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What to watch out for at the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend
F1 heads to Styria for the Austrian Grand Prix from June 26-28. Here’s what to expect from the red-hot action and what you need to know before it begins.
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This weekend, one of the historically most action-packed and exciting race weekends on the Formula One calendar, the Austrian GP, returns. Oracle Red Bull Racing’s home event in Styria is a fan-favorite, but what should you expect going into 2026’s Grand Prix? Here's the key facts and major storylines you need to be aware of.
01
Hamilton’s resurgence and the Championship battle
Lewis Hamilton is starting to build momentum
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
The last race, in Barcelona, was significant. Lewis Hamilton earned his first win for Ferrari and his first win for any team since the Belgian Grand Prix in 2024. In the process, the Brit became the fourth-oldest driver to win a Formula One race.
He’s started this season strongly too, and sits just 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the drivers standings going into the Austrian GP. Hamilton will be aiming to continue his strong form in the coming weeks.
However, just because Antonelli didn’t finish the Spanish Grand Prix, it doesn’t mean he’s out of the running in Austria. He’ll be hoping to pick up where he left off in Monaco, with his DNF being a result of reliability issues rather than a driver mistake. The Mercedes cars have been performing well across the board so far, and an Antonelli win will swing momentum back in the direction of his team.
George Russell has been consistent this season too, sitting just a few points behind Hamilton after five top-four finishes so far. He won the Austrian Grand Prix just a couple of years ago, so he knows what needs to be done at one of the fastest tracks on the F1 calendar.
02
Why Austria is a highlight of the F1 calendar
The Red Bull Ring is always a sea of colour
© Lucas Pripfl/Red Bull Ring
The Austrian Grand Prix is one that’s highly anticipated by fans every season. It’s a short track, full of high-speed corners that make it a demanding circuit for both drivers and their cars. The middle section features a lot of long corners, through which the drivers don’t brake, and they put high stress on the car’s aerodynamics and tires.
The track also features a lot of significant elevation changes, most notably heading into the iconic second corner. The long straights leading up to the tight corners provide ample opportunity for overtakes, which’ll only be increased this year thanks to the impact the regulation changes have had on how easy it is to pass on-track. “It’s a very interesting track, and all the corners are quite different, so it’s really important to find a good balance in the car,” Max Verstappen has said to the media ahead of the weekend.
As for why fans love it so much, you can’t look past the event’s spectacular setting. The track is surrounded by stunning mountains, which ramps up the atmosphere. That atmosphere is further improved by the festival-style vibes of the Grand Prix weekend. Live music, partying and loud support punctuate the racing and are the highlight for many attendees.
While it's unlikely to be this weekend, the weather is also often unpredictable in the event’s Austrian location. The time of the year and the climate in the area mean rain is generally a possibility, and sometimes it arrives unexpectedly. This weekend, however, it's going to be hot. A heatwave has been sweeping northern Europe all week, hitting record temperatures in many countries. That's likely to continue into the weekend, with scorching heat levels for the Austrian GP expected.
03
Max Verstappen’s chances in Austria
Max Verstappen holds the record for most wins here
© Clive Rose/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
While Hamilton will be looking to continue his form and Mercedes will want to reassert their advantage, Max Verstappen has a phenomenal record in Austria. He has a record number of wins, with four victories to his name in the last 10 years. Without a win there since 2023, however, this year is a great opportunity to return to the top step of the podium.
After a disappointing DNF in Monaco, Verstappen finished fourth in Barcelona, so Austria is a good chance to continue that vein of form. It’s also a chance to impress the home fans once again. Speaking to SpeedWeek, Verstappen said: “Austria is, of course, a home Grand Prix for the team. The track has always suited me well in the past, and we have really good memories there."
Red Bull Racing are also bringing an upgrade package to Austria. Following improved performance in Miami and Canada, following the implementation of other upgrades, this weekend will be a great chance to kick on further.
04
Austria Grand Prix start times
Max Verstappen will be hoping for a boost from his car's update
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
If you’re planning to tune into this weekend’s racing action, here are the start times for each of the sessions, in local time (CEST).
- Practice 1 - June 26, 1.30pm
- Practice 2 - June 26, 5pm
- Practice 3 - June 27, 12.30pm
- Qualifying - June 27, 4pm
- Race - June 28, 3pm
05
Previous Austrian GP winners
Lando Norris won here last time out
© Jörg Mitter/Red Bull Ring
The event has been a mainstay in the Formula 1 World Championship calendar since 1970. The last 10 winners of the event are:
- 2025 - Lando Norris
- 2024 - George Russell
- 2023 - Max Verstappen
- 2022 - Charles Leclerc
- 2021 - Max Verstappen
- 2020 - Valterri Bottas
- 2019 - Max Verstappen
- 2018 - Max Verstappen
- 2017 - Valteri Bottas
- 2016 - Lewis Hamilton
06
How will the hot weather impact the racing?
It's already extremely hot down in the pit lane
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Ring
As mentioned, the weather forecast predicts it’ll be a very hot weekend in Austria. Suggestions are it'll be 32°C for Qualifying and the Race on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. While other events on the calendar are often hotter, it’s unusual for the Austrian Grand Prix to hit such temperatures.
The weather will change how teams approach tyre management. Extreme heat can cause the rubber and air inside the tires to expand, increasing pressure. As a result, tyre wear can happen faster than normal, which will impact strategies. Different tyre usage, or more pit stops, are both possible this weekend.
07
Current driver standings
The Orange Army make sure it feels like a home race for Verstappen
© Tim Clarke/LAT Images/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Going into the Austrian Grand Prix, the top 10 of the Drivers Championship standings are:
- Kimi Antonelli - 156 points
- Lewis Hamilton - 115 points
- George Russell - 106 points
- Charles Leclerc - 76 points
- Lando Norris - 73 points.
- Oscar Piastri - 68 points.
- Max Verstappen - 55 points
- Pierre Gasly - 41 points
- Isaac Hadjar - 34 points
- Liam Lawson - 28 points
Max Verstappen’s aim will be to close the gap on the drivers ahead of him in the standings and to continue Oracle Red Bull Racing’s impressive history at the track.
08
Future races and what’s to come
This weekend’s action in Austria sets up the Formula One season for an exciting period, as the teams head to some iconic tracks in the coming weeks. Next, from July 2-5, the championship heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, with the Belgian GP taking place two weeks later. That’s before a trip to Hungary between July 23-26 and Verstappen’s personal home Grand Prix in the Netherlands after the summer break.
The second half of the season was when the Dutchman found his form last season, and he’ll be aiming to close the gap on his rivals before then, starting in Austria. There’s lots to look forward to this weekend, with the return of one of the most exciting events on the Formula One calendar.
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