Lewis Hamilton is starting to build momentum<\/p>\n
\u00a9 Mark Thompson\/Getty Images\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n
The last race, in Barcelona, was significant. Lewis Hamilton earned his first win for Ferrari and his first win for any team since the Belgian Grand Prix in 2024. In the process, the Brit became the fourth-oldest driver to win a Formula One race. <\/p>\n
He\u2019s started this season strongly too, and sits just 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the drivers standings going into the Austrian GP. Hamilton will be aiming to continue his strong form in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
However, just because Antonelli didn\u2019t finish the Spanish Grand Prix, it doesn\u2019t mean he\u2019s out of the running in Austria. He\u2019ll be hoping to pick up where he left off in Monaco, with his DNF being a result of reliability issues rather than a driver mistake. The Mercedes cars have been performing well across the board so far, and an Antonelli win will swing momentum back in the direction of his team.<\/p>\n
George Russell has been consistent this season too, sitting just a few points behind Hamilton after five top-four finishes so far. He won the Austrian Grand Prix just a couple of years ago, so he knows what needs to be done at one of the fastest tracks on the F1 calendar.<\/p>\n
02<\/p>\n
Why the Red\u00a0Bull Ring Is One of Formula 1’s Best Circuits The Red\u00a0Bull Ring is always a sea of colour<\/p>\n \u00a9 Lucas Pripfl\/Red\u00a0Bull Ring<\/p>\n The Austrian Grand Prix is one that\u2019s highly anticipated by fans every season. It\u2019s a short track, full of high-speed corners that make it a demanding circuit for both drivers and their cars. The middle section features a lot of long corners, through which the drivers don\u2019t brake, and they put high stress on the car\u2019s aerodynamics and tyres.<\/p>\n The track also features a lot of significant elevation changes, most notably heading into the iconic second corner. The long straights leading up to the tight corners provide ample opportunity for overtakes, which\u2019ll only be increased this year thanks to the impact the regulation changes have had on how easy it is to pass on-track. \u201cIt\u2019s a very interesting track, and all the corners are quite different, so it\u2019s really important to find a good balance in the car,\u201d Max Verstappen<\/a> has said to the media ahead of the weekend.<\/p>\n As for why fans love it so much, you can\u2019t look past the event\u2019s spectacular setting. The track is surrounded by stunning mountains, which ramps up the atmosphere. That atmosphere is further improved by the festival-style vibes of the Grand Prix weekend. Live music, partying and loud support punctuate the racing and are the highlight for many attendees.<\/p>\n While it’s unlikely to be this weekend, the weather is also often unpredictable in the event\u2019s Austrian location. The time of the year and the climate in the area mean rain is generally a possibility, and sometimes it arrives unexpectedly. This weekend, however, it’s going to be hot. A heatwave has been sweeping northern Europe all week, hitting record temperatures in many countries. That’s likely to continue into the weekend, with scorching heat levels for the Austrian GP expected.<\/p>\n 03<\/p>\n Max Verstappen\u2019s chances in Austria Max Verstappen holds the record for most wins here<\/p>\n \u00a9 Clive Rose\/Getty Images\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n While Hamilton will be looking to continue his form and Mercedes will want to reassert their advantage, Max Verstappen has a phenomenal record in Austria. He has a record number of wins, with four victories to his name in the last 10 years. Without a win there since 2023, however, this year is a great opportunity to return to the top step of the podium.<\/p>\n After a disappointing DNF in Monaco, Verstappen finished fourth in Barcelona, so Austria is a good chance to continue that vein of form. It\u2019s also a chance to impress the home fans once again. Speaking to SpeedWeek<\/a>, Verstappen said: \u201cAustria is, of course, a home Grand Prix for the team. The track has always suited me well in the past, and we have really good memories there.” <\/p>\n Red\u00a0Bull Racing are also bringing an upgrade package to Austria. Following improved performance in Miami and Canada, following the implementation of other upgrades, this weekend will be a great chance to kick on further.<\/p>\n 04<\/p>\n Austrian Grand Prix Schedule Max Verstappen will be hoping for a boost from his car’s update<\/p>\n \u00a9 Mark Thompson\/Getty Images\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n If you\u2019re planning to tune into this weekend\u2019s racing action, here are the start times for each of the sessions, in local time (CEST).<\/p>\n Practice 1 – Friday, June 26, 9:30pm AEST<\/p>\n Practice 2 – Saturday, June 27, 1:00am AEST<\/p>\n Practice 3 – Saturday, June 27, 8:30pm AEST<\/p>\n Qualifying – Sunday, June 28, 12:00am AEST<\/p>\n Race – Sunday, June 28, 11:00pm AEST<\/p>\n 05<\/p>\n Previous Austrian Grand Prix Winners Lando Norris won here last time out<\/p>\n \u00a9 J\u00f6rg Mitter\/Red\u00a0Bull Ring<\/p>\n The event has been a mainstay in the Formula 1 World Championship calendar since 1970. The last 10 winners of the event are:<\/p>\n 2025 – Lando Norris<\/p>\n 2024 – George Russell<\/p>\n 2023 – Max Verstappen<\/p>\n 2022 – Charles Leclerc<\/p>\n 2021 – Max Verstappen<\/p>\n 2020 – Valterri Bottas<\/p>\n 2019 – Max Verstappen<\/p>\n 2018 – Max Verstappen<\/p>\n 2017 – Valteri Bottas<\/p>\n 2016 – Lewis Hamilton<\/p>\n 06<\/p>\n How will the hot weather impact the racing? It’s already extremely hot down in the pit lane<\/p>\n \u00a9 Philip Platzer\/Red\u00a0Bull Ring <\/p>\n As mentioned, the weather forecast predicts it\u2019ll be a very hot weekend in Austria. Suggestions are it’ll be 32\u00b0C for Qualifying and the Race on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. While other events on the calendar are often hotter, it\u2019s unusual for the Austrian Grand Prix to hit such temperatures.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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