Verstappen Overcomes Engine Woes to Dominate Austrian Grand Prix Practice
Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix got underway with a single practice session, and it was Max Verstappen who stamped his authority, recording the fastest time despite a suspected engine glitch. The reigning champion’s Red Bull Racing team will be relieved to see him bounce back from the issue, which brought out the red flags midway through the session.
Verstappen’s RB20 came to a halt along the pits straight, with the Dutch driver complaining of an engine fault. However, his stricken car was quickly wheeled back into the pit lane, and he was able to swiftly return to the track to continue his program.
When the session resumed, Verstappen moved to the front on a time of 1:05.685s, finishing a comfortable 0.276s clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The Australian rookie’s teammate, Lando Norris, had clocked the fastest first sector but scuppered his prospects with an error into Turn 4, leaving him down in 13th position.
Formula 1’s return to the Austrian Grand Prix also marks the third installment of the F1 Sprint this year. The revised format has added an extra layer of excitement to the weekend, and fans can expect a thrilling qualifying session to follow.
Mercedes, who had sat atop the timesheets earlier in the session, struggled to match Verstappen’s pace on the Soft tyres. George Russell had a scrappy Turn 1 and encountered traffic, while Lewis Hamilton remained on the Hard tyres. As a result, Hamilton finished the session in fifth spot, with Russell down in eighth.
Ferrari finished in third and fourth respectively, with Charles Leclerc in front of Carlos Sainz. Esteban Ocon and newly re-signed Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll split the Mercedes pair, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounding out the top 10.
Sergio Perez finished down in 12th spot on Medium tyres after having a messy attempt on Softs. The Mexican driver will need to regroup and refocus ahead of qualifying.
The revised track limits solution, introduced in response to last year’s raft of penalties, was also put to the test. Thin strips of gravel were installed on the exits of Turns 9 and 10, and a slim blue line was added to the kerbs to assist the FIA’s Race Control in identifying those who have exceeded the limit.
With the Formula 1 standings set to take a significant shake-up this weekend, fans can expect a thrilling Austrian Grand Prix. Stay tuned for the latest Formula 1 schedule, Formula 1 today, and Formula 1 calendar updates as the weekend unfolds.
Austrian Grand Prix Practice Session Results:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:05.685s
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:05.961s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:06.041s
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 1:06.114s
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:06.161s
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