Winners and losers from F1 Madring practice
Summary
The new Madring circuit passed its first F1 test without predicted chaos, but practice exposed early winners and losers—Mercedes looks strong, McLaren and Red Bull have work to do, and Haas impressed.
First proper F1 running at the Madring didn't bring the predicted chaos, but it did produce early winners and losers.
Why it matters:
New venues can scramble the order, and Friday form often sets the weekend's tone. Mercedes looks like the benchmark, Ferrari appears resurgent, and McLaren and Red Bull have work to do.
The details:
- Winner: Madring — F1 drivers kept it tidy and the early verdict was positive. Mercedes' Bradley Lord called it a track "here to stay"; Racing Bulls' Alan Permane was "really impressed."
- Loser: Arvid Lindblad — The Racing Bulls driver slid into the Turn 13 barriers, causing significant damage but escaping unhurt.
- Winner: Arvid Lindblad, also — Despite the crash, Lindblad ended FP2 fourth, just 0.228s off the pace. "We were P4 on merit," he said, and his boss agreed: "The car is quick, very quick."
- Loser: McLaren — A gearbox failure sidelined Lando Norris from meaningful FP2 running, and Oscar Piastri said the team is "lacking pace."
- Winner: Haas — Haas' upgrade appears to be working, with Esteban Ocon ninth in FP2 and reporting no repeat of the inconsistency that hurt him at Monza. Tyre graining could also help.
- Loser: Red Bull — Max Verstappen finished sixth in FP2 and cited balance issues; Liam Lawson lacked rear grip. Red Bull might be fourth-best again.
- Winner: Mercedes — George Russell and Kimi Antonelli each topped a session. Russell said the car was "strong from the off," and Mercedes looks the favourite.
What's next:
Qualifying will be the Madring's first real challenge. Teams will work overnight on fixes, while Mercedes aims to convert its Friday edge into pole.
Original Article :https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winners-and-losers-from-f1-madring-friday-pra...
