F1 Austrian Grand Prix preview: Previous winners, fastest lap, track layout, history and more

Nathan Evans

F1 Austrian Grand Prix preview: Previous winners, fastest lap, track layout, history and more image

One of the most scenic races on the current F1 calendar, the Austrian Grand Prix has been a long time feature in the sport.

First run all the way back in 1970 as an official Formula One event, this race has seen plenty of drama over the seasons and has seen the best of the best fight it out for victory. 

Now hosted at the Red Bull Ring, in 2023, Dutch star Max Verstappen will be hoping to claim even more success at this track for the Austrian constructors. 

From circuit stats to previous results, The Sporting News tells you everything you need to know about the Austrian Grand Prix and its illustrious history.

MORE: What is F1 Sprint? Schedule, Shootout changes, points system and how format works in 2023

Red Bull Ring circuit facts and layout

  • First Grand Prix hosted: 1970
  • Numbers of laps: 71
  • Circuit length: 4.318km
  • Total race distance: 306.452km
Red Bull Ring on July 04, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria.
Getty Images

MORE: 2023 season calendar, list of circuits, fastest ever lap times and more

Interesting facts about the Austrian Grand Prix

  • Niki Lauda is the only Austrian to have won his home race. He completed that feat in 1984, the year he took his third and final World Championship. 
     
  • The short track length at the Red Bull Ring often leads to tight qualifying sessions. As a result, six of the last 10 pole positions have been decided by less than a tenth of a second. 
      
  • The 1976 Austrian Grand Prix was the last F1 race which a female driver completed. The race marked Lella Lombardi’s 12th and final race appearance in the sport.
     
  • Despite being the quickest lap to complete on the current calendar, with the 2020 pole time just under 63 seconds, the Red Bull Ring is actually only the fourth shortest track on the schedule, after Monaco, Mexico and Brazil.

List of previous winners of the Austrian Grand Prix

Below is a full list of winners at the Austrian Grand Prix from when the race has been a regular part of the Formula One calendar. 

Year Winner Constructor of winner
1970 Jacky Ickx Ferrari
1971 Jo Siffert BRM
1972 Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus-Ford
1973 Ronnie Peterson Lotus-Ford
1974 Carlos Reutemann Brabham-Ford
1975 Vittorio Brambilla March-Ford
1976 John Watson Penske-Ford
1977 Alan Jones Shadow-Ford
1978 Ronnie Peterson Lotus-Ford
1979 Alan Jones Williams-Ford
1980 Jean-Pierre Jabouille Renault
1981 Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra
1982 Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford
1983 Alain Prost Renault
1984 Niki Lauda McLaren
1985 Alain Prost McLaren
1986 Alain Prost McLaren
1987 Nigel Mansell Williams
1997 Jacques Villeneuve Renault
1998 Mika Häkkinen McLaren
1999 Eddie Irvine Ferrari
2000 Mika Häkkinen McLaren
2001 David Coulthard McLaren
2002 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2003 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2014 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2015 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2016 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2017 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
2018 Max Verstappen Red Bull
2019 Max Verstappen Red Bull
2020 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
2021 Max Verstappen Red Bull
2022 Charles Leclerc Ferrari

Nathan Evans

Nathan Evans Photo

A Sports Journalism Masters graduate, Nathan Evans joined The Sporting News in 2022 after working at Opta/Stats Perform for six years. He's an avid fan of Bradford City, FC Köln and the Pittsburgh Penguins.