F1 Results Today: Max Verstappen in shock retirement as chaotic Austrian Grand Prix sets title race alight

F1 champion Max Verstappen suffered a shock retirement at the Austrian Grand Prix, whilst a battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris re-ignited the 2025 title fight.

Verstappen was hit by the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap, after the Italian locked-up into Turn 3 and unintentionally smashed into the side of the champion. Both drivers retired from the Austrian GP on lap one, and an early safety car was deployed to clear away the Red Bull and Mercedes.

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton reveals bizarre Austrian GP restriction as FIA confirm punishment verdict

Meanwhile, McLaren provided a thrilling racing spectacle in Austria, where Piastri and Norris switched positions for the lead in a series of spectacular overtakes.

However, it was the British driver who managed to keep the championship fight alive, and maintained his lead after a slow pit stop for his team-mate.

Norris nursed his McLaren to the chequered flag after a late challenge from Piastri, and claimed his first grand prix victory since the Monaco GP.

The drama started early in Austria, with the initial start aborted after Carlos Sainz failed to get his Williams going on the formation lap.

When the Spaniard eventually made his way into the pits, his Williams burst into flames and Sainz became the first retirement of the Austrian GP. Alex Albon meanwhile made it a double-DNF for Williams, when he also retired to the Williams garage on lap 17.

F1 Results: Austrian Grand Prix 2025

*Colapinto given a five-second time penalty after incident with Piastri
**Tsunoda given a 10-second time penalty after a collision with Colapinto

Who is the current F1 world champion?

Max Verstappen is the reigning F1 champion, won his fourth drivers' championship last year.

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

Fastest lap points have been banished for 2025. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, it did lead to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a set of new tyres at the end in order to claim the fastest lap point, or to stop a rival from getting the extra point.

The most famous example of this in 2024 came during Daniel Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Lando Norris and helping Max Verstappen's title bid.

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Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

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