Lando Norris bounces back to claim fastest practice time in Austria
- Lando Norris showcased his speed by topping the practice timesheets at the Austrian Grand Prix following a prior setback in Canada.
- The practice session highlighted a competitive McLaren performance, with Norris finishing ahead of his teammate Oscar Piastri.
- This strong performance signals Norris' determination to reclaim his position in the championship after a challenging previous race.
In Austria, Lando Norris demonstrated resilience following his crash at the Canadian Grand Prix, finishing fastest in practice for the upcoming race at the Red Bull Ring. The incident in Montreal, where Norris collided with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, had severely impacted his championship standing, leaving him 22 points behind Piastri. Norris topped the timesheets ahead of Piastri, marking a McLaren one-two to set a positive tone for the weekend. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen came in third, indicating a close competition among top drivers. George Russell, victorious in Canada, was sixth in practice, while Lewis Hamilton faced issues that left him in tenth place after battling a gearbox problem and an investigation for impeding another driver. Additionally, Alex Dunne, a McLaren development driver, filled in for Norris during the first practice session, earning considerable praise by finishing fourth and reveling in his experience as the first Irish driver in F1 since 2003. Looking ahead, Norris faces the challenge of overcoming his previous mistakes as he aims for a comeback in the championship race against Piastri and Verstappen, especially since he has historically performed well at the Red Bull Ring, achieving his first podium finish there back in 2020.