Everything that happened in Austrian GP FP2

Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes 1-2 in the second Formula 1 practice session ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix but had a trip through the gravel in the closing stages.

Key moments:

> Hamilton leads Bottas but goes off in Turn 4 gravel

> Verstappen third quickest ahead of the Aston Martins

> Spots of rain fall but fail to halt running

> Traffic continues to prove problematic

Championship leader Max Verstappen topped the morning practice session, but it was his title rival Hamilton who was quickest in Friday’s second session.

Mercedes driver Hamilton set a 1m04.523s, beating Verstappen’s FP1 benchmark by over half a second.

Rain drops fell in the second half of FP2 and Hamilton was caught out with just over 10 minutes to go as he locked his front-right tyre and went through the gravel trap on the exit of Turn 4.

Hamilton is top of the timing screens, but takes a trip through the gravel coming out of Turn 4#AustrianGP 🇦🇹 #F1 pic.twitter.com/YNL5TSMMe4

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 2, 2021

The seven-time champion recovered to the circuit but made his way back into the pits shortly after.

Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas was second quickest, just under two tenths slower than Hamilton’s fastest lap.

The top three was completed by Red Bull’s Verstappen, while Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel ensured that there were two Aston Martins in the top five.

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Stroll had two spins in the morning session but enjoyed a far cleaner FP2 to set the fourth fastest time – one week after earning his third eighth-place finish of the season at the Styrian GP.

Rookie Yuki Tsunoda was the leading AlphaTauri in the session in sixth place, ahead of his team-mate Pierre Gasly.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who sat out FP1 as Guanyu Zhou made his F1 weekend debut, was eighth fastest ahead of Lando Norris – via a spin on the exit of Turn 1 in the final moments of the session – and the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi.

Sergio Perez was 11th fastest in the second Red Bull, ahead of Alonso’s team-mate Esteban Ocon.

Traffic once again proved problematic throughout the one-hour session, particularly at the final double right-hander where drivers backing off on the inside of the corner caused frustration for those on flying laps on the racing line.

The fight for track position hots up, as the quick laps come in 🔥#AustrianGP 🇦🇹 #F1 pic.twitter.com/gpy5UtTonN

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 2, 2021

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had a brush with the gravel on the exit of the penultimate corner and struggled to the 16th quickest time, while his team-mate Carlos Sainz was 13th.

The 10 F1 teams also continued to test Pirelli’s prototype tyres, which are set to be introduced at the British Grand Prix subject to Pirelli’s post-session analysis.

Practice 2 Results