George Russell won last year's Austrian Grand Prix Mercedes driver George Russell headed Red Bull's Max Verstappen in first practice at the Austrian Grand Prix. Russell, who said on Thursday that Mercedes were talking to Verstappen about the possibility of driving for them next year, was 0.065 seconds quicker than the Dutchman. McLaren's Oscar Piastri was third fastest, ahead of an impressive performance from 19-year-old Irishman Alex Dunne in the other McLaren. Dunne, leading the Formula 2 championship this season, is a member of the McLaren young driver programme and was having his first outing at a grand prix in Lando Norris' car. He was just 0.069secs off Piastri's pace, both running on the soft tyres, although his lap was set slightly later in the session than the Australian's, when the track would have been in better condition. Both McLaren and Red Bull have taken upgrades to the Red Bull Ring. McLaren have new front suspension shaping that is aimed at working with a new front wing that was first tested at the last race in Canada. Red Bull have a new floor edge. Ferrari, for whom Lewis Hamilton was ninth fastest, have a completely redesigned new floor, their first upgrade since Bahrain in April. Alpine's Pierre Gasly was fifth fastest, ahead of Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto and the Williams drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. Alex Dunne is in his first season in Formula 2
Russell fastest as Irish teenager Dunne impresses in Austria
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"George Russell Leads First Practice at Austrian Grand Prix with Impressive Debut from Alex Dunne"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
In the first practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell of Mercedes emerged as the fastest driver, clocking a time that was 0.065 seconds quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Russell's performance comes on the heels of discussions regarding a potential move to Mercedes for Verstappen in the next season. The session saw McLaren's Oscar Piastri finishing in third place, but it was the young Irish driver Alex Dunne who stole the spotlight with an impressive showing during his debut grand prix outing. Dunne, who is currently leading the Formula 2 championship and is part of the McLaren young driver programme, demonstrated his talent by finishing just 0.069 seconds behind Piastri, showcasing his potential in a competitive environment. Both drivers utilized soft tyres, and Dunne's lap time was recorded slightly later in the session, benefiting from improved track conditions compared to Piastri's earlier run.
The practice session also highlighted the latest upgrades from various teams, with McLaren introducing new front suspension designs aimed at enhancing the performance of their newly tested front wing, while Red Bull focused on modifications to their floor edge. Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton placing ninth, showcased a completely redesigned floor, marking their first significant upgrade since earlier in the season. Alpine's Pierre Gasly secured fifth position, outperforming Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto and both Williams drivers, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. As Dunne embarks on his first season in Formula 2, his performance at the Austrian Grand Prix is a promising indicator of his future potential in motorsport, further elevating the excitement surrounding the upcoming race weekend.
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