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.



North Korean Athletes Leave for Paris Olympics

FILE outdated photo of members of North Korean women's ice hockey team - AFP
FILE outdated photo of members of North Korean women's ice hockey team - AFP
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North Korean Athletes Leave for Paris Olympics

FILE outdated photo of members of North Korean women's ice hockey team - AFP
FILE outdated photo of members of North Korean women's ice hockey team - AFP

North Korean athletes left for the Paris Olympics on Saturday, AFP reporters saw, as they prepared to take part in the summer Games for the first time in eight years.

The athletes posed for photos at Pyongyang airport, wearing white blazers adorned with their national flag and badges featuring their former leaders.

Around 16 North Korean athletes are expected to compete in around seven Olympic events in Paris, including boxing and table tennis, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

North Korea's culture and sports minister Kim Il Guk was part of the delegation heading to Paris on Saturday.

Thousands of athletes have begun flying into the French capital ahead of the July 26-August 11 event.

The nuclear-armed North did not send a delegation to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics -- which were delayed to 2021 because of the coronavirus -- due to concerns over the pandemic.

The country was banned from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, after it failed to take part in Tokyo in 2021.

North Korea won two gold medals at the Rio Olympics in 2016 -- the last time it participated in the summer Games.

Rim Jong Sim won in women's weightlifting and Ri Se Gwang scored gold in men's vault.