Though the look and feel of the track evoke the sport’s European roots, Red Bull Ring is a relatively modern creation. It first hosted racing in 1969 as the Osterreichring, when it took over the old Zeltweg airfield circuit. F1 had its first grand prix at the new track a year later.
The circuit hosted its last race on a 1987 weekend marred by accidents, including a collision with a deer during practice and a grand prix that needed three starts to get going properly. The first start saw a multi-car crash. On the second, Nigel Mansell’s slow start triggered a 12-car pileup.
F1 came back a decade later after famed track designer Hermann Tilke converted the Osterreichring into a shorter track called the A1-Ring. In 2004, Red Bull bought the circuit in its native land and gave it the moniker we know today. Red Bull Ring returned to the F1 calendar a decade later.
Given how short the circuit is, impeding and traffic concerns typically arise at Red Bull Ring. However, track limits became a major issue last time out in Austria. Many lap times were deleted during qualifying (47, to be exact), and eight drivers received 12 combined penalties on race day, changing the final race classification.
Ahead of another sprint weekend, here’s what you need to know about the short track that packs a punch.
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Austrian GP track breakdown: The small but mighty Red Bull Ring takes F1 to the mountains
