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 BROUGHT TO THE SPANISH GRAND PRIX
Ferrari:
Ferrari introduced a redesigned front wing to comply with the FIA's stricter flexi-wing regulations.
They changed the sides of the front wing (called endplates) and adjusted how air pushes on the wing (load distribution) to get good performance, still while staying within the rules.
Close-up of New Front Wing
This image shows the new Ferrari front wing in detail.
The green arrow highlights the larger space between the flaps, showing a change in how the wing layers are shaped to control airflow more smoothly.
The orange and blue arrows point to stiffer support mounts and new attachment points. These are designed to prevent the wing from bending under pressure, following the new FIA rule against flexible wings.
Old vs New Front Wing Design
The second and third images compare Ferrari’s old (second image) and new (third image) front wing designs:
In the old version, the wing elements were more spaced out and had more freedom to twist under pressure, helping with speed, but are now banned.
In the new version, the wing elements are more locked down (green arrows). Ferrari added extra connectors and slightly reshaped the flaps to make the wing stiffer and legal.
Mercedes:
Mercedes reverted to their previous rear suspension setup after encountering issues with a new design introduced at Imola.
They still kept their new front wing and updated parts that cover the front suspension, which help with airflow and car balance.
Mercedes Floor: Old vs New
This image compares the old and new versions of the floor (bottom side) of the Mercedes car.
In the old floor (top), the design has deeper grooves and more aggressive shaping near the back. This helped control airflow, but it might have made the car harder to drive or less predictable.
The new floor (bottom) is cleaner and smoother, with fewer extreme shapes. This helps give the car consistent airflow, improving stability and grip, especially helpful when drivers struggle with the handling.
Rear Suspension
This close-up shows the back of the car, where the rear suspension arms are located (highlighted in red boxes).
These are the parts that hold the back wheels in place and affect how the car absorbs bumps and stays stable in corners.
Mercedes tried a new rear suspension design that changed how the car handled, but it didn’t work as expected. So at the Spanish GP, they returned to their older setup, which gave drivers more confidence.
Aston Martin:
Aston Martin implemented new floor and bodywork designs aimed at increasing downforce and consistency.
These enhancements contributed to improved performance during the race weekend, contributing to Fernando Alonso getting his first point score of the season at his home Grand Prix.
Unfortunately, there is no photo of the floor of the car because that is only viewed after a crash happens, and someone has to take a photo of the underside of the car.
TIRE COMPOUNDS AND RACE STAGEY
For this weekend, Pirelli opted to use the C4 for hard, the C5 for medium, and the new C6 tire for soft. How will this play out, though? For qualifying, most teams will use the C6 soft compound tire, but it will not be a surprise if some teams opt to try the C5 medium, which was used in Imola and a little in Monaco when these tires were in play.
A one-stop strategy may be viable in Canada, but do not expect teams to go for it. With Pirelli bringing out the softest tire compound they could bring (C4-C6), and the track having a combination of long straights and hard braking corners, the tires have a degradation. Teams are going to have to be flexible with their strategy this weekend because of the high chance of a safety car at this street circuit and the fact that the race is taking place in June. A time of the year when the weather is erratic.
