Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas wins Austrian Grand Prix
Mercedes' Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas, who began on pole, won the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. Bottas finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, who finished second and third respectively. Three-time Formula One champion, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in the race. Notably, Vettel leads the driver standings with 171 points, 20 ahead of Hamilton.


3.04pm BST
15:04

Giles Richards?s race report:

2.36pm BST
14:36

Anyway, a race that lacked the drama and spills and thrills of Baku was nonetheless skilfully won from pole by Bottas, whose lightning start pretty much defined his race, once it was checked out by the stewards and declared legal. He held off another stern challenge from Vettel, who extended his championship lead over Hamilton to 20 points. But Bottas is now only 35 points behind, and you wouldn?t rule him out on current form. Hamilton climbed four places from pole, but couldn?t quite manage the explosive performance needed to get on the podium. Anyway, that?s all from me for now. Stay on the site for Giles Richards? report from the Red Bull Ring and other reaction. Thanks for reading and for your mid-race emails that I didn?t have time to respond to at the time. Bye.

2.28pm BST
14:28

1 Bottas 2 Vettel 3 Ricciardo 4 Hamilton 5 Raikkonen 6 Grosjean 7 Pérez 8 Ocon 9 Massa 10 Stroll.

2.27pm BST
14:27

That was a close and absorbing last lap, but it was another fine race by Bottas, who?s creeping up in the title race, but Vettel remains firmly out in front, having stretched his advantage over Hamilton, who did well in the end to come so close to a podium finish after starting from eighth. But he had to settle for fourth place behind Ricciardo, who finishes on the podium for the second race in a row.Updated
at 2.33pm BST


2.25pm BST
14:25

Bottas struggles for grip on the turns but he holds him off and gets his positioning right to take the victory! Ricciardo similarly holds off Hamilton to take third!

2.24pm BST
14:24

Lap 70: Hamilton attacks Ricciardo at turn four but Ricciardo holds him off on the inside. Bottas just holds the lead as they go into the last lap.

2.23pm BST
14:23

Lap 69: Vettel closes to 0.8ecs behind Bottas with two to go, which is the gape between Ricciardo and Hamilton

2.22pm BST
14:22

Lap 68: Vettel has some difficulty lapping Perez, and stays second, as Hamilton moves to 0.8sec behind Ricciardo.

2.21pm BST
14:21

Lap 67: Further -ack movements include Jolyon Palmer squeezing up to 11th as he seeks his first points and Ocon moving up to eighth.

2.19pm BST
14:19

Lap 66: ?I need everything now? says Hamilton, who sounds permanently unhappy, but he?s closing on Ricciardo, who?s car isn?t completely running smoothly either. He won?t catch the top two, as Bottas retains a two-second lead over Vettel. 

2.17pm BST
14:17

Lap 65: The gap beteeen Vettel and Bottas dips below two seconds ? the Finn?s lead is under threat here, but there?s only six laps remaining. Raikkonen appears to be losing ground in fifth.Updated
at 2.29pm BST


2.17pm BST
14:17

Lap 64: Sorry for the delay in updates over the past couple of laps ? some technical glitches here. Hamilton still closing on Ricciardio ? it?s 1.8secs - despite complaints about tyre blistering, but the top three is as you were: 1 Bottas 2 Vettel 3 Ricciardo

2.12pm BST
14:12

Lap 60: While we build-up to the race finale ?WATCH: Re-live the drama at the start of the #AustrianGP as KVY, ALO and VER collide ??VIDEO >> https://t.co/LKW0arUxW5 #F1 pic.twitter.com/PxYi8Ks8AlUpdated
at 2.15pm BST


2.11pm BST
14:11

Lap 59: Hamilton sets a new fastest lap and is now only 2.9 secs behind Ricciardo in third. Kvyat pits for a second time ? his third in total given his drive-through penalty ? and he?s stone last.

2.10pm BST
14:10

Lap 58: Hamilton and Ricciardo both set their fastest lap times on the 57th, but they?re a distance behind the top two. Bottas still leads from Vettel.

2.08pm BST
14:08

Lap 56: Raikkonen struggles on a bend for grip, which gives Hamilton a bit of respite in his bid to hold onto a top four place. Vettel is now 2.9secs behind Bottas.Updated
at 2.14pm BST


2.08pm BST
14:08

Lap 55: This is another test of Bottas?s temperament ? he?s shown he can handle pressure before, but it won?t be easy. As Vettel is told there may be rain before the end of the race, which Hamilton may like too but it?s probably too late.

2.06pm BST
14:06

Lap 54: Bottas?s lead is now 3.2seconds from Vettel ? it?s closing all the time and this could be a tight finish, as Raikkonen in fifth sets the fastest lap of the race in 1: 07.6

2.05pm BST
14:05

Lap 53: Quick places recap: 1 Bottas 2 Vettel 3 Ricciardo 4 Hamilton 5 Raikkonen 6 Grosjean 7 Perez 8 Ocon 9 Massa 10 Stroll. A good lap from Hamilton puts him within three and a half seconds of Ricciardo, though Raikkonen is closing on Hamilton too.

2.03pm BST
14:03

Lap 52: Hamilton?s woes will be music to Vettel?s ears in terms of the title race but can he reel in Bottas? He?s closing slowly, and has 19 laps to cut that lead, which is currently around 3.8secs. Updated
at 2.03pm BST


2.02pm BST
14:02

Lap 51: Vettel cuts the gap to 3.8secs on Bottas, as Hamilton complains that ?I?m struggling out here? ? a pit stop would be risky, but Mercedes may need to do something; there?s blistering on his front left tyres too.

2.01pm BST
14:01

Lap 50: Vettel steps on the gas, reducing the gap to below four seconds ? it?s now 3.9secs ? and it puts more daylight between Vettel and Ricciardo in third. Hamilton is still ahead of Raikkonen; they?re in fourth and fifth respectively.

1.59pm BST
13:59

Lap 48: Massa pits, and can?t quite manage to emerge ahead of Ocon but has to make do with ninth place now. Bottas still leads.

1.58pm BST
13:58

Lap 47: Felipe Massa has had an excellent race, he?s up to sixth now, though he hasn?t pitted yet, but given where he started this is a fine performance. Bottas still leads by 4.45secs from Vettel. Updated
at 1.58pm BST


1.57pm BST
13:57

Lap 46: Sainz retires, sighing ?what a glorious race?, as Bottas continues to lead and look comfortable again. Hamilton is back in fifth, and it still just doesn?t look to be happening for him today.Updated
at 2.05pm BST


1.55pm BST
13:55

Lap 45: So Bottas is back in front from Vettel, with Ricciardo third, Hamilton fourth and Raikkonen fifth. Vandoorne has been hit with a drive-through penalty for ignoring blue flags, which probably scuppers his chances of any points. Car problems for Red Bull?s Sainz ? it looks as if he?s going to retire.

1.54pm BST
13:54

Lap 44: Bottas closes on Raikkonen, and takes him on into turn four, and passes him. He?s back in front and on those fresh tyres he made that look really easy. Raikkonen pits straight away.

1.53pm BST
13:53

Lap 43: Raikoinnen, yet to pit, is 1.25 secs ahead from Bottas, who is 2.8 secs ahead of Vettel, with Ricciardo fourth and Hamilton fifth. 

1.51pm BST
13:51

Lap 42: Bottas pits, and the changeover is a little ponderous, which hands Raikkonen the lead. Vettel is now a bit closer to Bottas in third place. So Raikkonen might tactically stay out even longer to help Vettel, as he?s told on the radio that Hamilton has ?bad balance? and isn?t threatening yet.

1.49pm BST
13:49

Lap 40: Some Hamilton unhappiness with the condition of his right rear tyre, which looks a little blistered. He remains fifth, with Ricciardo in front of him in fourth. Raikkonen is still yet to pit in second place.Updated
at 1.49pm BST


1.47pm BST
13:47

Lap 38: Bottas appears to have been held up by the lapped Perez a little as he tried to take him on on the turn, but he retains his comfortable lead. On a similar theme, Vandoorne is under investigation over an incident with Raikkonen

1.44pm BST
13:44

Lap 36: How they stand recap: 1 Bottas 2 Raikkonen 3 Vettel 4 Ricciardo 5 Hamilton 6 Grosjean 7 Ocon 8 Massa, 9 Perez 10 Sainz

1.43pm BST
13:43

Lap 35: Vettel pits, swiftly, moving onto super-softs ? a smooth changeround, that. He drops to third behind Raikkonen in second, but the Finn is yet to pit. Bottas still leads, as he has the whole way. Hamilton is fifth. Further back, Vandoorne passes Eriksson to move into 14th. Palmer pits and switches to ultra-softsUpdated
at 1.44pm BST


1.42pm BST
13:42

Lap 34: Ricciardo also takes his pit stop, which drops him back to fourth for now, but he needed to do that with Hamilton closing

1.41pm BST
13:41

Lap 33: Raikkonen has just put in his best lap, and is told to stay out for the foreseeable ? ?do the opposite of Hamilton? being his race mantra. 

1.39pm BST
13:39

Lap 31: Bottas is eight seconds ahead now from Vettel, as Hamilton decides to come in first, taking 2.4secs, as he switches to the ultras. And he doesn?t lose any places, such is his lead over Grosjean in sixthUpdated
at 1.40pm BST


1.38pm BST
13:38

Lap 30: Magnussen has been called in, and this looks like the end of his race. Bottas still leads from Vettel.

1.37pm BST
13:37

Lap 29: Further back, Stroll and Massa have driven very well in 10th and ninth respectively, having come through well at the start. Car trouble for Magnussen, probably with the gear box ? that ?pop? sounded unhealthy.

1.36pm BST
13:36

Lap 28: Verstappen is talking about the accident that ended his race early on. ?I?m very disappointed especially for the fans, who were the best crowd I?ve seen so far, and I couldn?t even complete a turn for them.? He looks glum, as well he might. If it weren?t for bad luck he?d have no luck at all.

1.34pm BST
13:34

Lap 27: Hamilton is agonisingly just short of being able to take on Raikkonen at the turns, and he?ll need to up his pace at some point. Bottas laps Wehrlein in 15th and continues to lead comfortably.

1.33pm BST
13:33

Lap 26: Hamilton moves a bit closer to Raikkonen again, looking to take advantage of the Ferrari driver?s tyre problems, but he?s still fifth in his super-softs.