F1 returned to the Austrian GP for FP3, giving drivers and teams one last chance to prepare ahead of Qualifying, full results below. While some teams had already finalised their setup decisions — whether to run new upgrades or revert to older specifications — others continued gathering vital data. Tyre strategies also remained under evaluation, with conditions playing their part.
This year’s Red Bull Ring layout featured slight modifications, notably the addition of gravel traps extending right up to the track edge in several corners. These changes forced drivers to adapt to a revised racing line.
Green light
FP3 was underway at the F1 Austrian GP, but activity in the pit lane remained minimal initially. As with Friday, the track temperature hovered around 32°C, slightly cooler than yesterday’s early highs in the forties. Forecasts still suggested the possibility of isolated rain showers, but nothing substantial.
Eventually, Fernando Alonso headed out first, followed closely by Lance Stroll. As was typical for Aston Martin, they likely used these early laps to scrub race tyres rather than set competitive times.
Unlike Friday, Max Verstappen joined the track early, running the hard compound tyre. A key storyline this weekend was his temporary race engineer change — Gianpiero Lambiase took a race off, with Simon Rennie stepping in. Rennie, a seasoned engineer, brought a wealth of experience to the role.
More than ten minutes passed before a notable number of cars took to the circuit. Verstappen posted a 1m 06.131s, while Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto also registered times on the medium compound.
McLaren looked ready to join the action as Lando Norris climbed into his cockpit. Meanwhile, Haas committed to soft tyres early on, keen to address their underwhelming one-lap pace from Friday. Lewis Hamilton followed suit, seeking to bounce back after a lacklustre day.
Alpine stuck with the medium compound, while Verstappen remained on hards for his opening run
Norris goes fastest
Lando Norris quickly set the pace with a 1m 05.412s, just over a second slower than Verstappen’s pole time from 2024. In FP2 the previous day, Norris had clocked a 1m 04.580s, indicating more speed was still to come. Several drivers, including Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, had yet to make an appearance at this stage.
As Alonso ran wide, attention turned to track limits — a perennial issue at the Red Bull Ring. With the Turn 7 gravel trap now extended to the edge of the circuit, the incentive to exceed limits there had disappeared.
Norris improved on his next effort with a 1m 04.888s. Hamilton slotted into second, nearly four tenths adrift. Traffic began to play a role too — Ollie Bearman radioed in to clarify he had moved well aside when Charles Leclerc encountered a McLaren on a flying lap.
Halfway mark
At the halfway mark of FP3, Norris remained on top of the timesheets, mirroring his strong performance from Friday. He held a 0.380-second advantage over Hamilton, with Russell up to third ahead of Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda.
Despite a few drivers running wide, there had been no major incidents or reliability concerns. Many returned to the pits for a quick debrief before bolting on a final set of soft tyres, preparing for low-fuel Qualifying simulation runs — the best indicator of raw pace before the real session.
Piastri briefly ran through the gravel trap and pitted for a precautionary floor check. Thankfully, he had been running his original set of soft tyres.
Cameras then picked up Isack Hadjar crawling slowly along the start-finish straight. Replays showed he had spun at the final corner — the same spot where Alonso had a moment on Friday. Hadjar ran wide, clipped the gravel, and lost control, though he managed to avoid damage.
Verstappen and Hamilton emerged on fresh soft tyres, heading out on their final out-laps. With conditions stable and fuel loads low, the stage was set for one final push before the all-important Qualifying session.
Final stage of the F1 Austrian GP FP3
Max Verstappen delivered a tidy lap in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, placing himself third on the timesheets — just 0.210s behind Lando Norris. Charles Leclerc slotted into fourth, with Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top five.
Mercedes suddenly appeared vulnerable, though it was worth noting their soft-tyre runs had come earlier in the session. Then again, so had Norris’s, making his pace all the more impressive.
Several drivers attempted to improve their times on the soft compound, but very few managed to find additional pace. Norris looked set for another quick lap, but after bouncing aggressively over the high kerbs, he aborted the attempt.
Kimi Antonelli was on a personal best effort when yellow flags emerged — not that they caused his aborted run. Instead, he dipped a wheel into the gravel at the final corner, forcing him to back out of the lap regardless.
The initial yellow flags had come out for Yuki Tsunoda, who spun at Turn 1. Moments later, more yellow flags flew, as the session entered a flurry of late incidents.
Final moments of chaos
The chequered flag waved, but the circuit remained busy as many drivers completed practice starts. Amid the flurry, Verstappen spun out of the final corner, bringing out another yellow. Fortunately, he escaped unscathed, though he flat-spotted his tyres right at the end of the session.
Replays revealed further drama — Leclerc also spun, the circuit clearly pushing drivers to the edge in the final moments. Franco Colapinto added to the list of late incidents with a spin of his own.
Despite the chaos, McLaren were in control. Norris went quickest once again, setting a 1m 04.324s — two and a half tenths faster than his best time from Friday. Oscar Piastri followed closely, just over a tenth behind, while Verstappen held onto third place.
Full classification and results of FP3 at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP
- Norris
- Piastri
- Verstappen
- Leclerc
- Hamilton
- Russell
- Antonelli
- Stroll
- Tsunoda
- Bortoleto
- Lawson
- Alonso
- Hülkenberg
- Albon
- Sainz
- Bearman
- Gasly
- Ocon
- Colapinto
- Hadjar
