Lando Norris returned to the top step of the podium at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, holding off a determined charge from Oscar Piastri to secure a one-two finish for McLaren and reignite his championship ambitions.
Starting from pole position, Norris led into the first corner, but the race was far from straightforward. His teammate Piastri, who had qualified just behind due to a split Ferrari in the order, overtook Charles Leclerc at Turn 1 and immediately turned up the pressure on Norris.
The pair were closely matched throughout the early laps at the Red Bull Ring. On Lap 11, Piastri got ahead into Turn Three, but Norris reclaimed the lead instantly at Turn 4. The battle came dangerously close to disaster on Lap 20 when Piastri locked up during a bold move at Turn 4 and narrowly avoided contact with the rear of his teammate’s car.
That incident prompted Norris to pit at the end of the same lap, while Piastri stayed out three laps longer before rejoining. It seemed like Norris had regained control of the race during the middle stint, but things would tighten up once again after the final stops.
Norris reflected after the race: “It was a tough race, pushing the whole way through, tricky and tiring. A 1-2 is exactly what we wanted, and we did it so I’m happy. We had a great battle, it was a lot of sun – a lot of stress but a lot of fun. A nice battle, so well done to Oscar. Inside the car it was tough, especially when he was in the DRS.”
McLaren hold firm despite final laps pressure
With 17 laps to go, both drivers came in for their last tyre changes, Norris leading Piastri into the pits. When the dust settled, Piastri trailed by four seconds but began to chip away at the gap. By Lap 60 of 70, he was within two seconds.
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Feeling the heat, Norris radioed his engineer: “I needed some pace – please help.” The pressure was mounting, made worse by some light front wing damage on Norris’ car. However, he stayed calm under fire, even while catching lapped traffic that briefly brought Bortoleto and Alonso into the mix. That gave Norris a chance to use DRS and maintain breathing room, crossing the line 2.6 seconds ahead for his third win of the season.
Behind the lead battle, Leclerc salvaged third for Ferrari, 17 seconds behind, with Lewis Hamilton fourth and George Russell fifth. The race ended early for Max Verstappen, who was taken out on lap one by Kimi Antonelli, leaving the Red Bull star with a steep 61-point gap in the standings.
Further back, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto starred with a gritty drive to eighth and his first F1 points, beating Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon, who rounded out the top ten. Fernando Alonso came seventh for Aston Martin, while Liam Lawson impressed with sixth for Racing Bulls.
The race also saw four retirements: Carlos Sainz, who failed to start, and Verstappen, Antonelli, and Alex Albon, who were all forced out due to incidents.
The result gives Norris vital momentum ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with the championship now firmly in play.
