Kimi Antonelli secured the lead in the second free practice for the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, showing consistency in Spielberg. Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto, who returned to the Audi cockpit after giving up his car in the first session, achieved a remarkable tenth place, standing out among the fastest.
Young Kimi Antonelli remained at the top of the leaderboard, consolidating his good form throughout the day. He was closely followed by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who completed the session’s top trio.
Bortoleto, in turn, demonstrated quick adaptation to the vehicle, securing tenth place and surpassing Nico Hulkenberg. His performance is remarkable, especially considering that he missed the opportunity to accumulate track time in the first free practice, where he gave up the Audi car to a reserve driver, which adds a strategic development context for the team.
Final classification details and on-track incidents
The final results of the session indicated a tight dispute, with the drivers looking for the best setup for the Red Bull Ring. Despite Antonelli’s leadership, the teams faced considerable challenges with track conditions and vehicle performance.
Liam Lawson, when positioning himself for a practice start, reported overheating in the brakes, indicating common problems faced by teams. McLaren, in turn, instructed Lando Norris to cool the components, as the Briton mentioned that the brakes had been on fire for several laps.
Charles Leclerc also had a scary moment, escaping from turn 7 and passing through the run-off area. Isack Hadjar, another driver on the track, expressed frustration with his car’s lack of power, fearing he would be easily overtaken.
The end of training and the final positions
With just three minutes left until the end of the second session, Antonelli maintained the lead, with Piastri, Norris, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell close behind in the leading positions.
The checkered flag marked the end of the second free practice for the Austrian GP, ending a day full of tests and incidents on the Spielberg track.