2016 Formula 1 Großer Preis von Österreich

[SVT Cobra GT]

After the first and rather boring race in Baku we head back to the proper European races. This time we head up to the mountains of Austria and the talking point for everyone in the paddock is radio communications. Have the new rules done what they should have done? Or have they taken away some of the show for the fans? No doubt it'll be debated by everyone this weekend. Get ready for the Austrian Grand Prix.

RED BULL RING

FIRST GRAND PRIX
1964

NUMBER
OF LAPS
71

CIRCUIT LENGTH
4.326KM (2.684 Miles)

RACE DISTANCE
307.146KM (190.564 Miles)

LAP
RECORD
1:08.337 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2003

TYRE ALLOCATIONS
Ultra-Soft, Super-Soft & Soft

2015 RESULT

1 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

3 Felipe Massa (Williams-Mercedes)

2015 Fastest lap - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:11.235 (lap 35)

SKY SPORTS CLASSIC RACE SCHEDULE
TUESDAY - Monaco 2011
WEDNESDAY - Austria 1982
THURSDAY - Austria 1999
SUNDAY - Italy 2008​

 

[Samus]

Do we really need the official names of races in the titles?

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Do we really need the official names of races in the titles?

Last year I got b***cked for not putting the German name for the Austrian race.

 

[Dennisch]

The 2016 gross price of Austria.

 

[PeterJB]

Their price is grosser than Germany's.

 

[Jimlaad43]

With the track having been resurfaced and bumps being removed, plus an improvement in the cars generally, we could see laptimes in the 1:04s here.

 

[GTPorsche]

They're not quite that fast. I'd expect them to be closer to the lap record, but not beating it.

 

[mustafur]

With track resurfacing I highly doubt a 2003 lap record would stand.

 

[GTPorsche]

They were 3 seconds off the fastest lap last year. Even with track resurfacing, that's a lot of time to make up on such a short track.

 

[mustafur]

Yes, but at a lot of tracks we have seen the cars over 2 seconds faster without resurfacing.

 

[Jimlaad43]

They were 3 seconds off the fastest lap last year. Even with track resurfacing, that's a lot of time to make up on such a short track.

Pole last year was a 1:08.455, which is only half a second slower than the outright record of 1:07.908. With bumps removed, more grippy tarmac, softer tyres and a whole year of development, that time should be shattered.
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/analysis-f1-teams-expect-record-lap-times-at-red-bull-ring-791855/

 

[GTPorsche]

Pole last year was a 1:08.455, which is only half a second slower than the outright record of 1:07.908. With bumps removed, more grippy tarmac, softer tyres and a whole year of development, that time should be shattered.
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/analysis-f1-teams-expect-record-lap-times-at-red-bull-ring-791855/

So, you're comparing a race lap record to qualifying laps then.

Ok...

 

[mustafur]

Given that this race will be a 1 stopper the fastest race lap will be harder to beat.

But the fastest lap ever recorded at this track should be destroyed in qualifying.

 

[Jimlaad43]

So, you're comparing a race lap record to qualifying laps then.

Ok...

I'm comparing a qualifying lap from last year with a time set in a Practice session before fuel loads were put in for qualifying.

 

[DK]

IIRC Interlagos's resurfacing slashed 2-3s off laptimes last year.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Hate that track for F1 lol. I like it for touring car or gt racing but definitely not for stuff as fast as F1.

 

[LumpiestFish]

Does anyone know when the reconfiguration should be finished? I'd assume that F1 will use that layout once its finished

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I'd assume that F1 will use that layout once its finished

What few photos I have seen show practically no run-off in the chicane. There's no way that it would pass a Grade-1 inspection.

 

[Samus]

Plus from what they were talking there didn't seem to be any plans to run top-line series on it, just local races and the like.

 

[Eva]

What few photos I have seen show practically no run-off in the chicane. There's no way that it would pass a Grade-1 inspection.

In all fairness, Baku did get a Grade 1 so it isn't uncharted territory.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

In all fairness, Baku did get a Grade 1 so it isn't uncharted territory.

It is when there is a tight chicane with no run-off at the end of a long straight.

 

[Samus]

I imagine we'll get a good look at the new parts this weekend with the heli shots but yeah, no F1 car is going anywhere near this:

I can't even see how anything would be from the main straight, the speed in even a modest road car would be very high the time they got there. Perhaps they're just planning for it to be a seperate loop, not even using the main straight but instead turning onto the second straight.

 

[Samus]

Not directly related to the race and apologies of the double post but:


Grid Penalties are on the horizon for HAM and VET definitely has one for this race:

 

[RazorSharkz]

Looks good for Rosberg. He's been getting very lucky all season.

 

[Dennisch]

Looks good for Rosberg. He's been getting very lucky all season.

Good. He should me champion.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Grid Penalties are on the horizon for HAM

And he's got that third reprimand hanging over his head, which means an automatic ten-place penalty. I wonder if he will commit minor infractions - like consistently speeding in the pit lane - to take the penalty at the same time as an engine change. Sure, it means a twenty-place penalty, but one penalty is better than two in as many races. Mercedes will almost certainly change his engine if he gets another reprimand, so I don't see why the opposite cannot be done.

 

[LumpiestFish]

I had a real weird dream last night that I was at a big house party, but instead of being out and partying with everyone, I was in a bedroom watching Formula 1 race on the Nordschleife. MotoGP were there too racing on the same 'weekend' during the dream too so it was real crazy. Rosberg was leading, Ricciardo second, Verstappen third until a big crash occurred not far after the start of the Nordschleife that took out the two Mclarens and couple of others. It was a really enjoyable dream haha, Formula 1 should go back to the Nordschleife haha.

 

[mustafur]

Track record is going to be destroyed, going by what's happening the the first 20 mins in FP1 it will happen before FP1 finishes.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

"It's impossible to walk angrily in a lederhosen firesuit" is not a sentence that I thought I would be hearing when I woke up this morning.

 

[NW48]

"It's impossible to walk angrily in a lederhosen firesuit" is not a sentence that I thought I would be hearing when I woke up this morning.

Neither.

But how hideous are those suits! I'd hate to be Ricciardo or Verstappen walking back to the paddock if my car stopped. Talk about a walk of shame...


EDIT- Holy hell it's pouring down now. Now that's a deluge.