Kimi Antonelli posted the fastest time in the practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix, continuing his strong form in the Formula One championship. The 19-year-old Italian driver, who leads the championship and has secured five consecutive victories this season, recorded a lap time 0.040 seconds quicker than his Ferrari teammate George Russell.

Antonelli’s recent dominance was briefly interrupted with a retirement at the Spanish Grand Prix, ending his winning streak that had been halted by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Despite Mercedes facing their first defeat of the season, the team appeared keen to recover at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Austria.

The practice session demonstrated Ferrari’s continued competitiveness, with both Antonelli and Russell setting top times. Mercedes, meanwhile, aimed to find improvements to challenge the championship leader in the upcoming qualifying and race sessions. The Austrian Grand Prix is anticipated to be a critical battleground as teams seek to gain momentum in the championship’s mid-season stretch.