Formula 1 heads to Red Bull`s home circuit for the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, following a dramatic finish to the previous race in Canada. As the competition at the front intensifies, here`s a look at the major talking points ahead of the 11th round of the 2025 season.
Could Piastri and Norris Ignite More Drama?
Lando Norris quickly accepted responsibility for the collision with teammate Oscar Piastri during the closing laps of the Canadian Grand Prix, which helped to diffuse potential friction between the McLaren drivers. While team management like Andrea Stella and Zak Brown prepare for such scenarios, they are ultimately unable to intervene once their drivers are battling fiercely on track.
“What happened happened, and I regretted it at the time and apologised for it,” Norris reflected. “Sadly, it`s also racing. I take it on the chin and I`ve got to move on. I`ve got to look at the next race and see how I can do a better job and not make those silly mistakes at times.”
“There`s a lot of positives and I`ll make sure to look at them and build on what I`ve got because once I get into a good rhythm I`m sure I will be very happy.”
The Red Bull Ring is known for producing exciting races, thanks to its three consecutive DRS zones and challenging braking areas like the uphill Turn 3 and downhill Turn 4. Past events here have seen close fights and even contact between teammates, such as Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton on the final lap in 2016, or Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in the 2023 Sprint race.
Given the close performance between the two McLaren drivers, another on-track duel is highly likely just two weeks after their Canadian incident.
“Now Norris knows what Piastri will do in the races. He won`t be surprised anymore,” commented 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve. “Norris has generally been quicker in the races. He just needs to figure out qualifying because that`s been up and down, but he still has the edge on speed. He`s behind in the points, so is more the underdog, and that might help him.”
Norris, currently 22 points adrift of Piastri in the championship standings, is still striving for consecutive race wins in the same season, despite having opportunities over the past year. He secured his first F1 podium in Austria five years ago. With the British Grand Prix following a week later, Norris will have strong support at two circuits where he has performed well, offering him a chance to build momentum.
Former F1 champion Jenson Button observed, “This is the moment whether we see Lando is in a good mental place and whether he will come out of the other side strong. I think he has in terms of being confident in his ability and putting it all out there, so I`m excited to see him move on.”
Max Verstappen`s Penalty Points
Max Verstappen currently holds 11 penalty points on his Super Licence. Accumulating 12 points within a rolling 12-month period results in a one-race ban. His points history includes:
- June 30, 2024 – 2 points – Causing a collision with Lando Norris in the Austrian GP
- October 27, 2024 – 2 points – Forcing Lando Norris off the track at the Mexico City GP
- November 2, 2024 – 1 point – Driving too fast under a Virtual Safety Car in the Sao Paulo Sprint
- November 30, 2024 – 1 point – Driving unnecessarily slowly and impeding George Russell in Qatar GP qualifying
- December 8, 2024 – 2 points – Causing a collision with Oscar Piastri in the Abu Dhabi GP
- June 1, 2025 – 3 points – Causing a collision with George Russell in the Spanish GP
He needs to complete the Austrian GP weekend without receiving further points before two points expire, reducing his total.
Verstappen Navigates Penalty Threat, Eyes McLaren
Max Verstappen reacted strongly to questions regarding his potential race ban, a threat that will diminish after the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. Currently on 11 penalty points, drivers face a one-race suspension upon reaching 12 points within a 12-month rolling period. Verstappen avoided penalties in Canada and must do the same in Austria before two of his points expire.
Verstappen boasts an impressive record of five wins at Red Bull`s home track. He might have won last year too, but a slow final pit stop led to his intense battle and subsequent collision with Norris. The 2024 Austrian Grand Prix was arguably the last event where Red Bull consistently had the fastest car throughout the weekend, with Verstappen taking pole for both the Sprint and the main race, and winning the Sprint.
Although he has achieved wins and poles since then, including at Suzuka and Imola this year, Red Bull has often needed to find significant performance improvements between Friday practice and Saturday qualifying. The short Austrian circuit, with only seven braking zones, seems to suit the inherent characteristics of Red Bull`s cars across different technical eras. However, team principal Christian Horner has tempered expectations.
“Probably our weakness at the moment is in the medium speed type of corners,” Horner stated. “The middle sector, there`s a bit of medium speed there, so, we`ll see. I would expect, if it`s hot, McLaren to again be stronger.”
Verstappen narrowed the gap to championship leader Piastri to 43 points by finishing second behind race winner George Russell in Canada. While a deficit of over 40 points is substantial with less than half the season remaining, former F1 driver Martin Brundle believes Verstappen is “not out of the title fight at all.”
“If he gets beaten by George one weekend, Oscar the next weekend, and Lando the weekend after that, it almost doesn`t matter, if he`s second or third,” Brundle explained. “He will snatch some great wins, like we have already seen twice, and will always somehow pull a podium out of the bag as well. If his rivals start sharing out wins among themselves, he`s right in there.”
Can Russell Replicate Canada Success?
George Russell`s victory in Montreal, Mercedes` first of the season, seemed commanding, but the question remains whether it was specific to that track. The W16 car appeared well-suited to the chicanes and kerbs in Canada and performed strongly even in warm conditions, contrary to expectations. Russell held off Verstappen, while teammate Kimi Antonelli secured a maiden podium.
Mercedes introduced a new rear suspension in Canada, having delayed its use at the previous two races in Monaco and Spain due to uncertainties following its debut in Imola. Toto Wolff, team principal, acknowledged that correlation between wind tunnel data and real-world performance has been “difficult” for Mercedes, but hopes the upgrade has resolved their rear overheating issues.
“The swings in performance are still there. We saw it last year. We were not even closer but then [at other races] we dominated the weekend,” said Wolff. “Austria is going to be a different ballgame, different track layout, different challenges, so all of our eyes and brains are concentrated on Austria now.”
Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix last year, capitalising on Verstappen and Norris` late collision. However, he finished 15 seconds behind the leading pair, indicating that Mercedes did not have the outright pace then. The forecast for Spielberg predicts hot conditions, with temperatures around 30°C throughout the weekend. The faster corners of the Red Bull Ring will be a crucial test for the Mercedes car`s performance.
“Though we have made solid progress with our car in recent weeks, we know that we cannot expect this level of performance each and every weekend,” Wolff cautioned. “The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with its absence of high-speed corners and a more closed tarmac that puts less stress on the tyres, suited the W16. The team executed well and took advantage of that, but we know that our rivals will likely be much more competitive in Austria this weekend.”
Ferrari Bringing Austria Upgrades
Despite Charles Leclerc briefly leading the Canadian Grand Prix during the pit stop phases, Ferrari found themselves trailing the front-runners again on a track where they had hoped to be more competitive. Lewis Hamilton`s pace was affected by hitting a groundhog, but Ferrari was still over half a second off the leading pace.
“We are really in need of an upgrade and there`s lots of things that need to change for us to compete at the front,” said Hamilton in Montreal. “We have something hopefully coming next week [in Austria]. I don`t know if it`s much, how much it is. I don`t think it`s a lot. I just think it`s one of those years.”
