F1 Austrian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton 'underperforming' and Lando Norris 'amateur hour' - GPFans Hot takes

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Austrian Grand Prix

'Amateur hour' as Ferrari might not want 'underperforming' Hamilton - GPFans Austrian GP Hot Takes

A dull Austrian Grand Prix came alive in the most dramatic way late on

Rhys Thomas

Sunday 30 June 2024 19:57 Updated: 20:56

The Austrian Grand Prix sparked into life late on as the top two collided and ended up with punctures.

Thankfully the drama gave us all something to write about that was not how ominous Max Verstappen was looking after the title battle had been hyped up in recent weeks.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen frustrated by Red Bull dispute as star exposes ‘EMBARRASSING’ FIA decision

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Taking full advantage of the situation, George Russell took his and Mercedes' first win of the season and the Brit's second in F1

Lando Norris' race ended with a DNF, whilst Verstappen was able to rescue P5 from the shredded rubber of his rear left tyre and despite a 10-second time penalty.

Here’s what our GPFans journalists had to say after the Austrian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen had a puncture after contact with Lando Norris

GPFans journalists on the Austrian Grand Prix

Ronan Murphy - Social Media Editor

There’s a widely-held belief from lapsed Formula 1 fans that you just need to tune in for the first lap or even the first corner these days to know the outcome of a race. That adage is often pretty accurate, especially if Max Verstappen emerges unscathed from the first corner.

But every rule has an exception, and the Austrian Grand Prix provided that in 2024, thanks to a poor pit stop from Red Bull. That is not something that usually happens, but this time it gifted an opportunity to Lando Norris to snatch first place from Verstappen.

The battle was entertaining, but even more drama was to come when the drivers collided, allowing George Russell to sneak in and take the second win of his career. The reason for the first? Another Verstappen collision.

So, for anyone who tunes out after the first corner, you may miss the treat of Verstappen causing an accident. The fallout alone will be worth watching!

What on earth just happened?!

Sam Cook - F1 Journalist

What a race, what a win for George Russell! The battle between Norris and Verstappen was almost a mirror image of Lewis Hamilton-Verstappen battles of old, and Russell's victory really highlighted the downfall of his seven-time champion team-mate.

Even with both championship protagonists crashing out, the 39-year-old still couldn't get himself onto the podium following what he described as a 'disastrous' weekend.

Questions will rightly begin to be asked as to whether Ferrari will even want the underperforming Brit for 2025.

Will Ferrari be reconsidering their signing of Lewis Hamilton?

Kevin McKenna - F1 Journalist

Max Verstappen used to be quite fond of Austria. Given what’s happened over the last five days, the Dutch star could be forgiven for never wanting to return.

After watching the Austrians swat the Netherlands aside at Euro 2024, the three-time world champion saw his dominant 2024 win rate take a blow in the Styrian Mountains.

Though he will undoubtedly be in a hurry to forget his ding-dong battle with Lando Norris in the closing stages at the Red Bull Ring, for us – the fans – it was one which will live long in the memory.

After, let’s face it, a fairly uneventful race until that point, their scrap was quite simply a delight to watch. George Russell must have enjoyed it too, the Mercedes star sweeping through the circuit like an alpine breeze to take the lead and secure his second win in F1.

Happy days.

Rhys Thomas - F1 Journalist

Lando Norris yesterday described his defence of Max Verstappen in the sprint race as ‘amateur’, and though he vowed not to repeat such errors in Sunday’s grand prix, the top two served up some rookie-esque wheel-to-wheel combat.

Verstappen moved under braking in an almost petty fashion, something we have seen from him time and time again, but Norris was also out of control locking up down the inside and should have got the move done laps before the pair came together.

Despite Norris’ desire to show his experience, the slow-speed collision and ensuing punctures made it look like amateur hour for the two championship protagonists (if you can call Norris one 81 points behind).

These two, no longer youngsters themselves, were pulling out moves more often seen from overly ambitious teenagers in F3, but it was nothing if not entertaining.

Will they stir up a similar fight at Silverstone, the site of Verstappen’s biggest crash in a championship battle? Hopefully nothing quite that high impact will occur, but this drama livened up a lukewarm Austrian Grand Prix and will always be welcome.

And another special shoutout to Sergio Perez. His team-mate crashed, had a puncture, pitted, was given a 10-second penalty, and still finished ahead of the Mexican.

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collided at turn three

Tyler Rowlinson - F1 Journalist

‘It ain’t over til it’s over! There’s never been a race to tell you that, like this one!!’

If you excuse the F1 spin on Martin Tyler’s iconic football commentary, a fairly dull race came alive and then was thrown into absolute chaos with another tense battle between this season’s championship protagonists.

Both Norris and Verstappen will be fuming with each other with the way their races ended up finishing, but their intense battle in the final laps was certainly the best racing action between the leaders we’ve seen all year!

Luck certainly comes into it for Russell and his victory but you have to keep the car on track and he’s inherited a second Grand Prix win by minding his own business.

This Norris and Verstappen incident will be discussed long into the night and will be on everyone’s mind when we head to Silverstone, but more racing action like that is something no one will turn down!

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson - F1 Journalist

And breathe.

For what was looking like a rather pedestrian victory for Max Verstappen for most of the race, what a thrilling ending that was.

I have to say, though, that as the two closed up and battled for the lead on the medium tyre in the closing stage, there was an air of inevitability that they would eventually come together. It was hard racing and on the edge, and when that happens, often a coming together follows.

Unfortunately on this occasion, it saw Norris retire, which is a real shame for the Brit who will now look to bounce back at his home race in Silverstone.

Another I feel sorry for in all of this is Oscar Piastri. The FIA’s decision to delete his lap time was an absolute joke given that TV footage appeared to be inconclusive as to whether or not all four of his wheels had gone over the track’s limit.

Were it not for his final Q3 lap time being deleted, the Australian would have started the grand prix in third, and given the pace he showed on Sunday, perhaps he would have been the man to pick up the win after Verstappen and Norris’ collision.

Max Verstappen Mercedes Lando Norris George Russell Austrian Grand Prix