Kimi Antonelli secured the top spot during the opening practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix, narrowly outpacing his Mercedes team-mate George Russell. The Italian driver finished ahead by a slim margin of 0.04 seconds.
Oscar Piastri claimed third place for McLaren, finishing 0.117 seconds behind the leader. Meanwhile, Lando Norris managed only seventh after a hydraulics issue sidelined his car for most of the session. Max Verstappen, testing significant aerodynamic improvements on his Red Bull, settled for fourth, roughly 0.28 seconds off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton, fresh from his victory in Spain, struggled to match the frontrunners, trailing by 0.665 seconds. The seven-time world champion expressed dissatisfaction with his vehicle over the radio. Rounding out the top ten were Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto, Dino Beganovic, and Oliver Bearman.
This race weekend serves as a critical test for Ferrari. While the team remains cautious about the immediate impact of their latest engine updates, they are hoping these additions, combined with recent aerodynamic shifts, will help them challenge Mercedes on a high-power track.