Austrian Gp: Where The Race Takes Place

The Austrian Grand Prix is held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria. The race track was founded as the Österreichring ('Austrian Circuit') and hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for 18 consecutive years from 1970 to 1987. It was later shortened, rebuilt, and renamed the A1-Ring, hosting the Austrian Grand Prix again from 1997 to 2003. The track was renamed the Red Bull Ring when it was purchased by Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz and reopened in 2011. The Red Bull Ring has hosted the Austrian Grand Prix since 2014.

The Red Bull Ring

The original Österreichring was built in 1969 to replace the Zeltweg Airfield circuit, located just across the expressway. The new track was situated in the Styrian mountains and offered a visually spectacular and scenic circuit. The track was narrow at only 10 m (11 yd) wide in all places, but it was very fast, with every corner taken at high speed and in a higher gear. The circuit also had noticeable changes in elevation, with a difference of 65 m (213 ft) from its lowest to highest point.

When Formula One outgrew the circuit, parts of it were demolished, and construction work began to extend the layout. However, the circuit remained unusable for several years until it was purchased by Dietrich Mateschitz of Red Bull and rebuilt. Renamed the Red Bull Ring, the track reopened on May 15, 2011, and subsequently hosted rounds of the 2011 DTM season and the 2011 F2 championship. Formula One returned to the circuit in the 2014 season, with MotoGP returning in 2016.

The Styrian Grand Prix

The Red Bull Ring is a motorsport race track that was founded as the Österreichring ("Austrian Circuit") and hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for 18 consecutive years from 1970 to 1987. It was later shortened, rebuilt, and renamed the A1-Ring, and it hosted the Austrian Grand Prix again from 1997 to 2003. The circuit was renamed the Red Bull Ring after it was purchased by Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz and reopened in 2011.

The 2020 Styrian Grand Prix was won by Lewis Hamilton, who also qualified on pole position. This was Hamilton's first victory of the 2020 season and the 85th of his career. Hamilton was followed by his teammate Valtteri Bottas in second place and Max Verstappen in third.

Despite the original intention for the Styrian Grand Prix to be a one-off event, the race returned in 2021, replacing the Turkish Grand Prix, which was postponed due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Styrian Grand Prix was won by Max Verstappen, with Lewis Hamilton coming in second and Valtteri Bottas in third.

Getting to Spielberg

The Red Bull Ring, where the Austrian Grand Prix takes place, is located in the small town of Spielberg in the state of Styria, Austria. The nearest large city is Graz, which is around 75km away, and Vienna is about 200km away.

If you are driving to the Red Bull Ring, you can approach on the S36 towards Klagenfurt/Knittelfeld/Judenburg. Take exit 24 for Zeltweg Ost/Spielberg, then turn left onto the L545 local road, followed by another left onto Spielbergerstraße. After about 1.3km, turn right onto Red Bull Str., where you will be able to follow signs for parking. There is ample parking provided free of charge, located about a 15-minute walk from the circuit.

You can also get to the Red Bull Ring by train and bus. The closest train station to the circuit is in Zeltweg, about 5km away. However, it is more convenient to get off at Knittlefeld Hbf, from which there are frequent buses to the circuit gates, about 7km away. Trains from Graz Hbf take around 90 minutes, including a stop, and trains from Vienna Central Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) take about 3 hours, including stops. There are also direct trains from Vienna, which take about 140 minutes.

Shuttle Bus Services

There are two free shuttle bus services that operate from Knittlefeld train station and Judenburg bus station to the circuit. On the day of the race, these buses run from 8 am to midday, and then from the circuit back to the stations until about 8 pm. On Saturday, there is an extended service until midnight, although it is slightly less frequent after 8 pm. From Knittlefeld, buses run every 20 minutes on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and every 30 minutes on Saturday night. From Judenburg, buses run every 30 minutes during normal hours and every hour on Saturday night.

The Zeltweg Air Base

The idea for the track came from the UK's Silverstone Circuit, which was also built on a former airfield. The track engineers, however, failed to account for the abrasive nature of the concrete slabs that made up the surface. Over time, these slabs moved slightly, creating large gaps and changes in elevation that were ruinous for high-speed racing cars.

The base has been home to the 2.Staffel / Überwachungsgeschwader (Surveillance Wing) since 1976 and has hosted the AirPower show since 1997. It was renamed in honour of Franz Hinterstoisser, an early pioneer of Austrian aviation, in 1967.

The Österreichring

Due to increasing speeds and safety concerns, the Österreichring underwent modifications in the mid-1990s. It was refurbished, shortened, and renamed the A1-Ring (or A Eins-Ring) after a sponsor. The length was reduced from 5.942 km to 4.326 km (3.692 to 2.688 mi), and the sweeping corners were replaced with tight right-handers to create overtaking opportunities. Despite these changes, the track retained its three long straights and a twisty infield section. The A1-Ring hosted the Austrian Grand Prix again from 1997 to 2003.

In 2004, the circuit was sold to Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz, who had plans to rebuild and redevelop the site. However, construction work was stopped, and the circuit remained unusable for several years. Eventually, it was rebuilt and reopened as the Red Bull Ring on May 15, 2011, hosting various motorsport events, including Formula One races from the 2014 season onwards.

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