George Russell Wins 2026 Austrian Grand Prix, Cuts Antonelli’s Championship Lead to 40 Points

George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix and made the championship look like a fight again. Kimi Antonelli still leads, but the gap is 40 points rather than the margin that had people writing the season off before the summer break.

Mercedes had the tyre call and the track position. Russell had the patience to sit in dirty air until the pit window, then the pace to leave it behind. Antonelli’s afternoon was tidy and second-best, which is how leads shrink without a retirement.

Forty points is still a cushion. It is no longer a procession. The next three races will show whether Austria was a correction or a turn.