2024 F1 Austrian GP: Winners and Losers

The 2024 F1 Austrian GP saw Mercedes pick up their first win of the season and only the second of the ground effect era. The race was quite processional in nature and a slow burn of sorts until the final pitstop for both Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. What followed next was a period of close racing that saw both drivers push the boundaries.

In the end, both crashed into each other, and George Russell took advantage to take the win. Oscar Piastri made it two P2 finishes in the F1 Austrian GP as he followed up his result in the sprint with another.

Whenever we have a race like this one where things boil over, there are a few who are extremely satisfied with how things turned out, while there are others who are very disappointed. At the F1 Austrian GP, who would fall in which category? Let's take a look.

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2024 F1 Austrian GP

Winner

F1

Liberty Media is looking at this and having a smile on its face. The regulations were always supposed to make this happen, and even though it has taken 30 months, there's scope for a lot of things.

George Russell is the fifth driver to win a race this season. We also have a rivalry between two drivers, which is only going to gain even more momentum as the next event is in Norris' home. A flare-up or two between drivers is not a bad thing, and looking at the current situation, F1 is in a great spot.

Loser

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris

Could Max Verstappen have just let Lando Norris pass, as there was a penalty incoming? Could Lando have been more circumspect? The answer to these questions is we still don't what was going through their heads during the battle.

It appears that with it becoming more and more clear that the two are possibly going to be fighting for the title next season, they don't want to give each other an inch.

How they approach the aftermath is going to be interesting. At the F1 Austrian GP, though, both missed out on a win.

Winner

George Russell and Mercedes

George Russell has been put through the wringer in the last year or so, where he possibly made too many mistakes. Not in the F1 Austrian GP, though, as the Mercedes driver was almost perfect throughout the weekend.

Mercedes deserve a lot of credit here as well because where the German team was at the start of the season and where they are now is night and day.

Loser

Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez finished behind Nico Hulkenberg, who was driving a Haas. And he did that purely on performance even if we take into consideration the damage he incurred through his mistake on the first lap.

In all fairness, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly were sacked for far less during their stint at Red Bull, and the F1 Austrian GP has shown that the Mexican is just proving to be a major liability now.

Winner

Nico Hulkenberg

There's a high chance that Haas is the last decent car Hulkenberg will have in his career. The German is moving to Audi/Sauber, and, in all fairness, that squad doesn't inspire much confidence at this stage.

What the German is doing right now is making the most of what he has got, and what he has got is a Haas that he has used to beat a Red Bull. You can't do much more than that, but, unfortunately, Hulkenberg would still not get the attention of the prospective frontrunners.

It was a good weekend for the German and a timely reminder of what he can do in a good car.

Loser

Ferrari

Ferrari could leave the F1 Austrian GP a bit happy, as Sainz secured a podium. In fairness, though, the car was the fourth-fastest once again. Neither Sainz nor Charles Leclerc have had any clue on how to extract better results.

Ferrari were termed the team that could form the next supercamp in F1. It started the season that way as well, The team, though, have taken a step back, and that should be a concern.