Mercedes rising but is Ferrari on brink of erupting? What to expect at the Austrian GP
Mercedes rising but is Ferrari on brink of erupting? What to expect at the Austrian GP
F1's European season is well and truly underway with races now coming thick and fast.
The Austrian Grand Prix marks the end of a double-header with Britain and will have a lot to live up to after a dramatic and thrilling race at Silverstone last weekend.
Sprint returns as well to add some extra spice. With Max Verstappen remaining in command of the championship, can Ferrari continue its comeback with a second successive victory?
Here is what to expect at the Red Bull Ring.
Red Bull back on the charge
It is hard to believe Max Verstappen would not have won the British Grand Prix at a canter had it not been for a rogue piece of AlphaTauri bodywork at The Loop.
The fact of the matter is the reigning champion did an incredible job even to finish seventh given the lack of downforce on the RB18, prompting team principal Christian Horner to suggest the car looked like it had been savaged in a "shark attack".
Red Bull had won seven races in a row ahead of Carlos Sainz's triumph at Silverstone but the team has a chance to retake the initiative on home soil and the track that bears its name.
The Dutchman barged his way past Charles Leclerc here in 2019 to take victory and fans will be hoping for similar drama this weekend.
Verstappen dominated both the Austrian and Styrian Grands Prix last season and will enter the weekend as favourite. The question feels more like 'how big will the gap be' rather than 'will Verstappen win'.
Ferrari infighting around the corner?
Yet again in Silverstone, Ferrari shot itself in the foot with an inability to make the tough decision.
If the team had shown the same cut-throat edge on the pit wall as Mattia Binotto had shown when giving Leclerc the wagging finger within view shot of the world's broadcaster then maybe the outcome might have been different.
It wasn't the first time this season Leclerc has been seen with a face like thunder after a Ferrari failing - reliability or strategic - and the dismay within the team in seemingly favouring Sainz with the late-race tactics in Britain will lead to a lack of trust.
The two drivers are separated by only 11 points in the championship standings, and with Sainz finally finding confidence behind the wheel of the F1-75, there is every chance relationships could fracture under pressure.
Mercedes on the rise
Lewis Hamilton's third place on Sunday may not have been Mercedes' first podium of the season, but it felt the most significant so far.
The British driver was on pace with Ferrari throughout the race and was likely to have been in the fight for the lead by the end after creating a large tyre offset.
But the crucial point of the weekend was the fact the W13 was one of the best in coping with bouncing mid-corner through Silverstone's high-speed sweeps.
With smoother, more traditional race tracks taking us up and through the summer break in Europe, this could be the Silver Arrows' chance to join the victory fight.
Alonso at top form?
Has Fernando Alonso ever been in greater form?
These cars are a world apart from the agile, nimble and bump-compliant mid-2000s Renault R25 and R26 machines that the Spaniard steered to two championships.
Yet the oldest driver on the grid has been sublime in recent weeks, qualifying second at the Canadian Grand Prix before joining the podium battle a week ago.
It was suggested Alonso would make way for Oscar Piastri when the Australian F2 champion was ready for an F1 seat.
The problem Alpine finds itself in at the moment is that Alonso in his current guise is completely undroppable.
Sprint is back!
If you are not a fan of practice and you just want to see a meaningful session on each of the three days across the weekend, you are in luck!
The second sprint of the season takes place this weekend, meaning qualifying shifts to Friday, making way for a 100km sprint.
If that session can live up to the enthralling 10-lap battle we saw last weekend then we are in for a cracking spectacle.
The eight points for winning the sprint could also help with regard to the destination of the championships at the end of the season.
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 team announces 2026 title bid in BLOW to Red Bull
- 31 minutes ago
Brundle questions Ferrari Hamilton decision with Vettel comparison
- 2 hours ago
- 1
McLaren driver opens F1 'school' with stars among SHOCK first students
- 3 hours ago
F1 Chinese Grand Prix weather forecast - latest today from Shanghai
- 3 hours ago
F1 champion claims team may WRITE OFF Chinese GP sprint race
- Today 12:57
Verstappen SLAMS key F1 Chinese Grand Prix decision
- Today 11:57
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
-
GP JAPAN
5 - 7 Apr
Max Verstappen
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
- GP CANADA 7 - 9 Jun
Related news
Norris reveals CHEEKY Alonso text after Austrian Grand Prix chaos
Newey reveals Red Bull could not stop Verstappen from taking POINTLESS risk
Russell insists Hamilton is still STRUGGLING with W14
How Austria track limits SHAMBLES shows FIA's flaws
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860