F1 Results Today: Mercedes Shine as Antonelli Tops Opening Austrian Grand Prix Practice, Verstappen and Norris Face Early Challenges
The Formula 1 paddock returned to action on Friday as teams kicked off preparations for the Austrian Grand Prix with the opening free practice session at the Red Bull Ring. The one-hour outing delivered plenty of excitement, unexpected developments, and valuable data as drivers and engineers began evaluating their cars ahead of qualifying and Sunday’s race.
Mercedes enjoyed a dream start to the weekend, locking out the top two positions in the first practice session. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli continued his remarkable 2026 campaign by setting the fastest lap of the session, underlining both his confidence and the impressive pace of the Mercedes package. His best effort was enough to edge teammate George Russell by just four hundredths of a second, giving Mercedes an encouraging one-two finish in FP1.
Antonelli’s lap demonstrated the excellent balance of the Mercedes car around the fast and flowing Red Bull Ring. The Italian has been one of the standout performers this season, and his pace in Austria suggests he will once again be among the favorites for pole position and victory.
George Russell also looked extremely comfortable throughout the session. Remaining close to his teammate on the timesheets, Russell consistently delivered competitive laps while experimenting with different tyre compounds and fuel loads. The British driver will be hoping to challenge Antonelli not only for qualifying honours but also to strengthen his own championship campaign as the season approaches its halfway point.
McLaren also showed encouraging speed despite facing a few setbacks during the session. Oscar Piastri finished third fastest, only a fraction behind the Mercedes duo, proving that McLaren remains firmly in the fight despite acknowledging the need for further upgrades. The Australian looked composed throughout the hour and extracted strong pace from the car whenever conditions allowed.
However, it was not an entirely smooth session for the Woking-based team. Defending Austrian Grand Prix winner Lando Norris encountered issues that prevented him from completing his planned programme. Mechanical concerns interrupted valuable running time, leaving McLaren engineers with extra work ahead of the second practice session.
Red Bull Racing also experienced a mixed start at its home circuit. Four-time Austrian Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen finished fourth fastest after battling minor issues during the session. While his outright pace remained competitive, the Dutchman was unable to put together a completely clean programme, forcing the team to investigate several areas before the afternoon session.
Despite the interruptions, Verstappen remained within striking distance of the session leader, suggesting Red Bull still has the potential to challenge Mercedes and McLaren once the team fine-tunes its setup.
Lewis Hamilton continued Ferrari’s encouraging recent form by ending the session in fifth place. The seven-time world champion appeared comfortable in the Ferrari, building on the momentum generated by his recent victory in Spain. Ferrari will likely focus on improving tyre management and extracting a little more outright pace before qualifying.
Behind the leading five, several midfield teams worked through extensive testing programmes aimed at understanding tyre degradation and aerodynamic balance. The Red Bull Ring’s unique combination of long straights, heavy braking zones, and fast corners places enormous emphasis on both power and stability, making Friday’s practice sessions especially valuable.
Engineers across the paddock also had to contend with unusually warm weather conditions. High track temperatures made tyre management more difficult than usual and forced teams to adapt their setup choices accordingly. Earlier in the week, the FIA had already warned teams about the expected heat during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, making cooling and tyre preservation important priorities.
McLaren arrived in Austria with an experimental rear wing for evaluation, although the team has confirmed that the component is being tested purely for data collection rather than immediate race use. Oscar Piastri explained before the session that the upgrade represents part of McLaren’s ongoing development programme as the team looks to close the performance gap to Mercedes.
The Austrian Grand Prix has often produced dramatic racing thanks to the Red Bull Ring’s compact layout. Measuring just over 4.3 kilometres, it is one of the shortest laps on the Formula 1 calendar, meaning the margins between drivers are typically incredibly small. Even tiny improvements can make a significant difference over a qualifying lap, ensuring that teams will continue refining their cars throughout the weekend.
Mercedes will undoubtedly be delighted with its opening performance, but history shows that Friday pace does not always translate directly into qualifying or race success. Teams traditionally experiment with fuel loads, engine settings, and tyre strategies during practice, meaning the competitive order can still change considerably before Saturday afternoon.
Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull are all expected to make adjustments overnight in search of extra performance. Meanwhile, midfield teams such as Williams, Aston Martin, Alpine, Haas, Racing Bulls, and Audi will continue working to maximise every available opportunity on a circuit where overtaking remains possible and strategy frequently plays a decisive role.
Attention now shifts to the second free practice session, where longer race simulations and additional qualifying runs should provide a much clearer indication of the true competitive picture heading into the remainder of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
For now, though, Mercedes holds the early advantage. Antonelli’s fastest lap has given the Silver Arrows an ideal start, while Russell’s close second place reinforces the team’s impressive pace. McLaren and Red Bull remain close enough to mount a serious challenge, ensuring that fans can look forward to another fiercely competitive battle as the Austrian Grand Prix weekend continues.
With qualifying still to come and race strategies yet to unfold, the opening practice session has only intensified anticipation for what promises to be another thrilling chapter in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
