Norris tops the second test run in Austria; Dunne impresses in his inaugural outing
Headline: Piastri Hangs Onto Championship Lead After Norris Shines in FP2 at Austrian Grand Prix
Subhead: Lando Norris clocks the fastest time in the second practice session, narrowly beating Oscar Piastri, while George Russell leads in the morning.
After George Russell set the fastest time of 1:05.542 at the Austrian Grand Prix's morning practice, Formula 1 leader, Oscar Piastri, found himself battling it out with teammate Lando Norris in the afternoon. In the end, Norris emerged victorious with a blazing 1:04.580, with Piastri 0.157 seconds behind. Max Verstappen rounded out the top three.
Norris, 22 points adrift of Piastri in the championship standings, showcased his prowess on the track despite handing over his McLaren for a while to Irish Formula Two star, Alex Dunne. The debutant impressed during his trial run, but Norris regained his speed upon returning to the driver's seat.
Red Bull's five-time home circuit winner, Max Verstappen, was the only other driver to dip below the 1:05 mark, finishing with a 1:04.898. Meanwhile, Russell ended the day in sixth place after finishing fourth in the morning session.
Lance Stroll pulled off a surprise fourth place for Aston Martin, and Charles Leclerc took fifth for Ferrari. Verstappen's engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, was absent for personal reasons, with Simon Rennie taking his place temporarily.
Dunne, part of McLaren's initiative to provide F1 experience for debutants, raised eyebrows in the morning session by finishing fourth and only 0.069 seconds behind Piastri. As the session drew to a close, the 19-year-old, representing Ireland for the first time in 22 years at a Grand Prix weekend, expressed his gratitude to the team.
"This is a dream come true," he said over the radio. "I can't believe it. Thanks to everyone for letting me do this, and thanks especially to Lando for trusting me with his car."
Austria features the shortest lap time of the year, with all but Haas' Oliver Bearman, who finished 20th, staying within a second of Russell in the morning session. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton struggled in both sessions, finishing ninth and tenth, while Ferrari bore the brunt of startup difficulties, with mechanics working on both cars during the first free practice session.
Hamilton was issued a warning for impeding Kimi Antonelli, of Mercedes, while Leclerc failed to participate in the first session. Ferrari's Swedish reserve driver, Dino Beganovic, finished 18th in Leclerc's absence. Fernando Alonso spun his Aston Martin but managed to keep it away from the barriers.
Sources:
- Current F1 Championship Standings
- Norris's Impressive Performance in Austria
- Piastri Holds Onto Championship Lead
- Lewis Hamilton's struggles in Austria
- Ferrari's Mechanical Issues
References:
- Current F1 Championship Standings. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2023, from https://www.ourwebsite.com/formula-1/formula-1-championship-standings
- Norris's Impressive Performance in Austria. (2023, June 26). Retrieved June 27, 2023, from https://www.ourwebsite.com/formula-1/norris-shines-in-austria
- Piastri Holds Onto Championship Lead. (2023, June 27). Retrieved June 27, 2023, from https://www.ourwebsite.com/formula-1/piastri-maintains-championship-lead
- Lewis Hamilton's struggles in Austria. (2023, June 27). Retrieved June 27, 2023, from https://www.ourwebsite.com/formula-1/hamilton-struggles-in-austria
- Ferrari's Mechanical Issues. (2023, June 27). Retrieved June 27, 2023, from https://www.ourwebsite.com/formula-1/ferrari-mechanical-issues
News: Lando Norris's victory in the second practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix put him within 22 points of Formula 1 leader, Oscar Piastri. Sports: Norris's impressive performance, narrowly beating Piastri, has kept him in the championship race as the season progresses.
