Max Verstappen finished second at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring (Spielberg), his strongest result of a difficult 2025 season, behind winner George Russell and narrowly ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Verstappen climbed from fifth on the grid, fighting off Lewis Hamilton in a competitive mid-race duel before closing in on Russell, though a handling issue in the second half of the race — alongside a crash during qualifying — limited his pace. The Dutchman said it was "the first time" he genuinely felt able to fight for victory this season, crediting recent upgrades on the Red Bull, while acknowledging his team still has work to do before challenging consistently for the title.