Antonelli Leads Austrian GP First Practice as Red Bull and Norris Hit Trouble

Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive 2026 campaign by topping first practice at the Austrian Grand Prix, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of George Russell. The championship leader reaffirmed the Silver Arrows' pace at the Red Bull Ring, but the session was shaped just as much by the setbacks hitting their closest challengers.

Why it matters:

Mercedes appears ready to rebound from their defeat to Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona, with Antonelli and Russell both showing formidable speed. Reliability woes for McLaren and Red Bull could prove costly in a tight title fight, handing the Brackley squad a valuable head start before the competitive sessions begin.

The details:

• Antonelli ended the session 0.040s clear of Russell, with Oscar Piastri just a tenth behind in third.
• Lando Norris lost 45 minutes to a hydraulics leak, leaving him short on running heading into the rest of the weekend.
• Red Bull endured a painful session on home soil. Max Verstappen was halted twice by software glitches and reported the car shook under braking, finishing fourth, 0.281s off the pace. Isack Hadjar lost roughly half the session to an engine change after a late issue emerged.
• Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Ferrari but ran without the team's upgraded engine, which is not due until Saturday, making his times unrepresentative.
• Dino Beganovic replaced Charles Leclerc and was the standout rookie in ninth as part of the mandatory rookie running.

What's next:

Red Bull and McLaren will be scrambling to fix their problems before second practice. Ferrari's engine upgrade should also change the competitive order on Saturday, potentially masking their true pace. With Mercedes looking strong and their rivals already on the back foot, Antonelli will look to convert this advantage into qualifying speed.