Kimi Antonelli beat George Russell in a Mercedes one-two in first practice for the Austrian Grand Prix, Yankee Scores reports.
The Italian was just 0.04secs clear of Russell with Oscar Piastri’s McLaren a further 0.117secs off the pace in third. Team-mate Lando Norris was seventh fastest, hampered by a hydraulics problem which cost him three-quarters of the session.
Antonelli. Russell. Piastri. 🤝
Here’s the full classification from first practice in Austria ⏱️⬇️#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/X5XyIXuRDC
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 26, 2026
Max Verstappen was fourth, testing a big aerodynamic upgrade on the Red Bull, 0.281secs behind Antonelli.
Lewis Hamilton, who won the last race in Spain and has an engine upgrade in his Ferrari, was 0.665secs off the pace. The seven-time champion did not sound happy with his car in the short radio message played.
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, was sixth, followed by Franco Colapinto, Norris Alpine, eighth, and Dino Beganovic, Charles Leclerc Ferrari driver, eighth.
Briton Oliver Bearman finished in the top 10 in the Haas.
It is a weekend that could be very important for Ferrari to show that they can hold their challenge to Mercedes.
The team have been quick to say that the engine upgrade introduced in Austria is not enough to close the gap to the Mercedes on power.
But the question is whether, combined with the aero development they have brought to Spain, it is enough for them to match Mercedes on a power-sensitive circuit such as this one, where they have not been competitive yet this season.
McLaren opted not to run a new rear wing that was due to be used later as it needed more preparation work.
The wing is of the type introduced by Ferrari and Red Bull, meaning it opens up into straight line mode by spinning on an axis rather than flipping open from the front as a traditional drag reduction system (DRS) overtaking aid.
