The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship battle took another intriguing turn following an action-packed Austrian Grand Prix, with Mercedes strengthening its position at the top of both championships.
George Russell claimed his second Grand Prix victory of the season at the Red Bull Ring, cutting teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s advantage in the drivers’ standings. Although Antonelli finished third, he remains comfortably in control of the title race with 171 points after nine rounds.
Russell’s triumph sees him move up to 131 points, reducing Antonelli’s championship lead to 40 points and giving Mercedes a commanding one-two in the drivers’ standings. The result also underlined the team’s remarkable consistency throughout the 2026 campaign.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton slipped to third in the championship after finishing fifth in Austria. The Ferrari star now has 125 points and remains firmly in contention, although he has lost ground to both Mercedes drivers.
The fight behind the top three is becoming increasingly competitive. Oscar Piastri occupies fourth place with 80 points, holding only a narrow one-point advantage over fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris, who sits fifth on 79 points.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is level with Norris on 79 points but remains sixth on countback, while reigning four-time world champion Max Verstappen is seventh with 73 points after another difficult weekend that left him further adrift in the championship battle.
Further down the order, Isack Hadjar continues to impress with 42 points for Red Bull, narrowly ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly on 41. Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson completes the top ten with 30 points.
In the constructors’ championship, Mercedes enjoyed another outstanding weekend by collecting 40 points from a possible 43 in Austria. That haul extends the Silver Arrows’ total to 302 points, giving them a commanding 98-point advantage over Ferrari, who remain second overall. With both Russell and Antonelli consistently finishing at the front, Mercedes has established itself as the team to beat as the championship heads into its next phase.
McLaren continues to battle Ferrari for second place, while Red Bull faces increasing pressure to recover lost ground after another challenging race weekend.
2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
Pos Driver Team Points
1 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 171
2 George Russell Mercedes 131
3 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 125
4 Oscar Piastri McLaren 80
5 Lando Norris McLaren 79
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 79
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull 73
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull 42
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine 41
10 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 30
11 Oliver Bearman Haas 18
12 Franco Colapinto Alpine 16
13 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 14
14 Carlos Sainz Williams 6
15 Alexander Albon Williams 5
16 Esteban Ocon Haas 3
17 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 2
18 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1
19 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 0
20 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 0
21 Sergio Pérez Cadillac 0
22 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 0
With several races still remaining, Antonelli remains the championship favourite, but Russell’s latest victory has ensured the title fight is far from over. Mercedes also looks increasingly well placed to secure the constructors’ crown, although Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull will all be aiming to close the gap in the coming rounds.
