Austrian Grand Prix: FP1 Report
George Russell continued his strong momentum from the Canadian Grand Prix, leading the first free practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring with a lap time of 1:05.542. His performance places the Mercedes driver ahead of reigning champion Max Verstappen, who registered a time just 0.065 seconds slower.
Rain towards the end of the session hampered further attempts to improve lap times, and traffic plagued drivers throughout the hour. Oscar Piastri, the current championship leader, finished third, while McLaren rookie Alex Dunne, substituting for Lando Norris, made a notable debut by securing fourth position—just 0.069 seconds off Piastri.
Dunne expressed his exhilaration over the team radio, stating, “I want to say a massive thank you for making a little boy’s dream come true. This is definitely the best day of my life, and thanks to Lando as well for trusting me with this car.”
Ferrari’s Dino Beganovic, another rookie making his debut, encountered difficulties, ending the session in 18th place. Lewis Hamilton faced a gearbox issue, which limited his performance, leaving him ninth overall.
Fernando Alonso experienced a frustrating session as well, spinning on his out-lap and lamenting it as the “worst out-lap we could do.”
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finished fifth, followed by Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto in sixth. The Williams drivers, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, were seventh and eighth, respectively.
FP1 Results Summary
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:05.542
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.065
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.076
- Alex Dunne (McLaren) – +0.145
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +0.287
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – +0.317
- Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.347
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – +0.375
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – +0.408
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +0.435
As teams prepare for further sessions, insights from FP1 point to competitive battles, particularly between the top midfield teams. The dynamics at the Red Bull Ring promise an engaging race weekend ahead.
