The shortest track on the Formula 1 calendar in terms of time to complete a lap, the Red Bull Ring produces exciting, fast-paced races. The 2025 Austrian Grand Prix is set to take place on June 29.
1136th F1 GRAND PRIX | 39th AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX | 39th GRAND PRIX AT RED BULL RING
2024 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2024 WINNER: GEORGE RUSSELL
2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday June 27
Free Practice 1 – 1:30pm Local Time / 12:30pm UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 4:00pm Local Time / 3:00pm UK Time
Saturday June 28
Free Practice 3 – 11:30am Local Time / 10:30am UK Time
Qualifying – 4:00pm Local Time / 3:00pm UK Time
Sunday June 29
The 2025 Austrian Grand Prix – 3:00pm Local Time / 2:00pm UK Time
2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Mercedes have taken the most wins at the Red Bull Ring in the track’s history on the F1 calendar, winning here for the seventh time last year. They could set a new record at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, or their current win tally could be equalled by McLaren.
In terms of overall Austrian Grand Prix wins, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes are all tied for the most, with six apiece. Any of the three teams could set a new record this weekend.
A victory for a Mercedes-powered car would see Mercedes usurp Ford Cosworth at the top of the list of most successful engine manufacturers at the Austrian Grand Prix. They’d become the first manufacturer to record ten victories at the event.
Max Verstappen’s record of four Fastest Laps at the Red Bull Ring could be equalled at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix by Lewis Hamilton.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS WHICH COULD BE BROKEN
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Changes to the circuit since last year’s race will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix. In recent years, there have been three detection points and three activation zones at the Austrian Grand Prix. The activation zones are on the main straight, on the run up to Turns 2 and 3 and on the straight between Turns 3 and 4.
RED BULL RING TRACK GUIDE
Situated in the remote but breathtaking Styrian mountains, the track now known as the Red Bull Ring returned to the F1 calendar in 2014. With lap times of just over a minute, the circuit has been changed a lot over the years yet has maintained a nostalgic spark.
In 1958, a temporary circuit was set up on the military airfield in Zeltweg. The course, inspired by the way in which the iconic Silverstone circuit came into being, was marked out by hay bales and raced on in a non-chmpionship F1 event in 1963, before stepping up as an official round of the championship in 1964. The track surface, however, was far too bumpy and abrasive for F1 machinery, and the sport never returned to the circuit.
Instead, six years later, Formula 1 settled at a track just up the valley from the airfield, named the Osterreichring. The track was around double the length of the Zeltweg airfield track, and was tremendously fast, with flowing bends which swept through the mountainous surroundings.
With not much run-off area the track was dangerous, as proven by the 1975 race where a series of accidents marred the practice sessions. At the Hella-Licht curve, the first turn on the track, American racer Mark Donohue crashed through the catch-fencing, ultimately leading to his death and the death of a marshal. Changes were made to the track following the event, and a chicane was added making the former fastest corner on the track become the slowest.
The 1987 event was the last to be held at the original Osterreichring. Safety fears and lack of funding from the organisers to be in a position to make it safer meant the track disappeared from the calendar. The Austrian round of the championship was replaced with the Hungarian Grand Prix.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Rui Marques will be the race director at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is yet to be announced.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2025 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have not yet announced which tyre compounds will be used at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix. The C3, C4 and C5 compounds were used in 2024.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
A late race crash between race leaders Verstappen and Norris led to a surprise victory for Russell at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
For the third year in a row, Formula 1 adopted the Sprint format at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen’s preparations were hindered by his car stopping on the start/finish straight in the single hour of Free Practice – though he was able to head back out and set the fastest lap time in the session.
Verstappen’s stoppage also didn’t prevent him from setting the fastest lap time in Sprint Qualifying, with the two McLarens setting the second and third fastest times. The Red Bull driver kept his lead at Turn 1 as the McLarens went side by side at Turn 3, while Carlos Sainz moved ahead of George Russell for fifth.
By Lap 3, Norris challenged Verstappen for the lead of the Sprint. On Lap 5, he slid up the inside of Verstappen to momentarily take the lead before being re-passed at the next turn – in a move which allowed Oscar Piastri to seize second place from his team-mate.
While Russell re-passed Sainz, Norris was unable to pull off a similar re-passing move on Piastri, despite his best efforts through to the final lap. Verstappen won the Sprint by just under five seconds.
Come qualifying, just eight tenths of a second separated the 20 drivers in Q1. The result of qualifying for the Grand Prix was similar to that of the Sprint. Verstappen secured pole position with a four tenths advantage over Norris and Piastri – though the latter’s fastest lap time was deleted due to him exceeding track limits, leaving him seventh on the grid.
At the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix, Verstappen steamed into the lead at the start, while Russell challenged Norris hard for second place and Lewis Hamilton overtook Sainz for fourth but was instructed to give the position back. Contact for Charles Leclerc necessitated an early front wing change.
Piastri made up a number of places as the race went on, climbing to the lead for a short time while other drivers pitted and eventually making his way to fifth as the race neared its conclusion.
On Lap 52, Verstappen and Norris pitted at the same time. Verstappen suffered a slow stop, putting Norris within reaching distance of the Red Bull. A lock up on the outlap cost Verstappen more time, lowering the pre-pit stop gap from seven seconds to under two seconds. Norris set about overtaking Verstappen, with Turn 3 looking likely to be the preferred overtaking spot.
Lap 59 saw Norris overtake Verstappen off track and give the place back, another attempt came on Lap 63 but Verstappen again stayed ahead. Then, on Lap 64 the two leaders collided. Verstappen was left with a puncture while Norris was forced into retirement.
George Russell, who was running in third after a quiet afternoon, swooped by the ailing leaders to take the lead with just a handful of laps to go. Sainz and Piastri were now running second and third but the McLaren had a pace advantage and passed the Ferrari to set off in hunt of the win.
There were not enough laps for Piastri to get a chance at victory. Russell took the win by under two seconds, with Sainz completing the podium. Verstappen recovered to fifth place after a tyre change.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP TIME AT THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting the Red Bull Ring in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.