Antonelli fastest in second practice in Austria, McLaren remained closest to Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli ended Friday, June 26, as the fastest driver in the second free practice session for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. According to the FIA's official report, the Mercedes driver set a time of 1:07.014 and finished ahead of the McLaren duo, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Piastri was 0.237 seconds behind, while Norris was third, 0.325 seconds off the leading time. For Antonelli, it was a continuation of a very strong start to the eighth race weekend of the season, because, according to FIA and Formula 1 reports, he had previously also been fastest in the first practice session. That outcome confirmed that Mercedes currently has the cleanest combination of one-lap speed, stability and adaptation to the conditions on the short and demanding circuit in Austrian Styria.
The second free practice session began at 17:00 local time, on a day when the Red Bull Ring was under additional attention because of high temperatures and an officially declared heat hazard for the remainder of the weekend. According to a Formula 1 report, the practice session was held after the opening hour of running in which Antonelli had already hinted at Mercedes' competitiveness, while the teams in the afternoon session focused on softer tyres, longer runs and comparing changes to car set-ups. Although free practice results do not determine the order for the race, they are especially important in Spielberg because the short track configuration compresses the field and makes every tenth valuable. In such a context, the gap of more than two tenths between Antonelli and Piastri was large enough to give Mercedes a visible advantage before Saturday's programme.
Mercedes got the first answer, but McLaren remains in the game
According to the FIA classification, Antonelli completed 32 laps in the second practice session and achieved an average speed on his best lap of 232.393 kilometres per hour. Piastri also finished with 32 laps, while Norris completed a McLaren result that confirms the Woking team is not far from the top. Formula 1 states that Norris was the first to set a more serious benchmark in the early phase of the second practice session with a time of 1:08.000 on medium tyres, but the order changed when the drivers switched to the soft compound. Piastri then briefly took the top spot with 1:07.251, but Antonelli first lowered the mark and then improved further to a final lap of 1:07.014. Norris completed a strong McLaren response with third place after a morning that had not been completely smooth.
Oscar Piastri did not try to hide after practice that McLaren has reason to be cautious. According to a Formula 1 report, the Australian driver said that the day had been productive for his team, but added that McLaren's cars were still "a step behind Mercedes, or at least behind Kimi". That assessment is important because it came after a session in which McLaren was the closest challenger, but not equal in the final showdown on the softest tyre. Piastri also pointed out that McLaren had tried several solutions during the day and worked on areas that had remained open after the previous race in Barcelona. His statement suggests that the team still sees room for improvement before third practice and qualifying, but also that Mercedes' pace was not accidental.
Lando Norris, according to the official Formula 1 website, had more limited preparation because of a hydraulic problem in the first practice session, which makes McLaren's presence among the top three more important for assessing its potential. In the second practice session he also did not go without a mistake, as at one point he ran into the run-off area at Turn 3 after entering the corner with too much speed. Despite that, his best lap remained strong enough for third place, and the gap to Piastri was only 0.088 seconds. For McLaren, that is a sign that both cars can be involved in the fight near the front if a more stable balance is found during Saturday. For Mercedes, however, the most important thing is that Antonelli showed speed in both Friday hours of running that his rivals were unable to repeat.
Verstappen and Hamilton in the top five, Russell sixth
Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull with a time of 1:07.564, 0.550 seconds behind Antonelli, the FIA states. His practice session was not completely tidy, because according to the FIA report he complained of discomfort in the cockpit related to the seat, and used the pause caused by the virtual safety car for an adjustment. Despite that, Red Bull kept in touch with the top sufficiently to remain relevant ahead of qualifying, especially given the team's reputation at the circuit that bears the name of its owner. Formula 1 recalled in its weekend preview that Verstappen had achieved significant success at the Red Bull Ring, but Friday 2026 has so far not shown clear Red Bull dominance. If the order from the second practice session translates into qualifying rhythm, Verstappen will have to look for gains in the details of set-up and car stability.
Lewis Hamilton took fifth place in the Ferrari, 0.597 seconds behind Antonelli, and was only 0.014 seconds ahead of George Russell in the second Mercedes. Hamilton's result comes after, according to the official Formula 1 preview, he reduced Antonelli's lead in the drivers' standings with victory at Barcelona-Catalunya and opened up a more uncertain continuation of the season. Ferrari is being watched with additional attention in Austria because its form in Barcelona suggested progress, but the fifth-best result in second practice is not yet sufficient proof that the team can directly threaten Mercedes over one lap. Hamilton nevertheless finished ahead of Russell, which gives Ferrari at least a partial boost before Saturday's programme. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari's other driver, was eighth, indicating that the team is still searching for the optimal working window for both cars.
George Russell was sixth with a time of 1:07.637, 0.623 seconds behind his team-mate, according to the FIA classification. His result confirms that Mercedes overall has a competitive package, but also that Antonelli was the clear reference within the same garage on Friday. Russell completed 25 laps in the second practice session, fewer than Antonelli and most of the drivers in the upper part of the order, so the analysis of longer runs will be especially important for Mercedes before the race. In the drivers' standings before the Austrian weekend, according to ESPN data, Antonelli leads with 156 points, Hamilton has 115, and Russell 106. That means the title fight at this stage of the season is being conducted not only between different teams, but also through a very delicate balance of power within Mercedes.
Interruptions, technical problems and a difficult day for Cadillac
The second practice session was not calm, especially for Cadillac. According to the FIA report, Sergio Pérez stopped on track after less than ten minutes and reported a recurrence of an earlier problem on the car, which caused a virtual safety car to be introduced. The official Formula 1 website states that Cadillac changed the control electronics between the two practice sessions, but that Pérez again had to stop beside the track. The consequence was lost time in a session in which teams were gathering data for set-ups and tyres, and Pérez did not set a timed lap. For the new American team, it was a heavy blow during a weekend in which, according to the same report, they had planned to test a larger upgrade package.
The problems were not limited only to Pérez's car. Valtteri Bottas completed only six laps, and Formula 1 states that at one point he complained of smoke in the cockpit before returning to the pits. The FIA adds in its report that sparks, smoke and flames were visible beneath his car, after which Cadillac remained at the bottom of the order. Such a development could have consequences for the rest of the weekend because at the Red Bull Ring differences are created in very small details, and lost laps directly reduce the possibility of precise set-up work. In the short weekend rhythm without a sprint format, Friday is the main day for comparing different set-ups, tyre consumption and car behaviour in dirty air. Cadillac will therefore have to make up both reliability and speed on Saturday.
Other drivers also had minor mistakes or complaints, which fits the picture of a demanding day with low grip and sensitive braking. Formula 1 states that Piastri spoke during the day about an inconsistent feel on the brake pedal, while Norris lost control in the second practice session while trying to take Turn 3 more quickly. Such episodes are not unusual at the Red Bull Ring, where sudden elevation changes, heavy braking and high kerbs easily put drivers on the limit. At the same time, the short lap duration means that traffic on track can quickly become a problem, especially in the final part of qualifying segments. For that reason, Saturday's preparation of out-laps and positioning in the queue will be just as important as raw speed.
The heat hazard further complicates the weekend
On June 25, the FIA issued a document declaring a Heat Hazard for the Austrian Grand Prix, because the official weather service predicted that the heat index during the race would exceed 31.0 degrees Celsius. That decision, according to the FIA document issued by race director Rui Marques, applies to the entire competition weekend from June 26 to 28. Formula 1 stated in its schedule preview that warm and dry conditions are expected for Sunday, with a maximum temperature of around 31.5 degrees Celsius. In such circumstances, the high track temperature can affect tyre degradation and race strategy, even if teams do not have to plan for rain scenarios. For the drivers, the additional challenge will be the physical load in the cockpit, where the temperature is generally significantly higher than the air temperature.
The heat hazard is also important for technical decisions because the regulations provide for the use of driver cooling systems or appropriate mass compensation if an individual driver does not use personal cooling equipment. The measure itself does not change the sporting order, but it can affect car preparation, mass distribution and driver comfort during longer runs. In free practice, teams therefore monitor not only one-lap times, but also the stability of performance when tyres overheat or when the car is run with a larger fuel load. In that sense, Antonelli's fastest lap gives Mercedes a good signal, but it does not by itself answer the question of who will best protect the tyres in Sunday's race. The Red Bull Ring traditionally rewards efficiency, good traction and precise tyre temperature management, which could become decisive under heat stress.
What the result means for the rest of the Austrian weekend
According to the official Formula 1 schedule, the third free practice session takes place on Saturday, June 27, at 12:30 local time, and qualifying begins at 16:00. The Austrian Grand Prix race is held on Sunday, June 28, from 15:00, over 71 laps. Since this is the eighth race of the season out of a total of 22, the result in Spielberg could have a significant psychological and points impact before the continuation of the European part of the calendar. Antonelli arrived in Austria as the championship leader, and Friday allowed him to impose the rhythm again after Hamilton's victory in Barcelona had reduced his advantage. For Mercedes, it is an opportunity to confirm its status as the benchmark team, while McLaren must prove that Friday was not just a strong flash but a foundation for an attack in qualifying.
The biggest challenge for the rivals will be to understand how much of Antonelli's advantage is the result of Mercedes' pure speed, and how much of it comes from practice circumstances, from fuel programmes to the timing of going out on track. FIA data show that the gap between second and sixth place was less than four tenths, which means that changes in temperature, wind direction or traffic could quickly overturn the order in qualifying. Piastri and Norris have enough speed to keep McLaren in the leading group, Verstappen will try to find a better feeling in the Red Bull, and Hamilton will look with Ferrari for a way to transfer his Barcelona form onto the Austrian asphalt. Still, the first day in Spielberg ended with a clear message: Antonelli set the benchmark, Mercedes opened the weekend with the best answers, and the closest threat for now is coming from McLaren.
Sources:
- FIA – official report and classification of the second free practice session for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix (link)
- Formula 1 – report from the second free practice session in Spielberg and overview of the session's key events (link)
- Formula 1 – Oscar Piastri's comments and McLaren context after Friday in Austria (link)
- Formula 1 – official schedule, location and weather context of the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix (link)
- FIA – official document declaring a heat hazard for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix (link)
- ESPN – Formula 1 World Championship drivers' standings before the Austrian weekend (link)