Norris Leads McLaren One-Two in Austrian Grand Prix Practice

SPIELBERG: Lando Norris outperformed his teammate Oscar Piastri, securing the top spot for McLaren in the second practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday. This followed George Russell’s dominant performance for Mercedes in the earlier session.

Norris’s lap time was 0.157 seconds quicker than Piastri’s, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished third, trailing by 0.318 seconds.

After Russell’s leading time of 1 minute 05.542 seconds in the first session, Norris set a new benchmark with a lap time of 1:04.580.

Verstappen, a five-time victor at Red Bull’s home track, was the only other competitor to break the 1:05 barrier, clocking in at 1:04.898.

Russell, fresh off his victory from pole position in Montreal two weeks prior, concluded the second practice in sixth place. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin took fourth, followed by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in fifth.

Alex Dunne, making his Formula One practice debut for McLaren as part of the team’s commitment to providing rookie drivers with F1 experience, made a strong impression in the initial session, achieving the fourth-fastest lap, only 0.069 seconds behind Piastri.

Dunne, at just 19 years old and the first Irish driver in 22 years to participate in a Grand Prix weekend, expressed his gratitude to the team as the session concluded.

Dunne’s Reaction

“A childhood dream has come to fruition, making this undoubtedly the greatest day of my life,” Dunne remarked. “I extend my sincere appreciation to everyone for affording me this opportunity, and also to Lando for entrusting me with his car.”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella advised against drawing definitive conclusions from the timings.

Stella’s Assessment

“Alex has demonstrated diligence and impressed everyone. He also had an opportunity to exhibit his speed, confirming that he is indeed a fast driver,” Stella commented. “I believe we should exercise caution when interpreting the lap times, as his were achieved later in the stint when the fuel load was lighter.

“However, I find it encouraging and noteworthy in terms of Alex’s performance, and it also represents a productive session for McLaren overall.”

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, finished ninth and tenth in the respective sessions, while Ferrari encountered a challenging start to their preparations.

Hamilton also received a warning for impeding Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.

Hamilton’s Explanation

“I didn’t observe Antonelli,” Hamilton communicated over the radio after the Italian driver had to steer wide to avoid a collision.