Österreichring
Encyclopedia
The Red Bull Ring is an Austria
n race circuit in Spielberg
, Styria
.
The race circuit was founded as Österreichring and hosted the Formula One
Austrian Grand Prix
for 18 consecutive years, from to . It was later shortened, rebuilt and renamed the A1-Ring, it hosted the Austrian Grand Prix again from to . When Formula One outgrew the circuit, a plan was drawn up to extend the layout. Parts of the circuit, including the pits and main grandstand, were demolished, but construction work was stopped and the circuit remained unusable for several years before it was purchased by Red Bull
's Dietrich Mateschitz
and rebuilt. Renamed the Red Bull Ring the track was reopened on 15 May 2011 and subsequently hosted a round of the 2011 DTM season
and a round of the 2011 F2 championship
.
The old Österreichring was more often referred to as being located at Zeltweg
, which is bigger and better known. However, the circuit was never relocated, only modified.
In addition, the one-off 1964 Austrian Grand Prix
was held at Zeltweg Airfield
, so this name was already known.
, a race that had to be restarted twice because of 2 progressively more serious accidents both caused by the narrow pit straight. Tragically, American
driver Mark Donohue
died after crashing at the Vost-Hugel Kurve in . In 1976, the Vost-Hugel Kurve was tightened and made into one right hander rather than 2 right-handers with a small section between, and in 1977 it was slowed down and became the Hella-Licht chicane, going from the fastest to the slowest corner on the track. It is also known that four-times World Champion Alain Prost
often said that all tracks can be changed but that the Österreichring should remain unchanged, just adding run-off areas would be fine, which eventually did happen up until the original track's final year in 1995. The track was known for having many crashes at the start of races (especially 6-foot-wide [6 feet (1.8 m)] Formula One cars at the Austrian Grand Prix) because the start finish was very narrow (about 30 feet wide [30 feet (9.1 m)], most start finish straights on other tracks were 60 to 80 feet wide [60 foot]) and it did not provide enough space for cars attempting to pass others, especially cars that stalled or broke at the start.
needed two restarts following crashes on the starting grid. As a result, the track was abandoned by Formula One for nearly a decade. In 1995 and 1996, it was totally rebuilt, at the same site, by Hermann Tilke
. Its length was shortened from 5.942 km (3.692 mi) to 4.326 km (2.688 mi), and the fast sweeping corners were replaced by three tight right-handers, in order to create overtaking opportunities. Its three long straights, as well as a twisty infield section, asked for a setup compromise.
As much of the construction work was paid for by the cellphone provider A1
, the track was renamed the A1-Ring. It proceeded to host seven Formula One Austrian Grands Prix between 1997 and 2003, as well as several DTM
races and Austrian motorcycle races in 1996 and 1997.
category.
In late 2004 and early 2005, there were intense discussions concerning whether the owner of the circuit, Red Bull
, would find another use for the site, or return motor sports to the venue. There was a circuit extension proposal using part of the old Österreichring. As of January 2005, return of motor sports seemed more unlikely than ever, as Dietrich Mateschitz
publicly announced that he had no intention of wasting money on a deficitary circuit. The failure of the project, which was of considerable importance to the surrounding municipalities, may even have serious political repercussions, as Styrian governor Waltraud Klasnic had strongly supported the project.
In 2006, Austrian racing driver Alexander Wurz
claimed he would buy the circuit and have it renovated, but the idea never came to fruition.
Throughout 2005, there was speculation of Red Bull Racing
renovating the track to use it as a test venue.
In 2007, talks involving Red Bull
, KTM
, VW and Magna International
for a neuer Österreichring failed, after VW pulled out.
In July 2008, DTM
chiefs decided not to include Österreichring on the 2009 Calendar - but plans for the revival of the track continued.
Late in 2008, Red Bull
began their €70m reconstruction of the track and DTM
chiefs considered a return to the circuit in 2009.
In October 2008, the track owner Dietrich Mateschitz
ruled out any chance of the track hosting a MotoGP or Formula One
Grand Prix in the future, and said it would only be used for DTM
events.
In September 2010, it was confirmed that the circuit would host a round of the 2011 DTM season
, now known as the Red Bull Ring.
In November 2010 F2 announced that Round 6 of the 2011 F2 championship
would take place at the Red Bull Ring.
The circuit was reopened at a special event over the weekend of May 15 & 16 2011, which included displays of various Red Bull sponsored teams including Red Bull Racing. The FIA Historic Formula One Championship
was invited to provide the headline race attraction with a race on each day for Formula One cars from the 3 litre period.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n race circuit in Spielberg
Spielberg, Austria
Spielberg is a city located in the Bezirk Knittelfeld in Styria, Austria.- General :The city of Spielberg, with a population of about 5,000 inhabitants, is located north of the Mur in the east of Aichfeld, between the cities of Zeltweg and Knittelfeld. The municipal area of Knittelfeld has grown...
, Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
.
The race circuit was founded as Österreichring and hosted the Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Austrian Grand Prix
Austrian Grand Prix
The Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race.The first event, in 1964, was held at a race track on the Zeltweg Airfield. The race was a success, but the track was deemed too dangerous; it was narrow and very bumpy, and spectators complained of poor viewing areas...
for 18 consecutive years, from to . It was later shortened, rebuilt and renamed the A1-Ring, it hosted the Austrian Grand Prix again from to . When Formula One outgrew the circuit, a plan was drawn up to extend the layout. Parts of the circuit, including the pits and main grandstand, were demolished, but construction work was stopped and the circuit remained unusable for several years before it was purchased by Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
's Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz is an Austrian businessman who co-founded the Red Bull energy drink company and holds 49 per cent of the company's shares.-Biography:...
and rebuilt. Renamed the Red Bull Ring the track was reopened on 15 May 2011 and subsequently hosted a round of the 2011 DTM season
2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
The 2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season is a multi-event motor racing series largely based in Germany for highly-modified touring car racing cars and is one of the most popular sedan car based motor racing series in the world. The series features professional motor racing teams and drivers is...
and a round of the 2011 F2 championship
2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season
The 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season was the third year of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The championship began on 17 April at Silverstone and finished on 30 October at the Circuit de Catalunya, after eight double-header rounds and all in support of International GT Open racing...
.
The old Österreichring was more often referred to as being located at Zeltweg
Zeltweg
Zeltweg is a town in Styria, Austria. It is located in the Aichfeld basin of the Mur River in Upper Styria. Larger municipalities in the vicinity are Judenburg, Knittelfeld and Fohnsdorf.-History:...
, which is bigger and better known. However, the circuit was never relocated, only modified.
In addition, the one-off 1964 Austrian Grand Prix
1964 Austrian Grand Prix
The 1964 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One World Championship race held at Zeltweg Airfield on August 23, 1964.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: Graham Hill - 1:09.84*Fastest Lap: Dan Gurney 1:10.56...
was held at Zeltweg Airfield
Zeltweg Airfield
Zeltweg Airfield, now known as Fliegerhorst Hinterstoisser, is a military airfield in Styria, Austria near Zeltweg. It is the main airfield of the Austrian Air Force.-Motorsports:...
, so this name was already known.
The original track
Originally built in 1969 to replace the bland and bumpy Zeltweg Airfield circuit, the Österreichring track was known for being very fast, as every corner was a fast sweeper and were taken in no lower than 3rd gear in a 5-speed gearbox and 4th in a 6-speed gearbox, as well as noticeable changes in elevation during the course of a lap. Like most fast circuits it was a hard circuit on engines but more difficult on tires, because of the speeds being so consistently. Many considered the Österreichring to be dangerous, especially the "Boschkurve", a 180-degree right-hand corner with almost no run-off area. Some of the track was just road with little to no protection at all, even up to the final Austrian Grand Prix there in 19871987 Austrian Grand Prix
The 1987 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Österreichring on August 16, 1987.- Classification :- Notes :*Martin Brundle was disqualified from 14th place for a bodywork infringement after he crashed his Zakspeed on the first start and used the spare.*Nelson Piquet's average speed...
, a race that had to be restarted twice because of 2 progressively more serious accidents both caused by the narrow pit straight. Tragically, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
driver Mark Donohue
Mark Donohue
Mark Neary Donohue, Jr. , nicknamed "Captain Nice", was an American racecar driver known for his ability to set up his own race car as well as driving it to victories. Donohue is probably best known as the driver of the 1500+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30 and as the winner of the 1972...
died after crashing at the Vost-Hugel Kurve in . In 1976, the Vost-Hugel Kurve was tightened and made into one right hander rather than 2 right-handers with a small section between, and in 1977 it was slowed down and became the Hella-Licht chicane, going from the fastest to the slowest corner on the track. It is also known that four-times World Champion Alain Prost
Alain Prost
Alain Marie Pascal Prost, OBE, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur is a French racing driver. A four-time Formula One Drivers' Champion, Prost has won more titles than any driver except for Juan Manuel Fangio , and Michael Schumacher . From 1987 until 2001 Prost held the record for most Grand Prix...
often said that all tracks can be changed but that the Österreichring should remain unchanged, just adding run-off areas would be fine, which eventually did happen up until the original track's final year in 1995. The track was known for having many crashes at the start of races (especially 6-foot-wide [6 feet (1.8 m)] Formula One cars at the Austrian Grand Prix) because the start finish was very narrow (about 30 feet wide [30 feet (9.1 m)], most start finish straights on other tracks were 60 to 80 feet wide [60 foot]) and it did not provide enough space for cars attempting to pass others, especially cars that stalled or broke at the start.
The A1-Ring
The Österreichring's safety concerns reached a head in 1987 when that year's race1987 Austrian Grand Prix
The 1987 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Österreichring on August 16, 1987.- Classification :- Notes :*Martin Brundle was disqualified from 14th place for a bodywork infringement after he crashed his Zakspeed on the first start and used the spare.*Nelson Piquet's average speed...
needed two restarts following crashes on the starting grid. As a result, the track was abandoned by Formula One for nearly a decade. In 1995 and 1996, it was totally rebuilt, at the same site, by Hermann Tilke
Hermann Tilke
Hermann Tilke is a German engineer and auto racer, who has designed numerous Formula One motor racing circuits.-Racing:...
. Its length was shortened from 5.942 km (3.692 mi) to 4.326 km (2.688 mi), and the fast sweeping corners were replaced by three tight right-handers, in order to create overtaking opportunities. Its three long straights, as well as a twisty infield section, asked for a setup compromise.
As much of the construction work was paid for by the cellphone provider A1
Mobilkom Austria
Mobilkom Austria is a major Austrian mobile network operator. It has been operating commercially since 1994 and in testing since 1992.One of the most well-known commercial brand is A1 in Austria.The Mobilkom Austria group also owns:...
, the track was renamed the A1-Ring. It proceeded to host seven Formula One Austrian Grands Prix between 1997 and 2003, as well as several DTM
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe....
races and Austrian motorcycle races in 1996 and 1997.
Redevelopment
The grandstands and pit buildings were demolished in 2004, rendering the track unusable for any motorsportMotorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
category.
In late 2004 and early 2005, there were intense discussions concerning whether the owner of the circuit, Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
, would find another use for the site, or return motor sports to the venue. There was a circuit extension proposal using part of the old Österreichring. As of January 2005, return of motor sports seemed more unlikely than ever, as Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz is an Austrian businessman who co-founded the Red Bull energy drink company and holds 49 per cent of the company's shares.-Biography:...
publicly announced that he had no intention of wasting money on a deficitary circuit. The failure of the project, which was of considerable importance to the surrounding municipalities, may even have serious political repercussions, as Styrian governor Waltraud Klasnic had strongly supported the project.
In 2006, Austrian racing driver Alexander Wurz
Alexander Wurz
Alexander Wurz is an Austrian racing driver. He competed in Formula One from until , and is also a two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours....
claimed he would buy the circuit and have it renovated, but the idea never came to fruition.
Throughout 2005, there was speculation of Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...
renovating the track to use it as a test venue.
In 2007, talks involving Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
, KTM
KTM
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen...
, VW and Magna International
Magna International
Magna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
for a neuer Österreichring failed, after VW pulled out.
In July 2008, DTM
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe....
chiefs decided not to include Österreichring on the 2009 Calendar - but plans for the revival of the track continued.
Late in 2008, Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
began their €70m reconstruction of the track and DTM
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe....
chiefs considered a return to the circuit in 2009.
In October 2008, the track owner Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz is an Austrian businessman who co-founded the Red Bull energy drink company and holds 49 per cent of the company's shares.-Biography:...
ruled out any chance of the track hosting a MotoGP or Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Grand Prix in the future, and said it would only be used for DTM
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe....
events.
In September 2010, it was confirmed that the circuit would host a round of the 2011 DTM season
2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season
The 2011 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season is a multi-event motor racing series largely based in Germany for highly-modified touring car racing cars and is one of the most popular sedan car based motor racing series in the world. The series features professional motor racing teams and drivers is...
, now known as the Red Bull Ring.
In November 2010 F2 announced that Round 6 of the 2011 F2 championship
2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season
The 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season was the third year of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The championship began on 17 April at Silverstone and finished on 30 October at the Circuit de Catalunya, after eight double-header rounds and all in support of International GT Open racing...
would take place at the Red Bull Ring.
The circuit was reopened at a special event over the weekend of May 15 & 16 2011, which included displays of various Red Bull sponsored teams including Red Bull Racing. The FIA Historic Formula One Championship
Historic Formula One Championship
The Historic Formula One Championship, previously known as the Thoroughbred Grand Prix Championship, is a championship for Formula One cars from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s which is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, motor sport's world governing body...
was invited to provide the headline race attraction with a race on each day for Formula One cars from the 3 litre period.
