F1 drivers' dinner photo sends fans into frenzy before Austrian GP

Ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hosted the grid for the annual drivers' dinner on Thursday evening. 

The dinner has become a regular part of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, and all 22 drivers were in attendance along with Domenicali the evening before the on-track action began on Friday.

Domenicali sat at the head of the table. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his former team-mate George Russell sat on one side of the F1 CEO, while Williams' Carlos Sainz and four-time champion Max Verstappen sat on the other side.

Fans were quick to react after the official group photograph was shared on social media, with many picking apart the seating arrangements and driver dynamics.

"Yay, time to overanalyse the seating positions!" one fan commented on Reddit, while another added, referring to Australian driver Oscar Piastri and Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, who has been branded an honorary Australian: "Aussies sitting next to each other!"

Someone else posted along the same lines: "Oscar and Valtteri next to each other makes me really happy because they seem like they would get along. With them being two chill Aussies and everything."

McLaren's Lando Norris drew a lot of attention from fans, with many arguing that he appeared disengaged in the photo. "It’s all too much for little Lando Norris," one commented, and someone else posted: "Lando looks asleep haha."

Further reactions included: "Lewis took the seat closest to Stefano just so George wouldn’t get it," and "One advantage of supporting a Ferrari driver is how easy it is to spot them in a crowded photo."

The dinner came ahead of the first day of practice at the Red Bull Ring. Kimi Antonelli topped the timesheets in FP1 and FP2. Russell went second fastest in FP1, while McLaren's Piastri put in the second-fastest time in FP2.