Verstappen Dominates Styrian GP for 4th Win of F1 Season

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Styrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, June 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Styrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, June 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
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Verstappen Dominates Styrian GP for 4th Win of F1 Season

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Styrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, June 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Styrian Formula One Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, June 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen dominated the Styrian Grand Prix on Sunday to win back-to-back races for the first time in his career.

With a clean start from pole, the Red Bull driver denied Lewis Hamilton an early attack and he remained ahead for the entire race, beating his Mercedes rival by more than 35 seconds.

Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas finished third ahead of Sergio Perez as Red Bull and Mercedes occupied the top four places once more.

It was Verstappen’s 14th career win and fourth of the season, increasing his lead over the seven-time world champion in the drivers’ standings to 18 points after eight races. A race win is worth 25 points.

Racing on its home track in the Austrian Alps, Red Bull stretched its winning streak to four races, as Hamilton’s wait for his 99th career victory reached the seven-week mark.

The last time Hamilton went without a win in four straight races came more than three years ago, spanning the last three races of 2017 and the first three of the following season.

Red Bull squandered a potential 1-3 finish with a slow pit stop for Perez, which lasted for nearly five seconds due to an issue with the left-rear tire.

The Austrian GP on the same track is scheduled for next Sunday.



Nadal Reaches First Final Since 2022 French Open

20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
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Nadal Reaches First Final Since 2022 French Open

20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa

Rafael Nadal reached his first final since the 2022 French Open by rallying to beat Duje Ajdukovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Saturday at the clay-court Nordea Open.
After needing four hours to beat the 36th-ranked Mariano Navone in Friday's quarterfinals, Nadal had a slow start against Ajdukovic and was a break down in the second set before turning things around, The Associated Press reported.
“My opponent had one of the best backhands that I played against,” Nadal said. “It was very, very difficult, honestly, but I found a way to survive and be through to that final after a long time without being in a final. So that’s great news and I’m very happy with that.”
Nadal will play Nuno Borges, who beat Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first tour-level final.
Nadal is playing at the tournament in Sweden for the first time since he won the title as a 19-year-old in 2005 as he prepares for the Olympic tournament on clay at Roland Garros in Paris.
The 38-year-old Nadal skipped Wimbledon as he didn’t want to switch surface to grass and then back to clay and risk injury. He has been dealing with hip and abdominal injuries over the past 1 1/2 years.