The Red Bull Ring welcomed the F1 circus back to Austria with a day full of surprises, rookie debuts, and shifting fortunes. From Mercedes topping the morning to McLaren’s afternoon dominance, day one has set up an intriguing weekend ahead. What unfolded during the opening practice sessions? Stay tuned with Supercars.com.GH to find out!
FP1
George Russell continued his stellar form by topping the timesheets in FP1, but the real story was Alex Dunne’s impressive debut. The Formula 2 championship leader became the first Irish driver to participate in an F1 weekend for 22 years, slotting his McLaren into fourth place just 0.224s off Russell’s pace. Russell set the benchmark with a 1:05.542, edging out Max Verstappen by 0.065s, while Oscar Piastri completed the top three.
The session wasn’t without drama. Lewis Hamilton encountered gearbox issues in his Ferrari, while Dino Beganovic’s car required floor changes during his debut run replacing Charles Leclerc. Fernando Alonso spun at the final corner, quipping about “the worst out-lap we can do,” while Esteban Ocon locked up at Turn 1, flat-spotting his tyre.
Verstappen seemed uncomfortable in the Red Bull, experiencing lock-ups and working with stand-in race engineer Simon Rennie while GP Lambiase took the weekend off. Despite the struggles, the defending champion maintained second place.
FP2
McLaren struck back emphatically during FP2, with Lando Norris leading a commanding one-two ahead of teammate Piastri. Norris’s 1:04.580 was a significant step forward, putting him 0.157s clear of Piastri and 0.318s ahead of Verstappen in third. The Woking squad’s performance suggests they’ve found their sweet spot at the Red Bull Ring.
Lance Stroll impressed in fourth for Aston Martin, continuing his recovery from wrist surgery, while Charles Leclerc bounced back to claim fifth despite an early gravel excursion. Russell dropped to sixth after topping FP1, with Yuki Tsunoda showing improved pace in seventh.
The session highlighted concerning trends for Lewis Hamilton, who expressed frustration over the radio, telling his engineer “for some reason I’ve just got no pace, mate” after finishing tenth. Gabriel Bortoleto impressed for Kick Sauber in eighth.
Can McLaren maintain this momentum heading into Saturday? Join Supercars.com.GH tomorrow to find out!