Sunscreen and ponchos: Austrian GP has changeable weather forecast

As Formula 1 heads to the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, there are two major things to note regarding the weather. 

Firstly, it will be hot, might even be too hot, but as the sun beams down across rural Austria, the threat of thunderstorms bubbling up for race day are a possibility. 

Air temperatures across the weekend will be high, ranging around the 30 degrees celsius mark, with Friday and Saturday - sprint and qualifying day - set to be dry and feature the best of the baking conditions.

However, weather in central Europe is a little unstable, particularly in northern Italy where thunderstorms have hit in recent days, leading to the possibility of the same in Austria.

On Sunday, the thunderstorms will develop in Tyrol and Salzburg and around the Spielberg area, with temperatures set to be around the 30 degree mark once again. 

Wind will not be a major factor in the weekend, but will be changeable throughout.

On Friday, it will be blowing in a south-westerly direction, corresponding to a head-wind under braking for Turn 4.

This changes to a north-westerly direction for Saturday's running, meaning there will be a tail-wind into the hairpin of Turn 3 whilst the north-easterly wind direction for Sunday means a head-wind under braking for Turn 1.

Something to consider for the teams will be the track temperature and cooling packages required for the extreme heat. 

With track temperatures possibly as high as 50-60 degrees, looking after the C3, C4, and C5 rubber from Pirelli will be key, with cooling needing to be traded for drag.

Low drag is key to the car set-up at the Red Bull Ring, but opening up the cooling louvres to aid temperature control creates drag. Too little a high-speed would leave a driver a sitting duck on the long straights, but too little cooling will be terminal to their hopes of finishing.