Verstappen encouraged by Austrian GP fight despite RB22 rear-end issues

Verstappen finally feels victory was within reach

Max Verstappen left Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix with a clear sense of progress, even if the result ultimately fell short of victory. In a heavily revised Red Bull RB22, the Dutchman said it was satisfying to feel genuinely in contention for the win for the first time this season.

The race response was strong. Verstappen recovered to challenge the leading Mercedes cars, first clearing Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton after an extended wheel-to-wheel battle, then applying pressure to Russell. That threat was enough for Mercedes to bring Russell in for his final stop to avoid the undercut.

Strategy gamble falls short

Reflecting afterwards, he said: ‘I do think I had the degradation [advantage] over George, but I also knew it was going to be a very long stint to the end.’

He added: ‘I personally felt that during the laps I stayed out I probably lost a little bit too much compared to what I gained back from those extra laps on new tyres. But it’s easy to say now. We still had a very good race to be honest.’

Rear-end limitations blunt the final charge

The more significant limitation, however, was the handling of the rear axle. Verstappen said the RB22 felt stronger in the opening half of the race before the balance deteriorated.

‘What was satisfying is that this was the first time I felt like actually I could fight for the win,’ he said. ‘In the first half of the race we were more competitive, because for whatever reason in the second half something felt off on the rear of the car. Everything was just extremely difficult from bumps, kerbs, traction - it was just completely gone.’

Even so, Verstappen took his best result of 2026 and his second podium of the campaign. For Red Bull, the performance was not a complete breakthrough, but it was the clearest sign yet that its upgrade push has moved the RB22 closer to the front.