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Mercedes dominated practice at the Red Bull Ring

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Mercedes entered the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in strong form. On Friday, Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time in the opening practice near Spielberg, clocking a lap of 1:07.796 on soft Pirelli tyres and beating teammate George Russell by 0.040 seconds. sport.sk ↗

The opening sessions were also affected by demanding conditions. According to available information, the asphalt heated up to 50 degrees, which highlighted the importance of tyre management. Several rookies also appeared on track during the first practice, but it was the nineteen-year-old Italian Mercedes driver who left the most notable mark. idnes.cz ↗

Mercedes continued its strong pace ahead of qualifying as well. Russell was fastest in the final practice session, setting a time of 1:07.096 right at the end to narrowly beat Antonelli. The team thus confirmed its competitiveness on the short, fast circuit in Austria. sport.cz - fotbal ↗

The decisive step came in Saturday's qualifying. Russell claimed pole position for Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix, and he will be joined on the front row by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton set the third-fastest time. Max Verstappen's qualifying did not go as planned, as he ended up in the barrier. sport.sk ↗

Ahead of the race, Mercedes therefore finds itself in the best starting position. Antonelli showed his speed in practice, while Russell converted it into pole position on the grid. Sunday's race will show whether the team can confirm its practice and qualifying form in race pace as well. sport.cz - fotbal ↗

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