Mercedes leads first practice in Austria
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 behind. This performance occurred as several rivals encountered reliability issues during the session. The Mercedes duo exchanged leading positions on the timesheet throughout the practice.
Antonelli finished the session 0.040 seconds ahead, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in third, just one-tenth of a second behind. This strong showing from Mercedes comes two weeks after Lewis Hamilton secured a victory in Barcelona, reinforcing their position as contenders for the upcoming race at the Red Bull Ring.
Reliability concerns for key drivers
Despite Mercedes’ strong start, other teams faced significant challenges. Lando Norris of McLaren experienced a hydraulics leak, which resulted in a loss of 45 minutes of track time. This issue places him at a disadvantage early in the race weekend.
Both Red Bull cars also spent time in the garage due to technical problems. Max Verstappen encountered software issues that caused him to stop in the pit lane twice within the first 20 minutes of the session. He ultimately finished fourth, 0.281 seconds behind Antonelli, and expressed dissatisfaction with the car’s balance, noting that the “whole car is shaking under braking.”
Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar was forced to change his engine after a problem was discovered, costing him approximately half of the practice session. Red Bull had introduced significant aerodynamic changes for their home event, hoping these updates would improve their performance.
According to one analysis, these reliability problems are not ideal, especially for Red Bull, given their substantial update package. Similar sentiments were expressed regarding McLaren and Norris, though it was noted that it is preferable for such issues to occur in the first practice session, allowing for subsequent sessions to recover lost time and data.
Rookie drivers gain experience
The first practice session also saw several rookie drivers participating, fulfilling a regulation that requires full-time drivers to yield their seats for a rookie in two practice sessions during the season. A total of six teams fielded a rookie in Austria’s opening practice.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was replaced by Formula 2 driver Dino Beganovic, who was the highest-placed rookie in ninth position. Beganovic, who previously drove for Ferrari in two practice sessions in 2025 and for Mercedes in Barcelona, is currently sixth in the Formula 2 standings. This outing marks his fourth practice appearance.
Another impressive rookie performance came from Arvid Lindblad, who secured sixth place for Racing Bulls. Other rookies who participated included Ayumu Iwasa for Racing Bulls, substituting for Liam Lawson. Iwasa is currently competing in Super Formula and serves as a test and reserve driver for both Racing Bulls and Red Bull, having made six prior practice outings since 2024.
Ryo Hirakawa made his first practice appearance of 2026, driving Esteban Ocon’s Haas. Hirakawa, who is a test and reserve driver for the American team and competes in the World Endurance Championship, marked his seventh practice appearance. Luke Browning, a reserve driver for Williams, replaced Carlos Sainz. This was officially his sixth practice appearance, despite a technical issue preventing him from participating in Barcelona.
Paul Aron drove for Audi, replacing Gabriel Bortoleto, in his seventh practice appearance. Jak Crawford, Aston Martin’s third driver, took the wheel in place of Lance Stroll, marking his fourth practice run. These opportunities allow young drivers to gain valuable experience on the track.
Ferrari is expected to introduce an upgraded engine from Saturday, which suggests that Hamilton’s fifth-place finish in the first practice might not fully reflect their potential pace. The Austrian Grand Prix weekend continues with second practice later on Friday.
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Source: skysports.com
As Latest News UK's Sports Reporter, Hannah Whitfield reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name covering the county circuit and Team GB at two Commonwealth Games. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from Loughborough University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Hannah lives in Bristol, where she plays club tennis and coaches a junior side. “Sport is at its best when you let the athletes tell the story.”