2016 Austrian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Rosberg leads Hamilton by 24 points — 141 to 117. Vettel is third with 96 points, Ricciardo fourth with 72. Mercedes holds 258 points in the Constructors’ standings, 81 ahead of Ferrari.

Previous race

Rosberg won the European Grand Prix in Baku for his second grand slam of the season — pole, fastest lap, led every lap, won — his first victory since Russia. Vettel finished second; Pérez completed the podium for Force India. Hamilton struggled with a software issue that restricted his engine’s energy harvesting and finished fifth.

Track changes

The Red Bull Ring has been resurfaced ahead of the weekend, smoothing out bumps that had built up over time. The new surface, installed to allow the circuit to also host a MotoGP round, means projected lap times below 1:06.000 for the first time. The race also sees the introduction of “baguette” kerbs — low-set ridges one car-width from the outside of corners — designed to police track limits.

Penalties

Sebastian Vettel receives a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change. Nico Rosberg also receives a five-place grid penalty after his car required a gearbox change following his FP3 crash.

Tyres

Pirelli brings the ultra-soft, super-soft and soft compounds.

Practice

FP1: Rosberg set the fastest time (1:07.373), ahead of Hamilton by more than three-tenths; the time was faster than Michael Schumacher’s previous track record from 2003. Several drivers had issues with the new kerbs: Verstappen lost part of his front wing at turn eight and later damaged his suspension at turn six, ending his session early. Hamilton spun at turn three, triggering a spin from Grosjean who tried to avoid him. Rosberg also ran off at the same corner later in the session.

FP2: Rosberg was quickest (1:07.967) in the opening minutes. Heavy rain arrived eight minutes in; cars stayed in the garages for half an hour before returning on intermediates. The track dried for slick tyres in the final twenty minutes. Vettel spun into the gravel trap at turn two late in the session.

FP3: Vettel set the fastest time (1:07.098), one tenth ahead of Räikkönen. Rosberg crashed heavily when his suspension broke over the kerbs at turn two, triggering a ten-minute red flag. The damage required a gearbox change, triggering the five-place penalty. Hamilton was third fastest. Ricciardo was fourth, half a second off Vettel.