Russell Edges Antonelli to Top Austrian GP Final Practice

George Russell denied Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli a practice sweep at the Austrian Grand Prix, topping final practice by just 0.038 seconds. Lewis Hamilton underlined Ferrari's Saturday turnaround with third place, setting up a tight battle for qualifying at the Red Bull Ring.

Why it matters:

Mercedes arrived in Austria reeling from its first defeat of 2026 in Barcelona, and the Silver Arrows needed to reassert their authority. While Antonelli had dominated Friday, Russell's late lap confirmed Mercedes remains formidable over one lap. With Hamilton also in the mix and McLaren unable to match its Friday promise, the fight for pole looks more open than expected.

The details:

• Russell set a 1m07.096s in the dying minutes to pip Antonelli, who had earlier posted a 1m07.134s after finding significant time on his qualifying sim.
• Hamilton's charge: The Ferrari driver ended third, just 0.115s off Russell's benchmark, capping a strong recovery after the team struggled for grip on Friday.
• McLaren's fade: After looking like Mercedes' closest challenger on Friday, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris managed only fourth and fifth, nearly three tenths adrift.
• Red Bull's mixed bag: Max Verstappen took sixth in the heavily upgraded RB22, but team-mate Isack Hadjar endured a difficult session, repeatedly locking up in Turns 1 and 3 on his way to eighth.
• Midfield movers: Racing Bulls impressed with both Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad in the top 10, while Audi showed points potential. At the back, Aston Martin struggled, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll propping up the timesheets.

What's next:

All eyes turn to qualifying, where Mercedes' one-lap speed appears intact despite its Barcelona setback. Hamilton's Ferrari and the upgraded Red Bulls could yet spring a surprise if track temperatures remain high. With the top three teams separated by barely more than a tenth, grid position is far from settled.