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We are back at the Red Bull Ring for a second race in the Styrian hills. The Austrian Grand Prix takes place one week after the Styrian race, and another race with fans filling the grandstands.
Last season’s got underway with an action-packed race. Valtteri Bottas took the victory, but it all kicked off behind him. Charles Leclerc climbed his way up into second, while some overtakes on the final two laps pushed Lando Norris into a career-best 4th on the road. But he was promoted to a podium after Lewis Hamilton was penalised for a collision with Red Bull’s Alex Albon.
And the thousands of fans at the circuit will be hoping for better fortunes of their lead driver this time out. Max Verstappen retired from the 2020 race with an engine issue. But in 2021, he needs to be at the top of his game to maintain the advantage over his title rival, and send the Orange Army into raptures.
We can’t wait for this year’s Austrian Grand Prix. It’s set to be an epic weekend of racing, with three support series also in action, plus thousands of fans in the grandstands.
To make sure you’re on top of all the action, including circuit maps, session times, support series, weather forecast and the latest news from the weekend, check out this guide with all the information you’ll need.
Austrian Grand Prix race preview
Important information for fans attending the race
COVID-19 precautions
Before entering the circuit, you will need to prove you have tested negative with in 72 hours, recovered from infection in the last six months, or have been vaccinated. Testing sites will be available on site for a cost of: Antigen: € 33 / PCR: € 89. Pre-register for your test here.
For more information about entry requirements, visit the Projekt Spielberg website.
Ticket registration
You must register your every event ticket before you head to the race. This is for contact tracing purposes. You will find a link on your e-ticket to personalise it, which will allow you to provide your name, email address and phone number. You must do this for every ticket, including children’s tickets which you can personalise with a parent or guardian’s details. Failure to register your ticket will lead to you not being permitted to the event.
Face masks
FFP2 masks are mandatory for entry to the site for anyone aged 14 and above. However, you will not have to wear your face mask in your grandstand seats.
Parking at the Red Bull Ring
There is no parking at the track, but there is free parking within walking distance of the Red Bull Ring. You’ll find these car parks at exit 24 of the S36. These car parks are approximately a 10-15 minute walk to the circuit. Full list of car parks can be found here.
Please note: if you are driving to the race, it’s Austrian law that you must have a warning triangle, safety vest and first aid kit in your vehicle.
Seating plan and circuit map
Click here to open the circuit map where you’ll find all grandstands.
Pit lane walk
Three-day ticket holders will be invited to take part in the Pit Lane Tour on Thursday. The tour runs from 16:00 – 18:00. The Paddock Club pit lane walks will take place on Friday (10:20), Saturday (14:00 and 18:20) and Sunday (12:05). The Paddock Club truck tours will take place on Friday (10:25), Saturday (14:00 and 18:20) and Sunday ( Arrive at the meeting points in good time to ensure you can access the walks and tours.
Cashless payment
The Red Bull Ring is ‘cashless’, so you can only pay with a card, so bear this in mind when preparing for the weekend. Projekt Spielberg operates a cashless card system, where you can obtain a card you can top up with cash at stations throughout the weekend. There is a 3€ deposit, which is returned when you return the card.
General information
The Austrian emergency phone number is 112.
Austrian Grand Prix F1 session times
Austria is on Central European Summer Time, which is one hour ahead of British Summer Time. The race on Sunday kicks off at 3pm CEST.
| Session | Day | Session time (CEST) | Session time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free practice 1 | Friday | 11:30 – 12:30 | 10:30 – 11:30 |
| Free practice 2 | Friday | 15:00 – 16:00 | 14:00 – 15:00 |
| Free practice 3 | Saturday | 12:00 – 13:00 | 11:00 – 12:00 |
| Qualifying | Saturday | 15:00 – 16:00 | 14:00 – 15:00 |
| Race (71 laps) | Sunday | 15:00 – 17:00 | 14:00 – 16:00 |
Austrian Grand Prix session times
Austrian Grand Prix weather report
According to AccuWeather, the long forecast for the race weekend is looking warm and wet. Rain is forecast throughout the weekend, but temperatures will be in the high 24°Cs. This could culminate in a thunderstorm on Saturday. Be prepared for wet weather both in the grandstands and campsites.
| Day | AM | PM |
| Friday | Cloudy, 23°C | A little rain, 26°C |
| Saturday | Cloudy, 25°C | Rain with chance of t-storm, 27°C |
| Sunday | Cloudy, warm, rainy, 26°C | Cloudy, 28°C |
Race support at the Austrian Grand Prix
As with the Styrian Grand Prix that preceded it, W Series and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will support the action in Austria. But FIA Formula 3 will also join the bill, bringing three extra races to the schedule.
Copyright: Motorsport Images
Copyright: Motorsport Images
W Series
The second season of W Series gets underway the week before at hte Styrian Grand Prix. It returns as part of the double-header in the hills, and continues that momentum through the Formula 1 season. There are three sessions, with the race taking place on Saturday afternoon. Check out our article on W Series to find out more about the championship.
| Session | Day | Session time (CEST) | Session time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice | Friday | 12:55 – 13:35 | 11:55 – 12:35 |
| Qualifying | Friday | 16:30 – 17:00 | 15:30 – 16:00 |
| Race (30 minutes + 1 lap) | Saturday | 16:30 – 17:05 | 15:30 – 16:05 |
Copyright: Motorsport Images
FIA Formula 3
Dannis Hauger maintained his lead at the top of the standings in round 2 in France. But Frenchman Victor Martins had a consistent weekend. Second, third and fourth place finishes moved him up into second in the standings, just 6 points behind the Prema Racing driver.
| Session | Day | Session time (CEST) | Session time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice | Friday | 09:30 – 10:15 | 08:30 – 09:15 |
| Qualifying | Friday | 13:50 – 14:20 | 12:50 – 13:20 |
| Race 1 (24 laps) | Saturday | 10:35 – 11:20 | 09:35 – 10:20 |
| Race 2 (24 laps) | Saturday | 17:30 – 18:15 | 16:30 – 17:15 |
| Race 3 (24 laps) | Sunday | 10:15 – 11:00 | 09:15 – 10:00 |
Copyright: Motorsport Images
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup
The second of two rounds at the Red Bull Ring will take place at the Austrian Grand Prix. Following his win in Monaco, Larry ten Voorde will be hoping to remain at the top of the standings. But there’s a long season ahead, and the field will be hoping to stamp their name on the championship. The race takes place early on Sunday morning.
| Session | Day | Session time (CEST) | Session time (BST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice | Friday | 17:25 – 18:10 | 16:25 – 17:10 |
| Qualifying | Saturday | 13:25 – 13:55 | 12:25 – 12:55 |
| Race | Sunday | 11:25 – 12:00 | 10:25 – 11:00 |
The Austrian Grand Prix Circuit
Red Bull Ring
When the Österreichring opened in 1969, it was a sight to behold. A brand new circuit in the heart of the Styrian mountains. And while it was a comparatively short lap against other tracks, its longer straights presented an opportunity to showcase the power of high-performance machinery.
With a lap record of 1:05.619 (Carlos Sainz, 2020), it’s the shortest lap-time on the calendar. Yet at 4.318km, it’s 1km longer than the Circuit de Monaco, which has a lap record of 1:12.909.
This goes to demonstrate that Austira is all about speed. From teh start straight the cars are faced with a near-90 degree turn before speeding up an uphill straight through a kink at turn two and an acute right-hander. This leads the cars onto the back straight and the third DRS zone in as many corners.
As the cars pass back down through sectors two and three, they must battle the car at high-speeds with no heavy braking zones until the start of the next lap. It’s a high-power lap with plenty of overtaking opportunities, and thanks to its elevation and stunning vantage points, a real fan favourite.
Check out the Italian F4 Championship race from 2019 for a taste of things to come. A race that’s a prime example that while it may be a short lap, there’s a lot of action in store.
What happened at the last Austrian Grand Prix?
Austrian Grand Prix 2020
The 2020 Austrian Grand Prix was the curtain-raiser on a delayed season. Two rounds were arranged for the Red Bull Ring, with the first setting up a dramatic season on-track.
Valtteri Bottas was looking to stamp his authority on a title charge, and he couldn’t have got off to a better start. The Finn took pole when he set the fastest time in Q3 before taking a trip over the grass. That ruined the laps of cars behind him, as well as his teammate. Lewis Hamilton was handed a three-place grid penalty for ignoring yellow flags just before lights out on Sunday.
The race itself was one of attrition. Max Verstappen, who was sitting happy in 2nd, retired with mechanical issues early on. He was one of nine cars to eventually retire from the race.
With ten laps to go, Alex Albon looked in a strong position sitting in third on fresh tyres. But he made a move on Lewis Hamilton, who left him spinning off the track. A mirror image of the previous season’s race in Brazil.
The eventual five-second penalty left the cars behind scrambling to catch up to the penalty window. Lando Norris put in a mega final lap, the fastest of the race, to snatch the third step. He joined Bottas and Charles Leclerc on the podium.
Copyright: Motorsport Images
Copyright: Motorsport Images
Copyright: Motorsport Images
Copyright: Motorsport Images
How to stay up to date at the Austrian Grand Prix
You can keep up-to-date across all the breaking news by following Motorsport.com throughout the race weekend.
Or get a round-up of the latest headlines from Austria and beyond with Motorsport.tv LIVE‘s latest bulletins. Head to their channel on Motorsport.tv for the latest news, interviews and reaction from the paddock. Check out their latest report with Juan Pablo Montoya on the French Grand Prix
And after both qualifying and the race, Autosport‘s top brass will join host Ariana Bravo to review all the top talking points. Check out the latest episode of the Autosport Podcast below, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.