Practice Session Overview
Kimi Antonelli secured the top position in the first practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix, leading a Mercedes one-two. His teammate, George Russell, followed closely, marking a strong start for the team at the Red Bull Ring. Antonelli finished 0.040 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who placed third, just a tenth behind.
The session saw several teams encounter reliability problems. Both Red Bull cars and Lando Norris‘s McLaren experienced significant downtime. Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, stopped twice in the pit lane due to software issues, while Isack Hadjar had to change his engine, costing him approximately half of the session.
Team Challenges and Rookie Appearances
Lando Norris‘s practice was cut short by 45 minutes due to a hydraulics leak in his McLaren, which could put him at a disadvantage. Red Bull introduced a new car with visible aerodynamic changes for their home event, aiming to improve their performance. Despite these updates, Max Verstappen finished fourth, 0.281 seconds behind Antonelli, and expressed dissatisfaction with the car’s balance, noting it was shaking under braking.
The practice session also featured several rookie drivers, in line with Formula 1 regulations requiring full-time drivers to yield their seats for two practice sessions per season. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was replaced by Dino Beganovic, who achieved ninth place, making him the highest-placed rookie. Arvid Lindblad, a full-time rookie, impressed by securing sixth position for Racing Bulls.
Other rookie drivers participating included Ayumu Iwasa for Racing Bulls, Ryo Hirakawa for Haas, Luke Browning for Williams, Paul Aron for Audi, and Jak Crawford for Aston Martin. Dino Beganovic, who is part of Ferrari‘s Driver Academy, made his fourth practice outing. Ayumu Iwasa, a test and reserve driver for Racing Bulls and Red Bull, made a return appearance after driving in Barcelona.
Ryo Hirakawa, a test and reserve driver for Haas, made his first practice appearance of 2026. Luke Browning, a reserve driver for Williams, was set to compete in Barcelona but faced technical issues, making this his sixth official practice appearance. Paul Aron, officially Alpine‘s reserve driver, made his seventh practice appearance with Audi. Jak Crawford, Aston Martin‘s third driver, participated in his fourth practice run.
Upcoming Schedule in Austria
The Austrian Grand Prix weekend continues with further sessions. Practice Two is scheduled for later on Friday, with Qualifying taking place on Saturday. The main race, the Austrian Grand Prix, is set for Sunday.
The schedule for Friday includes F3 Qualifying, a team bosses’ press conference, and F2 Qualifying, leading up to Austrian GP Practice Two. Saturday’s events will feature the F3 Sprint, Austrian GP Practice Three, the F2 Sprint, and the Austrian GP Qualifying. Sunday will host the F3 Feature Race, F2 Feature Race, Porsche Supercup, and the Austrian Grand Prix.
Ferrari is expected to introduce an upgraded engine from Saturday, which could influence their performance in the upcoming sessions. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in the first practice, over six tenths off the front, but this may not reflect their true pace with the impending engine upgrade.
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Source: skysports.com
As News-GB.org's Sports Reporter, Eleanor Vance reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name on long-form athlete profiles. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from the University of Bath and completed an NCTJ diploma. Eleanor lives in Bath, where she swims competitively and follows British athletics. “A profile is only as good as the questions behind it.”