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The 2023 F1 Austrian GP was another showcase of how brilliant Red Bull's advantage is over the rest of the field. In a race weekend where quite a few variables were thrown the team's way, we still saw Max Verstappen score maximum points.
His teammate Sergio Perez also did a complementary job in the second car, securing a P2 finish in the sprint and a P3 finish in the main race.
After what was a somewhat action-filled race weekend where we had the sprint format for the second time this season, what did we learn? Let's take a look.
2023 F1 Austrian GP: Key learnings
#1. Red Bull made a mistake with the strategy and still won
The win in the 2023 F1 Austrian GP would demoralize the opposition even more because, for a change, Red Bull messed up today. The iconic Hannah Schmitz made a mistake when a decision was made not to bring both drivers into the pits during the virtual safety car.
If Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc had comparatively paced cars, the Ferrari driver would have won. But the Red Bull was just too quick, and as a result, Verstappen could afford to go for a substandard strategy and still win. This will hurt Red Bull's rivals more than the fact that nobody could even get close to the Austrian team.
#2. Things are changing at Ferrari
The last couple of races have seen Ferrari go a step further when it comes to putting a shoulder around Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver is low on confidence because, for one reason or the other, he's not been as comfortable in the car as in the last few races. In all fairness, Carlos Sainz has been quicker in pockets as well.
Ferrari, however, seem to have made Leclerc their priority. Is it a good or a bad thing? Only time will tell, but it shows a level of decisiveness that the team didn't have before.
#3. Is there something more to Toto Wolff's team radio to Lewis Hamilton?
When was the last time Toto Wolff sounded frustrated while talking to Lewis Hamilton? Wait, let's rephrase that - has Wolff ever sounded frustrated with Hamilton? The answer is no. That has never happened. At the 2023 F1 Austrian GP, though, it did appear that the Mercedes boss lost his cool against his star driver.
There's certainly merit to Wolff getting a bit frustrated because Hamilton's team radios had continued since the start of the race. The driver first complained about the car being "slow." Then the almost incessant nature of his complaints about the penalties could be a bit distracting as well. Having said that, was this a sign of the Austrian boss not wanting to take any more of the tantrums of his star driver?
We should get to know very soon because if the contract extension is not announced in Silverstone, there's trouble in paradise at Mercedes, that's for sure.
#4. McLaren have reasons to be encouraged
The P5 finish at the 2023 F1 Austrian GP is certainly a boost for McLaren, but there were extenuating circumstances that contributed to it. First is the star driver Lando Norris, who had a brilliant race at the Red Bull ring. The second is the sudden loss of form suffered by both Mercedes and Aston Martin on this track.
The upgrades are a good sign, and McLaren should build on this, but the team would be smart not to get carried away by the 2023 F1 Austrian GP weekend.
#5. Alpine might be a bit worried about how the weekend went
Alpine did score a couple of points each in the sprint and the race on Sunday, but the overall pace would be a cause of concern for the team. The French team prides itself on in-season development, and in all fairness, it has done a decent job on that front as well. Having said that, the team will be scratching its head over how the 2023 F1 Austrian GP race weekend panned out.
Fortunately for the team, the next race in Silverstone is not too far away(it's next week), and that should give the team a better idea of where it lies in the pecking order.
