On a sunny afternoon in Spielberg, Formula 1 drivers take on the second free practice for the Austrian Grand Prix. Rookies Dino Beganovic and Alex Dunne have made way for regular drivers Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris in this final Friday session. The latter immediately clocks the fastest time, closely followed by teammate Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen.
With a comfortable temperature of a full 28 degrees Celsius and some light cloud cover, the Red Bull Ring looks magnificent on this Friday afternoon. For the many drivers who hit the asphalt early, it becomes a bustling scene. Only Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda stay in the garage for a long time. Their Racing Bulls colleague, Liam Lawson, returns to the pit after just one lap. The brakes on his right front wheel lock, causing the car to dangerously tilt to the right. The problem costs him a significant amount of track time.
McLaren Flexes Its Muscles
With three-quarters of an hour left on the clock, Max Verstappen, the absolute crowd favorite for the Austrian Grand Prix, also takes to the track. He is the only one to opt for a stint on the softest tires. Meanwhile, at Ferrari, there is a lament over the radio. Lewis Hamilton grumbles about a lack of pace, while Charles Leclerc’s car refuses to brake in the first corner. This may be due to some gusts of wind that are plaguing the track. Not much later, the Monegasque also takes a detour to the gravel trap. Lando Norris, meanwhile, flexes his muscles – after missing FP1, he tops the time sheets with a quick lap on the medium tires. Max Verstappen follows in his wake.
George Russell and McLaren Drivers Show Impressive Speed
On the red tyres, George Russell is once again competing for the fastest time. He was already the fastest on the Red Bull Ring during the morning session. However, when both McLaren drivers venture on the soft tyres, the Brit is swiftly dethroned; after half an hour of testing, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri dive half a second under his time. Even when all drivers have tried the softest compound, the McLarens remain unbeatable. Max Verstappen, who is the first to get a second set of softs mounted on his car, comes closest, although he has to concede over three tenths to Norris.
Final Minutes Marked by Tyre Degradation
In the final minutes, tyre degradation sets in. Verstappen, who wants to set a fast time in front of his Orange Army in the run-up to the Austrian GP, records three yellow sectors. “I’ve completely lost the front,” he reports over the radio. For now, he has to line up behind both McLaren drivers. He will get a new chance on Saturday, when the final free practice and the qualification are on the schedule.
