Austrian GP Free Practice Gets Underway at a Scorching Red Bull Ring
The Austrian GP free practice sessions are here. It is Friday, June 26, and the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg has fired up for what could be one of the most exciting Fridays of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The event is being held at the Red Bull Ring for the 22nd time in the circuit’s history, across the weekend of 26 to 28 June. And right from the first session, there is a lot to watch.
Extreme Heat Makes Things Tricky in FP1 and FP2
Before a single lap was turned, the weather was already making headlines. The FIA launched heat hazard protocols on Thursday, with temperatures set to hit 36°C on Saturday and Sunday. You can read more about that story in our dedicated piece: Breaking: Austrian GP Heat Hazard Declared by FIA as 36°C Heatwave.
Friday’s forecast is clear, dry and hot, with no rain expected during FP1 or FP2. Temperatures are expected to range from around 14°C in the morning to 31°C during the day, with track temperatures potentially reaching 51°C.
That makes tyre management one of the major themes from the first practice session. The heat matters at the Red Bull Ring because drivers spend much of the lap attacking braking zones and traction exits.
Pirelli opted for the softest compounds in its range for the Austrian Grand Prix, bringing the C3, C4 and C5 tyres to Spielberg. While tyre wear is rarely the defining factor at the Red Bull Ring, thermal degradation is a key challenge.
Six rookies take the wheel in FP1
As always at the Austrian GP, Friday’s opening session features several driver swaps. Six rookie drivers will take part in FP1 at the Red Bull Ring, as Formula 1 teams continue working through their mandatory young-driver running requirements. Under the current FIA rules, every team must field a rookie in two FP1 sessions per car across the campaign.
Here is the full list of rookie replacements for FP1:
- Ferrari placed Dino Beganovic in Charles Leclerc’s SF-26, giving the Swedish Ferrari Driver Academy member another opportunity to build on his Formula 1 practice experience.
- Ryo Hirakawa drove Esteban Ocon’s Haas for the opening practice hour in Austria, completing his seventh FP1 appearance.
- Alpine reserve Paul Aron drove the Audi R26 in place of Gabriel Bortoleto. Williams handed its FW48 to Luke Browning, replacing Carlos Sainz for the session.
- Aston Martin’s third driver Jak Crawford got another run, this time in place of Lance Stroll, during FP1 in Austria.
- Ayumu Iwasa stepped into the Racing Bulls car after also filling in at Red Bull during the Barcelona Grand Prix weekend.
The Championship Picture Heading Into Practice
Going into the weekend, Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers’ Championship with 156 points, 41 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton in second, and 50 ahead of George Russell in third. Mercedes, with 262 points, leads the Constructors’ Championship from Ferrari and McLaren, who are second and third with 190 and 141 points respectively.
Ferrari arrive in Austria buoyed by Hamilton’s victory in Barcelona last time out, and the Scuderia will be eager to maintain that momentum at a circuit where short lap times leave minimal margin for error. You can also read about Ferrari’s second ADUO turbo upgrade push for Austria and the Mercedes diffuser protest that forced a W17 tweak ahead of this race.
Adding another layer of intrigue to the weekend is Red Bull’s home race. The Austrian team’s recent struggles have left it searching for answers at a circuit that has traditionally been one of its strongest venues. Find out more in our piece: Can Red Bull’s Austrian GP Upgrade Stop Ferrari’s Russell Threat?
What to Watch in FP2 and Beyond
FP2 at 17:00 is likely to be one of the most important sessions of the weekend for race preparation. Teams will focus on longer runs, tyre degradation and how the car behaves with more fuel on board.
If Mercedes are fastest on short runs and stable on long runs, the rest may again be chasing. But if Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull can match them in the heat, Saturday’s qualifying could become one of the tightest sessions of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Keep it here at rnt-motorsports.com for live updates as FP2 gets underway later this afternoon. Also make sure to check our full Austrian GP upgrades breakdown: Top Teams Bring Powerful Austrian GP Upgrades to Spielberg. Qualifying is on Saturday at 16:00 local time, and the race fires off on Sunday at 15:00. This one is going to be good.
