2026 Austria FP1 Summary

[Hardelli]

Rookie drivers in this session:
Aston Martin - Crawford
Haas - Hirakawa
Audi - Aron
Ferrari - Beganovic
Williams - Browning
Racing Bulls - Iwasa

Lando Norris' car starts with having problems, engineers taking the car apart. - hydraulic leak

Isack Hadjar also in troubles, engineers taking it apart.

Verstappen came to a halt, car goes to anti-stall every time clutch is released. Car pushed back into the garage

Ryo Hirakawa has hit one of his mechanics when he pulled into the pits, mechanic is ok.

Verstappen came out of the pits but stalled again on the pitlane. Pushed back to the garage.

Verstappen on track and going forwards, with 41 minutes left in the session.

Piastri reports long brake pedal.

Alonso having meowsive understeer. Verstappen says the whole car shakes when braking. Piastri keeps reporting brake issues, says its a lottery of how long the pedal will be every time he brakes.

Hadjar on track with 21 minutes left in the session.

Perez in pits with a mechanical issue, engine cover is off.

Norris out on track with 14 minutes left in the session.

Antonelli reports "brakes feel very bad."

Perez' car has now shut down and turned back on 2 times and with 1minute 15 seconds left he is stopped in turn 2, red flag.

[Dink]

I don't know much about F1, but I'm learning more everyday! So much more fun than NASCAR where they just run in circles for 500 miles.

This is more of my style, i like all the curves and swerves and all the technical knowledge the who team and the ability to jive with each week

I'll be following to learn more!

THANK YOU!!!

[Hardelli]

I don't know much about F1, but I'm learning more everyday! So much more fun than NASCAR where they just run in circles for 500 miles.

This is more of my style, i like all the curves and swerves and all the technical knowledge the who team and the ability to jive with each week

I'll be following to learn more!

THANK YOU!!!

If you like the technical and data side of things, this year is pretty great for that. New rules meant that the combustion engine and battery power is 50/50, theres a ton of simulation and data crunching going into when and where to harvest energy for the battery, harvesting is done by taking brake energy and sending it to the battery or by the engine acting as a generator, that obviously takes away power from the engine, so it has to be done strategically so as to not lose lap time.

Not only is the power delivery very strategical and data driven, using the tires is as well. They need to be in correct temperature window to work properly. If they are too cold, its like driving on a wet surface, if they are too hot, they just turn into bubblegum and melt.

And then theres the team side of things, when to pit for change of tires (they need to use at least 2 different compounds per race). Usually takes about 2 seconds to change the tires, if it takes even 0.5 seconds too long, that might mean that you lose a position.

And of course, we cant forget the upgrade schedule strategy. Do you throw 15 new components at the car and then try to figure out which one of them works, which one doesnt? Or do you introduce 1-2 new components at a time and make sure you know what changes?

Those are just the main things, theres so much more to the sport.