In the first session on the track in Zeltweg the speed of the Dutch world champion who precedes the reds is confirmed. Then Hamilton and Perez (still a little debilitated from the flu)
– zeltweg (Austria)
One session and go. In the Sprint weekend this is how it works. You have to do everything at once: setup tests, novelty tests, time tracking. Because in two and a half hours it’s already qualifying time. And therefore the values that have emerged are more true than on other occasions. For a change with Max Verstappen in front with a medium tyre, but chased by the two Ferraris, second and third, respectively with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, both 2 tenths behind (241 and 270 thousandths, to be precise). Between the three of them and the rest of the troop the gap is already more significant. Lewis Hamilton, fourth, is half a second away. And so did Sergio Perez, still uncertain in the morning due to the indisposition that had prevented him from being at the circuit on Thursday.
consistent detachments
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Lance Stroll sixth, for once – however little or not at all significant – ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso, eighth, also behind Kevin Magnussen. But we are already talking about more consistent gaps, therefore perhaps not so significant: the feeling is that Fernando and his Aston Martin are worth more than the second (914/1000) from Max. George Russell also lags behind: he is at 954 thousandths, and for him the speech is different. The of him gives the idea of being a trend. He’s been struggling for a while. We will see.
the ferrari is there
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What matters for Ferrari is being there. Baku, or the only other Sprint, said that when everything has to be done in a single session, those who have done their homework well – on the simulator – have the advantage. And the redheads count on being one. At 17, qualifying for Sunday’s race, on the shortest lap of the championship, with just 65 seconds. It will be a battle to the thousandth, and all the more reason to try. If Max can be attacked, the track that bears his car’s name here in Austria is the right place.
times
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The times of the first free practice of the Austrian GP:
1. Verstappen (Red Bull) 1’05″742
2. Sainz (Ferrari) 1’05″983
3. Leclerc (Ferrari) 1’06″012
4. Hamilton (Mercedes) 1’06″251
5. Perez (Red Bull) 1’06″262
6. Stroll (Aston Martin) 1’06″340
7. Magnussen (Haas) 1’06″497
8. Alonso (Aston Martin) 1’06″656
9. Russell (Mercedes) 1’06″696
10. Zhou (Alfa Romeo) 1’06″780
11. Albon (Williams) 1’06″794
12. Piastri (McLaren) 1’06″1’06″809
13. Hulkenberg (Haas) 1’06″846
14. Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 1’06″847
15. Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1’06″985
16. De Vries (AlphaTauri) 1’07″017
17. Sargeant (Williams) 1’07″018
18. Ocon (Alpine) 1’07″202
19. Gasly (Alpine) 1’07″287
20. Norris (McLaren) 1’07″368.
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