Lando Norris was quicker than his teammate Oscar Piastri in the final practice session at the Austrian Grand Prix, confirming McLaren`s strong performance ahead of qualifying.
Norris improved upon his fastest time from Friday`s second practice, setting a lap of 1:04.324, which was 0.118 seconds quicker than Piastri.
Norris, who missed Friday`s first practice for a mandatory rookie session, has responded well after his collision with Piastri in Canada, which led to his retirement and increased his points gap to his teammate to 22.
Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, consistent with the previous session. However, his two-tenth gap to Norris and some handling problems, including a late spin, indicated that the battle for pole position might primarily be between the two McLaren drivers.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari. This marked an improvement after a difficult Friday for the team, suggesting they are benefiting from their car`s fully upgraded floor.
George Russell, who achieved pole position and victory in Canada, finished sixth, nearly seven tenths behind Norris. He was just ahead of his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, suggesting a similar result might be challenging this weekend.
Despite Norris`s impressive speed, a mistake on his first quick lap attempt on the final set of soft tires highlighted the challenge he faces in executing a perfect qualifying run.
Several times this season, Norris has shown pace comparable to or better than Piastri before qualifying, but errors have led him to qualify below the car`s potential.
Piastri, usually consistent, also showed a moment of vulnerability. Running wide onto the gravel during the session caused damage to his car`s floor, requiring temporary repairs with a glue gun and keeping him off track briefly.
Although Verstappen`s ultimate pace might not match the McLarens, the reigning world champion is known for performing at his best when it counts, which should make qualifying an exciting session.
Further down the field, Lance Stroll of Aston Martin and Gabriel Bortoleto of Sauber maintained their strong form, finishing in the top 10. They have realistic aspirations of reaching Q3 in qualifying.
Austrian GP Practice Three Results
| Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:04.324 |
| 2) Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.118 |
| 3) Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.210 |
| 4) Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.250 |
| 5) Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.466 |
| 6) George Russell | Mercedes | +0.694 |
| 7) Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.729 |
| 8) Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +0.738 |
| 9) Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +0.815 |
| 10) Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | +0.858 |
| 11) Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +0.858 |
| 12) Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +0.919 |
| 13) Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | +0.959 |
| 14) Alex Albon | Williams | +0.990 |
| 15) Carlos Sainz | Williams | +1.002 |
| 16) Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.042 |
| 17) Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1.042 |
| 18) Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.195 |
| 19) Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.222 |
| 20) Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +1.699 |
