KNOW ALL ABOUT THE AUSTRIAN GP

History and Evolution of the track

The Austrian Grand Prix has been held in southeastern Austria at two locations near each other. It started in Zeltweg, about 70 km (43 mi) west of Graz. Since 1969, it has been held in Spielberg, which is only about 4 km (2.5 mi) away from Zeltweg. The race was first held at the Zeltweg Air Base for six years. It then moved to Österreichring a permanent track built nearby. It was later renamed to A-1 Ring and is now known as the Red Bull Ring.

Zeltweg Airfield circuit

In 1963, a non-championship race was held at the Zeltweg Airfield, won by Australian Jack Brabham. The first official championship race took place the next year. Italian Lorenzo Bandini won his only Formula One race in a Ferrari. Although the race was successful, the track was considered too dangerous because it was narrow and bumpy, and spectators had poor viewing areas. As a result, the FIA removed the race from the F1 calendar until a better track could be built.

Österreichring (Austria Circuit)

From 1970 to 1987, the Austrian Grand Prix was held at the Österreichring, a scenic and fast track in the Styrian mountains near Zeltweg. The track was known for its high-speed, flowing corners. In 1975, the Austrian Grand Prix was honoured with the title of European Grand Prix, an annual designation given to one European race. The 1987 race had to be restarted twice due to accidents on the narrow pit-straight grid. The track was eventually deemed too dangerous by the FIA because of its high-speed corners, lack of protection from trees and embankments, and frequent start-line accidents.

A1-Ring

In 1995 and 1996, the Österreichring was refurbished and modernized, allowing the race to return in 1997. The track was renamed the A1-Ring after a sponsor. Since it was located in Spielberg, the Grand Prix was now listed as being held in Spielberg. The 2002 event received negative publicity when Ferrari ordered Rubens Barrichello to let Michael Schumacher win. The A1-Ring hosted the Austrian Grand Prix until its final race in 2003.

RED BULL RING

When Formula One outgrew the A1-Ring circuit, plans were made to extend it. Parts of the track, including the pits and main grandstand, were demolished. The construction then stopped, leaving the circuit unusable for several years. Eventually, Red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz purchased and rebuilt it. Renamed the Red Bull Ring, the track reopened on May 15, 2011. It hosted a round of the 2011 DTM season and the 2011 F2 championship. Formula One returned to the circuit in the 2014 season, and MotoGP followed in the 2016 season.

Controversies

During the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix at the A1 Ring, Rubens Barrichello, who started from pole position, was comfortably leading the race in its final stages. However, Ferrari instructed him to yield his position to team leader Michael Schumacher. Initially resistant, Barrichello eventually allowed Schumacher to pass on the final corner of the last lap. Schumacher narrowly crossed the finish line ahead of Barrichello, resulting in one of the closest finishes in F1 history, with less than two-tenths of a second between them. The incident stirred significant controversy, with both the media and fans expressing outrage. Criticism focused on the timing of Ferrari’s team order, especially since Schumacher had already won four of the season’s first five races. This made the call seem unnecessary and sparked debate about sportsmanship and fairness in Formula One. At the end of the season, Schumacher’s dominant points lead over Barrichello further underscored the controversial nature of Ferrari’s decision at the Austrian Grand Prix.