© Getty ImagesThe Highs and Lows of Red Bull RingA look back at the Team’s home race
There’snoplacelikehome,andthere’snoplaceliketheRedBullRing.TheAustrianGrandPrixwasreturnedtothecalendarin2014andinthe11racessincetherehasbeenplentyofhighsandlowsfortheTeam.
It’s a tight, fast track where contact is often commonplace, but avoid the collisions and there are plenty of overtaking opportunities almost guaranteeing an exhilarating race.
And talking of exhilarating racing, here are the best and worst moments for Oracle Red Bull Racing at the Austrian Grand Prix.
FirstTasteOfAustrianSilver
Max Verstappen’s fifth race for Oracle Red Bull Racing was to take place at the Team’s home in Austria, and if the 18-year-old felt pressure, he didn’t show it at the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix. The teenager qualified in P9, but was up to P3 by the 10th lap. He then pitted for his only stop of the race on lap 15. He re-joined in P5 and started edging forward. On the final lap, Max had moved up to third place. However, the Mercedes drivers of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collided causing Rosberg to nurse his car over the finish line and Max was able to get in front to claim second place. It was his second trophy for the Team and their first in Austria.
A year later, Max was hoping to improve but disaster struck at turn one of the Grand Prix. Max was on the outside line when a domino effect caught him. Daniil Kvyat clipped Fernando Alonso, who in turn collided into Max, who went off the track on the exit of turn one. The damage to his RB13 was too much and he had to retire on the opening lap.
Max’s teammate, Daniel Riccardo was able to ensure the day wasn’t a complete write-off for the Team when guided his car from P5 into third.
The 2018 Austrian Grand Prix was a car killer with only 14 drivers finishing the race and only the first three completing all 71 laps. Max started in P5 and on lap 14, Valtteri Bottas retired on track with a gearbox failure causing the Virtual Safety Car to be deployed. The Team opted to call Max into the pits, whilst Mercedes decided to keep Lewis out. When Mercedes called Lewis in on lap 25, Max was able to take the lead, where he stayed until the chequered flag, claiming the Team’s first home race victory.
If you looked at the first-lap ‘lap chart’ from the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, you’d be surprised to know that Max won after dropping from third to P8 at the start due to an issue with his anti-stall.
However, he recovered well and after his pitstop on lap 32 he was sitting in fourth.
He overtook Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas to take P2 and was then chasing down Charles Leclerc. The two then entered a battle and, with just three laps remaining, Max was able to get in front of Leclerc. The pair made contact and Leclerc went off track, but it was deemed a legal manoeuvre and Max took the win – and the first for a Honda-powered car since the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.
The 2021 Austrian Grand Prix saw Max take the 15th win of his career as well as his first Formula One Grand Slam!
The Grand Slam of racing is collecting pole on the Saturday, winning the race on Sunday, taking the fastest lap, and leading for the entire race. Max was able to build up such a lead over the 71 laps, that he was able to pit twice and still come out in front of his rivals!
That race also saw Max become the youngest driver in Formula One history to collect 50 podiums. At just 23 years and 277 days old, Max beat the record, held by Sebastian Vettel, by more than two years.
Checo would probably like to forget the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. On the opening lap, he was battling with George Russell and at turn four looked to be ahead of the Mercedes driver as he was taking him on the outside. Russell went wide and hit Checo, pushing him into the gravel, causing substantial damage. Checo was able to return to the action, but after 23 completed laps, the damage was too bad and his RB18 had to be retired. Russell was given a five-second penalty.
Checo was given redemption the following year when he was able to claim P3 and his first Austrian podium.
Max and Checo return to the Red Bull Ring this weekend. And this year, the Austrian Grand Prix is a Sprint Weekend. The weekend begins on Friday with the only practice session at 12:30 track time (10:30 UTC).
Make sure you keep coming back here for exclusive stories, videos, pictures and analysis.
