Austrian GP FP1: Antonelli Leads Mercedes 1-2 at Red Bull Ring

Kimi Antonelli set the pace for Mercedes in opening practice for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. The Italian posted a 1:07.796 to edge teammate George Russell by just four hundredths of a second, giving the Brackley squad a promising start to round eight of the 2026 season.

Why it matters:

FP1 offers the first real look at how teams stack up on a given weekend, and Mercedes' immediate one-two pace suggests they have hit the ground running in Spielberg. The session also doubled as an opportunity for several teams to run reserve and development drivers, providing a glimpse of future talent while gathering crucial data.

The details:

• Mercedes on top: Antonelli's 1:07.796 denied Russell by four hundredths, while Oscar Piastri placed the lead McLaren third, just over a tenth back.
• Verstappen in the mix: Max Verstappen took fourth for Red Bull but was nearly three tenths adrift, with Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari slotting into fifth.
• Young driver showcase: Arvid Lindblad impressed with sixth for Racing Bulls, while Antonio Fuoco and Ayumu Iwasa also got mileage for Ferrari and Red Bull respectively. Ryo Hirakawa and Cian Shields also featured for Haas and Aston Martin.
• Limited running: Lando Norris managed just nine laps in the second McLaren, and Isack Hadjar completed only 11 laps for Red Bull, cutting their programs short.

What's next:

Attention now turns to FP2 later today, when teams will fine-tune setups and gather long-run data. With Mercedes showing strong single-lap pace out of the box, rivals will be watching closely to see if that advantage holds when fuel loads rise ahead of Saturday's qualifying session.