The Red Bull Ring is basically a giant bowl of orange-clad fans and high-speed drama. It’s supposed to be Max Verstappen’s house. He owns the place, usually. But lately, the Max Verstappen Austrian GP story has shifted from "metronomic dominance" to "absolute chaos."
If you were watching in 2024, you saw the moment the bromance died. Or at least, when it took a very long, very awkward nap. Max and Lando Norris—best buds, sim-racing partners—collided in a way that had the entire paddock pointing fingers. Honestly, it was the first time in a while we saw the "2021 Max" come back. That uncompromising, "get out of my way or we both crash" version of the Dutchman.
The Collision That Changed Everything
Most people look at the 2024 race and just see two cars touching. It was more than that. It was a pressure cooker that finally popped.
Verstappen had a massive lead. Then, a rare Red Bull mistake happened. A slow 6.5-second pit stop (the left rear was a nightmare) gifted Lando Norris a chance. Suddenly, the gap was gone. What followed was about ten laps of the most intense, borderline-illegal racing we've seen in years. Lando was diving, Max was moving under braking, and the stewards were busy doing... well, not much until it was too late.
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Then came Lap 64. Turn 3. Max squeezed Lando. Lando didn't back out. Contact. Both got punctures. Lando’s car was shredded; he was out. Max limped back, got a 10-second penalty, and still finished P5. It was a mess. George Russell basically fell into the lead and won the race while everyone else was staring at the replays.
Why the Red Bull Ring is a Trap
The layout of this track is deceptive. It looks easy. It's short.
But the heavy braking zones at Turn 3 and Turn 4 are perfect for "sending it."
- The uphill climb: It makes it hard to see the apex.
- The DRS trains: They keep everyone bunched up.
- The track limits: Drivers were getting penalized left and right for being millimeters wide.
In 2025, the drama didn't stop, though it was different. Max didn't even make it past the first lap. Kimi Antonelli—the Mercedes rookie everyone’s obsessed with—locked up and wiped Max out at Turn 3. Just like that, the home hero was in the gravel, calling people "idiots" on the radio. It was his second DNF in three years, which for Max, is a massive statistical anomaly.
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Max Verstappen's Austrian GP Record: By the Numbers
You can't talk about Max in Spielberg without acknowledging he is still the king of this mountain, even with the recent disasters. He’s won here four times (2018, 2019, 2021, and the Styrian GP in 2021).
| Year | Result | Key Moment |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1st | His first win at the Red Bull Ring. |
| 2019 | 1st | That famous "elbows out" move on Charles Leclerc. |
| 2021 | 1st | Utterly untouchable in both Austrian races that year. |
| 2024 | 5th | The Lando Norris crash that cost him a certain win. |
| 2025 | DNF | Wiped out by Antonelli on Lap 1. |
It's kida crazy to think that between 2024 and 2025, Max only took 10 points from his home race. For a guy who was winning 19 races a season just a couple of years ago, that’s a huge slump.
What Most Fans Miss About His Driving Style
People love to say Max is "reckless."
The reality? He’s a mathematician.
He knows exactly where the line is. In 2024, he knew that if he let Lando through once, the McLaren pace was too high to get the lead back. So he chose to defend at 101%. Sometimes that 1% extra leads to a puncture and a lot of angry interviews.
The 2024 incident wasn't just about a win; it was about the 2024 World Championship. Max was protecting a lead. He ended up extending it anyway because Lando DNF'd, but at the cost of his reputation as a "cleaner" driver. Andrea Stella, the McLaren boss, was fuming. He basically said the stewards' failure to punish Max in 2021 led directly to the 2024 crash.
The "Friendship" Factor
Can you actually be friends with a guy you just ran off the road?
Max and Lando had a "cool down" talk on the Monday after the 2024 race. They’re still friends, mostly. Max told the media at Silverstone that they agreed on 99% of what happened. But in the car? That friendship doesn't exist. If you want to beat Max at the Red Bull Ring, you have to be prepared for him to squeeze you. Lando learned that the hard way.
How to Watch the Next Austrian GP Like a Pro
If you're planning to head to Spielberg or just watch on TV, you've gotta keep your eyes on the "mini-sectors."
- Check the tire deg: The track is brutal on the rear tires because of the traction needed out of Turn 3.
- Watch the "Moving Under Braking": This is the Max Verstappen special. If a car is attacking, see if the lead car shifts their line after they've started slowing down. It’s technically illegal, but very hard to prove.
- Orange Smoke: Don't be alarmed. It’s just the Dutch fans. It usually clears by Lap 2.
The Max Verstappen Austrian GP saga is far from over. With the new 2026 regulations looming and Red Bull no longer having the fastest car every weekend, Spielberg has turned from a victory parade into a battlefield.
To really understand the nuance of these races, watch the onboard footage of the final ten laps of 2024. Pay attention to Max’s steering wheel. He isn't just driving; he's blocking. It’s a masterclass in defensive "dark arts" that backfired.
Keep an eye on the technical updates Red Bull brings to high-altitude tracks like this. The thin air usually favors their cooling package, but as we saw with the slow pit stop, even a perfect car can't save you from human error.
Analyze the qualifying gaps in the next visit. If Max isn't on pole by at least 0.2 seconds, expect a repeat of the Lando/Kimi chaos. The Red Bull Ring doesn't let anyone escape easily anymore.