George Russell was out in front, enjoying both the spectacle and the victory in the Austrian Grand Prix while, behind him, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen treated Formula 1 fans to one of the most thrilling battles of the season.
For more than 20 laps, the two champions traded overtakes and counter-overtakes, racing wheel-to-wheel with remarkable precision, clever racecraft and defensive driving that pushed the limits of the regulations. The duel even included a request for a penalty from the reigning World Champion. It was the latest chapter in a rivalry that had already produced memorable moments during Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes years.
At the Red Bull Ring, the script repeated itself with Lewis Hamilton now wearing Ferrari colours. Yet the seven-time World Champion had one final move to make after the chequered flag.
While speaking to the media in the interview area, Lewis Hamilton noticed Max Verstappen walking behind him. He briefly paused his answer, turned around, caught the Dutch driver’s attention and reached out for a handshake, saying: “Hey… good race, mate.”
The gesture perfectly reflected the mutual respect shared by two of Formula 1’s greatest talents and became one of the standout moments of an otherwise disappointing weekend for Ferrari. In qualifying, Lewis Hamilton had narrowly missed a front-row start after George Russell’s lap under yellow flag conditions reshuffled the order. In the race, Ferrari could manage only fifth place with Lewis Hamilton and eighth with Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton and Verstappen’s spectacular battle at Spielberg
The fight between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen began on lap eight when Lewis Hamilton ran slightly wide at Turn 1, allowing the Red Bull driver to close to within one second.
Three laps later, Max Verstappen launched an attack on the inside of Turn 3 and briefly took second place. Lewis Hamilton immediately responded with a sensational move around the outside of Turn 4 to reclaim the position.
Moments later, Max Verstappen attacked again around the outside of Turn 6 but ended up in the gravel trap. Over team radio, he complained that Lewis Hamilton had forced him off the circuit. However, the stewards reviewed the incident and decided that no further investigation was necessary.
That exchange proved to be only a preview of the decisive battle that unfolded on lap 22. Once again, Max Verstappen dived down the inside at Turn 3, but this time the Dutchman made the move stick.
Lewis Hamilton responds to Max Verstappen’s penalty request
Lewis Hamilton with a ‘Good Race, man’ to Max Verstappen. pic.twitter.com/IvZbNas5bm
— sim 🇧🇷🇲🇽🇸🇳🇫🇷🇭🇹 (@simscircuit) June 28, 2026
After the race, Lewis Hamilton dismissed Max Verstappen’s request for a penalty with the composure of a seven-time World Champion. The Ferrari driver made it clear that he had thoroughly enjoyed competing wheel-to-wheel against one of the strongest rivals on the Formula 1 grid, using all of his experience to force the Dutchman towards the edge of the circuit.
“You don’t expect to go around the outside of a champion,” Lewis Hamilton admitted while discussing the controversial move. “I didn’t expect to be able to overtake him around the outside and keep the line there either. He was behind at the apex of the corner, and that’s why he should have backed out and given up the position.”
Summing up their battle, Lewis Hamilton simply added: “It was great fun.”
The Ferrari driver also reflected on the Scuderia’s overall performance compared to Mercedes and Red Bull: “They were incredibly fast, and they’ve improved by four or five tenths… while we still have a lot of work to do on the power unit because the car itself is already good.”
George Russell enjoyed the show from the perfect seat
While Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen produced the Austrian Grand Prix’s most exciting battle, George Russell had the perfect view from the front of the field. The Mercedes driver controlled the race from pole position while the two champions repeatedly exchanged positions behind him. After taking victory, George Russell revealed with a smile that he had followed the entire duel live on the display of his car.
“There were so many laps… on my dashboard I could see who was behind me… Ham, Ver, Ham, Ver, Ham, Ver…” he admitted while recounting the story directly to Max Verstappen in the cooldown room reserved for the top three finishers immediately after the race.
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