George Russell tops FP1 in Austria as rookie Alex Dunne stuns with fourth. Read how the session unfolded and who struggled during this thrilling start.
Introduction
Friday morning at the Red Bull Ring kicked off with a bang as George Russell topped the timesheets in the first practice session (FP1) of the Austrian Grand Prix. While Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri followed closely, it was rookie Alex Dunne who stole the spotlight by finishing fourth in his first-ever F1 weekend outing.
From veterans like Fernando Alonso spinning out to mechanical gremlins haunting Ferrari and Red Bull, FP1 had drama, surprises, and storylines that make you wonder: Are we in for a shake-up this weekend?
Table of Contents
| Sr# | Headings |
|---|---|
| 1 | FP1 Overview: A Fast Start in Austria |
| 2 | George Russell’s Strong Momentum Continues |
| 3 | Verstappen’s Early Woes and New Voice on Radio |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri Keeps McLaren in the Mix |
| 5 | Meet Alex Dunne: Ireland’s Comeback Kid |
| 6 | Dunne’s Soft-Tyre Gamble Pays Off |
| 7 | Ferrari’s Double Trouble in the Garage |
| 8 | Aston Martin’s Wobbly Start with Alonso |
| 9 | Esteban Ocon’s Slide and Lock-Up at Turn 1 |
| 10 | Weather Warnings: Clouds Loom Over Spielberg |
| 11 | Final Standings: Surprises in the Top 10 |
| 12 | Rookie Round-Up: How the Newcomers Fared |
| 13 | Mercedes’ Silent Strength |
| 14 | What This Means Heading Into FP2 |
| 15 | Conclusion and Takeaways |
FP1 Overview: A Fast Start in Austria
The session kicked off under dry but slightly overcast conditions. With the Red Bull Ring welcoming its annual F1 chaos, the drivers wasted no time clocking laps and testing setups. Notably, several teams brought upgrades, and some chose to use FP1 as a testing ground for rookies.
George Russell’s Strong Momentum Continues
George Russell, riding high from his recent win in Canada, continued his form by topping the charts in FP1 with a 1:05.542s lap. He looked confident and comfortable, especially on the soft tyres. While FP1 doesn’t always reflect the race pace, Russell’s performance suggests Mercedes might have a real shot at a podium—or more—this weekend.
Verstappen’s Early Woes and New Voice on Radio
Things weren’t so smooth for Max Verstappen. The defending world champion, a four-time winner at the Red Bull Ring, experienced a lock-up early on. He voiced his concerns over the radio—not to his usual engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, but to Simon Rennie, as ‘GP’ is on leave this weekend. Though Verstappen bounced back to clock the second-fastest time, the RB21 didn’t look fully dialed in.
Oscar Piastri Keeps McLaren in the Mix
Quietly but effectively, Oscar Piastri slotted into third, showing McLaren’s upgrades might be working well in Austria. The Aussie’s composed driving was crucial for gathering meaningful data early in the weekend.
Meet Alex Dunne: Ireland’s Comeback Kid
Alex Dunne isn’t just another rookie. The F2 standings leader became the first Irish driver in 22 years to participate in an F1 weekend, stepping into Lando Norris’ McLaren for FP1. And boy, did he make it count.
Dunne’s Soft-Tyre Gamble Pays Off
While most drivers opted for medium or hard compounds early on, Dunne took the risk and ran the soft tyres. That decision paid dividends, as he rocketed up the leaderboard to finish fourth, just 0.07s behind Piastri. His calm presence on the track and ability to adapt made it feel like he’d been there all season.
Ferrari’s Double Trouble in the Garage
It wasn’t a smooth session for Scuderia Ferrari. Dino Beganovic, driving in place of Charles Leclerc, spent much of FP1 in the garage as his crew removed the car’s floor for inspection. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz’s performance wasn’t memorable either, and the prancing horse looked more like a limping donkey today.
Aston Martin’s Wobbly Start with Alonso
Fernando Alonso provided one of the session’s most dramatic moments with a spin onto the grass at the final corner. The two-time world champion dismissed it as a bad out-lap with his usual sarcasm, but it highlighted Aston Martin’s ongoing struggle with consistency.
Esteban Ocon’s Slide and Lock-Up at Turn 1
Esteban Ocon, fresh off recent form debates, didn’t help his case with a wild lock-up and off-track excursion at Turn 1. The car survived, but the flat-spotted tyres may have given Alpine something extra to talk about in the debrief.
Weather Warnings: Clouds Loom Over Spielberg
Russell reported “a few small raindrops” towards the end of the session, adding a layer of uncertainty for FP2. If the clouds do burst, teams that haven’t locked in dry-weather data may struggle later in the weekend.
Final Standings: Surprises in the Top 10
The session ended with a mixed bag of names in the top 10:
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:05.542
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.065s
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Alex Dunne (McLaren)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
Rookie Round-Up: How the Newcomers Fared
This FP1 was rich with young talent. Apart from Dunne and Beganovic, we saw solid laps from Franco Colapinto(Alpine) and Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), the latter finishing 11th despite recently wrapping up his school exams. These rookies weren’t just placeholders; they were legitimate contenders for future full-time seats.
Mercedes’ Silent Strength
While Russell led the timesheets, Hamilton’s side of the garage faced some gearbox troubles. But overall, Mercedes looked well-balanced, hinting they’ve possibly cracked the code for Spielberg—a track where they’ve often lacked performance in recent years.
What This Means Heading Into FP2
FP1 is a snapshot, not the full story. But with Russell ahead and Verstappen slightly out of sync, FP2 could see Red Bull bounce back. The question remains: Can Dunne do it again if he gets another session?
Conclusion and Takeaways
George Russell’s P1 was impressive, but Alex Dunne’s P4 truly turned heads. With cars sliding, rain clouds hovering, and rookies rising, Austria’s weekend is already delivering the unexpected. If FP1 was the warm-up act, we can’t wait for the main event.
FAQs
1. Who topped the timesheets in FP1 at the Austrian GP?
George Russell of Mercedes clocked the fastest lap with a time of 1:05.542.
2. How did rookie Alex Dunne perform in FP1?
Dunne finished a sensational fourth in his debut F1 weekend, just 0.07s behind Piastri.
3. Why wasn’t Gianpiero Lambiase on Verstappen’s radio?
Lambiase is taking the weekend off, and Simon Rennie is filling in for Verstappen.
4. What issues did Ferrari face during FP1?
Both Sainz and Beganovic had problems, with the latter’s car requiring a floor removal mid-session.
5. What’s next after FP1 in Austria?
Teams will now review data and prepare for FP2, scheduled for 1700 local time, with potential rain adding intrigue.
