Hello again! We’re back for another thrilling race weekend as the F1 crews return to Europe, with Austria playing host to this round. The race takes place at the Red Bull Ring, making it a home Grand Prix for both the Red Bull and Racing Bulls teams, who will be eager to impress on familiar ground. Meanwhile, the other teams will be looking to spoil the party, but the big question is whether Max Verstappen and company can finally make a long overdue splash on the F1 podium.
Where Do We Sit After Canada?
One of the biggest shake-up races we’ve seen all season didn’t result in much change to the driver standings, thanks to the dominance McLaren has shown throughout the year. However, some ground was made up by the likes of Verstappen and Russell on Norris, following his DNF caused by a crash with his teammate near the end of the Canadian Grand Prix. Austria presents an opportunity for those chasing from behind to carry over some momentum and continue making progress on the long journey to catch the men in orange.
As we’ve mentioned ad nauseam, McLaren are running away with the Constructors’ Championship, so all eyes are now on the battle for second, third, and fourth. After Mercedes’ strong performance with a 1st and 3rd place finish, they reclaimed the coveted second spot from Ferrari, who had held that position for all but one race weekend. Other than that, there isn’t a whole lot to report, so let’s dive into this weekend’s race.
What To Expect In Austria?
The Red Bull Ring was designed and built in 1996, hosting its first F1 race at just one year old and becoming something of an F1 stalwart ever since. Despite being one of the smaller tracks on the calendar, the Red Bull Ring packs quite a punch. With three powerful straights to start the race, teams with top-line speed should enjoy the early stages. However, the second half is quite different, featuring a series of quick corners that favor cars capable of attacking turns with precision and efficiency. Expect fast lap times here, as the record stands at just over 1 minute and 5 seconds. This reflects not only the track’s shorter length but also the speed and commitment it demands from the drivers.
Norris is coming off his worst finish of the season, largely due to poor decision-making that cost both him and his team valuable points. However, he has shown a tendency to step up when the pressure is on, delivering must-win performances to stay within reach of his teammate, Oscar Piastri. Now, Norris has a chance to bounce back and demonstrate that he has the championship-winning mentality needed to handle adversity. It also looked like he was beginning to close the gap to Piastri in terms of pace, so with another two weeks of preparation, he could be right on par. While I’ve been backing Oscar this season when it comes to these tips, this weekend feels like a big opportunity for the driver who was widely seen as McLaren’s number one heading into the year.
The always savvy Fernando Alonso has been getting the job done in recent weeks during what has been a tumultuous season for Aston Martin, to say the least. In his last two races, the Spanish legend has secured back-to-back points finishes, showing a bit of fight that we hadn’t seen earlier in the season from either Aston Martin driver. Austria presents another opportunity for Alonso to earn his team some much-needed points. With the team in desperate need of results, they’ll be relying on his experience and composure while his teammate continues to struggle.
Max Verstappen has been dominant at Red Bull’s home track throughout his career, especially in qualifying, and I expect that dominance to continue. He has actually been the top qualifier at the Red Bull Ring in each of the last five visits by the F1 circuit, so the chances of him doing it again are higher than many might think. On top of that, he seemed to find a bit of extra pace in the last race, finishing on the podium and beating both McLaren drivers, which should be a big boost to his confidence. Given Verstappen’s relentless mentality, it feels like he sees this weekend as an opportunity to reassert his authority and continue closing the gap to the front of the pack. And there would be no better way to do that than by taking pole position in qualifying.