Following the Styrian Grand Prix last weekend, the hunt is on in Austria. All the top teams are hunting Red Bull Racing while Scuderia AlphaTauri are a target in the middle of the pack. All these exciting battles will take place in front of packed stands. The fans cannot wait, and the weather is set to be unpredictable. It’s all set up perfectly for a fantastic weekend of racing at the Red Bull Ring.
We have waited 18 long months and 26 races for it. At the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg it is finally time for fans to return to the racing circuit. Apart from a requirement to prove a negative test, vaccination or recovery from Covid-19, there are no restrictions any more. In the hybrid era, that is the best turbo boost for the atmosphere on the stands you could possibly wish for. The grandstands will be full for the first time at a Grand Prix weekend since the end of the 2019 season in Abu Dhabi. Welcome back, Orange Army @Red Bull Ring!
Anticipation factor: 5 *****
The first Grand Prix at Spielberg wasn’t a clash between the top two teams, it was a show of strength by Red Bull Racing. Mercedes aren‘t going to let that lie and are betting on three factors to boost their chances. They want to get back to their original and brave setup, improve their race strategy and try out a new tyre mix. It will be difficult for Max Verstappen to make a repeat show of his dominance, as Pirelli is providing a softer tyre mix for the Austrian Grand Prix that is set to shuffle the deck.
Anticipation factor: 5 *****
Pit stops are a strength of Red Bull Racing, but they can’t always go according to plan. Sergio Pérez lost third place to Valtteri Bottas after stopping for too long, and his team are eager for revenge on Sunday. The battle of the wingmen could prove decisive at the Austrian Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing want to get Sergio Pérez back on the podium, and ahead of Lewis Hamilton if they can. Red Bull Racing hasn’t managed a one-two this season yet, after all…
Anticipation factor: 5 *****
Three teams with three different engine providers are battling for the title of Best of the Rest – Scuderia AlphaTauri (Honda), Aston Martin (Mercedes) and Alpine (Renault). With 6th and 8th place spots in qualifying, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda were the biggest surprise performers of the Styrian Grand Prix. The Frenchman was sent off course by a Ferrari, however, and the Japanese driver suffered from a misunderstanding over the radio. Franz Tost‘s team will be seeking to defend or extend its narrow two-point advantage over the other mid-table teams. Fierce wheel-to-wheel battles are assured.
Anticipation factor: 4 ****
In Formula 1 you can try to calculate everything in advance, apart from the weather. Race Sunday can easily become rain Sunday and the race can be heavily influenced as a consequence. Who could make the most of difficult conditions? You might think Max Verstappen, who is regarded as Formula 1‘s rain god. On the other hand, when things were going so well for him on the dry last weekend, Super Max would have no desire to see rain throw everything up into the air.
Anticipation factor: 4 ****