Austrian Grand Prix 2022 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Charles Leclerc delivered a crucial victory for Ferrari at the Austrian Grand Prix, fending off intense pressure from Max Verstappen to win at Red Bull's home circuit. The Monegasque driver controlled the closing stages despite suffering throttle issues that made his car difficult to drive, holding off the charging World Championship leader by just 1.5 seconds at the flag. Verstappen finished second after an intense battle, with Lewis Hamilton securing third place for Mercedes.

The race featured dramatic late-race incidents that shaped the final result. Verstappen had been closing on Leclerc with fresher tires when both Carlos Sainz and George Russell suffered engine failures that brought out Virtual Safety Cars, neutralizing the Red Bull driver's charge. Verstappen then received a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, though he managed to build enough of a gap to Leclerc to absorb it. The Dutchman set the fastest lap in his pursuit, demonstrating the RB18's underlying pace advantage on Red Bull's short, fast home circuit.

Leclerc's victory, Ferrari's third of the season, came despite significant adversity. His throttle pedal began sticking in the closing laps, forcing him to nurse the car home while defending from Verstappen's attacks. The win cut Verstappen's championship lead to 38 points and provided Ferrari with a morale-boosting triumph at their rivals' home race. However, Sainz's retirement from third place due to an engine fire highlighted that Ferrari's reliability problems remained a serious concern, even as they showed they still had the pace to challenge Red Bull on certain circuits.