Austrian Grand Prix
A Formula One race staged in Austria since 1964 on several circuits — originally at Zeltweg, later the fast Österreichring/A1‑Ring, and today at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.
The Austrian Grand Prix is Austria's premier international motor race and a longstanding round of the Formula One World Championship. First contested in 1964 on a temporary layout at the Zeltweg Airfield, the event has moved between several venues and names over the decades. It has been shaped by evolving safety standards, commercial sponsorship, circuit redesigns and periods of absence from the world championship calendar. The race is today associated with the circuit in Spielberg commonly known as the Red Bull Ring.
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Circuits and characteristics
The inaugural event at the Zeltweg Airfield used a makeshift track on a former military airfield. That layout was narrow and bumpy, and drivers and spectators alike criticized its surface and sightlines. To provide better high-speed racing the Austrian round was moved in 1970 to the purpose-built Österreichring, a flowing, high-speed circuit notable for long sweeping corners and pronounced elevation changes. The Österreichring favored powerful cars and rewarded bravery and aerodynamic stability.
As safety expectations rose the original Österreichring was judged inadequate in the late 1980s. The layout was substantially reconfigured in the 1990s: straights were shortened and heavy braking zones introduced to reduce average speeds and improve runoff areas. Under commercial naming it became the A1‑Ring for a period and the venue shifted focus to more modern facilities around Spielberg. After another redevelopment and ownership changes the venue reopened in the 2010s and is commonly referred to today by its commercial name.
History and interruptions
The Austrian race has a stop–start history. After the airfield edition in 1964 the event was absent for several years until the Österreichring hosted it regularly from 1970 through the 1980s. The 1975 running was designated the European Grand Prix, an honorific title sometimes awarded to a single round in the season. Safety concerns and circuit standards led to the race being dropped in 1988; it returned after redesign in the late 1990s, only to leave the calendar again after 2003. A later revival in the 2010s restored the Austrian Grand Prix to the Formula One schedule.
Notable facts and legacy
- The event has been associated with several important eras of Formula One, from high-speed classic circuits to modern safety-focused layouts.
- Austrian motorsport has produced renowned drivers, and the Grand Prix served as the country's marquee racing occasion during its stints on the calendar.
- Changes in name — from Österreichring to A1‑Ring and later commercial titles — reflect broader trends of sponsorship and circuit ownership in contemporary motorsport.
Today the Austrian Grand Prix is valued for its scenic setting, spectator amenities, and a compact track that encourages close racing and clear overtaking opportunities. It remains an example of how historic racing locations can be adapted to meet modern safety regulations while preserving the character of a national motor sport showcase.
Results
| Circulation | Year | Route | Class | Winner | Second | Third | ||
| 01 | 1963 | Zeltweg | F1 | Australia | United States | Netherlands | United Kingdom | Australia |
| 02 | 1964 | Zeltweg | F1 | Italy | United States | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | United States |
| 1965 until 1969 | Held as a sports car race | |||||||
| 08 | 1970 | Spielberg | F1 | Belgium | Switzerland | Germany | Austria | Belgium |
| 09 | 1971 | Spielberg | F1 | Switzerland | Brazil 1968 | Australia | Switzerland | Switzerland |
| 10 | 1972 | Spielberg | F1 | Brazil 1968 | New Zealand | United States | Brazil 1968 | New Zealand |
| 11 | 1973 | Spielberg | F1 | Sweden | United Kingdom | Brazil 1968 | Brazil 1968 | Brazil 1968 |
| 12 | 1974 | Spielberg | F1 | Argentina | New Zealand | United Kingdom | Austria | Switzerland |
| 13 | 1975 | Spielberg | F1 | Italy | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Austria | Italy |
| 14 | 1976 | Spielberg | F1 | United Kingdom | France | Sweden | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 15 | 1977 | Spielberg | F1 | Australia | Austria | Germany Federal Republic | Austria | United Kingdom |
| 16 | 1978 | Spielberg | F1 | Sweden | France | Canada | Sweden | Sweden |
| 17 | 1979 | Spielberg | F1 | Australia | Canada | France | France | France |
| 18 | 1980 | Spielberg | F1 | France | Australia | Argentina | France | France |
| 19 | 1981 | Spielberg | F1 | France | France | Brazil 1968 | France | France |
| 20 | 1982 | Spielberg | F1 | Italy | Finland | France | Brazil 1968 | Brazil 1968 |
| 21 | 1983 | Spielberg | F1 | France | France | Brazil 1968 | France | France |
| 22 | 1984 | Spielberg | F1 | Austria | Brazil 1968 | Italy | Brazil 1968 | Austria |
| 23 | 1985 | Spielberg | F1 | France | Brazil 1968 | Italy | France | France |
| 24 | 1986 | Spielberg | F1 | France | Italy | Sweden | Italy | Austria |
| 25 | 1987 | Spielberg | F1 | United Kingdom | Brazil 1968 | Italy | Brazil 1968 | United Kingdom |
| 1988 until 1996 | no Austrian Grand Prix | |||||||
| 26 | 1997 | Spielberg | F1 | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | Canada | Canada |
| 27 | 1998 | Spielberg | F1 | Finland | United Kingdom | Germany | Italy | United Kingdom |
| 28 | 1999 | Spielberg | F1 | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | Finland | Finland | Finland |
| 29 | 2000 | Spielberg | F1 | Finland | United Kingdom | Brazil | Finland | United Kingdom |
| 30 | 2001 | Spielberg | F1 | United Kingdom | Germany | Brazil | Germany | United Kingdom |
| 31 | 2002 | Spielberg | F1 | Germany | Brazil | Colombia | Brazil | Germany |
| 32 | 2003 | Spielberg | F1 | Germany | Finland | Brazil | Germany | Germany |
| 2004 until 2013 | no Austrian Grand Prix | |||||||
| 33 | 2014 | Spielberg | F1 | Germany | United Kingdom | Finland | Brazil | Mexico |
| 34 | 2015 | Spielberg | F1 | Germany | United Kingdom | Brazil | United Kingdom | Germany |
| 35 | 2016 | Spielberg | F1 | United Kingdom | Netherlands | Finland | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| 36 | 2017 | Spielberg | F1 | Finland | Germany | Australia | Finland | United Kingdom |
| 37 | 2018 | Spielberg | F1 | Netherlands | Finland | Germany | Finland | Finland |
| 38 | 2019 | Spielberg | F1 | Netherlands | Monaco | Finland | Monaco | Netherlands |
| 39 | 2020 | Spielberg | F1 | Finland | Monaco | United Kingdom | Finland | United Kingdom |
| Legend | ||
| Abbreviation | Class | Comment |
| F1 | Formula 1 | Formula 1 World Championship from 1950 |
| F2 | ||
| FL | Formula libre | Vehicle class usually advertised by the organizer |
| SW | Sports car | |
| TW | Touring car | |
| GP | Grand Prix cars | |
| ↓ Solid gray lines indicate when a new course was taken in history. ↓ | ||
| Entries with a bright red background were not rounds of the automobile or Formula 1 World Championship. | ||
| Entries with yellow background were heats for the European Championship. | ||
Questions and answers
Q: What was the first Austrian Grand Prix held?
A: The first Austrian Grand Prix was held in 1964 at a race track on the Zeltweg Airfield.
Q: Why did the FIA remove the race from the F1 calendar?
A: The FIA removed the race from the F1 calendar because it deemed that the track was too dangerous, narrow and bumpy, and spectators complained of poor viewing areas.
Q: Where was it held from 1970 until 1987?
A: From 1970 until 1987, it was held at Österreichring near Zeltweg.
Q: When did it become known as European Grand Prix?
A: In 1975, it became known as European Grand Prix.
Q: Why did they drop the race for a decade in 1987?
A: In 1987, they dropped the race for a decade because FIA decided that circuit was too dangerous.
Q: What changes were made to bring up to modern standards in 1995 and 1996?
A: In 1995 and 1996, modifications were made to bring up to modern standards such as renaming of circuit after sponsor A1-Ring and relocating location of Grand Prix to Spielberg.
Q: When was final Austrian Grand Prix held?
A:The final Austrian Grand Prix was held in 2003 before returning to Formula One calendar in 2014.
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Author
AlegsaOnline.com Austrian Grand Prix Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/7541