F1 Austrian Grand Prix 2021

At 4.318km, it is one of the shorter layouts, but what it lacks in distance, it has made up for in drama since its re-introduction. The track originated in 1969 when it was known as the Osterreichring but in 1995 and ’96, Herman Tilke led a redesign, turning it into the picturesque circuit we know today.

A firm fixture on the F1 calendar since 2014, the first Austrian GP dates back to 1963 when it was held on the Zeltweg Airfield in what was a non-championship event.

Jack Brabham took the chequered flag that day, though it didn't take long for the race to become part of the F1 championship. That development happened the following year in 1964 with Lorenzo Bandini taking the only win of his career in a Ferrari.

While the race was a success, the narrow and bumpy track along with poor sightlines for spectators pushed the FIA to remove it from the calendar until a suitable track was built.

Move to Osterreichring in 1970

The Osterreichring (which translates to "Austria circuit"), built in the scenic Styrian mountains with fast, flowing corners, held the event from 1970 to 1987. The Austrian GP was designated as the European GP in 1975 when the title was an honorary designation each year to one race in Europe.

The rest of the field were no match for Ferrari as Jacky Ickx took the chequered flag ahead of teammate Clay Regazzoni, while the 1975 race was marred by the accident that killed Mark Donohue. That race saw Vittorio Brambilla record his only F1 victory, though he crashed when crossing the finish line due to heavy rain.

John Watson and Alan Jones also registered their first career wins at the Austrian GP in 1976 and 1977 respectively. The 1982 race was dominated by turbocharged cars, though all but one of them retired due to mechanical issues. Ricciardo Patrese crashed heavily at the Texaco Bends while Alain Prost saw his engine expire with a few laps remaining, making the race a sprint between Lotus' Elio de Angelis and Williams' Keke Rosberg. In the end the Italian was able to hold off the Finn and take the chequered flag by 0.05 seconds.

Niki Lauda sent the home fans into a frenzy by winning the 1985 Austrian GP, while compatriot Gerhard Berger led the following year, only for electrical issues to ruin his race and allow Prost to take victory.

Nigel Mansell won the 1987 race however the race was restarted twice due to accidents on the narrow pit-straight grid. This, along with the number of high-speed corners and lack of protection from trees and embankments pushed the FIA pull the race from the calendar.

Return to F1 calendar as the A1-Ring

The track was finally updated and refurbished in 1995 and 1996, with the Austrian GP returning to the F1 calendar in 1997.

The layout was redesigned by Hermann Tilke and renamed the A1-Ring after a sponsor. Canadian Jacques Villeneuve won the first race back, while McLaren's Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard took three of the next four events.

Ferrari, who won the 1999 Austrian GP thanks to Eddie Irvine, received negative publicity in 2002 when the team told Rubens Barrichello to slow down and allow Michael Schumacher to take the chequered flag. The German asked the Brazilian to join him on the top step of the podium as fans booed, with the FIA fining Ferrari, Schumacher and Barrichello $1 million. Each paid a third immediately with the remainder suspended, while the FIA banned team orders starting in 2003 before allowing them again as of 2010.

The 2003 Austrian GP was the final event until 2014, as the circuit's new owners Red Bull reached an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone. The event has been dominated by Mercedes and Red Bull since it's return, with the German outfit holding a five-four advantage in terms of wins.

Most successful F1 drivers and teams

Jo Siffert, Alain Prost and Max Verstappen have all won the Austrian GP on three occasions, with the Dutchman joining that list thanks to his victory at the 2021 race. Two of Siffert's wins came at events that weren't included as part of the F1 World Championship.

Behind them Ronnie Peterson, Alan Jones, Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas have all won the Austrian GP two times.

As far as Constructors', McLaren and Ferrari lead the way with six wins ahead of Mercedes' five and Lotus' four.

The Austrian Grand Prix 2020

This was the venue for the opening two races of the 2020 season with the latter being named the Styrian Grand Prix. Both were dominated by Mercedes, with Valterri Bottas winning the first and Hamilton the second.

Behind Bottas, the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix was filled with late drama. A collision with Alex Albon earned Hamilton a five-second penalty so, despite crossing the line second, the Brit was demoted to fourth behind Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris who set the fastest time of the race on the last lap to secure his first F1 podium.

When is the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix on the F1 calendar?

The Austrian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on the weekend of July 2-4 and is provisionally set to be the ninth race of the Formula 1 season. The first two free practice sessions will take place on July 2, with qualifying on Saturday, July 3 at 15:00 CET.

What time does the Austrian Grand Prix start?

The Austrian Grand Prix starts on Sunday, July 4 at 15:00 CET. The race can be followed live on RacingNews365’s blog and watched on F1 TV.