driver has denied his team-mate and System 1 championship chief a clear sweep of Austrian GP observe classes, with Russell pipping the Italian in last observe as impressed for .
Mercedes was handed its first grand prix defeat of 2026 by Hamilton and Ferrari in Barcelona, whereas seemed prefer it may pose the strongest problem to the Silver Arrows at a scorching Crimson Bull Ring on Friday. However in Saturday afternoon’s last observe forward of qualifying, Mercedes confirmed few indicators of its one-lap benefit disappearing as Russell pipped Antonelli within the last minutes of the session.
Commercial
After a sluggish begin to proceedings within the oppressive Styrian warmth, with temperatures once more simply clearing 30C, reigning world champion obtained the qualifying sims underway with a 1m07.832s effort after quarter-hour. That was comfortably quickest at that stage, with Hamilton and Russell each unable to the touch Norris’ benchmark early on.
Norris’ McLaren team-mate fared higher, and was simply half a tenth off the Briton till championship chief Antonelli put Mercedes on high with a 1m07.533s lap. Ferrari’s quickly demoted Russell to go second, simply 0.155s off Antonelli’s benchmark.
had gone fourth within the closely upgraded Crimson Bull RB22, which meant the highest 4 groups had been all coated by simply over three tenths on the midway mark of the session, with simply the second Crimson Bull of lacking from that high eight battle.
Commercial
Russell improved to get inside 0.017s of Antonelli, providing a short glimpse of a good intra-Mercedes battle in a while, till Antonelli retaliated with an enormous 1m07.134s lap to place extra daylight in between the pair. In equity to Russell, he reported “actually unhealthy straight-line braking on the entrance axle” into Flip 3, which exaggerated the hole to the Italian teenager.
Lewis Hamilton was the quickest non-Mercedes driver within the session
Lewis Hamilton was the quickest non-Mercedes driver within the session
Heading into the final spherical of qualifying sims within the last quarter-hour, Antonelli could not enhance on his chart-topping time, which left the door open for Hamilton to take second simply 0.077s in arrears, forward of a sliding Russell, Norris and Verstappen. Leclerc was lacking from that battle after locking up the fronts at Flip 3, aborting his first flyer after which not bettering on his broken tyres.
Commercial
Within the dying minutes of the session Russell lastly set a 1m17.096s to go high, 0.038s forward of Antonelli to which the Italian was unable to reply, peeling into the pitlane after transport time within the first two sectors.
Hamilton took third with a 1m07.211s, simply over a tenth behind, to arrange an intriguing qualifying session. McLaren did not look as sturdy because it did on Friday, as Piastri and Norris settled for fourth and fifth, slightly below three tenths adrift, and narrowly holding off sixth-placed Verstappen.
Whereas Hamilton managed to make important enhancements after Ferrari was left wanting for grip on Friday, Leclerc fared little higher as he was down in seventh, 0.356s off Russell.
Commercial
There was an enormous, half-second hole to eighth-placed Hadjar, who complained of a tough-to-drive Crimson Bull as he locked up repeatedly in Turns 1 and three.
Within the midfield battle, reduce a powerful determine with and each making it into the highest 10. The pair goes into qualifying with a slight edge on Alpine’s , whereas additionally appears like a factors contender.
On the backside of the order there have been no miracles for Aston Martin, as and propped up the timesheets effectively behind Haas, and Cadillac.
Commercial
Learn Additionally:
To learn extra Motorsport.com articles .
