Spielberg, FP2: Hamilton continues to set the pace

The ninth round of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship began with practice Friday at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg as teams prepared for the Austrian Grand Prix Sunday. Two 90-minute sessions – FP1 and FP2 – on the 4.318-kilometer (2.683-mile), 10-turn circuit were held under partly cloudy skies.

Leading the way in FP1 was Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, whose lap of 1:05.975 broke his own track record – a 1:06.228 set last year during the second round of qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. In addition to being .253 of a second better than the previous fastest lap ever recorded at the Red Bull Ring, Hamilton’s quick time was .190 of a second better than the nest fastest driver, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Hamilton remained the fastest driver, topping FP2 with a quick time of 1:05.483 that bettered his FP1 mark by .492 of a second. It was also .147 of a second better than the second-fastest driver, Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.