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[SPORTS] · Austria · 100 sources

Mercedes dominates Austrian GP free practice as Russell and Antonelli trade top spot

During the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Mercedes showed strong pace in all three free‑practice sessions. In FP1, Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap (1:07.014) and led the field, with teammate George Russell two hundredths slower. Antonelli repeated his performance in FP2, again topping the timesheets, while Oscar Piastri (McLaren) was second and Lando Norris third. In the final session, FP3, Russell edged Antonelli by 0.038 s to claim the fastest time, completing a Mercedes 1‑2.

Ferrari were within striking distance, with Lewis Hamilton posting the third‑fastest time in FP3 and staying consistently in the top five across sessions. McLaren remained competitive, supplying the second‑fastest times in FP2 and a strong showing in FP3. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fourth fastest overall, while Charles Leclerc was seventh. The weekend’s extreme heat triggered a FIA heat‑protocol, allowing drivers to wear cooling vests.

Other notable incidents included Sergio Pérez’s repeated stalling in his Cadillac, and several teams dealing with minor technical issues. Overall, the practice data suggested a closely contested qualifying and race ahead, with Mercedes positioned as the team to beat.

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