1112th F1 GRAND PRIX | 38th AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX | 38th GRAND PRIX AT RED BULL RING
2023 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2023 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
The shortest track on the Formula 1 calendar in terms of time to complete a lap, the Red Bull Ring produces exciting, fast-paced races. The 2024 Austrian Grand Prix is set to take place on June 30.
2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday June 28
Free Practice 1 – 12:30pm Local Time / 11:30am UK Time
Sprint Qualifying – 4:30pm Local Time / 3:30pm UK Time
Saturday June 29
Sprint – 12:00pm Local Time / 11:00am UK Time
Qualifying – 4:00pm Local Time / 3:00pm UK Time
Sunday June 30
The 2024 Austrian Grand Prix – 3:00pm Local Time / 2:00pm UK Time
2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Kimi Raikkonen’s record of most F1 appearances in Austria will be equalled this weekend by three drivers. Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas all make their 13th appearances at the Red Bull Ring at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
Victory for Max Verstappen would make this the sixth time that a driver has secured successive wins at the Red Bull Ring. Verstappen has achieved the feat twice previously.
McLaren and Mercedes are tied for most Grand Prix victories at the circuit now known as the Red Bull Ring. Either team could become the first to win seven races here at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, while Ferrari or Red Bull could equal the existing record tally.
Lewis Hamilton currently holds the record for most Grand Prix laps raced at the Red Bull Ring, with 843. His record could be beaten this weekend by Sergio Perez (if he races 45 laps more than Hamilton) or Valtteri Bottas (if he races 53 laps more than Hamilton).
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS WHICH COULD BE BROKEN
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
There have been a few changes at the Red Bull Ring since last year. Most notably, in a bid to decrease track limits violations, a 2.5 metre wide gravel strip has been placed behind the kerb at the exits of Turns 9 and 10.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Like last year, there are three detection points and three activation zones at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. The activation zones are on the main straight, on the run up to Turns 2 and 3 and on the straight between Turns 3 and 4.
RED BULL RING TRACK GUIDE
Situated in the remote but breathtaking Styrian mountains, the track now known as the Red Bull Ring returned to the F1 calendar in 2014. With lap times of just over a minute, the circuit has been changed a lot over the years yet has maintained a nostalgic spark.
In 1958, a temporary circuit was set up on the military airfield in Zeltweg. The course, inspired by the way in which the iconic Silverstone circuit came into being, was marked out by hay bales and raced on in a non-chmpionship F1 event in 1963, before stepping up as an official round of the championship in 1964. The track surface, however, was far too bumpy and abrasive for F1 machinery, and the sport never returned to the circuit.
Instead, six years later, Formula 1 settled at a track just up the valley from the airfield, named the Osterreichring. The track was around double the length of the Zeltweg airfield track, and was tremendously fast, with flowing bends which swept through the mountainous surroundings.
With not much run-off area the track was dangerous, as proven by the 1975 race where a series of accidents marred the practice sessions. At the Hella-Licht curve, the first turn on the track, American racer Mark Donohue crashed through the catch-fencing, ultimately leading to his death and the death of a marshal. Changes were made to the track following the event, and a chicane was added making the former fastest corner on the track become the slowest.
The 1987 event was the last to be held at the original Osterreichring. Safety fears and lack of funding from the organisers to be in a position to make it safer meant the track disappeared from the calendar. The Austrian round of the championship was replaced with the Hungarian Grand Prix.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are:
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Logan Sargeant (Williams)
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are:
Mike Krack (Aston Martin)
Mario Isola (Pirelli)
Peter Bayer (RB)
Christian Horner (Red Bull)
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is Johnny Herbert.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2024 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli will supply the C3, C4 and C5 tyre compounds at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. The C3, C4 and C5 compounds were also used in 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Verstappen was victorious in both the Sprint and the main race over the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix weekend, securing Red Bull’s tenth consecutive win.
With the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix hosting the second Sprint weekend of the season, there was just a single hour of practice on Friday before qualifying for Sunday’s race. It was a Friday to forget for Sergio Perez, whose multiple lap time deletions saw him continue a disappointing qualifying run. Team-mate Max Verstappen secured a fourth consecutive pole by just 0.048 seconds.
In Saturday morning’s Sprint Shootout, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in SQ1, while fellow Mercedes driver George Russell suffered a hydraulic failure which prevented him from taking part in SQ2. Verstappen secured the fastest lap time once again in SQ3 and started the Sprint from the front of the grid.
The Sprint itself began in damp conditions with the two Red Bull drivers starting on the front row. It was Perez who took the lead at the start, though Verstappen was able to take the place back at Turn 3 as both drivers ran wide. Nico Hulkenberg made his way up to third and soon overtook Perez for second place.
It was not until the halfway point of the Sprint that Perez would finally re-pass the Haas, by which point his team-mate held a ten second lead. One lap later, Carlos Sainz followed Perez’s lead and overtook Hulkenberg for third. Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris provided the midfield entertainment in the middle stages of the race.
Russell took the gamble to switch from intermediate to slick tyres with more drivers opting to switch. The slick runners made progress through the field, with Hulkenberg impressing and making his way up to sixth place. Verstappen won the Sprint by over 20 seconds, while Ocon won a drag race over the line to secure seventh place ahead of Russell.
At the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix, Verstappen easily stayed ahead on the run to Turn 1 and, despite challenges later around the lap from Leclerc was able to continue at the front of the field. After Saturday’s impressive showing, Hulkenberg’s Grand Prix came to an early end on Lap 15, with him pulling off track.
The resulting Virtual Safety Car period saw both Ferraris pit, though not race leader Verstappen who had already passed the pit entry before the VSC was called. Ferrari’s double stack stop saw both drivers lose time, with Sainz soon being passed by Lewis Hamilton, who had also stopped early.
Track limits were a focal point of the weekend, with Hamilton picking up a five second time penalty for exceeding them before the race had reached one quarter distance. Sainz re-passed Hamilton and also made his way by Perez to return to third place.
Race leader Verstappen made his first stop at the end of Lap 24, which promoted Leclerc into the lead and Sainz into second. The following lap, Verstappen made his way past Sainz and set off in pursuit of Leclerc. Lap 35 saw Verstappen close in on the back of Leclerc and the Red Bull driver made the race-winning move on Lap 35.
Verstappen led every lap thereon, as Perez continued to make progress back through the field. He and Sainz were embroiled in a battle for the final podium spot in the closing stages, with Perez securing the position at Turn 4 on Lap 61. Verstappen secured the fastest lap on his final tour of the circuit, leading home Leclerc for Red Bull’s tenth successive victory.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP TIME AT THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting the Red Bull Ring in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.