Antonelli scores 'double top' for Mercedes as Russell warns of McLaren threat
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli swept to a perfect 'double top' for Mercedes in Friday's practice at the Austrian Grand Prix to boost his hopes of extending his lead in the title standings on Sunday.
After retiring from the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix two weeks ago, the 19-year-old Italian has a 41-point advantage over seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who claimed his first Ferrari win in Spain.
Antonelli was in sizzling form again on Friday as he went quickest in both free sessions, leaving team-mate George Russell, who was second behind him in opening practice, six-tenths adrift in sixth in the second session, but unfazed.
Antonelli was 0.237 seconds ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and world champion Lando Norris with a lap in 1min 7.014sec at the Red Bull Ring circuit where the Grand Prix has been declared a 'heat hazard' event.
This enables the drivers to wear special cooling vests under their fireproof race suits.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Hamilton and Russell with Isack Hadjar seventh in the second Red Bull and Charles Leclerc eighth in the second Ferrari.
Russell, the pre-season title favourite who won the opening race in Australia before Antonelli reeled off five wins in a row, said: "The track temperature hit 60 degrees today, so the tyres are burning out there and going through hell. It's not easy to find a sweet spot here at all.
"I think McLaren were really good straight out of the blocks. They were flying in FP1 and everyone seemed to have problems –- Lando was in the garage, Lewis and Max too, so maybe that flattered us, but I think McLaren's pace is a surprise."
He said he was not alarmed by being outpaced by Antonelli on soft tyres late in the session, admitting that he had made a mistake.
"There was a mistake, but it should be fine. I mean, it was just one lap," he said.
"So, for me there's nothing to be concerned about. For me, FP1 was a decent solid session and the race pace looks decent. But McLaren are a threat. They are very strong at these hot races."
Piastri said that he was satisfied with his day, but he conceded that he felt McLaren remained a step behind the pace of Antonelli.
"It was a pretty good day," he said. "We are still a step behind Mercedes, or Kimi at least, as we expected, but we tried a few things.
"We've done our homework and it's been pretty good. Kimi's second lap on the softs was impressive. We need to learn a few things from each other."
N.Keahi--HStB
