Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap in the opening practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix, with teammate George Russell completing a Mercedes one-two. Antonelli's time was just 0.04 seconds ahead of Russell. Oscar Piastri in a McLaren secured third place, a mere 0.117 seconds off Antonelli's pace. IMAGE5: Kimi Antonelli on track in Spielberg during first practice for the Austrian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen, piloting a Red Bull featuring significant aerodynamic upgrades, finished fourth, trailing Antonelli by 0.281 seconds. Lewis Hamilton, the winner of the previous race in Spain and equipped with an engine upgrade in his Ferrari, was considerably slower, finishing 0.665 seconds behind the lead pace. Radio transmissions indicated Hamilton was not satisfied with his car's performance.
Other notable performances in the session included Arvid Lindblad in sixth for Racing Bulls. Following Norris, Alpine's Franco Colapinto placed eighth, with Dino Beganovic in Charles Leclerc's Ferrari behind him. Oliver Bearman rounded out the top 10 in the Haas.
This weekend's Austrian Grand Prix is seen as a crucial event for Ferrari, as it will provide an indication of whether they can sustain their challenge to Mercedes. The team has expressed caution, stating that the engine upgrade introduced at this event is not sufficient on its own to close the performance gap to Mercedes in terms of power. The key question remains whether this upgrade, in conjunction with aerodynamic developments implemented earlier in Spain, will enable Ferrari to compete effectively with Mercedes on a circuit like Austria, which is sensitive to power and where they have not yet achieved strong results this season. IMAGE7: Fans watch on from the grandstand under the bull statue at the Red Bull Ring
Lando Norris, Hamilton's teammate at McLaren, experienced a hydraulics issue that sidelined him for three-quarters of the practice session, ultimately placing him seventh fastest.