RACE 9

Austrian Grand Prix

Spielberg

The Austrian Grand Prix was first run in 1963 at the Zeltweg Airfield circuit. The following year marked the first championship F1 event at the venue.

But the circuit was considered to be bland, bumpy, and dangerous. The event was discontinued until a new circuit, Österreichring was constructed in 1969. This circuit hosted the Austrian GP from 1970 to 1987, at which point it was also deemed to be too dangerous.

In 1996 the track was significantly redesigned by Hermann Tilke and renamed the A1 ring, where the Austrian GP was held from 1997 to 2003. In 2013 the circuit was bought by Red Bull, renamed the Red Bull Ring, and has held the Austrian GP from 2014 to the present.

Red Bull Ring

The circuit is situated in the Styrian mountains which certainly provide a spectacular scenic backdrop for the race.

Although the track is short, and has fewer fast corners than the fearsome Österreichring which preceded it, the Red Bull Ring still manages to squeeze in a good variety of elements, including a substantial 60m of elevation change, a long uphill straight, and a series of fast, sweeping, descending corners.

Winners

Alain Prost is the most succesful driver at the Austrian GP, with three wins, followed by Ronnie Peterson, Alan Jones, Mika Hakinnen, Michael Schumacher, and Nico Rosberg, who all have two wins.

McLaren are the most succesful team, with six wins, Ferrari have five, Lotus and Mercedes have four.

Of the current F1 drivers, only Bottas, Hamilton, and now Verstappen have won the Austrian GP.

Crowds

The Austrian GP is not the best attended F1 event of the year, by any stretch. In fact attendance figures seem to suggest it's around the third worst attended race. In 2015 120,000 spectators turned up over the race weekend.