Grand Prix of Austria

[lkjohnson1950]

The Red Bull Ring was previously known as the Φsterreichring when the race was held from 1970 to 1987. Jo Siffert took one of BRM's last victories here. Vittorio Brambilla won in a March. Alan Jones got his first win here in a Shadow. John Watson took Penske's only F1 win here. Elio DeAngelis won his first race in a Lotus. JP Jabouille got one of Renault's early wins here. Jacques LaFitte won in a Ligier-Matra. There was a 10 year break before the F1 circus returned in 1997 to the now A-1 Ring. More familiar names appeared: Hakkinen, Villenueve, Coultard and of course Schumacher. Despite a chicane at turn 1 being added after Mark Donohue was killed there, the circuit was always fast and always rewarded power. The altitude favored the turbos when they appeared. Another 9 year break began in 2004 and the circuit fell into disrepair. Dieter Mateschitz of Red Bull decided he wanted a race in his home country so he bought the track and completely rebuilt it. It is still a very fast track that rewards power so Merc should be right at the front.

Abit of trivia, the John Wyer team was invited to observe the Porsche 917 testing here in anticipation of running the car for Porsche in 1970. John Horsman of Wyer saw that while the front of the rear fenders was streaked with oil and grime, the back was clean. He talked Porsche into removing the original long tail and using sheet metal and tubing they fashioned a crude Kamm tail simply continuing the rise of the fender. The car was transformed and the 917K that we know today was born.

[cosworth151]

As the video shows, not a happy place for the Rosberg family.

Here are a few numbers:

29 -- The number of official Austrian Grands Prix
3 -- Wins for Alain Prost in Austria
6 -- McLaren victories -- the most of any constructor in Austria
71 -- Number of laps in the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix
2.7 miles -- Length of the Red Bull Ring
1:08.337 -- Fastest lap: Michael Schumacher (2003)
208.3 feet -- Elevation change

I think that this circuit has the fewest corners of any on the 2017 calendar.

[Scott]

[Scott]

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/features/2017/7/f1-austria-gp-need-to-know.html

[cosworth151]

Cold tires are causing problems in FP2. That shouldn't be an issue for the race. I just did a check of Weather Underground for Spielberg:

Disruption due to extreme high temperatures from 11PM CEST SAT until 10:59PM CEST SUN

Alonso damaged the floor of his car. He's done for the day.

[lkjohnson1950]

Times from final practice:

Sebastian Vettel – 1’05.092
 Lewis Hamilton – 1’05.361
 Valtteri Bottas – 1’05.515
 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’05.611
 Max Verstappen – 1’05.784
 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’05.896
 Kevin Magnussen – 1’05.936
 Romain Grosjean – 1’06.015
 Daniil Kvyat – 1’06.279
 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’06.284
 Esteban Ocon – 1’06.374
 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’06.563
 Stoffel Vandoorne – 1’06.578
 Jolyon Palmer – 1’06.595
 Fernando Alonso – 1’06.599
 Lance Stroll – 1’06.776
 Felipe Massa – 1’06.865
 Sergio Perez – 1’06.875
 Marcus Ericsson – 1’07.378
+2.376 Pascal Wehrlein – 1’07.468

Hamilton had his left front brake lock and aborted his last run. Max set his time on his last lap complaining of understeer. Sainz' TR died between 3 and 4 right after the session started and had to be hauled back to the pits. He did an excellent job getting so close to Kvyet in about a third the laps. (He sat out P1). Alonso reverted to the old engine but still ran in the Top Ten most of P3. KMag was also quick throughout and Grosjean caught him by the end of the session. FIF1 and Williams were disappointing considering their Merc engines. Slo-mo of Massa mid turn showed the rear sliding badly enough to put out puffs of tire smoke from the rear tires. The Saubers were simply off the pace. I hope they have enough money next year for 2018 spec engines. I'd still think Hammy for pole if they get his car sorted; he has an uncanny knack for pulling .2 out of thin air. (Still don't care for him though.)

Max complained after P2 that the curbs were not F1 quality. I like 'em. Some one should tell him the idea is to stay on the actual track and off the curbs. I would like to see the curbs higher at every track. The drivers might break a few cars at first, but they would learn to alter their lines and stay on the track just like they stay off the walls on street courses (well mostly). Seems like they spend half their time running over the curbs here. 

[Scott]

Max complained after P2 that the curbs were not F1 quality. I like 'em. Some one should tell him the idea is to stay on the actual track and off the curbs. I would like to see the curbs higher at every track. The drivers might break a few cars at first, but they would learn to alter their lines and stay on the track just like they stay off the walls on street courses (well mostly). Seems like they spend half their time running over the curbs here. 

It's of course too bad if a car is broken by a curb, but really wish they were big enough to shake their teeth when hit.  Max is really taking things too far whining about track design now.  I saw a speculative story about how he may go to Ferrari next year, and then another one about how Father and son have asked to be let out of his contract at the end of 2018 to go to Ferrari.  Not sure what the deal actually is, but I would be happy to have him spanked by Vettel after he was spanked for a couple seasons by Ricciardo. 

Come on MV, show us what you got more often than the odd highlight reel.

[cosworth151]

The curbs actually broke the legality plank on a Sauber Friday. That's getting dangerous. The least protected part of the cockpit is down there.

[lkjohnson1950]

It wasn't the the tall yellow curbs that everyone is complaining about, that did the damage. Sainz went waaay off track at turn 9, drove out of the run-off area and tried to get back on track through the grass. Unfortunately the grass was several inches lower than the edge of the track and he hit the edge of the floor/plank on the edge of the track. It knocked the car about a foot sideways.

[Dare]

If Bottas can get the league will he back the field up to
let Lewis catch up. I think he knows his role for the rest
of the year.

[Scott]

He might want to have some quick contract negotiations before the race starts...what is his motivation to help Lewis when Merc says they won't begin contract talks until post season? 

If I were Bottas, I would take the opportunity while driving the Merc to audition for his next race seat since Merc clearly isn't taking him seriously enough to lock him in.  And that WON'T mean helping out Lewis.

[jimclark]

what is his motivation to help Lewis when Merc says they won't begin contract talks until post season?

Let's see.... Maybe to show he's a team player? Perhaps?

[Scott]

And what's that gotten anyone but a second seat?  Be a team player in a team that won't commit to you....na, I don't think so.