Hamilton has not won since the Spanish GP two months ago
F 111 months ago
Mercedes found welcome speed as rain fell at the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday, with Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton leading a damp second practice ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas.
The conditions proved less to the liking of championship leader Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver topped the leaderboard early on but then drifted down to third place as the track became wetter.
Hamilton was .189 ahead of Bottas and .217 clear of Verstappen on Red Bull’s home track.
It was a positive sign for Mercedes that the drivers in fourth and fifth — Aston Martin pair Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel — were using Mercedes engines.
Verstappen won here last Sunday to extend his lead over defending champion Lewis Hamilton to 18 points after eight races, and the hordes of orange-clad Dutch fans will hope for a repeat success on Sunday.
There is a third practice Saturday before qualifying starts.
Hamilton has not won since the Spanish GP two months ago
F 111 months ago
Hamilton is 18 points behind Max Verstappen after the opening eight races
F 111 months ago
The Dutch driver’s teammate Sergio Perez will start on the second row alongside the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton at the Spielberg circuit
F 11 year ago
The Briton is a prominent advocate against racism and took the knee wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt before each race last season
F 11 year ago
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said he had no problem with a rival team’s driver helping his own
F 11 year ago
He will be the first Chinese to take part in a Friday session since Ma Qing Hua featured in Chinese Grand Prix practice with now-defunct Caterham in 2013
F 11 year ago
Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas finished third
F 11 year ago
Practice took place in a drizzle, though the track was not slippery
F 11 year ago