Daniel Ricciardo procured his first big fright of the season this Friday afternoon. Driving the Renault, Australia suddenly lost control of its car in the penultimate corner of the Red Bull Ring. Drifting over several hundred meters, the single-seater crashed into the rear wall of safety tires.
Inside his partially destroyed racing car, the future driver of the McLaren team whom he will join at the end of the season, reassured his team about his state of health before dropping a brief "sorry" to excuse.
Esteban Ocon's teammate, who dropped out last weekend at the grand opening price of the season in Austria, was taken care of by the circuit's medical service moments later. After a check-up , he was declared fit by the doctor. He will therefore be able to slip into his seat on Saturday for free practice (12 p.m. to 1 p.m.) before qualifying (3 p.m. to 4 p.m.).
Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) set the fastest time of this second session at Spielberg. He was ahead of the Mercedes by the Finn Valtteri Bottas by 43/1000 only and the Racing Points by the Mexican Sergio Pérez, the fastest of the first session, and the Canadian Lance Stroll by respectively 217/1000 and 581/1000. The Red Bull, however, seemed complicated to maneuver, Verstappen and his Thai teammate Alexander Albon multiplying the fears on the track.
Classification of the second free practice session:
1. Max Verstappen (NED / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 03.660 (27 laps)
2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Mercedes) 1: 03.703 (36)
3. Sergio Pérez (MEX / Racing Point-Mercedes) 1: 03.877 (43)
4. Lance Stroll (CAN / Racing Point-Mercedes) 1: 04.241 (43)
5. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP / McLaren-Renault) 1: 04.333 (45)
6. Lewis Hamilton (GBR / Mercedes) 1: 04.348 (27)
7. Alexander Albon (THA / Red Bull-Honda) 1: 04.437 (29)
8. Lando Norris (GBR / McLaren-Renault) 1: 04.541 (31)
9. Charles Leclerc (MON / Ferrari) 1: 04.706 (35)
10. Esteban Ocon (FRA / Renault) 1: 04.746 (32)
11. Pierre Gasly (FRA / AlphaTauri-Honda) 1: 04.757 (37)
12. Daniil Kvyat (RUS / AlphaTauri-Honda) 1: 05.050 (34)
13. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN / Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1: 05.152 (23)
14. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA / Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 1: 05.365 (36)
15 George Russell (GBR / Williams-Mercedes) 1: 05.588 (34)
16. Sebastian Vettel (GER / Ferrari) 1: 05.613 (40)
17. Nicholas Latifi (CAN / Williams-Mercedes) 1: 05.655 (49)
18. Kevin Magnusse n (DEN / Haas-Ferrari) 1: 05.790 (36)
19. Romain Grosjean (FRA / Haas-Ferrari) 1: 06.096 (38)
20. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS / Renault) not timed (2)
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