Verstappen buoyed in Austria by 'first time' shot at race win

Max Verstappen left the Austrian Grand Prix with a renewed sense of optimism after securing second place and, more importantly, experiencing something he had been waiting for all season – a genuine chance to fight for victory.

The Red Bull driver may have missed out on the top step of the podium as George Russell converted pole position into a controlled win, but Verstappen viewed the result as a major step forward.

After a difficult start to 2026, the Dutchman finally felt his RB22 had the pace to challenge at the front.

The weekend had initially threatened to unravel when Verstappen crashed in qualifying and started fifth, but a strong recovery drive saw him battle through to second, finishing just 1.6 seconds behind Russell.

Red Bull’s upgrade package delivers first real fight

Red Bull arrived in Austria with a heavily revised RB22, and Verstappen immediately noticed the difference. For the first time this year, he was not simply chasing rivals – he was fighting them.

"What was satisfying is that this was the first time I felt like actually I could fight for the win," Verstappen said.

The four-time world champion’s race pace was particularly encouraging in the opening phase, when he carved through the field and engaged in a fierce battle with Lewis Hamilton before turning his attention towards the Mercedes cars ahead.

However, Verstappen’s hopes of launching a late attack on Russell faded as the RB22 became increasingly difficult to manage over the second half of the race.

"In the first half of the race we were more competitive, because for whatever reason in the second half something felt off on the rear of the car. Everything was just extremely difficult from bumps, kerbs, traction - it was just completely gone,” he added.

"That's a bit of a shame, but to be that close to a win I think is a great effort from the team. They have worked really hard to get these upgrades on the car here and this is the first time in the race where I felt really competitive and I could push a bit more."

Strategy gamble leaves Verstappen wanting more

Red Bull attempted to give Verstappen a tyre advantage for the final stint by keeping him out longer before his final pit stop, but the delay ultimately left him with too much ground to recover.

The Dutchman had already expressed doubts over the radio, and after the race he admitted the strategy had not delivered the expected reward.

"I do think I had the degradation [advantage] over George, but I also knew it was going to be a very long stint to the end," he explained.

"I personally felt that during the laps I stayed out I probably lost a little bit too much compared to what I gained back from those extra laps on new tyres.

"But it's easy to say now. We still had a very good race to be honest. It's been a pretty long road to be here [on the podium] and have a real shot at it. That is already [positive]."

While Verstappen’s wait for a first victory of the 2026 campaign continues, Austria offered something arguably just as important: proof that Red Bull’s latest developments have moved the team back into genuine contention.

Read also:

• Austrian GP: Russell wins it as Verstappen splits Mercedes drivers

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