SPIELBERG: Defending champion Max Verstappen continued his relentless charge towards a third world title on Sunday when he claimed a record fourth Austrian Grand Prix victory in emphatic style on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Dutchman finished 5.155 seconds clear of a revived Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, in second, with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, showing revitalised form, taking a battling third after starting 15th on the grid.

In a race of attrition, punctuated by Safety Cars and influenced by a high number of drivers’ receiving penalties for exceeding track limits, Verstappen’s unbroken run of laps led ended on 249, when he pitted.

But it was only a pause in his serene progress to a fifth consecutive victory, seventh in nine races this year and 42nd of his career, extending his lead ahead of Perez in the title race to 81 points.

It followed the Dutchman’s success in Saturday’s sprint and with the fastest lap gave him a maximum points haul from the weekend.

“That is the full sweep, classy Max, very very classy,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner over the team radio.

“The car was on fire!” replied Verstappen after his 42nd career win.

Despite a third title being his to lose Verstappen said he preferred to take it one race at a time.

“I don’t like to think about that yet,” he said. “I am just enjoying driving this car and racing for this team. The sprint weekend can be very stressful so I’m just glad it all went to plan.”

His win total lifted him to fifth in the all-time list of winners and clear of Ayrton Senna, with whom he had shared 41 victories since winning in Canada.

Including a triumph in the 2022 Styrian Grand Prix, run during the Covid pandemic, this was Verstappen’s fifth win at the Red Bull Ring circuit overall. Leclerc and Perez were also pleased with their performances.

“We have maximised what we have,” he said. “It was just yesterday that I was off it a bit. The upgrades have worked as expected, but there is still a lot of work to do.”

Perez said: “It’s been a rough patch for me so I hope we are back now and we can keep some consistency.”

Leclerc’s second place earned Ferrari their 800th podium finish as team-mate Carlos Sainz finished fourth ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, two-time champion Fernando Alonso and the Mercedes of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Pierre Gasly was ninth for Alpine and Lance Stroll 10th in the second Aston Martin.

The race was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Dutch racer Dilano van’t Hoff, 18, who was killed racing in heavy rain at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2023