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Relief for Russell after hard-fought Austria victory
Following a period of adversity and the impressive rise of teammate Kimi Antonelli, George Russell found his way back to victory and confidence in Austria.
By Lesley Bakker - 2026-06-28T20:05:27.000Z - 2 min read
George Russell's victory in the Austrian Grand Prix felt like a liberation. His first win since the season opener in Australia was almost four months behind him. In the meantime, he watched teammate Kimi Antonelli take five consecutive wins, and even Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari had overtaken him in the championship.
Russell spoke of 'a long time' and 'a few difficult months' during which luck seemed against him and his performances fell short at times. The presence of an 'incredible teammate' performing spectacularly week in, week out put on extra pressure. The past two race weekends, with pole positions in Canada and Spain and now victory in Austria, were therefore of 'vital importance' to remind himself of what he is capable of.
According to team principal Toto Wolff, psychological pressure played a major role, especially alongside a strong young teammate. Wolff revealed that his radio message 'George, just drive' during qualifying was a reference to behind-the-scenes work helping Russell focus on the core: driving the car, without thinking too much about strategy or what others are doing.
However, the foundation for victory was laid on Saturday, when the top three's fate was decided in the final seconds of qualifying. Max Verstappen crashed due to an aerodynamic issue and Kimi Antonelli misinterpreted yellow flags, aborting his fast lap. Russell read the situation correctly, lifted minimally, and secured pole position, giving him crucial breathing room at the start of the race.
Race strategy also proved decisive. Mercedes brought Russell in early for his second pit stop, forcing Red Bull to keep Verstappen out longer. Although the top three were comparable in race pace, these decisions determined the final positions.
Furthermore, the Red Bull car appeared significantly improved by an upgrade, which had Verstappen fighting 'really for the win' for the first time this season. Lewis Hamilton estimated the gain from the upgrade at '0.3-0.4 seconds', partly due to weight saving. Verstappen himself acknowledged the progress and felt competitive in the first stint of the race, although he later suffered problems with the rear of the car. Nevertheless, the podium was a 'very positive' sign for the team.