Mercedes responded exactly the way championship contenders should.
Less than two weeks after a heartbreaking mechanical retirement cost Kimi Antonelli a potential victory in Spain, the Silver Arrows returned to the front Friday at the Austrian Grand Prix, with Antonelli topping both practice sessions at the Red Bull Ring.
The championship leader set the pace in both FP1 and FP2, giving Mercedes early momentum heading into qualifying while signaling that the team has quickly put its disappointing weekend in Barcelona behind it.
McLaren also showed impressive speed throughout Friday, with Oscar Piastri finishing second in the afternoon session ahead of teammate Lando Norris. Max Verstappen recovered from a difficult morning to finish fourth, while Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.
For Mercedes, Friday was less about setting fast laps and more about sending a message.
After watching Antonelli retire with an electrical failure while running near the front in Spain, the team arrived in Austria looking for a clean weekend. Friday was a strong first step.
"We've had a good start, but it's only Friday," Antonelli said. "The car felt good from the first laps, but everyone improves overnight, so we know there's still work to do."
George Russell echoed that sentiment after finishing near the front in both sessions.
"The car has been working well today," Russell said. "The margins are incredibly close around this circuit, so we're encouraged, but nobody is getting carried away."
While Mercedes enjoyed a smooth afternoon, Red Bull spent much of Friday trying to recover from an eventful opening session at its home race.
Photo by Sam Bagnall/Sutton Images
Austrian Grand Prix, Friday, Getty Images SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JUNE 26: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W17 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 26, 2026 in Spielberg, Austria.
Both Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar encountered problems early in FP1. Hadjar required an engine change before practice even began, while software issues kept Verstappen in the garage for much of the session.
"The whole car is shaking under braking," Verstappen reported over team radio before the team diagnosed the issue.
Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies later confirmed the difficult start.
"At first we had an engine issue on Isack's car before the beginning of the session, so we had to make a very late decision to change the engine," Mekies said. "Then on Max, we also had a troubled start with a couple of software issues that kept us in the garage."
Despite the lost track time, Verstappen recovered well in FP2 to finish fourth and remains firmly in the conversation heading into qualifying.
McLaren's day followed a similar pattern.
Norris missed much of the opening session with a hydraulic issue before returning in the afternoon and immediately showing competitive pace. Piastri continued McLaren's recent consistency by finishing second, giving the team reason to believe it can challenge Mercedes over the remainder of the weekend.
Ferrari entered Austria carrying momentum after Hamilton's breakthrough victory in Spain, but Friday suggested the Scuderia still has work to do.
Hamilton finished fifth in the afternoon session while Charles Leclerc returned to the car after Ferrari fulfilled one of its mandatory rookie practice requirements during FP1 with Formula 2 driver Dino Beganovic behind the wheel.
Hamilton remained optimistic despite Ferrari not matching Mercedes' outright speed.
"I love driving this car," Hamilton said. "We're working more cohesively than ever before, and it feels like we're moving in the right direction."
Friday wasn't completely incident-free.
Cadillac's Sergio Perez brought out the day's only red flag after stopping on track late in the opening session, while Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa narrowly avoided injuring a crew member after overshooting his pit box during practice.
Teams also faced some of the hottest conditions of the Formula 1 season so far. With temperatures climbing into the 90s, the FIA activated its heat hazard protocol, requiring teams to fit driver cooling systems throughout the weekend.
The conditions are expected to remain challenging through qualifying and Sunday's race, placing additional emphasis on tire management and reliability around Formula 1's shortest circuit.
As Friday came to a close, one thing was clear.
Mercedes appears to have rediscovered the form that made it the benchmark for much of the 2026 season.
Whether that advantage survives Saturday is another question entirely.
With McLaren showing encouraging pace, Verstappen recovering after a slow start, and Ferrari still searching for a little more speed, the fight for pole position remains wide open.