The FIA has officially confirmed the final classification for the 2026 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix following the completion of all post-race investigations, with Mercedes celebrating a return to the top step of the podium after an impressive performance at the Red Bull Ring.
George Russell secured a hard-fought victory to claim his first Grand Prix win since the opening race of the 2026 season. The British driver held off intense pressure from home favourite Max Verstappen, who produced a remarkable recovery drive after starting fifth on the grid. Verstappen closed the gap dramatically during the closing laps but ultimately crossed the finish line just 1.611 seconds behind Russell.
Mercedes completed a strong afternoon with rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli finishing third, making it a double podium for the Silver Arrows. Antonelli also set the fastest lap of the race with a blistering time of 1:10.374 on lap 59, underlining the team’s pace throughout the 71-lap contest.
The leading trio were separated by less than two seconds at the chequered flag, providing one of the closest finishes of the season. Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren, while Lewis Hamilton brought his Ferrari home in fifth after another consistent drive.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar impressed with a sixth-place finish, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in seventh. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc recovered to eighth, while Racing Bulls celebrated a double points finish thanks to Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, who completed the top ten.
The only post-race penalty issued was to Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso, who received a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane. However, the sanction did not alter his final finishing position. With no further penalties handed out by the FIA after the race, the provisional classification became the official final result.
Several drivers failed to reach the finish. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll retired before the end of the race, while Williams’ Carlos Sainz also suffered a retirement. Cadillac endured a difficult afternoon, with both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas failing to finish after reliability issues.
The Austrian Grand Prix marked a significant breakthrough for Mercedes as Russell returned to winning form and Antonelli continued his impressive rookie campaign with another podium finish and the fastest lap. Meanwhile, Verstappen’s second-place result demonstrated Red Bull’s competitiveness despite narrowly missing out on victory at the team’s home circuit.
Final Classification – 2026 Austrian Grand Prix
Position Driver Team Gap/Status 1 George Russell Mercedes Winner 2 Max Verstappen Red Bull +1.611s 3 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +1.986s 4 Oscar Piastri McLaren +21.809s 5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +26.393s 6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +29.399s 7 Lando Norris McLaren +31.505s 8 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +45.659s 9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1 Lap 10 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +1 Lap 11 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +1 Lap 12 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +1 Lap 13 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1 Lap 14 Oliver Bearman Haas +1 Lap 15 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1 Lap 16 Esteban Ocon Haas +2 Laps 17 Alex Albon Williams +2 Laps 18 Fernando Alonso* Aston Martin +3 Laps 19 Lance Stroll Aston Martin DNF 20 Carlos Sainz Williams DNF 21 Sergio Perez Cadillac DNF 22 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac DNF
Fastest Lap: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:10.374 on Lap 59.
With the Austrian Grand Prix concluded, Mercedes leave Spielberg with renewed momentum, while the championship battle continues to intensify as the 2026 Formula 1 season heads into its next round.
