Austrian GP: Lando Norris shines in FP3 as Ferrari gains momentum
Lando Norris Tops Final Austrian Grand Prix Practice in Dominant McLaren Display
The final practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix concluded with McLaren's Lando Norris asserting his dominance with yet another commanding display, leading a one-two finish ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri. Norris topped Saturday’s timesheets at the Red Bull Ring with a blistering 1:04.324 lap, outpacing Formula 1 championship leader Piastri by 0.118 seconds and overshadowing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who trailed by 0.210 seconds.
Verstappen, who ended the session in third, experienced a dramatic spin at the last corner in the dying moments of FP3. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc showed encouraging improvement, finishing fourth, followed closely by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in fifth position.
McLaren Sets the Pace
McLaren has been the standout performer across the weekend, topping two of the three practice sessions. Mercedes’ George Russell claimed the fastest time in Friday’s FP1 but struggled under the hotter conditions on Saturday, finishing sixth as temperatures rose sharply.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff dissected the challenges posed by the soaring heat:
"That's why it went a little bit belly-up for us. We were quite competitive until the end, and then you can see really it goes above a certain threshold of temperature and we lose performance. The McLarens in high-speed [corners] is going to be very difficult to match."
Wolff also noted adjustments to the car setup that impacted their competitiveness:
"We changed the balance a bit yesterday, and that was in a direction that wasn't so perfect. It came back more today, but then the track temperature developed so drastically during the session, we went from 33 degrees to 42, and that makes a big difference."
Top Performers in FP3
Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli showed resilience for Mercedes, securing seventh place ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto rounded off the top 10.
Norris, who also dominated Friday’s FP2, appears determined to make up for his disappointment in Canada two weeks ago. The Brit collided with teammate Piastri at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, walking away without a score. With McLaren's rising momentum, the stage is set for Norris to turn his fortunes around when the lights go out on Sunday.
Qualifying and Weekend Intrigue
As the grid prepares for qualifying later today, key battles and unpredictable weather conditions provide fresh intrigue at the Red Bull Ring, promising a thrilling Austrian GP weekend ahead.
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