George Russell Ends Antonelli's FP3 Dominance

George Russell set the fastest time in the third free practice session for the 2026 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix after posting a late 1:07.096, ending team-mate Kimi Antonelli's dominance across the practice sessions at the Red Bull Ring.

The Mercedes driver finished just 0.038 seconds ahead of Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton emerged as a late threat by securing third place, only 0.115 seconds behind Russell.

The session began quietly, with Sergio Perez the only driver to complete laps during the opening 10 minutes. Teams soon switched to qualifying simulations on soft tyres, allowing Antonelli to lead the timing screens through the opening half of FP3.

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Antonelli improved his benchmark to 1:07.134 during the second half of the session and briefly held a comfortable advantage over Russell. However, conditions evolved in the closing stages, allowing Russell to deliver a decisive final improvement and move to the top of the order.

Ferrari also displayed improved pace ahead of qualifying. Hamilton climbed from seventh to second before eventually finishing third, while Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen completed the top six, with only 0.273 seconds covering the fastest driver.

The FP3 result sets up a closely contested qualifying session, with Mercedes leading the field while Ferrari and McLaren demonstrated enough pace to challenge for pole position.