KEY MOMENTSAustrian weekend declared a ‘Heat Hazard’Antonelli topped FP1 from RussellNorris, Verstappen, Hadjar, and Perez suffered reliability trouble in FP1
The eighth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season takes place at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull Ring is a firm favourite among drivers and fans, with the long straights and heavy braking zones providing ample opportunities for overtaking action and, more importantly in the modern era, generating electrical energy back into the batteries.
Mercedes arrives in Austria looking to bounce back from a first defeat of the campaign, with Lewis Hamilton having toppled his former team in Barcelona with the assistance of a significant Ferrari upgrade package. However, Mercedes has been forced to remove some serrated edging on its diffuser in response to an FIA technical directive. While it is speculated that this will cost time, Mercedes believes the matter has been overplayed.
This weekend, it is Red Bull which brings the most new parts to the table, as the team attempts to pull closer to the top three outfits, having dropped back in recent weeks.
McLaren will debut its Macarena wing on Friday, but Lando Norris does not expect this to be raced for a few more weeks yet, with the part still in a developmental phase which, according to the driver, proves his team is approximately three months behind Mercedes and Ferrari in development.
Six rookie drivers will take to the track in FP1, with Dino Beganovic (Ferrari), Ayumu Iwasa (Racing Bulls), Ryo Hirakawa (Haas), Luke Browning (Williams), Paul Aron (Audi), and Jak Crawford (Aston Martin), all readying for action.
2026 Austrian Grand Prix Friday schedule
FP1 12:30pm BST – 1:30pm BST
FP2: 4:00pm BST – 5:00pm BST