Max Verstappen of Red Bull triumphed in the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race, maintaining his pole position start to secure victory and extend his Formula One championship lead to 71 points. Verstappen fended off strong challenges from McLaren's Lando Norris, his closest rival in the standings, who initially overtook him on lap five at turn three but was subsequently passed by both Verstappen and Australian Oscar Piastri at turn four.
Verstappen, who celebrated his third sprint race win of the season, remarked on the excitement over team radio as he crossed the finish line, emphasizing the competitive nature of the race. Behind the leaders, Oscar Piastri claimed second place, 4.6 seconds adrift, with Norris settling for third, ensuring a dynamic start to the race weekend at the Red Bull Ring.
Following closely behind, George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, while Carlos Sainz of Ferrari secured fifth place. Notably, the top eight finishers in the 100km sprint race earned points, with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc coming in sixth and seventh respectively, and Red Bull's Sergio Perez taking eighth. The sprint race results set the stage for qualifying later in the day ahead of Sunday's main Austrian Grand Prix.
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