Scuderia Ferrari HP wrapped up a demanding but productive opening day of practice at the Red Bull Ring, completing 119 laps across both sessions in scorching conditions that saw track temperatures climb to 50°C. The team focused on fine‑tuning the SF‑26 setup and evaluating Medium and Soft compounds, gathering valuable data for both qualifying and race trim.
FP1: Hamilton and Beganovic on Track
Lewis Hamilton and rookie Dino Beganovic took charge in the opening session. Both started on Medium tires before switching to Softs late in the run. Hamilton set a best time of 1’08”461 (P5), while Beganovic impressed with 1’09”054 (P9) in his second FP1 outing of the season. Hamilton closed the session with a long run on Mediums, while Beganovic carried out a similar program on Softs.
Hamilton reflected on the challenge: “I’d say it was a solid but challenging start to the weekend, with the high temperatures making an already demanding circuit even tougher. The car felt quite positive straight out of the box, but this track is pretty unforgiving, so that even a small balance issue costs you a lot of lap time. 
We’ve definitely got some work to do to find the right setup and balance and unlock some performance. It’s all about staying focused, understanding where we’re losing out and seeing what we can do ahead of tomorrow.”
For Beganovic, the opportunity was another milestone in his rookie season: “It’s always an amazing feeling to drive a Formula 1 car, especially a Ferrari. The session was very good in general, and I am happy with how it went. At the start of the session, we ran some different tests, to gather as much data as possible for the team. We had a solid run on the Medium tires and then went out on Softs.
The general balance of the car felt good, and I felt I was back into the rhythm straight away, after my last FP1 in Barcelona. A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari for the trust and this opportunity. I hope to have the chance to get behind the wheel again soon.”
FP2: Leclerc Returns
Charles Leclerc joined Hamilton for the second session. Both began on Mediums before switching to Softs, with Hamilton clocking 1’07”611 (P5) and Leclerc 1’07”855 (P8). They finished the session with long runs on Mediums, while Hamilton also practiced grid starts on Softs.
Leclerc acknowledged there was still work to do: “We gathered quite a lot of data today, which gives us useful insight into the areas of our car which we can still work on improving tonight. We were not as competitive as we would have liked to be right now, and our focus is on taking steps forward in refining our performance so that we can challenge our competitors tomorrow.”
Team Notes
The SF‑26 showed promising behavior at a circuit that has been difficult in recent years. Altitude added extra demands on the power unit and cooling system, while rear tire temperatures remained a focus. The morning session was packed with test items, and balance improvements were made into the afternoon.
With Hamilton and Leclerc both logging consistent runs and Beganovic gaining valuable experience, Ferrari leaves Friday with a solid foundation and optimism for Qualifying. The team will now analyze the data overnight to maximize performance ahead of Saturday’s qualifying at 10:00 PM Philippine Time, following the final practice session at 6:30 PM Philippine Time.