Did Lewis Hamilton cost Max Verstappen a chance to win the Austrian Grand Prix?

Jump to: Lap chart – Gaps chart – Lap times – Tyre strategies

The pair crossed swords early in the race after Verstappen passed Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. Verstappen and Hamilton briefly ‘yo-yoed’ for position but the Red Bull driver was unable to keep the position.

Verstappen was unhappy with Hamilton’s driving, accusing his rival of forcing him off the track, but the stewards took no action. While this was going on, eventual winner George Russell extended his gap over Verstappen by around three seconds.

Once Verstappen got ahead of Hamilton he was able to close on Russell towards the end of the stint. That pattern repeated later in the race, and as the final laps ticked down Verstappen drew within two seconds of Verstappen – more than what he lost to Hamilton. By that point, however, his mirrors were full of Russell’s team mate Antonelli.

Russell may well have been managing his gap over his pursuers, not least as he made his final pit stop six laps before Verstappen and eight laps before Antonelli. However he was already coming under pressure towards the end of his second stint.

There was one other factor which left Verstappen at a disadvantage compared to Russell: his starting position, having lined up only fifth on the grid following his crash on Saturday. But Red Bull will surely take much encouragement from the pace he showed at their home track.

2026 Austrian Grand Prix lap chart

The positions of each driver on every lap. Click name to highlight, right-click to reset. Toggle drivers using controls below:

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2026 Austrian Grand Prix race chart

The gaps between each driver on every lap compared to the leader’s average lap time. Very large gaps omitted. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan and right-click to reset. Toggle drivers using controls below:

2026 Austrian Grand Prix lap times

All the lap times by the drivers (in seconds, very slow laps excluded). Scroll to zoom, drag to pan and toggle drivers using the control below:

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2026 Austrian Grand Prix fastest laps

Each driver’s fastest lap:

Rank # Driver Car Lap time Gap Avg. speed (kph) Lap no.
1 12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1’10.374 221.3 59
2 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull-Red Bull-Ford 1’10.483 0.109 220.96 57
3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren-Mercedes 1’10.595 0.221 220.6 45
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1’10.606 0.232 220.57 67
5 1 Lando Norris McLaren-Mercedes 1’10.652 0.278 220.43 55
6 63 George Russell Mercedes 1’10.683 0.309 220.33 49
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1’10.946 0.572 219.51 45
8 6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull-Red Bull-Ford 1’10.947 0.573 219.51 42
9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine-Mercedes 1’11.466 1.092 217.92 54
10 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls-Red Bull-Ford 1’11.547 1.173 217.67 55
11 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls-Red Bull-Ford 1’11.587 1.213 217.55 56
12 27 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 1’11.634 1.260 217.41 55
13 43 Franco Colapinto Alpine-Mercedes 1’11.795 1.421 216.92 49
14 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1’11.866 1.492 216.7 59
15 87 Oliver Bearman Haas-Ferrari 1’12.207 1.833 215.68 54
16 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin-Honda 1’12.501 2.127 214.81 52
17 31 Esteban Ocon Haas-Ferrari 1’12.979 2.605 213.4 37
18 23 Alexander Albon Williams-Mercedes 1’13.137 2.763 212.94 43
19 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams-Mercedes 1’13.694 3.320 211.33 22
20 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin-Honda 1’13.796 3.422 211.04 30
21 11 Sergio Perez Cadillac-Ferrari 1’14.448 4.074 209.19 3
22 77 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac-Ferrari 1’24.016 13.642 185.36 1

2026 Austrian Grand Prix tyre strategies

The tyre strategies for each driver:

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2026 Austrian Grand Prix pit stop times

How long each driver’s pit stops took:

Rank # Driver Team Complete stop time (s) Gap to best (s) Stop no. Lap no.
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21.02 2 37
2 63 George Russell Mercedes 21.204 0.184 1 19
3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 21.209 0.189 2 42
4 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 21.212 0.192 2 38
5 63 George Russell Mercedes 21.221 0.201 2 43
6 23 Alexander Albon Williams 21.249 0.229 1 18
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 21.25 0.23 2 25
8 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 21.252 0.232 2 49
9 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 21.267 0.247 3 42
10 6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull 21.268 0.248 2 40
11 23 Alexander Albon Williams 21.27 0.25 2 37
12 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 21.317 0.297 1 18
13 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 21.369 0.349 1 12
14 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams 21.371 0.351 1 14
15 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 21.408 0.388 1 18
16 12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 21.413 0.393 1 24
17 43 Franco Colapinto Alpine 21.446 0.426 2 46
18 12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 21.502 0.482 2 51
19 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 21.545 0.525 2 45
20 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 21.551 0.531 2 46
21 43 Franco Colapinto Alpine 21.561 0.541 1 20
22 1 Lando Norris McLaren 21.578 0.558 1 21
23 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 21.58 0.56 3 51
24 27 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 21.585 0.565 1 21
25 87 Oliver Bearman Haas 21.593 0.573 1 24
26 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 21.6 0.58 1 13
27 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21.731 0.711 1 13
28 6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull 21.77 0.75 1 18
29 1 Lando Norris McLaren 21.816 0.796 2 47
30 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 21.877 0.857 2 44
31 31 Esteban Ocon Haas 21.878 0.858 1 18
32 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 22.022 1.002 1 19
33 87 Oliver Bearman Haas 22.044 1.024 2 45
34 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 22.077 1.057 1 19
35 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 22.358 1.338 1 24
36 27 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 22.591 1.571 2 45
37 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 22.605 1.585 1 17
38 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22.738 1.718 3 59
39 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23.522 2.502 1 24
40 31 Esteban Ocon Haas 25.455 4.435 2 33
41 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 28.713 7.693 2 49

2026 Austrian Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine

Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine