Mercedes 1-2 in final Austria practice, Russell beats teammate Antonelli by 38 milliseconds

Mercedes one-two as Russell strikes back

After Kimi Antonelli had dominated Friday's two practice sessions with a commanding margin, George Russell responded decisively in the final hour before qualifying. The British driver overhauled his teammate’s advantage with a late setup gamble, posting a lap just 0.038 seconds clear. The session had started slowly as teams waited for track temperatures to drop, but once running began, Russell’s tweaks to front suspension, ride height and torsion bar transformed his W17, making him the surprise favourite for pole.

Positive and productive day, I felt comfortable in the car.

Hamilton closes the gap

Lewis Hamilton vaulted into contention with a lap barely more than a tenth off Russell’s benchmark. The seven-time world champion, winner in Barcelona two weeks ago, appeared to have unlocked extra performance from Ferrari’s evolved power unit, which had been conservatively run on Friday. The gap to the Mercedes pair shrank from almost six tenths to a tenth and a bit, marking Hamilton as the primary threat to the Silver Arrows’ hold on the front row. A late radio call, however, raised an alarm.

Check the gearbox, I felt something strange.

The chasing pack

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both ended the morning within three tenths of Russell, with Max Verstappen sixth on home soil after Red Bull introduced a substantial update package, floor, sidepods and rear wing. Team principal Laurent Mekies reiterated that the Dutchman wants to stay.

He told us he wants to continue with us. But it’s clear he wants a fast car to be happy to be part of this team.

Charles Leclerc, still seeking a turnaround after two difficult races, was seventh, three and a half tenths off the pace. Ferrari’s innovative exhaust-blown rear wing, copied by many, is set to be banned for 2027.

Scorching conditions

The track surface exceeded 52°C at the start of FP3, with ambient air temperature around 33°C. The heat prompted the front-runners to delay their running by ten minutes, and it will play a decisive role throughout qualifying and Sunday’s race. Tyre and brake management are expected to be critical.

What comes next

Qualifying begins at 16:00 local time, and the Austrian Grand Prix itself is scheduled for 15:00 tomorrow. The tight gaps suggest a fiercely contested pole position under the Styrian sun.