Photo: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
Antonelli wins first Free Practice at Red Bull ring
Formula 1 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes F1 Austria Reports 2026 F1 season
The session took place under hot conditions and the drivers tested all three types of tires. The practice was calm as there were no crashes. McLaren and Red Bull faced technical problems on their cars but eventually all got on the track. Behind both Mercedes finished Piastri, Verstappen and Hamilton.
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In first Free Practice there were six rookies who participated: Dino Beganovic replaced Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Ayumu Iwasa replaced Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), Ryo Hirakawa replaced Esteban Ocon (Haas), Jak Crowford replaced Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Luke Browning replaced Carlos Sainz (Williams), Paul Aron replaced Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi).
At the beginning of the session, as Max Verstappen went out of the garage, he stopped in the pit lane and reported on the radio that every time he releases clutch he stalls. His car caused a yellow flag in the pit lane until the Red Bull’s mechanics came for the car.
With 13 minutes into the session McLarens and Red Bulls with Aron and Browning didn’t have any time set. In McLaren’s and Red Bull’s garages the mechanics were still working on the cars.
By this time Verstappen went out again but the mechanics dragged his car back into the garage. The fastest time of 1:08:898 seconds was set by George Russell. His Mercedes’ teammate Antonelli, Lindblad, Hulkenberg and Colapinto lined up behind.
After 20 minutes Verstappen got on the track and his first fast lap on soft tires put him on the third position. Meanwhile McLaren reported that they are tackling hydraulic problems on Lando Norris’ car.
In the middle of the session Antonelli was on the top of the standings with time 1:07:796 seconds. After 36 minutes Isack Hadjar got on the track for the first time in FP1. His first fast lap on soft tires put him on the thirteenth place.
With 20 minutes remaining half of the grid was on soft tires, the other half had medium tires, except for the Cadillacs and Aston Martins who were on the hard ones. Eventually Norris got on the track for the last 14 minutes of the practice and he lined up seventh on medium tires.
One minute before the end Sergio Perez caused a red flag as his car stopped on the track. Following this interruption the practice came to an early end leaving Mercedes on the top with Piastri, Verstappen and Hamilton behind.
First Free Practice results:
1st – Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2nd – George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.040
3rd – Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.117
4th – Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) – +0.281
5th – Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.665
6th – Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +0.930
7th – Lando Norris (McLaren) – +1.077
8th – Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – +1.166
9th – Dino Beganovic (Ferrari) – +1.258
10th – Oliver Bearman (Haas F1 Team) – +1.275
11th – Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – +1.369
12th – Isack Hadjar (Red Bull Racing) – +1.685
13th – Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – +1.725
14th – Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1.750
15th – Ayumu Iwasa (Racing Bulls) – +1.841
16th – Alexander Albon (Williams) – +1.848
17th – Paul Aron (Audi) – +1.850
18th – Luke Browning (Williams) – +2.183
19th – Ryo Hirakawa (Haas F1 Team) – +2.697
20th – Jak Crawford (Aston Martin) – +3.406
21st – Sergio Perez (Cadillac) – +3.487
22nd – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +3.537
