Friday has concluded in Austria and it’s the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli taking the top spot of the session. Free Practice 2 proved to be better for some teams than others, as issues continued to manifest.
The Boys are Back
FP1 saw six rookies hit the circuit, replacing a select few drivers, as part of their development programmes. One such driver missing out on the first session was Charles Leclerc, who sat aside for Dino Beganovic. The Ferrari driver was one of the first to hit the circuit as the session began, making up for lost time. With his recent string of bad results and breakdowns, maximising FP2 was important.
His session went relatively well, keeping to the limits of the circuit, but ending up 0.841 seconds off the pace. Also returning for FP2 was Liam Lawson who wound up just behind Leclerc at the chequered flag. He and other drivers throughout the session braved track limits, with many finding their times deleted.
The Red Bull Ring is known for its strict, tight track limits that often catch even the best of drivers. Moving towards qualifying, keeping within these limits will be vital.
McLaren Make Improvements
Lando Norris was the first driver to set the pace during the session. His medium tyres found their temperature quickly, and he began his stint edging out his teammate by about two-tenths. It was far from smooth sailing for the defending champion, however. Norris was close to complete disaster as he sent his McLaren flying into the run off. Despite the scare, he managed to maintain a quick pace at the Red Bull Ring.
His teammate too impressed during the session. Oscar Piastri delivered a less dramatic run in the afternoon, but maintained the pace initially set by Norris. The Aussie momentarily stole the fastest lap of the session, but was ultimately beaten once again by Antonelli. At the chequered flag, the Papaya duo sat 2nd and 3rd fastest, 0.237s behind the Italian. The session showed that good progress is being made behind the scenes, which they hope will translate into race pace.
Issues Persist for Cadillac
Free Practice 2 was nothing short of a disaster for Cadillac. The team have had a pretty rough start to their time in Formula 1, having suffered with numerous technical problems, and failing to score a single point. FP2 would suggest that their problems are far from over. Both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas experienced issues during their sessions.
Perez had an abrupt end to FP1, so hopes were high that the second session would run smoother for the Mexican. The team had the chance to change his ECU (Engine Control Unit), but unfortunately, Perez was quickly seen pulling his car to a halt by turn 6. A virtual safety car was initiated to clear his car from the track.
Bottas later reported smoke in his cockpit, but was able to crawl his car back to the pit lane. An issue that caused a small fire on the floor of his car was quickly put out by the team. When the session ended, the duo found themselves bottom of the order. A frustrating ending to their Friday, the team clearly needs immediate improvements.