Austrian Grand Prix: track and statistics

For two years there were double stages on the Spielberg circuit due to the pandemic and then two consecutive stages with a Saturday sprint on the Red Bull Ring.

The Austrian stage returned to Formula 1 for the 2014 season. The race at the circuit in Spielberg, which changed its name for the third time – Osterreichring – A1 Ring – Red Bull Ring – returned to the championship thanks to the efforts of Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

The configuration of the track is the same as in 2003, but brought up to modern standards – safety zones have been expanded, some sections have been fitted with TecPro barriers, a new press center and other facilities have been built. Located in a very picturesque spot, the old school track has been given a new look.

The names of most turns changed, with the names of the racers. Jochen Rindt’s corner remained, and in 2019 Niki Lauda’s corner resurfaced – that’s what the track’s first corner was called.

The lap on the Austrian circuit is quite short – now only Monaco, Sao Paulo, Zandvoort and Mexico City are shorter, so results in Spielberg are traditionally tight.

The circuit at Spielberg is the shortest in terms of lap times. The record now belongs to Valtteri Bottas, who drove the qualifying final in a Mercedes in 1:02.939 in 2020.

There are only ten corners in Spielberg, fewer than any other Formula 1 circuit, but in fact even fewer. Turns 2, 5 and 8 are driven with the accelerator pedal fully depressed and cannot be considered full turns. On the long straight in the first sector you can attack while braking, but the Austrian track is not the easiest to fight for position.

The circuit in Spielberg is demanding in terms of handling – the car must be as obedient as possible, provide good mechanical grip at low speeds (turns 1, 3 and 4) and have high efficiency in fast corners 6-7 and 9-10. will have to find the traditional compromise between downforce and speed.

The height difference of 69 meters between the lowest point – the start-finish line and the highest point – the third corner – is one of the biggest of the season.

There are three times when heavy braking is required on the track – before Turns 1, 3 and 4. On a short lap, the brakes don’t have time to cool down, so they wear out faster. The teams are forced to use the maximum configuration of the brake cooling system, which prevents the front tires from warming up properly – and on a short lap it is difficult to prepare them at the start of the fast lap in qualifying.

Due to four straights, the throttle is fully depressed for most of the circle, but due to the small number of serious braking it is very difficult to achieve effective energy recovery with the MGU-K.

The Red Bull Ring circuit is known for its high curbs – in the first, sixth and seventh corners the load on the suspension is particularly high.

Like Interlagos, the track in Spielberg is at a decent elevation – about 640 meters, so the turbine will run at high speed to compensate for the lower air pressure.

Fernando Alonso: “In the dual phase you have to keep your energy up. Fortunately, the tracks at Spielberg and Silverstone are not that far apart.

The round in Austria is short, the results of qualifying are always tight, a small mistake and loss of time can cost you a place in the final. In addition, this weekend takes place in a sprint format – the track is just right for him, because you can overtake on it. I want to keep earning points.”

Weekend schedule

You can follow the progress of all Formula 1 sessions on our live streaming page.

Tire sets given to teams for the weekend

For the fifth time this season, after Monaco, Baku and Canada, Pirelli will field the softest compounds on the podium – C3, C4 and C5 with the Hard, Medium and Soft designations.

Mario Isol: “The road surface at the Red Bull Ring offers little traction and tire wear is low enough to bring the three softest compounds. This choice will contribute to an interesting show – in the past the Austrian circuit has hosted exciting races thanks to a short lap and a series of slow corners.

Efficient acceleration and deceleration are key elements at Spielberg. When braking hard on descents, there is a risk of the rubber blocking. To ensure adequate grip on the track, it is crucial to monitor the efficiency of the rear tires throughout the lap. Our selection of tires for the Austrian round offers a variety of strategic options.”

Performance of active riders in Austria

Charles Leclerc: “I’m looking forward to racing in Austria. Red Bull Ring is one of my favorite circuits and second only to Monaco in this respect. The circle is very short, but it has a special rhythm that I like. The fans there always support us warmly and there are several events taking place around the circuit, so the weekend is proving to be very interesting.”