Since it returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2014, the Austrian Grand Prix has carved itself out as a fan favourite, usually with a healthy helping of racing. The short nature of the circuit – with lap times normally just over the one minute mark – usually keeps the field close, with the multiple DRS zones also enabling cars to stay close and battle around the lap. Turn 3 is the sharp right-hander at the top of the hill and is the prime overtaking spot (as we shall see later on) and also the scene of most of the action in the Styrian mountains. But we start our Austrian Grand Prix memorable moments with a deer.
Oh Deer - 2001
Juan Pablo Montoya was a breath of fresh air when he arrived in F1 in 2001 with Williams. The Colombian was determined to do things his way and if you didn't like that, then tough. Ferociously fast, unfiltered and enough talent to back up the ego, Montoya's F1 career is a case of what might have been, with a World Championship certainly possible had things turned out differently. During that rookie campaign, at the A1-Ring (the old name for the Red Bull Ring), some local wildlife decided to take a wander across the circuit, prompting Montoya's engineer to call him in cautiously, adding that a deer was "like a horse with horns." Cue Montoya's iconic response of: "Oh Deer!" Oh dear indeed as Montoya would retire from the race with hydraulics failure having qualified second.
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Just call him Pun Pablo Montoya 😂🦌 #AustrianGP 🇦🇹 #F1 @jpmontoya pic.twitter.com/MXpQWjvqKo — Formula 1 (@F1) June 28, 2018
Let Michael past - 2002
What's often forgotten about Ferrari and team orders in Austria is that 2002 is not the first time they did it. In 2001, Rubens Barrichello was ordered to let Michael Schumacher past for second in the closing stages as David Coulthard won the race. 12 months later came the infamous finish on the line when Barrichello slowed as boss Jean Todt told him to "let Michael past for the championship" following laps of talks between driver and pit wall. So the dutiful Brazilian did, with Schumacher embarrassed on the podium and letting Barrichello stand on the top step. The emptiest of empty gestures. For this failing to adhere to podium procedure, Ferrari had the book thrown at them and team orders banned. That was until Fernando happened to be faster than Felipe...
It wasn't me that crashed - 2016
Already in 2016, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had played teammate total wipeout once in Spain and came close to a second in Canada. And so what do you do in boss Toto Wolff's home race? Collide again. Or rather, if you're Nico Rosberg, forget how to turn right. On the final lap, Hamilton was stalking Rosberg, closing in at a vast rate, with the German clipping the inside kerb of Turn 1, allowing Hamilton that crucial run he needed. He moved to the outside for Turn 3, attempting to cutback underneath Rosberg, whose steering wheel suddenly developed an aversion to moving to the right. The two collided, with Rosberg's front wing breaking off as Hamilton won and, to add further insult, Rosberg limped home to fourth as both Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen passed him. All's fair in love and war, right?
What's the point - 2019?
F1 was in something of a mini-crisis by the time of the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix after incidents in the previous races. In Canada, Sebastian Vettel was penalised after being deemed to have rejoined the track unsafely in front of Hamilton, costing him the win and a turgid race in France was coupled with the only decent overtaking action ending with Daniel Ricciardo receiving a time penalty for overtaking off the track. And so in Austria, the late lunge on Charles Leclerc by Verstappen for the lead was investigated by the stewards. It was a firm but fair move from Verstappen, who declared post-race that he might as well stay at home if the move was penalised. It was Verstappen's second straight win in Austria following a poor start that dropped him well down the order from the front row. It also ended the 10-race winning streak enjoyed by Mercedes across the end of 2018 and start of 2019, something Verstappen can match if Red Bull win this coming weekend.
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Leclerc 🆚 Verstappen for victory? 🤩 @Charles_Leclerc and @Max33Verstappen had one of their most famous duels in Austria back in 2019... who wants to see that again?! #AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/8hRzRQtKs7 — Formula 1 (@F1) July 5, 2022
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