Mercedes Top Austrian GP FP1 as Verstappen and Norris Hit Trouble

Red Bull shipped seven upgrade parts to their home race at Spielberg. Max Verstappen then spent the opening twenty minutes of FP1 being pushed backwards up the pit lane by mechanics. You genuinely cannot make this up.

Mercedes, Inevitable as Ever

Kimi Antonelli topped the FP1 timesheet with a 1:07.796 on soft tyres, just 0.040 seconds ahead of team-mate George Russell. Mercedes made it look routine, which is precisely the problem for everyone else. The W17 is fast, reliable and relentless. The only mild drama for the Silver Arrows was Antonelli grumbling about brake feel, which rather puts Red Bull’s afternoon in perspective.

Oscar Piastri was a creditable third for McLaren, just 0.117 seconds off the pace, while Lewis Hamilton, fresh from his first Ferrari victory in Barcelona, was fifth, a more sobering 0.665 seconds adrift. The Red Bull Ring does not particularly suit Hamilton’s late-braking style, and that gap to Antonelli already tells a story heading into the weekend.

Red Bull’s Home Nightmare

The Austrian Grand Prix is supposed to be Red Bull‘s flagship weekend. Instead, Verstappen was stuck at the end of the pit lane, triggering anti-stall every time he released the clutch. He tried twice, was pushed back twice, and finally got onto the track with just over 40 minutes remaining. Team boss Laurent Mekies confirmed a software issue was responsible. Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar‘s car sat in pieces at the start of the session, a power unit problem keeping him in the garage for over half an hour. He eventually classified twelfth, 1.685 seconds off the pace. For context, this is the team that arrived with the biggest seven-part upgrade package of any team this weekend. Verstappen’s exit clause situation hanging over the paddock makes this kind of shambles feel all the more consequential.

Norris Watches From the Garage

Lando Norris, reigning world champion and currently seventh in the standings with just 55 points, spent 45 minutes garage-bound with a hydraulic leak on his McLaren. He eventually rejoined to go seventh. Piastri, at least, gave the team some data before complaining of a wildly inconsistent brake pedal. Not exactly the confidence-inspiring Friday either side of the McLaren garage needed. With Verstappen’s future increasingly linked to Woking, McLaren can ill afford to look shambolic at this stage of the season.

Rookie Highlight and Red Flag Finish

Of the six rookie drivers running in place of regular starters, Dino Beganovic impressed most, claiming ninth in the Ferrari vacated by Charles Leclerc. Arvid Lindblad took sixth for Racing Bulls, comfortably ahead of Norris. The session ended early under red flags when Sergio Perez’s Cadillac expired on the hill before Turn 3. FP2 follows at 15:00 UTC (check your local time on the calendar).

Mercedes look exactly as strong as they did last week. Red Bull look exactly as troubled as their 55-point championship tally suggests. Upgrades mean nothing if the software cannot get the car out of the garage.

Austrian GP FP1 Full Results