Cameras capture Lewis Hamilton’s classy gesture to Max Verstappen after Red Bull Ring battles. Lewis Hamilton explains why Max Verstappen and Red Bull were too strong in Austria.

One of the standout moments of the Austrian Grand Prix had nothing to do with the final classification. Instead, it came during an exhilarating wheel-to-wheel battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, followed by a display of mutual respect once the chequered flag had fallen.

Although Ferrari endured a disappointing afternoon overall, Lewis Hamilton produced one of the race’s most entertaining performances while fighting aggressively against the reigning four-time Formula 1 world champion. Their duel provided a reminder of the intense rivalry that has defined several recent Formula 1 seasons.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen deliver one of the battles of the race

The Briton started from third on the grid, while Max Verstappen lined up fifth after missing out on a stronger qualifying result following Saturday’s incident. An excellent getaway from both drivers quickly brought them together in the fight for second place behind race leader George Russell.

During the opening exchanges, Lewis Hamilton successfully defended his position despite heavy pressure from the Red Bull driver. At one stage, Max Verstappen even ran wide onto the gravel while attempting to challenge around the outside, highlighting just how hard both drivers were prepared to race.

Later in the Grand Prix, however, the balance shifted. Armed with fresher tyres after an offset strategy, the Dutchman launched another attack at the same corner and this time completed a decisive overtake before gradually pulling away from the Ferrari.

The Red Bull driver ultimately secured second place behind George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line fifth after struggling with tyre degradation and Ferrari’s lack of straight-line performance.

A respectful exchange after an intense contest

Despite the fierce nature of their on-track battle, television cameras later captured a warm exchange between the two rivals in the paddock.

Footage recorded by French broadcaster Canal+ showed Lewis Hamilton congratulating Max Verstappen on the race before the pair shook hands, reflecting the mutual respect that exists between two of Formula 1’s most successful drivers despite years of intense competition.

Earlier in the race, Max Verstappen had initially felt that Lewis Hamilton should have received a penalty following one of their opening-wheel battles. Race control reviewed the incident but ultimately decided that no further action was necessary, allowing the contest to stand as hard but fair racing.

For his part, the seven-time world champion made no complaints after later losing position to the Red Bull. Instead, he informed Ferrari over team radio that the SF-26 simply lacked both grip and straight-line performance compared to its rival.

Lewis Hamilton identifies Red Bull’s biggest improvement

Speaking after the Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton also offered his assessment of Red Bull’s remarkable step forward in performance during the Austrian weekend.

The Ferrari driver suggested that the Milton Keynes-based team’s latest upgrade package, particularly its significant weight reduction, had transformed the RB22 into a much stronger package than it had been during the opening rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

According to Lewis Hamilton, removing almost ten kilograms from the car represented an enormous competitive advantage, and he acknowledged that Red Bull deserved considerable credit for the progress it had achieved.

The improvement was clearly reflected in the race itself. After starting only fifth, Max Verstappen climbed through the field to finish just 1.6 seconds behind race winner George Russell, narrowly missing out on becoming only the second non-Mercedes driver to win a Grand Prix this season after Lewis Hamilton’s memorable victory in Barcelona.

Ferrari searching for answers before Silverstone

While Red Bull celebrated a clear step forward, Ferrari left Austria facing fresh concerns. Lewis Hamilton extracted the maximum from the SF-26 with fifth place, whereas Charles Leclerc endured another difficult afternoon and slipped to eighth after struggling for race pace from the opening laps.

The contrast between Barcelona and Spielberg has intensified questions surrounding Ferrari’s consistency, tyre management and overall race performance. With Silverstone now approaching, the Scuderia will hope that a circuit featuring a greater emphasis on high-speed corners allows both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to return to fighting much closer to the front.