F1 drivers share photo of special dinner before Austrian GP as two 'awkward' things spotted

Formula 1 drivers attended a special dinner organised by FIA president Stefano Domenicali on Thursday night - with a photo from the evening since going viral.

The Austrian Grand Prix takes place this weekend at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg.

Prior to final preparations for Friday practice getting underway, Domenicali invited all 20 drivers for a dinner inside one of the paddock buildings.

Unlike the drivers' meal at the end of the 2024 season - which was dominated by a feud between George Russell and Max Verstappen - this particular occasion seemed much calmer.

F1's official account posted a photo of the entire table, with Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri sat closest to the camera.

But fans spotted two notable things about the photo.

The first was that, like in Abu Dhabi back in December, Russell and Verstappen were at opposite ends of the table.

Verstappen was sat furthest away from the camera next to Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, while Russell was sat between Ferrari team-mates Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen crashed into Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix and was given a 10-second penalty, although their relations appeared more friendly as they stood on the podium together in Canada earlier this month.

Meanwhile, 19 drivers were in the photo - except for Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.

It is unclear as to whether Stroll was actually present at the dinner - there is an additional plate at the end of the table where the picture is being taken from - or if he was elsewhere.

The Canadian is in Spielberg as he continues his recovery from wrist surgery which forced him to miss the Spanish Grand Prix.

There have been question marks over his future for 2026, with his deal due to expire at the end of the season, but Stroll has insisted he isn't paying attention to those rumours.

He told reporters before the weekend: "I think Formula 1 is a business with very short-minded opinions and if you have two good races, you're the best driver in the world. And if you have two bad ones, you're not good enough and you shouldn't be here anymore, and you're s**t.

"That's the business. That's how it's always been. It's how it always will be.

"I think when you have a c**p day, you don't enjoy having a c**p day. When you have a good day, you enjoy having a good day. So I think that's also just how it is."