Formula 1’s return to Europe got off to a lively start as George Russell set the benchmark in Friday’s opening practice for the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix. With the sun occasionally peeking through Styrian clouds and new faces injecting fresh energy into the field, it was a session that balanced technical storylines with championship significance. Russell’s 1:05.542 lap put him just 0.065s ahead of home-hero Max Verstappen, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounding out the top three — but the day’s headlines went beyond the front-runners.
What To Know
- Russell leads FP1: George Russell tops the session with a 1:05.542, narrowly ahead of Verstappen and Piastri.
- Impressive rookie debut: Alex Dunne stuns with P4 for McLaren in his first-ever F1 session.
- Technical hiccups & drama: Ferrari faces car issues, Verstappen struggles with balance, and multiple drivers go off in a lively session.
FP1 saw two rookies making their debut appearances — and both made an impact. Ireland’s Alex Dunne, currently leading the Formula 2 standings, became the first Irish driver to participate in an F1 weekend in over two decades. Standing in for Lando Norris at McLaren, Dunne dazzled with a P4 finish, only 0.071s off Piastri, after an early run on soft tyres while most others started on harder compounds. Meanwhile, Ferrari handed their FP1 seat to fellow F2 talent Dino Beganovic in place of Charles Leclerc, although his session was hampered by floor removal and limited running.
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The track, recently rubbered-in from regular racing action, allowed teams to immediately push the limits. Mercedes looked sharp, while Red Bull had a shakier start. Verstappen, notably working with Simon Rennie instead of Gianpiero Lambiase this weekend, reported balance issues and suffered a lock-up early on. Yuki Tsunoda in the sister car also struggled, going off briefly. Ferrari had a less-than-ideal session as Lewis Hamilton – now driving the SF-25 – faced gearbox issues, and Beganovic’s car spent most of the hour on stands.
A few off-track excursions added to the action: Fernando Alonso spun onto the grass at the final corner, joking over team radio about the value of early mistakes. Esteban Ocon brought out another yellow after a lock-up into Turn 1, though he recovered to continue.
As clouds loomed and light raindrops teased the closing minutes, Russell’s time stood unbeaten. Behind the top four came Pierre Gasly in a solid fifth for Alpine, followed by an impressive sixth for Gabriel Bortoleto in the Kick Sauber. Williams duo Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz slotted into seventh and eighth, with Lewis Hamilton ninth and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar tenth.
Kimi Antonelli, fresh off his school exams, finished 11th for Mercedes. The rest of the order featured Nico Hulkenberg (12th), Lance Stroll (13th), Alonso (14th), and Liam Lawson (15th). Franco Colapinto, Tsunoda, Beganovic, Ocon, and Ollie Bearman completed the standings from P16 to P20 in a session that offered plenty to chew on ahead of the weekend’s deeper strategy runs.
FP1 delivered both pace and narrative — the kind of blend that makes Austria a standout stop in the championship calendar.
2025 Austrian GP FP1 Results
2025 Austrian Grand Prix FP1, 27 June 2025
| POS. | NO. | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME / GAP | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:05.542 | 34 |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.065s | 30 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.155s | 33 |
| 4 | 89 | Alexander Dunne | McLaren | +0.224s | 29 |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.238s | 34 |
| 6 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | +0.332s | 35 |
| 7 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +0.404s | 35 |
| 8 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.475s | 33 |
| 9 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.557s | 20 |
| 10 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +0.568s | 33 |
| 11 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.588s | 35 |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | +0.598s | 32 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.618s | 32 |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.628s | 32 |
| 15 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.647s | 34 |
| 16 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +0.704s | 34 |
| 17 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | +0.720s | 30 |
| 18 | 38 | Dino Beganovic | Ferrari | +0.827s | 32 |
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +0.968s | 32 |
| 20 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.196s | 30 |
Race Guide
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 27 June 2025 – 29 June 2025
Race date: Sunday, 29 June, 2025
Race start time: 15:00 local time
Circuit: Red Bull Ring
Laps: 71
Circuit length: 4.318km
2024 winner: George Russell
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