This archive report was first published on 4 July 2021.
On a day filled with orange-clad Dutch fans, Max Verstappen led from start to finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, securing his fifth win of the season and extending his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton by 32 points on July 4, 2021.
Verstappen, who started from pole position for the third consecutive race, powered 32 points clear of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in the championship. He also set the fastest lap to take his tally to 182 points after nine rounds.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, finished fourth, behind Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas in second and McLaren's Lando Norris in third. Norris had started on the front row but dropped to fourth after a five-second penalty for pushing Red Bull's Sergio Perez off the track.
"The car was on rails," Verstappen said of his fifth win of the season and second from back-to-back races at his team's home circuit. "Every tyre set we put on it was really enjoyable to drive. I'm a bit amazed how today went, I didn't expect it to be like this."
Red Bull's dominance was evident, with the team securing their fifth consecutive win. Verstappen's victory also marked the biggest crowd of the season so far, following an easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
