2025 Austrian Grand Prix Foresight
TRACK OVERVIEW AND HISTORY
The Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring is a beloved fixture of the Formula 1 World Championship, with its origins dating back to 1970. Initially held at the high-speed Österreichring in the Styrian hills, the race became known for its scenic backdrop and fast, flowing layout. However, safety concerns led to the track's removal from the calendar after 1987. A redesigned and shorter version of the track, renamed the A1-Ring, brought F1 back to Austria in 1997 before it was again dropped after 2003. In 2014, the circuit was revived and rebranded as the Red Bull Ring following major renovations by Red Bull.
As of 2025, the Austrian Grand Prix continues to be a key part of the F1 calendar, with the next race set for June 29 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The circuit spans 4.318 km and features 10 corners, with long straights and heavy braking zones that encourage close racing and overtaking. In recent years, the track has delivered thrilling moments, including multiple double-header events during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic seasons. With its elevation changes, passionate local fans, and stunning Alpine scenery, the Austrian Grand Prix remains a favorite among drivers and spectators alike.
On board of red bull ring
Official Canadian Grand Prix Track Layout
McLaren faces internal reflection after a dramatic crash between teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Canadian Grand Prix. On Lap 66, Norris collided with the rear of Piastri's car while attempting a late overtake for fourth place. The contact sent Norris into the wall and out of the race, while Piastri recovered to finish just off the podium. Norris immediately took full responsibility, calling the move “stupid” and admitting over team radio that the crash was entirely his fault. Team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged the seriousness of the incident but stated McLaren would continue allowing both drivers to race, emphasizing the importance of learning from the mistake.
McLaren
The crash came as little surprise to some, including Norris himself, who previously hinted that a collision between the two was “bound to happen” given how hard they both race. Despite the tension, Stella praised Norris for his accountability and confirmed that the team would hold honest discussions to prevent future incidents. McLaren has ruled out introducing strict team orders, maintaining trust in their drivers’ judgment. With the Austrian Grand Prix approaching, the team remains focused on maximizing their strong pace while avoiding internal conflict that could jeopardize their championship hopes.
UPGRADES AT THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
Red Bull
Debuted its final significant aero package for 2025, featuring updates to the floor, sidepods, and front wing aimed at trimming ~0.3 s off lap time to close the gap to McLaren
Helmut Marko described this as a “last real push” before shifting focus to 2026 development—and plans to refine these upgrades again at Silverstone
Ferrari
Debuted a substantial new underfloor design and suspension tweaks (floor and suspension “shake‑up”), targeting stability, tyre management, and better behaviour in medium-speed sections.
Team boss Frédéric Vasseur emphasized that execution would be key, and hinted there could be another upgrade at Silverstone at the latest.
McLaren and Mercedes
No major upgrades expected from Mercedes or McLaren at Spielberg—both have recent momentum and are entering with existing packages. Mercedes confirmed Austria will be a key test of their recent updates.
McLaren continues to benefit from a strong development curve and remains a benchmark this weekend .
TIRE COMPOUNDS AND RACE STAGEY
For this weekend, Pirelli opted to use the C3 for hard, the C4 for medium, and the new C5 tire for soft. How will this play out, though? For qualifying, all teams will use the C5 soft compound tire, and no one will use the C4 medium tire because of the difference in time per lap which will be almost a whole second.
A one-stop strategy may be viable in Austria, but do not expect teams to go for it. With Pirelli bringing out the (C3-C5), and the track having a combination of long straights and hard braking corners, the tires have a degradation. So they will go with a two stopper. The chance of a safety car is not a high as other tracks do to the track width but that does mean that there will be a lot of overtaking this week. The three back to back to back DRS zones will encourage a lot of overtakes as well