrades under Formula 1’s cost cap after it introduced a new engine specification and other updates at the Austrian Grand Prix. Wolff said: "We're a little bit surprised that Ferrari can throw these huge updates at the car in the way they do. In my opinion, they need to be running out of money soon, cost cap money, because we can't do that. We're simply lacking the buffer in the cost cap to be able to bring so many parts in the way they do."
Mercedes boss questions how Ferrari can afford "limitless" F1 upgrades
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Ferrari on Austrian GP tyre issues
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc said Ferrari’s Austrian Grand Prix unraveled due to severe rear tyre degradation in the heat, leaving them sliding backwards and “confused” about the car’s balance and set-up direction. Hamilton said: “The rears just dropped off on every set… We just couldn't keep up with everyone today.” Leclerc fell from second to eighth, lamenting “missing a lot of rear grip” after feeling happy with the car in qualifying. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said the drivers “over-pushed the first couple of laps” while trying to stay with faster cars, forcing strategy changes, and also said traffic led to power unit overheating that limited performance.
Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc confused by woeful Ferrari race pace in Austria
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