Video. The third bend in Austria, the place of all temptations

With the addition of a third DRS zone during the Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring could offer more fights in the peloton of Formula 1. However, the track leading to the third turn has often been the scene of collisions, without even using this artifice...

1998: Alesi and Fisichella

Contested in the rain, the qualifications for the 1998 edition allowed Giancarlo Fisichella (Benetton) and Jean Alesi (Sauber) to monopolize the front row. An unprecedented situation which will explode into pieces after the first pit stops, when the Italian emerges side-by-side with the Frenchman.

Left front axle open, “Fisico” gave up, simultaneously imitated by “Jeannot”, who stalled while returning to the direction of travel. A nice waste, even if victory seemed out of reach in regular conditions.

1999: Häkkinen and Coulthard

There's nothing worse for a team boss than seeing your two cars collide. It’s even more unfortunate when it happens in the first place! David Coulthard (McLaren) attempts a daring approach on his teammate champion, Mika Häkkinen. The latter ends up in the opposite direction, having to wait for the whole peloton to pass. Oops!

“If David hadn’t compromised my race, I would have been a half lap ahead of everyone. I was faster than everyone this weekend.", argued the Finn, ultimately third, behind… David Coulthard.

“It was my nightmare, explained the culprit, not only did I send my teammate out, but I finished second behind the rival (for the title, Eddie Irvine on Ferrari). I am sincerely sorry for everything that happened. »

In 2001: Schumacher and Montoya

In 2001, the “Kaiser” Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) is bullied by a new kid, the Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams). The beginner quickly gains a reputation as a virile pilot; his defense during the 16th lap of the Austrian Grand Prix for first place attests to this.

“I was a little upset, admits the Scuderia pilot, because all it did was throw me off the track. » Juan Pablo Montoya did not have his tongue in his air box: “I’m in the race, I’m not going to let myself be overtaken! He thinks, “I’m Michael Schumacher, so you have to let me pass.” »

Despite this incident, the German finished second, after Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) gave him his place a few meters before the finish... As for the fiery winner of the Indy 500, he retired after 41 laps due to a hydraulic failure.

In 2016: Hamilton and Rosberg

For three years, from 2014 to 2016, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton dominated their sport. So, to add a little spice to their internal struggle, the two former childhood friends rubbed each other a little. On the last lap of the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton tried to overtake his teammate from the outside. But the German takes an excessively wide trajectory, and hangs on.

By adopting too rough a defense, Nico Rosberg broke his front wing and fell to fourth place. “I had the inside, I was very surprised that Lewis steered like that, which caused the collision”, defended the man who would become world champion a few months later.

“We made ourselves look like fools, it’s a lack of respect for the 1 people who work on our cars. It could have ended in a double abandonment”, judged Toto wolff.