Race Review | 2026 Austrian Grand Prix | 186 | George Russell Took Pole and Won the Race. Joe Saward Says He Was Fortunate All Weekend.

George Russell won the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix from a controversial pole position. But the race told a more complicated story than the trophy suggests. Joe Saward says he was fortunate all weekend.

Max Verstappen arrived at the Red Bull Ring with what Dick called a new weapon and by the closing laps both he and Kimi Antonelli were closing on the leader fast.

Then there is the qualifying incident itself. Joe unpacks the controversy in detail. Whether the outcome was technically valid or simply not right is a question Dick, Joe, and Sabrina work through -- and don't fully agree on.

Ferrari came to Austria off the back of Lewis Hamilton's Barcelona win. Austria told a different story. McLaren brought upgrades. The results did not reflect it. And underneath all of it: is Mercedes' lead in the 2026 season starting to compress, or was Austria a one-weekend anomaly at a circuit that punishes specific weaknesses? The three of them could not agree. Whether the answer becomes clearer at Silverstone -- or whether it stays open -- may be the most important question in Formula 1 right now. 

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Transcript

Speaker: 0:02

Thanks for taking time to listen Dick, Joe Saward and I had of the twenty twenty six Austrian Grand Prix. George Russell won the race. He also spent the closing laps, losing time to both of the men behind him. Max Verstappen showed up with and Red bull was suddenly back Kimi Antonelli, after going off twice on the opening lap, found himself closing in on his own teammate Asriel. Here, Joe thinks two more laps Who's holding the trophy? Before we get to our ask can he help us out? If this show adds value to your F1 experience, please take a moment to follow us and give us five stars on your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with other F1 That's how people find us and that's how we keep growing this community. Hope you enjoy our conversation. All right, gentlemen, it is just a few days after the Austrian Grand Prix. I'm really excited to have both I think if anything, let's just What was your race highlight, Oh, I love the opening battle Um, that was just I just I Just supremely gifted racers And, um, the opening laps I thought were really, really fun to watch. And it was good to see Max being I would call it a new weapon. And um, and um, he was back I mean, Max has always been Max, but now he's got the, the car to, to, to show that, um, I think that there were a lot of storylines, but that's, that's the part that I enjoyed the most. Those guys went at each other so hard and it was just beautiful to watch. What about you, Joe? Well, I thought the fact that game was great news. Um, uh, whether it's Red bull or argument, which I'm sure we can it was, it was spectacular. And, you know, um, I don't think was well, George was, was He was fortunate to get pole position with that yellow flag incident. And then he was fortunate to be everyone else, when Kimi was over the place and the others Um, and so I think that, uh, you know, towards the end they were both catching. I reckon if there'd been two more laps, Kimi might have beaten the pair of them, you know, which was, which was, you know, it was good fun to watch anyway. It certainly was exciting Max closing on on George and So, um, that's, that's what You know, it should be, it should be exciting right to the flag. And that certainly was I think the, the um, I don't know what it was. The margin of the margin of But Kimi was only three tenths Um uh Max and that was pretty But I thought Max was brilliant. It's great when you see, uh, a proper pro going at it full time. Big time. Um, it's just good to see. And, you know, it's just, you the week before last in Spain, Uh, sure. The mercs were there, but you their game a bit though. Yes we do. Yeah. Actually you ended up saying a questions for later on, but I'll move on to that. Joe, is, I think, the location, the beauty of where this race occurs is always something I look forward to every year and the enthusiasm of the fans there. I know there are different times We note that a lot, but I feel like the Austrian Grand Prix always provides that level of, uh, just devotion to the sport, I think, and then also to their home team, something I look forward to. Joe. Yeah. Can I just say at this point that you need to be devoted to get to the Austrian Grand Prix because it is absolutely in the middle of nowhere and there's no accommodation. So, you know, you can. In previous years, I've driven hour in the evening to get in that was the closest place I Um, a lot of people go there and stay in tents, which is actually not a bad idea, except, you know, obviously you need to work or eat or do anything other than listening to drunken Dutch people. Um, it is, um, it's not really important to say that. And the other thing is also that these are not local fans were Dutch and they drive, they whatever it is from, from, from Every year they do it. It's amazing to watch. It's like, you know, if you're autobahns of Germany, it's like division of Holland going south. Also on the heels of what we're States regarding the World Cup from around the world showing up I think it's kind of cool that year round in a much different exchange of people just for a sport and the. The festival atmosphere. It's wonderful. I think it's the human aspect of love is seeing the generational People who are coming from And as you said, if the Dutch coming in, I mean, I've got to imagine the people who every year go, oh, this is when it's happening. And you just kind of know that They take they take every single euro out of the Dutch pocket, believe me. I mean, I love it, the, the, the accommodation, the restaurants, everything cost silly money because they can get away with it. I mean, that's, that's the business of the sport too, right? So I'm okay with that. I think it's fantastic. So I guess my highlight took us I want to go back to the track You answered a question. And I want to make sure you also I wondered if the race had just Would Kimi have moved up in the And it made me really excited to But can you go a little bit what led you to say that? Like, what were you seeing in I mean, he started in fourth. What did you think of his race Well, he started in fourth, probably shouldn't have been went off twice on the first lap. Um, because I think probably his brakes or his tires, one or Um, you know, the Red bull ring is very difficult for those kind of things. Anyway, he was on it right from And, uh, and then the pit stops were on different sequences, and Kimi had a lot more tyre left at the end than the others, which is why he was able to close in and he was coming in at, you know, probably half a second a lap, um in the, in the closing stages, George was, George was was fading away fast as he had much older tires and Louis was, you know, he had slightly younger tires than sorry, not Louis. Max had slightly younger tires slightly older tires than Kimi. Sorry. Um but but in the end, you know, car advantage too I'm sure. Well I think that's interesting One, I remember during the race It felt like the the garage. If you want to bring in Kimi in, you know, and if that if that had been followed through, if they had decided to put Kimi in in a position where he was more in supporting role of George, I, I did wonder if that would have affected his race differently in the sense of what we're saying now that just a couple more laps, he probably could have won the second. There was so much Image. Post race questions commentary got called in, when Carlos the yellow flag, and when the much as they were discussed. I have to wonder if by staying making, that is what allowed that if again he had had two significantly made a difference Do you see where I'm kind of calls that Mercedes was making? Yeah, I think with the strategy didn't look good in the end, but when they made it. It just depends on the length of And you know, who knows? Who knows, because it's not even the race director who decides that. It's how long the marshals take Um, so basically I think it was the right call when they did it, but it became the wrong call because the virtual safety car was cleaned up and done very quickly. So he didn't, you know, he was hoping for. But in the end, I'm not sure it It might have made a little bit Um, but I don't think it would I mean, maybe he could have, he come in as early as he did, but end of it all. So you know, it works both ways. So I don't think you can They had to make a call. They made the call they had that call and they made it. And you know, sometimes it Yeah. Dick, what are your thoughts? Well, I thought yeah, I thought them a little bit of a gap yellow to, when they go to the I mean, to me, it's sort of like comes to a stop on the any part they're on the track stopped. Why wouldn't you go straight to Um, or, or full, you know, full I, I don't, um, I don't Can I leave? Can I leave in here? That's a, that's a very American Um, in American racing, the if a fingernail falls out the a yellow and, and you know, this Um and any car that stops, they, they, they immediately have a yellow. So I in Europe, we, there is a little bit more leeway and, and there's a lot more sort of is this going to be, um, is this going to be something that needs everyone to slow down or can we keep going. And that's what happened in To be fair, you know, Jorge went on the last lap in qualifying. Now he did lift off. There are plenty of arguments about whether that's sensible or not. You know, he took pole position yellow flag, not double yellow, if it was in theory, legal. Is that right? You know, should there be if there is a yellow flag, there is a danger. Um and you know, should the pole lifted off and lost a couple of a um a breach of the regulation. It's an interesting argument, the thought, you know what we um I think it's in Europe, it I mean it's heading towards the American way because you seem to have virtual safety cars and safety cars for anything these days. Whereas in the old days, you they'd have a yellow and the they'd go back racing again. Um, so and nowadays I'm not sure understand why safety wise they Yeah. I look at it from a couple I think from the American do throw a yellow or a safety Right? And the reason I think is, is because at one stage, road of a thing in the United States. It was more the ovals, which are know, there's nowhere there's no on the side. And, um, and so I think, I think now because on many road Push the car off to the side and No big deal. Um, right. There's also another element, suppose you'd call it, which is Um, where there is a, there is a you name it. Much more so than elsewhere. And I think that that permeates through the, um, the thinking process. It is. Oh my God, there's a risk. Stop it. Um, yeah. And you know, even if it's subconscious, I'm sure it's there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, getting a marshal run You know, and on so many levels. So yeah. Interesting. The great point. Well, and I was going to say, I think also it goes back to some of our other conversations about cost benefit analysis that we do differently across the two communities. We talked about kids and episodes, the one about, um, why racers on the grid. And we talked about parenting styles of kids going away to boarding school in the European context, where here that's more uncommon. It's not common. That's the best way to put it. And I think that goes back to the way that we just look at risk. I think both of you are the circuit versus the insurance happened and the timing of where knowing the rules, those are people saying, you know, he knew that this was a lift off would So actually, Joe, I did want you to kind of explain a little bit about the whole quali yellow flag issue. I know you wanted to kindly not go too far onto that in the previous question, but I'd love for you to just kind of explain it a little bit more for those who might not understand what happened? Okay, well, normally when hits the wall, you have, um. Normally when the car hits the Um, but on this particular occasion, for whatever reason it was decided it was a single yellow. And that meant that George the sector, uh, and still because he was going fast enough on the track, he had lifted off laps and yet still take pole off completely, assuming it was And he admitted later he made a mistake as to how that decision is made. It's down to the race director. Um, fundamentally and race know, it can be a little bit. Normally there's a lot of rules little bit subjective. And I think this was one of those occasions when it was subjective. Okay. Okay. Yeah. I felt like there was that it open just enough. Even just listening to George and his commentary, people's commentary afterward, noting his very quick words about the rules, I thought, yeah, he knows the rules well enough to know that this might be that gray area of discretion, and that might be controversial to some, but it also shows your experience and also the thinking in that moment as the last seconds of your attempt to get through Q3. And, you know, you've got to put wherewithal to say those words I thought, what shows just the driver and Especially at this And for someone who wants to be So, I mean, I don't want to go But I just wanted to say I thought that was a very interesting situation. And I always like the gray So unless you guys want to keep move on to Ferrari. Let's do it. Okay. How does this race fit in the context of the season story for Lewis? I would say, particularly after the Barcelona win, Joe, what are your thoughts? Well, I think that goes back to Barcelona, which is don't think Um, because it wasn't. And clearly they they had pace Forget it. They were going backwards from So there's a fundamental issue. They've got they had upgrades. They were happy. The drivers were happy with the But there's still something court horsepower I think. So. Um, and you know, we'll see It was a very hot day and the Uh, and maybe the brakes problems over the weekend. I mean, it wasn't as Cadillac had both cars out with couple of laps, wasn't it? It was ridiculous. Um, but it was, you know, they Um, and, you know, by the end of drifted well back. So the car's got pace but it the same, you know, the McLaren but sometimes I'm sure it can be Dick any thoughts on that. Yeah. I mean pretty much mirrors what I think, you know, Lewis was through the race to go to mode. TS I think is what they called And he was like, why would I do Because I don't have any power And, you know, it was a little bit of a back and forth with with his pit wall and, um, and it was because the engine was overheating. And so, you know, as an engine So, you know, are they down on Yeah, they're down on power And then they're dialing back to a very conservative mode to just keep the engine, you know, alive. And so they even lost more And then, you know, the tire deg And, you know, some of it, no Um, I was a little surprised some pretty high tire deg. They seemed to be okay there. But this particular type of tire And I guess it's because the hotter in Austria. Um, I thought it was little bit of a sidebar, you the radio during the race. He says, hey, the tyres are surface and implying that the He did not feel like it was overheating, which says to me that there's an amazingly delicate touch there, that that he can feel the difference between, uh, a surface thermal issue versus a complete carcass issue. So, um, I thought that was But yeah, I agree with Joe. I think I think Ferrari is they're there yet. I think one needs to add to that, that the, the, the Red bull ring is a very specific kind of circuit because you've got a lot of sustained high cornering speeds. And that means that the tyres Unlike other places. There are one or two places like lot too, because there's two And then beyond that, it's just two very heartbreaking bits, But really it's just fast And so if if the car's nailed to It doesn't start to slide. But if it starts to slide that So. Mhm. And it's a different kind of So I think that that is, you that Ferrari had. Who knows. I mean, they'll know because But we don't know. We don't we don't have the data. So. Yep. No. Great point. So moving on to McLaren. Where were they at the race. Do you think this same was seeming to have challenges, placed onto McLaren in their bigger happening there? Yeah, no, I think Lando said it He said, you know, we're three think we're we're trying to And good work is being done, but the development race. And, you know, that's, that's So I, I, I, you know, I had a pretty good weekend really, but he wasn't, he wasn't able to challenge seriously. I mean, you can the thing is to look at the race and obviously, because a quick car but in the race it's a different Uh, you've got to keep on doing And you know, that's where others are less strong. So it led me to have this If Max or Lewis had been in think that they would have been them, despite the fact that, as they're three months behind? Um, no, I just I think it's just just got to do the work. You know, it's, uh, that's got to make a mistake or you've If everyone's working full out all the time, the, the, uh, the pecking order will remain the same. So you've got to work doubly hard, um, you know, to make things happen. It's a complicated thing. So. Dick. Agree, disagree. Yeah, I agree. Um, you know, and we kind of saw it with Max, you know, the car, you know, at Barcelona wasn't horrific. It wasn't on the pace, but it You bring in a new package and um, got a you know, like I said that he can work with now. And, um, and I think it all um, if, if you don't have the how good of a driver you are. Um, you've got to have that car Uh, and then execute really, Um, to be able to be, you know, So, um, yeah, I mean, I think that's kind of where my head's at. Okay. Well, that kind of led to the question I was going to ask about Red bull, which is, did you think going into the race that Max was going to be a threat? Uh, Max is always he's always It's just the place he excelled. Um, but did I think they were No, I didn't, and I think you You know, he wasn't far behind, He wasn't on it like Max was. Um, and Max just is, is just exceptionally good at that place. Yeah, yeah I agree. Dick. Any other thoughts before we move on to the middle of the pack? Well, I was impressed not only thought that is a better changes that they have made. You think about Isaac and, um, He's not being just completely Yes. Max is obviously on the further ahead of, of Isaac, but years past with the second car. And I think this has a lot to do place at Red bull. Um, because Helmut Marko's not And I mean, that's what I'm, I'm I think Lauren Mekis has gone and, and done really a fairly rapid shift in culture, usually culture in an organization takes a long time to get that, you know, to, to, to affect the cultural change. It takes a long time to do that. He's done this very quickly. And I really think that, that he's in a, in a situation where a young Isaac is in a situation where, um, he's being allowed to grow and to still be a, a sophomore in Formula one on a very big team with a spotlight right on him, you know, and, um, I think he's doing admirably well, uh, at this stage, I agree with that entirely that the cofactor having gone is, is deeply significant. I'm not sure it's a it was a I think it was just Marco and to Um, were very much sort of, you in their, in the way they look not good enough. Boom. Get rid of him. You know, I think Christian left that left those in the helmet Helmet was very much that sort of. If he's not good enough, he's Um, and there's no, there's no So, um, I think that that's And, you know, Isaac. Isaac can beat himself up better grid, I think. I mean he's, he's actually not Lando. Lando a massive, uh, massive Um, but um, but Isaac. Isaac is very, very critical of On the one hand, uh, if it's not don't undermine your own be pretty strong. He's, he's pretty confident in Um, and he, and he absolutely you know, so, um, and I think the result is he ultimately, um, No, he's not, but you know, unlikely that he is. I don't think he's in the same But then again, there aren't are in that league. So you know um I think that's Everybody has a level that they want to improve it, there's a not one of these, you know, if extra tenth here and there. Um, Joe, do you think that Isaac could play Robin to Max's Batman where, um, he can come in and while Max is winning. And if something happens to Max, this year, but maybe in his could actually step up and Do you think that he would be I think that if you look at, uh, a while, but I think an element And then Perez was, you know, in the start of whichever year it was, Perez was right up there, um, battling for the world championship for the first three races. And then Max, uh, got things together again and basically slammed him. And, um, but he remained there. And then after that, he just And the last year was So I think it, uh, it's a little bit dependent on, on the mental strength. It's dependent on the support It's dependent on lots of I mean, these guys have all got super duper talent, you know? Yeah. He was genetically bred to be a Yeah. I mean Absolutely right. They mixed up the right DNA. Got it? Really? Really right. Well, I mean, it it does beg the he is is a child between him and So there's got to be some DNA in I should think that, um you to be a racing driver, but, um, young at the moment, but yeah, I it's interesting isn't it, the of grand prix racing leading to That's right, that's right. Oh. Too funny. Well, I think that if anything, what I remember. So we'll give her a little bit this theory holds. But I do think also one piece comparison between Sergio, Isaac of where Max was in his own second seat driver. I wonder if there is a I don't kind of implies resignment, but But like, Max has got it and he he's not trying to prove anything, anything to anyone but to himself. And he seems a very. At peace and enjoying and hasn't said, I don't want to keep racing. That's by any mention. But like the partner team think it just has a different interaction with one another. And then you add that into all the other things that you guys have already mentioned, or the cultural environment of Red bull, let alone all the other stuff. I can see why Isaac is able to what he's experiencing versus were there in that second seat. So moving on to the middle of the pack because time is getting past us. Any thoughts about alpine racing I will say I thought the racing Bulls team was actually underrated. I mean, they came in P9 and P10. And I don't think, you know in I thought that was really good I'm solid performances again. Another home team ish uh, Any thoughts about that? We did touch on the Williams Uh, it's race and more the implications for the yellow flag. But any thoughts about any of those teams, any of those drivers? Yeah, I think Williams were never going to get anywhere all weekend. Uh, because the car is heavy and at the, at the Red Bull Ring at the same point about sustainable, uh, sustained cornering speed. Um, if you got more weight, you And basically that damages the lap time you slide around more, uh, because you're pushing more weight around. And so they were, they were They knew where they were going They didn't know that was going Um, but, you know, they knew they weren't going to do very much. And again, and that's a little They've still got work to do, But um, you know, they are, And I think once they get the you know, we'll see a much Dick, any thoughts about the Yeah, I think, you know, to your point I thought racing bulls did well. You know obviously the other Um, and so I, I, I do, I, I I, as a fan of the Williams Uh, I'm sorry to see them They had really I thought over the last couple seasons, they've been showing progression and progress. And then this year they've step back because like Joe said, overweight, I guess. And I think it's Manzo. Joe, correct me if I'm wrong, they're going to have pretty them back to the, you know, So, um, hopefully we'll see a towards the last of the season car needs to be on a diet. Yeah, I think, I mean, we've I think that Williams the reason the car is, is heavy is one based on the production problems that they have for their manufacturing base wasn't strong enough. So, you know, you can say, um, you know, you can say, well, they could have done a better job. Lightning it, the fact is they And then they had to make compromises they didn't want to make. So in lots of ways, they know Um, they need to have the time And they need to have in future do the same thing again. Yeah. Yeah. So let's move to the back of the Any thoughts about Audi, Aston I think we mentioned Cadillac in completion of the race, but Uh, no big surprise with think I think that they talked I think that they, they've got a And I think this is part of the Uh, the biggest problem they have is, you know, what have they sold to the people paying for it? What is their argument where to where the reality is? I think the reality is something in Formula One knew they weren't Um, and I think they might have, you know, they might have oversold it a bit, but we'll see. Um, Aston Martin was exactly them at the moment. And nothing's going to change a new car, an Audi. Um I think they were suffering than anything else as well. Um, but I don't think there's report down the back. Dick, what about you? Well, I, I made a, what I observation in FP three. Um, When we're talking about Aston Martin, there was a George. It was towards the end of FP three, and they had the on board video of George setting the lap that ultimately left him at the top of the of the of the time sheets. Uh, and FP three. And he's going around the lap see the speck of a car. And with each succeeding car is just gobbling up the car And this is not a car that's on It's not a car that is preparing This is a car that was actually And literally the rate it became it became clear that through going down the straightaways, the Aston Martin and the. The. The difference in speed, because power of the, you know, the And then certainly the that it's not any good either. But man, oh man, the difference between those engines was unbelievable. And I was like, oh my goodness. Um. It's just they've gone, you with a switch, as we'd say. I mean, they just have no shot. And um, it just, it was such a, an eye opener for me of just how badass that Martin really is right now. It's sad. I feel sorry for, for everybody I mean, hopefully they'll get it bring it out. But good grief it was bad. Yeah, yeah I agree. I'm looking at the clock and day jobs calling moment. But I wanted to say if people haven't already unplugging you, Joe, is. They need to make sure and read Well, they should read it every The Jsbmb newsletter. But I loved your articles in there that were about silly season for so many people who like to get so caught up in the drama. I thought the way that you into context and being very worth the read. The other was the implication of the calendar related to both twenty twenty six, but also twenty twenty seven and what's going on in the Middle East region. So those are must reads, in my I mean, again, I think everybody should be reading the Jsbmb every week. So if you aren't doing that, You do that. It was excellent stuff. I there's one thing I felt was it's not going to please illustration of the problem. Colton Herta in Formula two was And he was nowhere. Absolutely nowhere. Now, this guy was a winner in Absolutely a winner. You know, and he can't he can't He he seems completely lost. Uh, and I find that really Um, as a, as a, as a reflection on, on, you know, why is he that far off? What is it? And we've discussed this before, um, about the various elements that aren't clicking, but, but it's there and it's not getting better. And, and that for me was a very Let's see how he does at But I'm not expecting a lot more Yeah, I think it's very, very I saw the results, I saw the on earth is going on? I mean, I don't I never expected him to be right at the very tippy top of the timesheets to just come over and blow these guys away. They're too good. Um, but I did not expect him to And there may be a back story but, you know, it's just sort of Um, you know, my heart goes out to him because I mean, I know Colton and, um, you know, I want to see him succeed on so many different levels. Um, but, um, man, he, he's Yeah. If anything, I would encourage people to listen to our episode about why there aren't more Americans on the grid, because I think some of the things that you just imply, Joe and Dick are highlighting is the intentionality of going through the, the process that gets you through the ladder to get here is the proposition I think that we're seeing. Can you switch disciplines or transition without having done a more traditional pathway. Um, but that would get us. If we started going down that trail, we'd be late to our day jobs. So we'll have to just make that or if our audience wants to hear that, we would love to do So on that note, gentlemen, I say I look forward to our next conversation. Okay, friends, what did you Drop me a line via email Sabrina at Two Guys, a girl and f1 dot com. Can you help us out? If you haven't already, please take a moment to follow us and give us five stars on your favorite podcast app, as well as share this episode with other F1 fans. We know our growth is because of you and the guys, and I thank you. And with that, let me say we'll listening in because we're just John, Dick and me. Sabrina, thanks for listening.