Austrian GP 2023
JUNE 30, 2023
Practice 1 Report - Max Verstappen tops practice
© Ferrari
By Peter Habicht
Max Verstappen was fastest to open this weekend for Red Bull on medium tires, 0.241s clear of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who both ran soft compounds. Lewis Hamilton was fourth quickest on soft tires, followed by the Red Bull of Sergio Perez and the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll.
New for 2023, this weekend's sprint race does not determine Sunday's Grand Prix grid order, which will be set following today's practice session which effectively gives teams one third the running they would normally have on a regular grand prix weekend.
In a compressed schedule to gather data around tire strategy, fuel loads, and energy management on the cars saw some teams opting not to run softer compounds worth 0.5s per lap for some or both drivers. Both Red Bull drivers, Fernando Alonso, Alpine's Esteban Ocon and McLaren's Lando Norris did not set a time on the faster soft tires.
Today's practice saw Kevin Magnussen seventh fastest for Haas followed by Fernando Alonso, with Hamilton's teammate George Russell ninth quickest followed by Alfa Romeos' Guanyu Zhou.
The back half of the grid saw Williams Alexander Albon in 11th, followed by McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Haas' Nico Hulkenberg and Alfa's Valtteri Bottas. The Alpha Tauri's of Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries were next, ahead of the Williams of Logan Sargeant and teammates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Lando Norris was at the back of the order, opting not to use the faster softer tires that his teammate Piastri ran.
McLaren arrive this weekend with new upgrades to their cars, as to Red Bull with suspension upgrades and aero upgrades on the Ferraris.
Today's practice is followed by qualifying for Sunday's race at 5 pm.