Austrian Grand Prix: Comments before the stage

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

      Toto Wolff: "The race in Barcelona was a benchmark for assessing our current level of competitiveness. After victories in the first six races, the last race became a kind of reality check. Rivals quickly closed the gap, and we need to respond. We are fighting in both championships, but if we want to finish the season at the top, we must step up.

      Reliability continues to be our weak point. In the last races, both cars lost a lot of points. If we don't start to conduct clean weekends again, our rivals will definitely take advantage of it.

      The team is not standing still, and we will bring several updates to Austria aimed at improving both speed and reliability. The gaps are already minimal, and in Spielberg, considering the length of the lap, they will be even smaller.

      We need to have a stronger weekend than the last few. If we maximize our potential, we can fight for victory."

      Scuderia Ferrari

      Frederic Vasseur, team principal: "We head to Austria with optimism after successful performances in the last races, although we fully understand that there is still a lot of work ahead and we must maintain focus.

      This weekend we will use the same approach and mindset that we have adhered to since the start of the season, striving to conduct flawless sessions in all aspects—from driving on the track to strategic decisions on the pit wall.

      We know that each weekend is a story of its own, which is why we will continue to fight in the championship, treating each race individually."

      McLaren Formula 1 Team

      Nick Hold, Technical Director McLaren Applied Engineering: "Historically, our team has performed well at the Austrian track, and although with such tight results we do not consider repeating that success guaranteed, our mood is optimistic. We believe that the characteristics of the Red Bull Ring suit the MCL40, and the drivers will again be fighting at the front.

      We are constantly striving to improve the technology and increase the speed of the car. In preparation for this stage, the team focused on implementing small updates related to the rear of the chassis, and during Friday's practice, we will test an experimental rear wing.

      Although the package of updates is not as extensive as those presented at previous stages, all these improvements are also part of a modernization plan designed for the entire season, and we continue to seize every opportunity to improve lap times.

      We are also preparing for the possibility of rainy weather this weekend, and we will be able to test the car's effectiveness in such conditions. This season, we have to learn very quickly, and it is very important to figure out how to manage energy and power on a wet track—this will allow us to optimize every parameter of the car and maximize its efficiency regardless of the conditions."

      Red Bull Racing

      Max Verstappen: "The Austrian Grand Prix is our home race. In the past, I have performed well at this track, and I have pleasant memories associated with it.

      The track is quite interesting with various corners, so it is necessary to find the right balance for the car. In Spielberg, the car needs to be effective at both low and high speeds, effective on accelerations, and now, considering how important energy consumption control is at some tracks, we need to find an approach to this aspect as well.

      We will bring updates to the car for this stage. It will be interesting to see how much time they allow us to gain on the lap.

      Additionally, in Austria, Belgium, and Hungary, I will be racing with a helmet featuring an orange lion as a sign of gratitude to the fans who have supported me throughout my career. Let's see what results we can show on the Red Bull Ring."

      Isaac Hajar: "I have been looking forward to the race weekend in Austria for a long time. This is our home race, and I will get my first experience driving our team's car in such an atmosphere, so an exciting weekend awaits me.

      The race in Barcelona was a good indicator of our progress, and even despite the problems at the start, I managed to extract good speed from the car and make up for it.

      We will bring updates to the car in Austria, and as with any new features, the key task will be to understand their specifics and maximize their potential throughout the weekend. I hope this will bring us closer to the level we aspire to, and we will delight our fans with a good race."

      Haas F1 Team

      Ayo Komatsu, team principal: "The results of the last two stages disappointed us, but at this stage of the season, there will be quite a few races in a relatively short period, which is a plus. Now we have the Austrian and British Grands Prix ahead, separated by a week.

      Of course, they will take place on two very different tracks, but in both cases, it is an opportunity to gain new information about the characteristics of the VF-26 car.

      We will entrust the first practice at the Red Bull Ring to Rio—it will be useful to learn his impressions since he has not driven this car yet. He returned to the team shortly after he and Toyota stood on the podium in Le Mans after the WEC race, and we were happy for him! This season, Hirakawa is performing an important part of the TPC program (testing previous years' cars).

      As I said, we are preparing for four races that will take place over five weekends. There is a lot of work to do, but we are ready for the challenges. We need to continue improving all production processes and strive to show good results, and we know we are capable of that.

      The team has scored points in four of the first five stages of the season, and now we need to return to our previous level of stability."

      Rio Hirakawa: "First of all, I want to thank Toyota Gazoo Racing and Haas F1 for this opportunity. This will be my first practice session of the 2026 season, and I haven't driven at the Red Bull Ring for a long time. I believe this is the perfect track for my first experience behind the wheel of the VF-26 because it has everything—straight sections, as well as various types of corners, both slow and fast. I anticipate an interesting experience.

      I am looking forward to it, and I can't wait to hit the track since the session lasts only 60 minutes, which is very little. The task is to adapt to the car as quickly as possible and gather as much information as possible—I will try to help the team as effectively as I can."

      Oliver Berman: "We are approaching the last double-header before the August break, and the team needs to wrap up many things before we can go on summer vacation with a sense of satisfaction.

      All of us have rich experience racing on both the Austrian and British tracks, and we need to prepare for each of the two weekends, clearly understanding the goals ahead of us to achieve them.

      I know that everyone in the team is working with incredible determination, and I feel that every day we are gaining more information. The task is just to bring everything together and show stable results.

      Driving at the Red Bull Ring is interesting and fun; it is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar, and we should also note the special beauty of the local landscapes—there is nothing like it at other stages of the season."

      Esteban Ocon: "We are returning to Austria, where we will race on one of the classic tracks of the calendar. The Red Bull Ring features an organic layout, diverse corners, and a significant elevation change, making it interesting to drive there.

      Additionally, the Austrian province has a special atmosphere, and the local fans always give us a warm welcome and great support.

      We have prepared well for this weekend, continuing to work with the engineers and practicing on the simulator. We understand how important it is to start the weekend confidently, act clearly, and build momentum as we approach qualifying and the race."

      Alpine F1

      Steve Nielsen, Managing Director Alpine F1: "The start of the European phase of the season is taking place in very intense competition, and we have managed to add to our points tally.

      A significant part of the season is already behind us, and we are beginning to notice certain trends. Speaking of our team, we already know the strengths and weaknesses of the A526 car and understand which aspects need special attention.

      We definitely need to improve in qualifying, but even when starting from relatively distant positions, we manage to earn points on Sundays, which is the most important thing.

      In the upcoming races, we will present a number of technical innovations as we strive for higher results. Ahead is the Austrian weekend, which is the home race for our title sponsor, BWT, and next week we will head to Silverstone, which is already a home race for Alpine F1.

      There will be a lot of work, and I know that everyone in the team has a fighting spirit, especially Pierre and Franco, who are doing an excellent job helping the team move forward. Both want the car to gain speed, and it is up to us to achieve further improvements to help the drivers fully express themselves."

      Pierre Gasly: "If I say that the previous weeks have been somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster, that image doesn't capture everything! I am very proud of the efforts our team has made both on and off the track, and it's wonderful that the series of successful races continues, where we earn points.

      In Barcelona, we had to overcome difficulties typical of that track, especially in qualifying, and we must continue to work on that aspect. In the race, our performance was much better