McLaren showcased impressive performance during the second free practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday, with Lando Norris setting the fastest lap time. Championship leader Oscar Piastri secured the second position, resulting in a strong one-two finish for the team.
Norris quickly adapted to the circuit after his car was driven by rookie Alex Dunne, the current Formula 2 leader, during an notable F1 practice debut earlier in the day. Despite stepping out for the first session, the British driver was immediately competitive upon his return.
Lando Norris posted a best time of 1:04.580 in FP2. Piastri was close behind, just 0.157 seconds adrift. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who boasts five victories at his team`s home track, was the only other competitor to lap under the 1:05 mark, finishing third with a time of 1:04.898.
George Russell, who recently won from pole position in Canada, had topped the first practice session with a time of 1:05.542. In the second session, Russell finished sixth. Aston Martin`s Lance Stroll put in a notable performance to take fourth place, ahead of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in fifth.
Max Verstappen was accompanied by Simon Rennie as his race engineer for the weekend, as his usual engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, was absent due to personal commitments.
Rookie driver Alex Dunne`s debut in FP1 was a highlight. The 19-year-old Irish driver, marking the first time an Irishman has taken part in a Grand Prix weekend session in 22 years, finished an impressive fourth. He was only 0.069 seconds slower than Oscar Piastri in that session. An emotional Dunne commented after his run, “A little boy`s dream came true, and this is definitely the best day of my life. Thank you everyone for letting me do this, and thanks to Lando as well for trusting me with his car.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella commended Dunne`s diligence and speed but added a note of caution regarding his lap time, suggesting it was aided by a lower fuel load later in the session. However, Stella deemed it an “encouraging and impressive” session for Dunne and beneficial for McLaren`s program.
The Red Bull Ring features the shortest lap time of the season, leading to very tight margins. In FP1, all drivers except for Haas`s Oliver Bearman, who finished 20th, were within a second of George Russell`s leading time.
Lewis Hamilton experienced a more challenging start, finishing ninth in FP1 and tenth in FP2. Ferrari also appeared to struggle early on, with mechanics working extensively on both cars during the first session. Charles Leclerc sat out FP1, with reserve driver Dino Beganovic taking his place and finishing 18th. Hamilton also received a warning for potentially impeding Kimi Antonelli`s Mercedes during FP1, stating over the radio that he “didn`t see Antonelli”. Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso had a significant spin in his Aston Martin but managed to avoid hitting the barriers.
Austrian Grand Prix FP2: Top Positions
- 1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:04.580
- 2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.157s
- 3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.318s
- 4. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – +0.442s
- 5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.610s
- 6. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.649s
- 7. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – +0.712s
- 8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – +0.831s
- 9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +0.877s
- 10. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.931s
Note: Times and deltas based on session data.
