Österreichring

A Commanding Lead

Florian Masse gave the Österreichring race its central fact from the opening lap. The Frenchman led throughout the 38 laps in his McLaren, and there was no change at the head of the order to disturb the course of his afternoon. It was a measured performance rather than a noisy one, founded on a lead held at every passage and reinforced by the race's fastest lap, a 1:36.001.

Behind the leader, Simone Porcu brought the Williams home second, with Kasperi Sirén's Surtees completing the podium. Masse's victory was worth 40 points, and it carried clear weight with only one round remaining. Having arrived with a three-point advantage over Porcu, he now leads the Italian by six, 157 points to 151.

The Championship Takes Shape

There was particular value in the manner of Masse's success. The Championship had offered little room for indulgence at its summit, Porcu having remained close enough to make every major score significant. At Österreichring, however, Masse converted his position at the front into the full return without yielding the initiative.

Porcu's second place ensured that the contest remains closely drawn, while pitman, fourth in the second McLaren, holds third place on 139 points. Sirén's third place moved the Finn to fourth in the table. The final round will therefore begin with Masse in command, but with Porcu still within six points of him.

The Contest Behind the Podium

The liveliest racing lay behind the three leaders. Pitman, Nat Stevenson in the Shadow and Mika Hakala's Ferrari 312T formed a close group through the middle portion of the race. An incident on the second lap cost pitman one place, and he was drawn into a changing contest with Stevenson thereafter.

Stevenson moved ahead before half-distance, only for pitman to reclaim the advantage four laps later. From laps 14 to 23, pitman, Stevenson and Hakala ran as a compact trio, each keeping the others in close view. The German eventually secured fourth, but the order immediately behind him remained unsettled for much longer.

Hakala and Stevenson had already exchanged places early on, Stevenson taking the advantage by the end of lap seven. Their contest resumed in earnest in the closing third, when they ran closely matched from lap 22 to lap 32. Hakala moved back in front by the end of the latter lap and retained fifth place, leaving Stevenson sixth. It was a worthwhile duel for two drivers whose races had developed very differently, but whose paths converged again when the race was at its most established.

A Full-Distance Return

The leading six all completed the 38 laps, with Richard Rossier's Ferrari next home a lap down in seventh. The race's more prominent reversals had come early and in the crowded contest behind the leading trio, but the final result gave each of the principal protagonists a clear reward: Masse the victory and a larger Championship lead, Porcu the points to preserve his pursuit, and Sirén a podium earned amid a competitive field.

For Masse, this was also a change from the previous Championship round, won by pitman. At Österreichring the McLaren driver supplied the response required of a points leader: control at the front, speed enough for the fastest lap, and the maximum score when it mattered.