Max Verstappen blasts Sergio Perez after sprint race win in Austria

Max Verstappen wins Austrian Grand Prix sprint race – but F1 world champion accuses Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez of driving him off the track before confronting him post-race

• Max Verstappen won the sprint race in Austria, after a tussle with Sergio Perez
• The Dutchman said his team-mate drove him off the track during the 24-lap trip 
• Lewis Hamilton rose to 10th place after starting 18th, but still out of the points 

Max Verstappen accused his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez of driving him off the road in the sprint race in Austria.

The opening lap spat did not prevent the double world champion from asserting his dominance in the early arm wrestle before going on to take victory in drizzly conditions at his team’s undulating home track.

Off the line, pole-sitter Verstappen moved to his right to try to hold off Perez but it was to no avail and the Mexican came to the opening corner ahead. But on the exit, Perez ran wide and this allowed Verstappen back into the fight.

The Dutchman could not instantly make an overtake stick and his wheels went on to the grass as they duelled. He was furious, and then strong-armed his way through at Turn 3, planting his car deep into the corner.

‘He pushed me off man, what the f***,’ yelled Verstappen.

Max Verstappen won the sprint race, after accusing his teammate of driving him off the track

The Dutchman was not impressed with Sergio Perez after their fight during the opening lap

Perez was also unimpressed, saying: ‘What’s wrong with Max?’

After the race, Verstappen – who went striding away to take the maximum eight points, 21 seconds in front of runner-up Perez – said: ‘That first corner was not really nice. It could have been a big shunt. We need to talk about that.’

The two discussed the high-speed jinks immediately after stepping out of their cars, each gesticulating as they debated their sides.

Verstappen (c) won the 24-lap race, with Perez (l) second and Carlos Sainz third for Ferrari

There was some good action through the field as spray made racing difficult, tight and treacherous. But the conditions were drying slightly across the 24 laps, and Russell was first in to change to slicks. It soon gave him far greater speed. About half the field followed suit, but not the leaders who stood to gain nothing from doing so.

Although Nico Hulkenberg took advantage of the Verstappen-Perez battle to go third but that was not to last. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished a place behind Perez in third.

Lewis Hamilton, who started 18th, finished 10th while his Mercedes team-mate Russell finished eighth, passing McLaren’s Lando Norris on the last lap. Norris had started third so it was a disappointing afternoon for him.

Verstappen extended his championship lead over Perez to 70 points ahead of Sunday’s 71-lap grand prix.

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