“It’s going to be exciting,” was Max Verstappen’s prediction in an interview about the upcoming “Formula 1 Rolex Großer Preis von Österreich 2022” – and it’s looking like he will be proved correct. Qualifying became a real thriller. With a lead of 0.029 seconds over Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, Verstappen secured pole position for Saturday’s sprint. For Mercedes it was a desperate day: in Q3, Lewis Hamilton first slammed into a barrier, and his team-mate George Russell followed shortly afterwards. If you still want to be there to see the thrills of the top series of motorsport in the flesh, you can secure the last remaining free seats at the ticket points tomorrow.
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When Verstappen crossed the start-finish line at 18:23 to secure pole position, there was just no holding back the thousands of Dutch fans in the grandstands and in the standing area at the Red Bull Ring. The celebrations of the fans could still be heard minutes after the end of the qualifying session. There is huge anticipation, as you might imagine, ahead of the first scheduled meeting between fans and Formula 1 drivers. Meet the Drivers will take place on Saturday from 09:20 to 10:20 in the F1 Fan Zone.
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The weather in Styria is unpredictable. It can happen that a race starts in bright sunshine and ends in pouring rain. There will be plenty of heads among the racing teams peering up to gauge the clouds this weekend. Any F1 fan attending is advised to take both a rain jacket and sunscreen.
What makes the Red Bull Ring so unique? Alexander Wurz says: “It is the atmosphere that sets the Austrian GP apart from all the others, from the organisation, the side programme and, above all, the atmosphere in the stands.” Incidentally, Alexander Wurz and his father, Franz, made the first sketches for the shortened track layout of the former Österreichring. “Hermann Tilke then drew our designs,” said the Austrian in an interview with the Red Bulletin. In 1996, the Österreichring was shortened to 4.3 kilometres and renamed the A1 Ring.
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