Mercedes cautiously optimistic after Hamilton's best time

In the second free practice session for the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring on Friday, world champion Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in 2:1 minutes ahead of his stable rival Valtteri Bottas (+04,523) and morning dominator Max Verstappen (+0,189). In the first training session, World Championship leader Verstappen was leading the field.

The Dutchman has won 3 of the 4 most recent races and easily took his 14th career victory at the Styrian Grand Prix last Sunday. That's why the 23-year-old leads the current World Cup by 18 points ahead of Hamilton. A week ago, the Dutchman opened the Styria weekend with two Friday best times. This time it didn't work out. New weather conditions Light rain set in during the second session on Friday - a scenario that is not unlikely for race Sunday this time either. A week ago it was still very hot.

Wants to step up: Max Verstappen © APA/afp / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

World champion Hamilton, who was somewhat frustrated by the current situation, ended up in seventh place in the opening training session in his Mercedes, 0,566 seconds behind, while his Mercedes stable rival Valtteri Bottas was ranked fourth (+0,302). The Silver Arrows team boss Toto Wolff described this first session as “much better” than the previous week. “I'm cautiously optimistic, but we won't conquer the world in a single day,” said Wolff on ORF.

It continues in Spielberg on Saturday with FP3 and qualifying at 15.00 p.m. Before the ninth round of the season on Sunday (15.00 p.m.), Verstappen (156 points) leads the overall standings ahead of Hamilton (138) and Perez (96).

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Mercedes cautiously optimistic after Hamilton's best time

Mercedes managed an unexpected counterattack at the start of the second GP weekend in Spielberg.

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