Kimi Antonelli set the pace in the first practice at the Austrian Grand Prix, recording the quickest lap and keeping Mercedes at the front of the field.
Antonelli sets the tone with blistering times
On the open track, Antonelli posted 1‑minute‑08.448 seconds, the fastest of the session so far, an edge that widened after his subsequent attempt of 1‑minute‑07.796 seconds.
George Russell, who had run 1‑minute‑10.407 and 1‑minute‑09.898 early on, found it difficult to catch the Italian, finishing less than a tenth of a second behind.
Mercedes lock out the top spots ahead of rivals
During the halfway point, both Mercedes drivers switched to soft Pirelli tyres, allowing Antonelli to beat Russell by 0.119 seconds, an advantage that remained intact as the hot session concluded.
At that stage, the team held almost a full‑second advantage over rookie Arvid Lindblad, who would later finish sixth.
Health and technical setbacks for other teams
Lando Norris was sidelined by a hydraulic leak, only joining the track in the final 15 minutes without matching his teammate’s pace.
Oscar Piastri managed a 1‑minute‑09.814 for third, 0.117 seconds behind Antonelli, after early brake troubles.
Max Verstappen, whose entry was delayed by clutch issues, struggled to find traction on the new Red Bull RB22, ultimately missing a fourth‑place finish by 0.281 seconds.
Ferrari, rookie challenges and a closing racetrack
Lewis Hamilton widens the gap, taking fifth for Ferrari, a half‑second behind the Mercedes duo.
Among rookies, Dino Beganovic stretched to the fastest time for the Ferrari team, with Oliver Bearman completing the top ten.
Meanwhile, Ayumu Iwasa (15th), Paul Aron (17th), Luke Browning (18th), Ryo Hirakawa (19th) and Jak Crawford (20th) each completed the ladder for their respective teams.
Isack Hadjar of the second Red Bull finished 12th before an engine fault hindered further progress.
The session ended abruptly after Sergio Perez stalled at Turn 3 with just a minute remaining, cutting short the final lap.
With the first practice completed, teams regroup ahead of the upcoming sessions and the main event.
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
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