There are legs still then in a Formula One world championship that con­tinues to ebb and flow, now almost on a race-by-race basis. At the Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell was riding the wave to win but only after a gripping battle with an almost shockingly resurgent Red Bull in the hands of Max Verstappen. Ferrari, heady ­victors in the last round, well, they were but flotsam in Austria.The victory was of import of course to Russell who has been in sore need of making the point to his teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli that the British driver remains a force to be reckoned with. With Antonelli ­finishing third, after a grandstand finale in which Russell, Verstappen and the Italian were separated by just under two seconds, Russell has now closed the gap to him to 40 points.It is large but crucially not insurmountable with 14 rounds still to go, and he secured his position with a pole sealed with perfect, split-second judgment under the intense ­pressure of sudden yellow flags. This was a win ground out while being hounded by a flying Verstappen, with ­Russell demonstrating the moxie that should keep him in contention, as he acknowledged.“The tough races definitely test you psychologically,” Russell said. “These last two weekends for me have been vitally important to remind myself I can do it.”It was an achievement also noted by his team principal, Toto Wolff. “It’s been a perfect execution,” he said. “He was quick, managed the tyres well, cold blooded.” Which is exactly what Russell needs to be to maintain the pressure on his team-mate.Russell’s win was hard fought but deserved. He could not afford to put a foot wrong with Verstappen ­showing so much pace to follow him home from fifth after a major crash in qualifying. His second place was significant given the speculation about the four-time champion’s future which has swirled all weekend in Austria, with rumours of a move to McLaren abounding. Their team principal, Zak Brown, observed before the race that while he was happy with his line-up, of course he would sign the Dutchman if something happened to one of his drivers.Red Bull's Max Verstappen competes during the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg. Photograph: Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images Verstappen, however, has always been clear that he wants performance more than anything and Red Bull know that if they provide that, he will stay. On this form, the swathe of upgrades they brought to Austria were indeed effective, at this circuit at least. Verstappen was absolutely rapid at the Red Bull Ring, the most competitive he has been all year, for his best finish this season and was genuinely in with a shot of the win. He vied with Hamilton to thrilling effect in the early stages and was decisive when putting the move on him that mattered. Then for two stints he chased down Russell, dashing about with the verve of old, that has not so much been on display this year with an engine formula he dislikes.He cut Russell’s lead to four ­seconds by lap 34 and a ­second more two laps later, catching him at a rate of knots as Russell struggled for pace. He was within 1.5 second by lap 40 – only to then have to repeat the task after the final stops took place. Going long before his last stop, he emerged 11 seconds back from Russell with 21 laps to go. The gap was down to six seconds with 12 remaining then three seconds off with three to go, even as Antonelli also closed him down to take their battle too to the flag.Verstappen is now 98 points off Antonelli, a chasm, but as has been observed, fewer than the 104-point deficit from which he launched his title tilt that went to the wire last year. Red Bull turned it round then and while the task is of a greater scale this time out, Verstappen’s drive in Austria was a salutary reminder of his fearsome talent.Laurent Mekies, the team principal, was understandably buoyed, knowing what it means to keep his driver in situ. “The most satisfying element is the pace,” he said. “For the first time this season we have the pace to be very close, to have enough to win.”Ferrari, however, so buoyed by Hamilton’s win at the last round in Barcelona, were left deflated by a lack of pace, tyre degradation issues and overheating. Hamilton fought hard with Verstappen but was ultimately powerless against his pace and he and his team-mate Charles Leclerc finished in fifth and eighth respectively, far from the lead and once more only really in the fight with the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who were fourth and seventh.Lessons for the Scuderia but also Antonelli, who admitted he was overeager in the opening laps, ­repeatedly going wide as he charged from fourth trying desperately to make up places. Too much too young then but, as Wolff has oft observed, he would rather calm a charger than take a stick to a donkey and his pace at the end was formidable once more. A reminder for the victorious Russell that a long old scrap still lies ahead. – Guardian