Overview
- George Russell set the fastest time in FP3 on Saturday with a 1:07.096, beating team‑mate Kimi Antonelli by 0.038 seconds in a late run that denied Antonelli a perfect practice sweep.
- Antonelli had topped both Friday sessions and remained a benchmark through much of FP3, leaving Mercedes with a clear intra‑team fight for single‑lap advantage ahead of qualifying.
- Ferrari showed a marked improvement with Lewis Hamilton third and just 0.115 seconds off Russell, signaling that the Scuderia's upgraded package has closed the gap for one‑lap pace.
- Red Bull's upgraded car ran into issues during FP3, including radio interference for Max Verstappen, while Cadillac continued to struggle with reliability as Sergio Pérez finished well down the order.
- The FIA declared a Heat Hazard for the weekend, track temperatures soared into the 40s–60s range, and teams warned that tyre preparation, cooling and component stress will make qualifying at the short Red Bull Ring decisive for grid positions.