As the race weekend took shape at the F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, it became clear to fans that this was not going to be another typical 2019 race involving a Mercedes poll and podium lockout. With LeClerc in poll position and Max Verstappen in second, the Mercedes team was going to have to put in some hard work to fight for a podium finish today in the 71 lap race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria under blistering heat.

Blistering was indeed the theme of the F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, with Charles LeClerc maintaining a great pace throughout the entire race with lap times getting closer and closer to the 1 minute mark. Mercedes were unable to catch the Ferrari car, with Bottas and Hamilton both saying their cars simply couldn’t perform under the heat. Hamilton was forced to take a late pit stop after experiencing issues with his front wing, which completely ruled out his chances of making the podium for the first time in the F1 2019 calendar.

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Today was all about the new blood with 21-year-olds Charles LeClerc and Max Verstappen fighting for a win. LeClerc is still waiting for his first Grand Prix victory while Verstappen already has a handful under his belt. An horrendous start from Verstappen saw him overtaken by several vehicles in the first lap with even Vettel gaining on him despite not qualifying in Q3 and starting 10th on the grid. Though Verstappen stayed quiet for the first part of the race, he fought his way back to the top four and then quickly managed to get past the Mercedes team despite saying the vehicle was suffering from power issues in lap 56.

As Verstappen took second place, he saw LeClerc in his sights and begun one of the best end-of-race pursuits of modern times. The DRS activations were on point, and before LeClerc could say “Sacrebleu!” Verstappen was hot on his tail. With four laps to go, Verstappen made his first move going up the inside of LeClerc around turn 3 however LeClerc defended perfectly. The next lap Verstappen took more risks on the same corner which saw their wheels collide, sending LeClerc off the track and giving Verstappen the lead. The Red Bull Racing Honda team got their first win at the Red Bull Ring in more than two decades, though the stewards immediately put the overtake under investigation.

Did Max Verstappen push Charles LeClerc off the track? See LeClerc’s front wheel getting some serious air ahead of the rumblestrip:

The stewards took hours to announce that there was no wrongdoing, and Max Verstappen had indeed claimed the F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix for Red Bull Racing Honda, meaning Charles LeClerc will have to wait just that little bit longer for his first Grand Prix victory. What a day for the Dutch who showed up in droves, as well as Japan claiming a great victory with an outstanding performance from Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing Honda. We’re not even halfway through the season yet, and if races are going to continue to be this exciting then we can’t wait to see how the rest of the F1 2019 calendar plays out.

Check out the full F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix race results:

Watch the official F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix Highlights here.