Red Bull Ring
Austrian Grand Prix
Is the Austrian Grand Prix Good for Overtaking?
The Red Bull Ring is one of the easier places to pass, with its best chances back to back and 81 overtakes in 2025. Turn 3 at the top of the climb is the slowest corner on the circuit and the obvious place to outbrake someone, and a driver who can’t finish the move gets another go into Rauch at Turn 4.
George Russell’s pole lap, shown on the right, packs eight braking zones into 10 turns and bottoms out at 71km/h. In 2026 Max Verstappen went from fifth on the grid to second, just 1.611s behind Russell.
Red Bull Ring
Strategy Factors
2026 Austrian Grand Prix
What to Look Out for at the Austrian Grand Prix
Watch the start at the 2027 race on July 9-11. Pole is only 243m from the Turn 1 braking point, which leaves little room for a tow, and Russell led away cleanly from it in 2026.
The Virtual Safety Car is the number that stands out. Four of the last 10 races in Austria had one, on top of Safety Cars in half of them, and a green-flag stop costs about 20.02s. The 2026 race had two VSCs, the first on lap 24, just after the leaders’ first stops, when Carlos Sainz’s Williams stopped on the main straight.
F1 preview with the 20.02s pit loss, Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car rates over 10 races and 81 overtakes in 2025.
Race report covering Russell's start from pole, the lap 24 Virtual Safety Car and the two-stop pattern.
Official event page listing the 4.326km length, 71 laps, the 307.026km distance and Piastri's 1:07.924 lap record.
2026 Austrian Grand Prix Results and Pay
Select A Row To Explore Details
22 Drivers
| # | Details | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  George Russell Mercedes | Mercedes | $34m | $50m | $40m | 25 | |
George Russell Salary
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| 2 |  Max Verstappen Red Bull | Red Bull | $70m | $90m | $200m | 18 | |
Max Verstappen Salary
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| 3 |  Kimi AntonelliMercedes | Mercedes | $3.4m | $15.4m | $18m | 15 | |
Kimi Antonelli Salary
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| 4 |  Oscar Piastri McLaren | McLaren | $13m | $40.5m | $50m | 12 | |
Oscar Piastri Salary
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| 5 |  Lewis Hamilton Ferrari | Ferrari | $60m | $70m | $580m | 10 | |
Lewis Hamilton Salary
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| 6 |  Isack HadjarRed Bull | Red Bull | $7.5m | $9.5m | $1m | 8 | |
Isack Hadjar Salary
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| 7 |  Lando NorrisMcLaren | McLaren | $30m | $69.5m | $80m | 6 | |
Lando Norris Salary
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| 8 |  Charles LeclercFerrari | Ferrari | $34m | $46m | $70m | 4 | |
Charles Leclerc Salary
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| 9 |  Liam Lawson Racing Bulls | Racing Bulls | $1m | $2m | $2m | 2 | |
Liam Lawson Salary
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| 10 |  Arvid LindbladRacing Bulls | Racing Bulls | $500k-1m | $1m-1.5m | $1m | 1 | |
Arvid Lindblad Salary
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| 11 |  Gabriel Bortoleto Audi | Audi | $2m | $3m | $3m | 0 | |
Gabriel Bortoleto Salary
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| 12 |  Nico HülkenbergAudi | Audi | $7m | $9.9m | $10m | 0 | |
Nico Hülkenberg Salary
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| 13 |  Pierre Gasly Alpine | Alpine | $18.2m | $29.6m | $33m | 0 | |
Pierre Gasly Salary
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| 14 |  Oliver Bearman Haas | Haas | $1m | $1.5m | $1m | 0 | |
Oliver Bearman Salary
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| 15 |  Franco ColapintoAlpine | Alpine | $500k-1m | $1.5m-2m | $5m | 0 | |
Franco Colapinto Salary
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| 16 |  Esteban OconHaas | Haas | $7m | $9m | $21m | 0 | |
Esteban Ocon Salary
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| 17 |  Alex Albon Williams | Williams | $12m | $15m | $15m | 0 | |
Alex Albon Salary
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| 18 |  Fernando Alonso Aston Martin | Aston Martin | $20m | $22.5m | $260m | 0 | |
Fernando Alonso Salary
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| 19 |  Lance StrollAston Martin | Aston Martin | $12m | $13.5m | $50m | 0 | |
Lance Stroll Salary
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| 20 |  Carlos SainzWilliams | Williams | $13m | $16m | $50m | 0 | |
Carlos Sainz Salary
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| 21 |  Sergio Pérez Cadillac | Cadillac | $10m | $11.5m | $50m | 0 | |
Sergio Pérez Salary
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| 22 |  Valtteri BottasCadillac | Cadillac | $5m | $7m | $40m | 0 | |
Valtteri Bottas Salary
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Select A Row To Explore Details
11 Teams
| # | Details | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MercedesRussell, Antonelli | Russell, Antonelli | $6.4bn | $839m | $37.4m | 40 | |
Mercedes F1 Team Value
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| 2 | Red BullVerstappen, Hadjar | Verstappen, Hadjar | $4.9bn | $618m | $77.5m | 26 | |
Red Bull F1 Team Value
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| 3 | McLarenPiastri, Norris | Piastri, Norris | $5.2bn | $647m | $43m | 18 | |
McLaren F1 Team Value
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| 4 | FerrariHamilton, Leclerc | Hamilton, Leclerc | $7.1bn | $670m | $94m | 14 | |
Ferrari F1 Team Value
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| 5 | Racing BullsLawson, Lindblad | Lawson, Lindblad | $2.4bn | $318m | $1.5m-2m | 3 | |
Racing Bulls F1 Team Value
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| 6 | AudiBortoleto, Hülkenberg | Bortoleto, Hülkenberg | $2.6bn | $240m | $9m | 0 | |
Audi F1 Team Value
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| 7 | AlpineGasly, Colapinto | Gasly, Colapinto | $2.6bn | $316m | $18.7m-19.2m | 0 | |
Alpine F1 Team Value
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| 8 | HaasBearman, Ocon | Bearman, Ocon | $1.9bn | $150m | $8m | 0 | |
Haas F1 Team Value
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| 9 | WilliamsAlbon, Sainz | Albon, Sainz | $2.7bn | $323m | $25m | 0 | |
Williams F1 Team Value
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| 10 | Aston MartinAlonso, Stroll | Alonso, Stroll | $3.5bn | $353m | $32m | 0 | |
Aston Martin F1 Team Value
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| 11 | CadillacPérez, Bottas | Pérez, Bottas | $1.6bn | Not Yet Filed | $15m | 0 | |
Cadillac F1 Team Value
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Austrian Grand Prix Tire Strategy
Pirelli expected more one-stop races than in 2025 when it nominated the C3, C4 and C5, and it didn’t get them. All of the top 10 started on mediums. Eight of them stopped twice, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc stopped three times.
The hard carried the middle of the race for almost everyone. Kimi Antonelli ran the longest opening stint, 24 laps, and still finished third after a late second stop. Rough asphalt and thin air make the tires slide, so traction works the rears and downhill braking risks locking the fronts.
Compound and stint length for each top 10 finisher in the 2026 race, used for the strategy chart.
Red Bull Ring Sector by Sector and Corner by Corner
Speeds, gears and braking points below come from George Russell‘s 1:06.113 pole lap in 2026 qualifying. He spent 58% of the lap at full throttle and 11.0 seconds on the brakes across eight braking zones, and peaked at 329 km/h on the climb to Turn 3. The slowest point was 71 km/h at Turn 3 itself.
FastF1 timing data for George Russell's 1:06.113 pole lap, used for the speeds, gears, braking points and sector figures
Turn 1 as the toughest stop for the brakes in 2026, with its g-force and pedal load
Antonelli's lock-up at Turn 3 that took out Verstappen in 2025
Verstappen's passes on Antonelli and Leclerc at Turn 4 on lap two in 2026
The gravel traps on the exits of Turns 9 and 10
History of the Red Bull Ring
F1 has raced at Spielberg under three names, on a circuit that lost most of its fast sweepers in the 1990s and then sat unused for years after Red Bull bought it.
Covers the 1969 opening, the 1987 restarts, the Tilke rebuild, the 2004 demolition and the 2011 reopening.
Layout history from the Österreichring through the A1-Ring to the current Red Bull Ring.
Circuit page explaining the center-line remeasurement, the corner names and Sainz's 1:05.619 record from 2020.
How Much Does the Red Bull Ring Cost?
The Red Bull Ring pays an estimated $25m a year to host the Austrian Grand Prix, a figure that hasn't changed in media estimates since 2022. The promoter is Projekt Spielberg, owned by Red Bull, and no state hosting subsidy has been reported. We found no reliable figure for what Red Bull spent rebuilding the circuit before it reopened in 2011. The current deal runs to 2041.
How Much Did the Red Bull Ring Cost to Build?
We found no reliable figure for the rebuild cost. Dietrich Mateschitz's company took over the old A1-Ring after its last Grand Prix in 2003, and a bigger "Spielberg neu" motorsport center planned with Magna and KTM, budgeted at €100m-150m ($114m-171m), was abandoned in 2008 after environmental conditions made it uneconomic, ORF reported. A scaled-back rebuild got its construction permit on October 20, 2008 and reopened as the Red Bull Ring on May 15, 2011. We found no figures for the original 1969 Österreichring or the 1996 rebuild as the A1-Ring either.
How Much Is the Austrian Grand Prix Hosting Fee?
Neither F1 nor the Red Bull Ring has published it. RacingNews365 in 2022 and 2023 and Speedcafe in 2024 all estimated $25m a year, and no escalator has been published. The race is promoted by Projekt Spielberg, the Red Bull-owned company that owns and runs the circuit, so the fee is privately funded, and no state hosting subsidy has been reported. The previous deal ran to 2030, and an extension announced at the June 2025 race takes it to 2041.
The $25m fee estimate for Austria in 2022
The $25m fee estimate for Austria in 2023
The $25m fee estimate in 2024 and the earlier deal to 2030
The $25m fee and the earlier contract end date of 2030
The extension to 2041 announced in June 2025 and Projekt Spielberg as promoter
The €100m-150m plan with Magna and KTM abandoned in 2008
The 2008 construction permit, the 2011 reopening and the circuit's earlier history
How Much Are Austrian Grand Prix Tickets?
Three days of general admission on the hillside cost €170 ($194) for the 2027 race, and reserved seats start at €290 ($331) in the Red Bull J to N sections at the opening corners. The Start-Ziel Main grandstand facing the pits tops the regular range at €750 ($855), and hospitality starts at €2,790 ($3,181) for the Champions Club, a 2026 price. On 2027 prices, Austria is the 6th cheapest of the 23 races in our ticket price table, level on price with Hungary.
Red Bull Ring and Austrian Grand Prix Questions
F1’s official listing gives the Red Bull Ring race lap record to Oscar Piastri, 1:07.924 in 2025, while the circuit’s own page still credits Carlos Sainz with 1:05.619 from 2020. The split lines up with the FIA’s 2024 move to center-line measurement, which changed the official length. This page follows F1’s listing.
The Red Bull Ring’s official length is 4.326km because the FIA now measures along the center line of the track rather than the ideal racing line, so older listings show a different figure. Race distance differs by source too, with F1 quoting 307.026km for 71 laps and the circuit quoting 306.58km.
Red Bull Ring gradients reach 12% uphill and 9.3% downhill, according to the circuit, with 65m between its lowest and highest points against F1’s figure of 63m. The big climb comes on the run up to Turn 3, and drivers then brake downhill for Rauch at Turn 4.
Two Red Bull Ring corners carry drivers’ names. Turn 1 was renamed for Niki Lauda in 2019, and the fast, almost blind Turn 9 is the Jochen Rindt corner. The rest take sponsor or place names, with Interwetten at Turn 3, Rauch at Turn 4 and Graz at Turn 7.
The Austrian Grand Prix pays an estimated $25m a year to host F1, the same figure RacingNews365 and Speedcafe have given since 2022, although neither F1 nor the circuit has confirmed it. Red Bull’s Projekt Spielberg pays it privately, and the current deal runs until 2041.
We found no reliable figure for what Red Bull spent rebuilding the Red Bull Ring, which reopened in 2011. The only figure we could verify is for a larger plan with Magna and KTM, budgeted at €100m-150m ($114m-171m), that was abandoned in 2008 before a scaled-back rebuild went ahead.