Kimi Antonelli topped Friday’s first practice at the Red Bull Ring, edging George Russell by 0.040 seconds. The Mercedes duo swapped the lead twice, underscoring their pace after a disappointing Barcelona for Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli sits 41 points clear of Hamilton and 50 ahead of Russell in the drivers’ standings, while Oscar Piastri was a tenth slower in third on a warm Austrian afternoon.

Red Bull’s weekend began with trouble. Max Verstappen suffered two pit‑lane stops for a software glitch, leaving him fourth, 0.281 seconds adrift, and complained the car “shakes under braking.” Isack Hadjar retired early after an engine change, costing him half the session. Lando Norris lost 45 minutes to a hydraulic leak during the early stint, compromising McLaren’s weekend start.

Mercedes’ one‑two reinforced their status as race favourites, while Ferrari’s upgraded engine won’t debut until Saturday, leaving Lewis Hamilton’s fifth‑place lap an unreliable gauge of pace. Rookie Dino Beganovic topped the rookie group in ninth, and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad impressed in sixth. The session’s reliability woes give Mercedes a strategic edge heading into qualifying for the upcoming sprint race.