Lando Norris might have took a pivotal victory at the 2025 Austrian GP but it was Gabriel Bortoleto who won the plaudits as the Sauber rookie was voted Driver of the Day as he claimed his first points of the season.
The Brazilian, the first in the sport since Pietro Fittipaldi in 2020, qualified eighth and held on to that spot through 70 laps at the Red Bull Ring to back a big four points for his team’s season ambitions.
With Nico Hulkenberg slotting in behind in the second green car, the outfit now has 26 points on the board and have closed to within three points of Haas for seventh in the constructors’ standings.
That could yield huge prize money for the Swiss-based team as they prepare for their transition to Audi for the upcoming 2026 Formula 1 campaign, collecting 10 points in total in Spielberg.
The 20-year-old from Osasco looked comfortable and as though he had years of experience behind the wheel as he delivered consistent and very quick laps, and masterfully picked off any cars that got in his way.
As a result, Bortoleto managed to fend off impressive races from Norris and Oscar Piastri to be voted Driver of the Day by the fans at the 2025 Austrian GP, collecting the award for the first time in his career.
More from the Azerbaijan GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport’s latest Azerbaijan GP coverage, including George Russell’s dramatic Baku victory, the full race classification, the fastest lap result, and the Driver of the Day from the 2026 race.
Lando Norris survives nervy finish to win 2025 Austrian GP
Meanwhile for the leaders, Norris took a key win in his quest to become the first British world champion for McLaren since Lewis Hamilton, all the way back in 2008, by fending off his rival through a 70-lap thriller.
A solid start saw him cover off Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari but that let Piastri through into second and the Australian was in no mind to sit behind, repeatedly trying to make a move for the lead throughout the first stint.
But the 25-year-old Brit kept his composure and maintained just enough of a gap throughout the rest of the race after the first stops, surviving backmarker traffic that left his lead vulnerable in the latter portion.
“It was a tough race,” Norris told F1 TV. “Pushing the whole way through! Tricky, hot, tiring, but the perfect result for us as a team. A one-two is exactly what we want and we did it again, so I’m very happy.
“We had a great battle, that’s for sure! 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. Hopefully it was a nice one for everyone to watch, but inside the car it was tough, especially when he was in DRS.
“The DRS is so big around here, so it was hard to get him out of the gap. Once I did, I could manage things pretty well but he was still quick.”
Norris now closes to within 15 points of the championship leader as they prepare to head to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which will run from July 4-6 as Piastri looks to recover momentum after this set-back.
