Formula One leaders Red Bull can put another dent in Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes in Austria in Sunday at 3pm as pacesetter Max Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez chase their fifth win in a row.
The talk since the start of the season has been of a wheel-to-wheel title duel down to the wire between Mercedes’ seven-times champion and Verstappen, the 23-year-old Dutch heir apparent.
That perception could change if Verstappen follows up last weekend’s crushing pole to flag Styrian Grand Prix victory at Red Bull Racing’s home Spielberg circuit with more of the same.
Verstappen is 18 points clear after eight races and a fifth win of the season for the Dutchman could put him out of immediate range, however.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says: “Max is, I think, driving with great maturity and consistency.
“And we’ve just got to keep turning the screw and just keep our heads down, keep doing what we’re doing and just keep doing the basics well.”
Alan Bladwin | [email protected]