George Russell bounces back as Ferrari close up in tight final practice at F1 Austrian GP

George Russell set the pace ahead of Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli as Ferrari closed in during a tight final practice at the Austrian Grand Prix. 

Russell left it late to shoot to the top of the timesheet in FP3 as he edged championship leader Antonelli by just 0.038 seconds, having spent the weekend so far playing catch up to his Mercedes team-mate. 

Following a late set-up to his W17, Russell produced a 1m07.096s to pip Antonelli, who had made an ominous start by topping both practice sessions on Friday, to the fastest time. 

2026 F1 Austrian Grand Prix - Final Practice Results

After looking off the pace on Friday, Ferrari reduced its deficit to Mercedes in the final practice before a crucial qualifying session. 

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton ended up 0.115s adrift of Russell’s benchmark in his Ferrari, which has been fitted with the Italian team’s first ADUO-influenced engine upgrade for the Spielberg weekend.

Oscar Piastri was once again the lead McLaren driver in fourth, 0.248s down as he narrowly outpaced team-mate and reigning world champion Lando Norris. 

Max Verstappen put his upgraded Red bull sixth, under three tenths back, while Charles Leclerc was a couple tenths slower than Ferrari team-mate Hamilton as he took seventh.

Eighth place went to the second Red Bull of Isack Hadjar, while the Racing Bulls pair of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad completed the top-10 in final practice. 

The Cadillacs of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, and the Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, were once again at the back of the order, with Alonso and Stroll both more than three seconds off the pace in 21st and 22nd. 

Qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix gets underway at 3pm UK time.