Austrian Grand Prix

The history of the Austrian Grand Prix begins in 1963 at the Zeltweg military airfield in Styria. This inaugural race, which did not count towards the Formula 1 World Championship, was won by Australian Jack Brabham. The event officially joined the world calendar the following year. Lorenzo Bandini took the victory at the wheel of a Ferrari, securing the only win of his Formula 1 World Championship career.

Despite its popularity with the public, the Zeltweg circuit proved poorly suited to single-seaters. Its narrow, extremely bumpy, and dangerous layout led to complaints from spectators about poor visibility. Consequently, the FIA ​​removed the Grand Prix from the calendar after the 1964 edition, pending the construction of a more suitable permanent circuit. The venue nevertheless continued to host sports car races during the second half of the 1960s.

The Austrian Grand Prix returned to the World Championship in 1970 thanks to the Österreichring, a new permanent circuit built in the Styrian mountains near Zeltweg and Spielberg. Fast, undulating, and composed almost entirely of long, high-speed corners, the track quickly gained an excellent reputation among drivers. Its natural setting and very high speeds made it one of the most impressive events on the calendar.

The first Formula 1 race held at this circuit was dominated by Ferrari, whose flat-twelve engine offered a significant advantage on the long, fast sections. Over the years, the Österreichring became the scene of many memorable races. In 1971, Jo Siffert won with BRM, while Jackie Stewart secured his second world title. In 1975, the event received the honorary title of European Grand Prix, a distinction then awarded each season to a European race.

The speed of the Österreichring contributes to its legendary status, but it also exposes its significant safety shortcomings. The 1975 edition was marred by the fatal accident of American driver Mark Donohue. Run in heavy rain after a lengthy delay, the race was stopped prematurely and won by Vittorio Brambilla. The Italian secured the only victory of his career before losing control of his car just after crossing the finish line.

Following this accident, the section where Donohue went off the track was gradually modified. A slow chicane was installed there in 1977, transforming one of the fastest corners on the circuit into its slowest. This edition was won by Alan Jones, who also secured his first Formula 1 victory. John Watson had achieved the same feat the previous year, giving the American manufacturer Penske its only win in the sport.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Austrian circuit became particularly well-suited to powerful turbocharged engines. The altitude and long accelerations highlighted the performance of Renault, Ferrari, BMW, and other supercharged vehicles. However, several races became true tests of mechanical endurance, with retirements remaining frequent.

The 1982 edition is one of the most famous examples. After Alain Prost's late retirement, Elio de Angelis and Keke Rosberg engaged in a spectacular sprint to the finish line. De Angelis won by just five hundredths of a second, less than half a car length. Two years later, Niki Lauda finally managed to win his home Grand Prix at the wheel of a McLaren. He remains one of the few Austrian drivers to have won on home soil.

In the mid-1980s, the ever-increasing power of Formula 1 cars made the Österreichring increasingly treacherous. The track remained extremely fast, but its barriers against trees and embankments were inadequate. Its narrow and confined pit straight also caused several accidents at the start.

In 1987, the race had to be restarted twice following pile-ups on the grid. That same year, Nelson Piquet secured pole position with an average speed exceeding 255 km/h in his Williams-Honda. Nigel Mansell ultimately won the race, but the FIA ​​now deemed the circuit too dangerous for Formula 1. The Austrian Grand Prix was then absent from the calendar for nearly ten years.

Between 1995 and 1996, the old Österreichring underwent a major renovation. The new track, redesigned by Hermann Tilke, was shortened and modernized. Most of the long, fast corners that defined the original circuit were either eliminated or significantly slowed down. Renamed the A1-Ring for sponsorship reasons, the circuit allowed the Austrian Grand Prix to return to the World Championship in 1997.

This new period lasted until 2003. It was notably marked by the dominance of McLaren and Ferrari, but also by one of the most controversial finishes in Formula 1 history. In 2002, Ferrari ordered Rubens Barrichello, then in the lead, to let his teammate Michael Schumacher take the victory. Barrichello slowed down near the finish line and relinquished first place, provoking a very negative reaction from the public and observers. After a final victory for Schumacher in 2003, the race was once again dropped from the calendar.

The circuit was subsequently acquired by the Austrian company Red Bull and renamed the Red Bull Ring. In 2013, its new owners reached an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone to revive the Austrian Grand Prix. After a ten-year absence, the race returned to the calendar in 2014. Nico Rosberg won the first two editions of this new era for Mercedes.

The Red Bull Ring quickly established itself as a regular mid-season race. Max Verstappen enjoyed particular success there, winning the Austrian Grand Prix four times between 2018 and 2023, making him the most successful driver in the event's history. Ferrari and McLaren, meanwhile, share the constructors' record with seven victories each.