Norris Tops Austrian Grand Prix Final Practice Session

SPIELBERG, Austria — McLaren driver Lando Norris showcased his speed in the final practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix, clocking a top time of 1:04.324. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, followed closely behind, finishing just 0.118 seconds off the pace.

The session, held on Saturday morning, saw intense competition as drivers struggled to stay within track limits. Norris, who had already established himself as a frontrunner, aimed to fine-tune his car ahead of the crucial qualifying rounds later in the day.

Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen started strong, running on hard compound tires and initially posting a time of 1:06.131. However, this was significantly slower than Norris’ benchmark. Verstappen reported that his car felt “a bit nervous” as he attempted to improve his times.

The session highlighted the challenges drivers faced, particularly at Turn 1, where several cars, including Norris and both Ferraris, had to abandon flying laps after running wide. As the session progressed, Norris continued to outperform his rivals, improving his time while others struggled.

At the halfway mark, Norris remained at the top of the leaderboard, leading by nearly three-tenths over Piastri and Verstappen. Piastri had his own close call, nearly spinning at Turn 9, but managed to regain control.

The final minutes of the session proved exciting, with several drivers vying for better positions. Norris maintained his lead, finishing ahead of Piastri and Verstappen, who placed third. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.

Teams will regroup to analyze data and prepare for the qualifying session set to begin later today.