Lewis Hamilton set a new track record at the Red Bull using the hardest of the three tyre compounds available during first practice.
The Mercedes driver set a best time of 1’05.975 on the soft rubber, bettering the previous record of 1’06.228 he set during qualifying last year.
He damaged his car earlier after a mistake at turn seven. He had to return to the pits after skating across the turn seven gravel trap and glancing a barrier.
Behind Bottas was Sebastian Vettel in the first of the Ferraris, both of which had spins during the session. Vettel rotated after thumping the turn one apex kerb, which left him facing the wrong way at the exit of the turn.
Kimi Raikkonen lost his SF70H under braking for the same corner, spinning at speed and ruining his first set of super-softs in the process. He was quickly back out on a fresh set to continue his programme.
Austria’s run-off areas and kerbs caught out several other drivers. Turn nine was a particular source of problems. Romain Grosjean picked up a puncture after running hard over the exit kerb and Felipe Massa also pitted to have his car inspected after touching the same kerb.
It was an encouraging session for McLaren as both cars appeared in the top ten after running Honda’s new spec three power unit. Stoffel Vandoorne was the first of the two in seventh place.
Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Best lap | Gap | Laps |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’05.975 | 38 | |
2 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-TAG Heuer | 1’06.165 | 0.190 | 23 |
3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1’06.345 | 0.370 | 35 |
4 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1’06.424 | 0.449 | 28 |
5 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull-TAG Heuer | 1’06.620 | 0.645 | 32 |
6 | 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 1’06.848 | 0.873 | 24 |
7 | 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | McLaren-Honda | 1’07.283 | 1.308 | 31 |
8 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso-Renault | 1’07.437 | 1.462 | 31 |
9 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren-Honda | 1’07.510 | 1.535 | 28 |
10 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Force India-Mercedes | 1’07.511 | 1.536 | 39 |
11 | 19 | Felipe Massa | Williams-Mercedes | 1’07.550 | 1.575 | 29 |
12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’07.594 | 1.619 | 30 |
13 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Toro Rosso-Renault | 1’07.633 | 1.658 | 32 |
14 | 30 | Jolyon Palmer | Renault | 1’07.649 | 1.674 | 31 |
15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Williams-Mercedes | 1’08.041 | 2.066 | 35 |
16 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas-Ferrari | 1’08.074 | 2.099 | 20 |
17 | 46 | Sergey Sirotkin | Renault | 1’08.586 | 2.611 | 27 |
18 | 34 | Alfonso Celis | Force India-Mercedes | 1’09.280 | 3.305 | 15 |
19 | 94 | Pascal Wehrlein | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’09.323 | 3.348 | 29 |
20 | 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’10.853 | 4.878 | 12 |
First practice visual gaps
Lewis Hamilton – 1’05.975
+0.190 Max Verstappen – 1’06.165
+0.370 Valtteri Bottas – 1’06.345
+0.449 Sebastian Vettel – 1’06.424
+0.645 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’06.620
+0.873 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’06.848
+1.308 Stoffel Vandoorne – 1’07.283
+1.462 Daniil Kvyat – 1’07.437
+1.535 Fernando Alonso – 1’07.510
+1.536 Esteban Ocon – 1’07.511
+1.575 Felipe Massa – 1’07.550
+1.619 Kevin Magnussen – 1’07.594
+1.658 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’07.633
+1.674 Jolyon Palmer – 1’07.649
+2.066 Lance Stroll – 1’08.041
+2.099 Romain Grosjean – 1’08.074
+2.611 Sergey Sirotkin – 1’08.586
+3.305 Alfonso Celis – 1’09.280
+3.348 Pascal Wehrlein – 1’09.323
+4.878 Marcus Ericsson – 1’10.853
Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.
Fastest times by tyre
Driver | Team | Best ultra-soft time | Ultra-soft gap | Best super-soft time | Super-soft gap | Best soft time | Soft gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’06.526 | None | 1’05.975 | |||
Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1’06.845 | 0.319 | 1’06.345 | 0.18 | None | |
Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | None | 1’06.620 | 0.455 | 1’07.699 | 1.724 | |
Max Verstappen | Red Bull | None | 1’06.165 | 1’07.380 | 1.405 | ||
Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | None | 1’06.424 | 0.259 | None | ||
Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | None | 1’06.848 | 0.683 | None | ||
Alfonso Celis | Force India | 1’09.280 | 2.754 | None | None | ||
Esteban Ocon | Force India | 1’07.511 | 0.985 | None | None | ||
Felipe Massa | Williams | None | 1’07.550 | 1.385 | 1’48.049 | 42.074 | |
Lance Stroll | Williams | None | 1’08.041 | 1.876 | None | ||
Fernando Alonso | McLaren | 1’07.510 | 0.984 | None | None | ||
Stoffel Vandoorne | McLaren | 1’07.283 | 0.757 | None | None | ||
Carlos Sainz Jnr | Toro Rosso | None | 1’07.633 | 1.468 | 1’08.895 | 2.92 | |
Daniil Kvyat | Toro Rosso | None | 1’07.437 | 1.272 | None | ||
Romain Grosjean | Haas | None | 1’08.074 | 1.909 | 3’58.096 | 172.121 | |
Kevin Magnussen | Haas | None | 1’07.594 | 1.429 | 4’31.096 | 205.121 | |
Sergey Sirotkin | Renault | None | 1’08.586 | 2.421 | 1’09.553 | 3.578 | |
Jolyon Palmer | Renault | None | 1’07.649 | 1.484 | None | ||
Marcus Ericsson | Sauber | None | None | 1’10.853 | 4.878 | ||
Pascal Wehrlein | Sauber | None | 1’09.323 | 3.158 | 1’09.891 | 3.916 |
2017 Austrian Grand Prix
- Second Driver of the Weekend win for Bottas
- Modest score for underwhelming Austrian GP
- 2017 Austrian Grand Prix Predictions Championship results
- Top ten pictures from the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix
- 2017 Austrian Grand Prix Star Performers
NoName (@noname)
7th July 2017, 10:30
I think Verstappen needs to take it more easy a bit instead of trashing his car left and right. Is Ferrari falling behind already ?..
sethje (@seth-space)
7th July 2017, 10:35
It’s a training. Finding the limit is part of that.
Ju88sy (@)
7th July 2017, 11:02
This, the best drivers will be exploring limits all the way through to Q3. Hamilton and Vettel are the leading exponents of how to do this, building times through the weekend leading up to Q3 laps.
Mike
7th July 2017, 10:53
Vettel also spun and damaged his car…
Mike
7th July 2017, 10:56
sorry, no damage but did spin.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
7th July 2017, 11:03
He also went over four tenths faster than Ricciardo. Paid off, surely? You either never find the limit, or you occasionally go over it.
Ricky Johnson (@bamboo)
7th July 2017, 11:41
And FP1 counts for what?
Its all about data at this point. If both cars set their fastest lap on the same tyres, theres zero chance they are running the same fuel load.
Rick (@)
7th July 2017, 12:42
@noname FP1 (and FP2) is especially useful for finding the limit and you only know what the limit is when you go over it sometimes. Granted, it should be slightly over the limit, but these 2017 cars have the tendency to snap more as soon as the limit is reached due to the increased downforce compared to the last couple of years.
I find it funny you pick out Verstappen right now when in Baku literally every driver except Alonso and Stroll (and maybe one or two others I didn’t notice) went off track at some point in all sessions including even qualifying.
Bobby (@f1bobby)
7th July 2017, 11:05
Ham was pretty relaxed about his 5th place and the dramas at Baku – I get the impression Merc have got a pace advantage over Ferrari now and he knows it. Merc will be spectacular at Silverstone.
Blazzz
7th July 2017, 11:24
Seeing Hamilton’s performance in Baku- even with the damaged diffuser/floor where he was clobbered by Vettel and now the Austrian times (i know it’s only FP) I think there is some evidence of that.
Gary
7th July 2017, 11:29
Yes, it’s so exciting to have Mercedes dominating the field like they have since 2014. It just wouldn’t be modern F1 otherwise.
EC (@dutch-1)
7th July 2017, 11:42
I can see your irony.
+1
Bobby (@f1bobby)
7th July 2017, 11:53
I hope you’re right but you’re a bit premature – 8 races in Merc and have won half of them.
Zomtec
7th July 2017, 11:28
I understand Force India has to sell FP sessions but Renault should be in a able to pay their bills alone get the most out of their time on track.
JayR
7th July 2017, 11:49
Do Renault give seats because they need that money or because they don’t have a junior team and need to give some of the young guys exposure?
But then again Palmer is still with them and he’s not particularly good so he most likely is still with them for the money he brings in.
Todfod (@todfod)
7th July 2017, 12:03
Surprised that Renault are giving up Hulks seat instead of Joylons in fp sessions. It’s almost like they don’t really care about maximising their chances on a race weekend.
On a positive note, Joylon went a second faster than Sirotkin in this session. This will surely go down as the highlight of his F1 career.
nelson piquet
7th July 2017, 11:49
i don’t understand this either
sumedhvidwans (@sumedhvidwans)
7th July 2017, 11:55
Will this be the shortest ever single lap ever recorded (in terms of time) on any track? I can see qualifying times to be 1:03.5xx.
KaIIe (@kaiie)
7th July 2017, 12:51
Nope. In 1974 Dijon had lap times under one minute.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
7th July 2017, 15:38
@kaiie I hope we get to that some day. Watching cars racing at Lime Rock for instance is spectacular, the rhythm it imposes is tough on anyone racing hard, like a go-kart… you never rest.
Todfod (@todfod)
7th July 2017, 12:08
Mercedes are back on it since Monaco. I’m predicting a front row lock out for them tomorrow.
Verstappen showing some impressive pace as well. He should be in for a battle with Seb for the podium.
Jay
7th July 2017, 12:24
Merc need to tighten up and quit costing Lewis blown wins (Australia/Azerbaijan). It’s his time and he must capitalize. The FIA are bring bribed by Ferrari so nothing will be easy.
Lewis needs to kick ass.
Juan Fanger
7th July 2017, 12:59
If Lewis does start winning we can always bring Rosberg out of retirement to kick his ass back where it belongs :)
KhanistanF1 (@khanistanf1)
7th July 2017, 14:02
As a Rosberg fan I love this statement XD
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
7th July 2017, 17:20
@Juan Fanger @khanistanf1
Actually I would love Rosberg to come out of retirement, so Lewis can continue kicking his ass, which as you know was the more usual situation.
Nonetheless, enjoy you fantasy land…:)
EagleMk1
7th July 2017, 20:04
Some people can’t stomach that Nico Rosberg won and 44 lost
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
7th July 2017, 20:57
@EagleMk1
Not at all. Pretending that Nico was the equal of Lewis though is just ignorant and, frankly, embarrassing.
But, he finished ahead of Lewis one time out of four. I accept that and congratulations to him. Lewis won 3/1, which seems to me a fair representation.
EagleMk1
7th July 2017, 21:46
Of course, who pretends they were equal? Nico proved to be superior.. Yes, he won, in case you had not noticed.
paulguitar (@paulguitar)
7th July 2017, 22:01
@EagleMk1
Lewis vs Nico was 3/1 in favour of Lewis.
Unless you started watching in 2016?
Marian Gri (@)
7th July 2017, 14:31
If someone bribed FIA… it’s only Mercedes… to dump the V8s and run V6s Turbos. I don’t think there’s a simple coincidence the fact they’re so dominant since this type of power units are used.
anon
7th July 2017, 16:41
@corrado-dub, that theory does ignore the fact that all of the documentation which was leaked to the press showed that it was Renault that put forward the original technical proposal that resulted in the current regulation package.
reh1v2.0 (@reh1v2-0)
7th July 2017, 18:53
Of course. But we all know to whom it is most suited. And they can still say they did not ask for these rules.
Jon gordon
7th July 2017, 12:32
McLaren has found 1.5 to 2.1 seconds in new spec engine . Stoffel out performs Alonso for the first time and practice without an engine failure