Sprint race results and report: Carlos Sainz P5, Charles Leclerc P7 at Red Bull Ring in Austria. Austria Sprint race results and report.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen clinched victory in the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix sprint race after fending off intense early challenges from McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

The race, shortened to 23 laps due to a delayed start caused by photographers posing a safety risk at the first corner, saw Verstappen lead from pole position ahead of Norris. In the opening lap, Norris defended against Piastri, who started third, while Carlos Sainz battled George Russell’s Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton chased in sixth.

Verstappen was unable to shake off Norris’s DRS threat in the early laps, prompting him to defend the inside lines at Turns 3 and 4. On lap five, Norris launched a bold attack at Turn 3, braking late and going deep, which allowed Oscar Piastri to join the fight through the following DRS zone towards Turn 4. Verstappen retook the lead at Turn 4 despite locking up his right front tire, forcing Norris wide and allowing Oscar Piastri to seize second place.

The battle at the front allowed the chasing pack to close in, with Russell overtaking Carlos Sainz for fourth with a DRS-assisted move around the outside at Turn 4 on lap eight, just as Verstappen began to pull away from the McLarens. Verstappen finally broke free of Piastri’s DRS on lap 10 and steadily extended his lead, securing his third sprint win of the 2024 season.

Norris, having fallen nearly two seconds behind Piastri while Verstappen increased his lead, closed back in on his teammate using DRS but couldn’t make a pass. Piastri held on to finish second, 4.6 seconds behind Verstappen and 0.7 seconds ahead of Norris.

Russell fell back from the McLaren pair in the second half of the race, finishing three seconds behind Norris in fourth. Sainz trailed Russell and had to fend off Lewis Hamilton’s close pursuit. Charles Leclerc finished seventh, 2.2 seconds behind Hamilton and 3.9 seconds behind Sergio Perez, who completed the points positions in the other Red Bull, 17.4 seconds behind the winning car.

Charles Leclerc’s sprint race was highlighted by a brilliant opening lap where he jumped from 10th to seventh, but it was clear that the Ferrari SF-24 car didn’t have the pace to challenge its three main rival teams. Esteban Ocon held off Pierre Gasly to win an intra-Alpine battle for 11th place. Meanwhile, Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg faces a post-race investigation for forcing Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso off the track at Turn 3. Hulkenberg and Alonso finished 14th and 16th, respectively, split by Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo.