Austrian Grand Prix 2019 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Max Verstappen delivered Red Bull's first victory of the 2019 season at their home Austrian Grand Prix, passing Charles Leclerc with a controversial late-race overtake that ended Mercedes' winning streak at eight consecutive races. The Dutch driver started second behind pole-sitter Leclerc but initially dropped to seventh after a poor start, before charging through the field in spectacular fashion. Verstappen's thrilling recovery drive, combined with superior tire management in the closing stages, set up a dramatic finale on the final laps as he hunted down race leader Leclerc.

The decisive moment came three laps from the end when Verstappen made his move on Leclerc at Turn 3, diving down the inside and making contact with the Ferrari as both drivers ran wide. Leclerc, who had driven brilliantly to lead from pole and control much of the race, was forced off track by the contact and lost the position. The incident was investigated by stewards for several laps, with Verstappen crossing the line first while uncertainty hung over whether he would keep the victory. After deliberation, race officials decided no penalty was warranted, allowing Verstappen to claim his seventh career win amid controversy about whether he had forced Leclerc off track.

Leclerc had to settle for a heartbreaking second place, missing out on what would have been his maiden Formula 1 victory in agonizing fashion. The young Monegasque driver was devastated, having dominated qualifying and led 67 of 71 laps only to lose out in the final moments. Valtteri Bottas completed the podium in third for Mercedes, with Verstappen also setting the fastest lap to complete a perfect score. The result ended Mercedes' record-breaking winning streak and proved that Red Bull-Honda could challenge for victories on the right circuits. The controversial overtake sparked heated debate about racing standards, with many feeling Leclerc had been unfairly denied his first win just weeks after the Bahrain heartbreak.