Austrian Grand Prix opens with sprint format and a busy Friday at the Red Bull Ring
The Austrian Grand Prix becomes the season’s second sprint event, following the round in Baku, with Friday practice setting the stage for an unusually dynamic weekend. In Spielberg, the field was led by the championship leader Max Verstappen, whose best time stood at 1’05″742. Both Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin trailed in eighth as the session closed, underscoring the mix of pace and adaptation on a circuit that rewards precision.
Verstappen claimed early supremacy at the Red Bull-owned venue, but he paused mid-session to flag a mechanical issue. The Dutchman reported a problem with the right rear end plate saying something was hanging, which briefly forced him to the pit lane. After returning to the track, he admitted the car lacked confidence around the corners, citing understeer as the key concern.
Lewis Hamilton then posted a faster time, edging Verstappen and Alonso by a narrow margin as the running intensified. The trio highlighted their ongoing readiness for a weekend packed with a sprint format, with rain forecast for two races and both qualifying sessions and the main races. Lance Stroll added to the show by switching to soft tires, participating in the developing pace contest.
Attention also fell on Ferrari as they prepared a substantial aero package that had already been tested on a dedicated 100-kilometer shakedown in Maranello the previous Tuesday. Sainz and Leclerc carried expectations into Austria, buoyed by the Montreal pace shift that suggested potential gains from the updates.
Even with limited track time, Sainz and Leclerc demonstrated strong speed toward the end of the session. Sainz, the fastest Spaniard, clocked a 1’05″983 on soft tires. Verstappen reclaimed top spot on the final lap, while Sainz trailed by two tenths and Leclerc by four tenths. Sergio Pérez and Hamilton finished about half a second behind Verstappen, and Fernando Alonso concluded the session eighth, roughly a second off the pace.
Sergio Pérez appeared in better form after yesterday’s race where exhaustion had affected him during media duties. The Mexican driver has faced a series of minor mechanical issues and a dip in performance compared to the start of the season. Trailing Alonso in the standings by a slim margin and watching Red Bull nearby, Pérez prepares for the ninth round as the sprint weekend format tightens the points race.
Today’s schedule includes a qualifying session at 5:00 PM to set the grid for Sunday’s main race, with Saturday devoted entirely to the sprint format. Saturday’s lineup features a full qualifying at 12:00 PM followed by the sprint at 4:30 PM. Throughout the year, the sprint format returns in Belgium, Qatar, the United States, and Brazil, adding a distinctive rhythm to the championship chase.
AUSTRIA GP. Free Practice 1
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1’05″742
2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) at 0″241
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) at 0″467
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) at 0″520
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) at 0″674
6. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) at 0″755
7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) at 0″808
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) at 0″914
9. George Russell (Mercedes) at 0″954
10. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) at 1″038
11. Alex Albon (Williams) at 1″052
12. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) at 1″067
13. Logan Sargeant (Williams) at 1″276
14. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) at 1″419
15. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) at 1″460
16. Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri) at 1″487
17. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) at 1″528
18. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) at 1″545
19. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) at 1″619
Source notes: Official timing and team briefings. Weather and track conditions noted per session; updates reflect on-track performance and strategic setups as teams anticipate the sprint weekend’s demands. (Source: Formula 1 communications and team statements)