Lewis Hamilton: It's important to understand where we are losing time.
During the Friday practices of the Austrian Grand Prix, the Ferrari team was engaged in the usual preparation for qualifying and the race, collecting telemetry data on short and long runs. After the session, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc noted that there was still work to be done on the car's setup.
For the second weekend in a row, Dino Beganovic took the wheel of the SF-26. If in Barcelona he replaced Lewis Hamilton in the first practice, in Spielberg he replaced Charles Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton (5th): "I would say it was a confident but challenging start to the weekend. The high temperatures made an already difficult track even tougher. The car handled well from the start, but on this track, even a small balance issue can lead to a significant loss of time.
We definitely still need to work to find the right balance settings and get more speed from the car. The key is to stay focused and understand where we are losing time. Let's see what we can do tomorrow."
Charles Leclerc (8th): "Today we collected quite a bit of data, which gave us a good understanding of which areas of the car need work to improve.
Right now, we are not as competitive as we would like to be. We are focused on making the next steps that will increase our speed so we can challenge our rivals on Saturday."
Dino Beganovic (9th in the first session): "I always feel incredible sensations behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, especially a Ferrari. Overall, the session went very well, and I am pleased with how everything went.
At the very beginning of the practice, we tested a lot to gather as much information for the team as possible. I had a good stint on the Medium tires and then on the Softs. The car has a good balance, and I quickly found my rhythm after participating in the first practice in Barcelona.
A big thank you to Ferrari for believing in me and for this opportunity. I hope I will have another chance to drive soon."
Other articles
Esteban Ocon: Tire degradation is less than in Barcelona.
On Friday in Spielberg, the Haas team worked with three drivers. Oliver Berman completed both practice sessions, while Rio Hiraoka replaced Esteban Ocon in the first free practice session. For Hiraoka, this was his first experience driving the 2026 car during an official race weekend.
The Top Bosch Tool Discounts on Amazon Prime Day 2026
Enjoy discounts of up to 61% on high-precision Bosch power tools, bits, accessories, and more available on Amazon this Prime Day.
Max Verstappen: We are lacking speed
Red Bull Racing brought an updated car to Austria. The team had high expectations for it, but after the Friday practice sessions, Max Verstappen and Isaac Hajar were tight-lipped and noted that the car still lacks speed.
Fernando Alonso: Another tough Friday
At Aston Martin, they succinctly summed up Friday with a short quote from Fernando Alonso...
The New Hyundai Elantra Is Surprisingly Impressive: TDS
Hyundai's compact sedan is undergoing a redesign that features traditional proportions, along with surfacing and lighting inspired by the N Vision 74 supercar.
Simone Berra: There can be many tactical options.
The drivers and teams worked during practice on Friday with tires of all three compounds, but of course, Kimi Antonelli set the best time of the day on the softest C5 compound tires...
Lewis Hamilton: It's important to understand where we are losing time.
In the Friday practices of the Austrian Grand Prix, the Ferrari team was engaged in the usual preparation for qualifying and the race, collecting telemetry data on short and long runs. After the session, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc noted that there was still work to be done on the car's setup.