Kimi Antonelli leads Austrian GP long runs as Ferrari struggles
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 26, 2026, 7:24 PM
Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Kimi Antonelli topped the timesheets in both free practice sessions at the Austrian Grand Prix on June 26, demonstrating strong long-run pace for Mercedes. The reigning champions faced tyre degradation issues, which affected their consistency. Ferrari, despite arriving with upgrades after a victory in Spain, fell short of expectations, with drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc lagging behind Antonelli's pace. The session highlighted Mercedes as the team to beat, while Ferrari's performance raised concerns. As teams prepare for qualifying, adjustments may alter the competitive.
- •Antonelli led long runs for Mercedes, showing 0.06 seconds faster average than teammate Russell.
- •Ferrari's upgrades underperformed, with Hamilton 0.597 seconds off the pace.
- •Leclerc faced a long-run deficit of 0.97 seconds per lap compared to Antonelli.
- •McLaren showed potential but struggled with tyre degradation during long runs.
- •Red Bull's upgrades did not yield the expected improvements in performance.
- 7:24 PMYahoo Sports — Kimi Antonelli leads Austrian GP long runs as Ferrari upgrade falls flat
"Mercedes looked strongest on Friday at Spielberg, while Ferrari struggled for race pace and Pirelli warned tyre degradation could force at least two stops
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