Austrian GP: Lando Norris holds off Oscar Piastri for vital win

Lando Norris claimed a crucial victory at the Austrian Grand Prix after overcoming teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri in a thrilling on-track duel.

Norris held Piastri at bay in a thrilling 20-lap duel in the opening stint of the race and then weathered late pressure to claim his third win of the season.

It came two weeks on from his collision with Piastri at the Canadian Grand Prix and cut the Australian’s title lead from 22 to 15 points.

Reigning champion Max Verstappen’s already slim title hopes took a potentially decisive blow when he was speared off the road by Kimi Antonelli on Lap 1, although McLaren was in a class of its own all weekend.

Norris and Piastri quickly dropped the Ferrari drivers at the start and ran line astern for the opening part of the race.

Piastri briefly got ahead for a heartbeat, diving down the inside at Turn 3, only for Norris to reclaim the inside line and power past at the next corner.

Championship leader Piastri then nearly drove into the back of Norris on lap 20 while lunging for position before pit-stops gave the Englishman the breathing room he needed to bring the car home.

The race appeared to cement 2025 as a two-horse race, with Verstappen not finishing and Montreal winner George Russell finishing a distant fifth.

Source: espn.com