Austrian Grand Prix Practice Report: McLaren Shows Strength but Verstappen Looms
In a competitive showing during the second practice (FP2) for the Austrian Grand Prix, McLaren’s Lando Norris set the fastest time, closely followed by his teammate Oscar Piastri. However, both drivers remain cautious as reigning world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team are poised to challenge at the Red Bull Ring.
Norris, returning to action after missing FP1, clocked the quickest lap at 1:06.207, just ahead of Piastri. Verstappen followed in third, finishing 0.469 seconds behind, while Lance Stroll of Aston Martin was the only other competitor within half a second of the McLaren duo.
“We just need to understand if we want more of that tomorrow or a little bit less or somewhere in the middle,” Norris commented. “It’s nice to be competitive, but I think Max is not far behind, and they usually improve significantly heading into Saturday.”
Piastri leads the championship standings with a 22-point margin and five race victories this season. Reflecting on his car’s performance, he noted, “The car is feeling good, and I think the pace is quite good. Max is definitely going to be a threat this weekend.”
Both McLaren drivers experimented with different setups; Norris retained the upgraded suspension from Canada, while Piastri opted for an older configuration. “The parts on my car are different, not upgrades,” Piastri clarified, emphasizing their focus on qualifying performance.
With the tight competition ahead, Norris and Piastri are preparing for a challenging final practice and qualifying session. They aim to consolidate their strong FP2 performance against the likes of Verstappen and the improving Mercedes team.
As teams gear up for the final practice session, the stakes are high, and the grid is sure to witness fierce competition as drivers aim for optimal positioning ahead of race day.
