Antonelli Sets the Pace in Austrian GP FP2 as Mercedes Lead

Friday afternoon at the Red Bull Ring confirmed one clear message: Kimi Antonelli is the benchmark heading into the rest of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. The Mercedes teenager topped Practice 2 with authority, backing up his FP1 pace and underlining his status as the man to beat as Round 8 of the 2026 season unfolds in Spielberg.

Antonelli Sets the Pace Again

Mercedes in Control

What made the result even more impressive was the contrast inside the Mercedes garage. George Russell endured a disrupted session early on, spending significant time in the pits while his car was rebuilt. Although he eventually recovered to sixth, he finished over six tenths behind his team-mate on a short lap where margins are usually tight. For Antonelli, it was close to a perfect Friday, especially with championship rivals Lewis Hamilton and Russell unable to match his pace.

McLaren Remain Mercedes’ Closest Challengers

Piastri Leads, Norris Recovers

Lando Norris’ third place was arguably just as encouraging. After missing most of FP1 due to a hydraulic issue, Norris bounced back strongly despite a scruffy session that included a lock-up and a trip into the Turn 3 runoff. His soft-tyre lap of 1:07.339 came without the benefit of a clean earlier run, hinting there could be more to come on Saturday.

McLaren’s decision not to run their experimental rear wing this weekend also adds intrigue. As confirmed by Lawrence Barretto, the team opted to return the component to Woking for further development, prioritising consistency over experimentation.

Red Bull Searching for Answers at Home

Verstappen Fourth, But Unhappy

Red Bull enjoyed a big improvement in mileage compared to FP1, with Max Verstappen completing 29 laps and Isack Hadjar 28. However, the mood in the garage was far from relaxed. Verstappen battled an early seat issue and repeatedly voiced concerns about balance and driveability.

Despite those problems, Verstappen still slotted into fourth with a 1:07.564, keeping himself firmly in the lead group. Hadjar was seventh, showing decent pace but also echoing some of the handling complaints. If Red Bull can tidy up the RB22 overnight, Verstappen still looks a realistic contender for the front rows — though Antonelli currently appears a step ahead.

Ferrari and Cadillac Face Mixed Fortunes

Ferrari Lacking Expected Bite

Ferrari ended Friday with more questions than answers. Lewis Hamilton was vocal about understeer — “Too much understeer” — after several lock-ups, finishing fifth. Charles Leclerc, back in the car after missing FP1, could only manage eighth. The raw pace is not disastrous, but Ferrari appear to be trailing Mercedes and McLaren in both confidence and consistency.

Cadillac’s Day Unravels

FP2 was particularly painful for Cadillac. Sergio Perez ground to a halt with a repeat of his earlier issue, triggering a Virtual Safety Car, while Valtteri Bottas suffered a dramatic suspension failure that sent sparks and flames shooting from underneath his car. Both drivers missed valuable running, leaving Cadillac firmly on the back foot heading into Saturday.

Tyres, Heat and Strategy in Focus

With track temperatures hovering near 50°C, tyre degradation dominated the second half of the session. Long runs suggested the medium and hard compounds can survive respectable stints, but thermal degradation will be decisive. Qualifying looks set to be brutal: one flying lap in Q3 could be all drivers get from a set of softs.

As FP2 concluded with practice starts across the grid, Antonelli remained the reference. Mercedes lead, McLaren chase, Red Bull search for solutions — and with heat and tyres in play, the Austrian Grand Prix weekend is shaping up to be finely balanced behind one standout name.