Formula 1 heads to the Red Bull Ring, Red Bull`s home circuit, this weekend for the Austrian Grand Prix. This race follows a dramatic conclusion to the previous event in Canada. The competition at the front of the field is intensifying as the series reaches round 11 of the 2024 season.
Potential for More Piastri vs Norris Drama?
Lando Norris quickly took responsibility for the collision with his teammate Oscar Piastri late in the Canadian Grand Prix, which helped diffuse any potential tension between the two McLaren drivers. While McLaren management like Andrea Stella and Zak Brown prepare for such situations, they ultimately have no control once the drivers are on track and competing for position.
Norris commented, “What happened, happened, and I regretted it immediately and apologized. Unfortunately, that`s racing. I accept the consequences and need to move forward. I have to focus on the next race, figure out how to improve, and avoid making those kinds of errors. There are many positives, and I`ll build on them. Once I find a good rhythm, I`m confident things will improve.”
The Red Bull Ring circuit has historically seen plenty of action, featuring three consecutive DRS zones and significant braking zones, particularly uphill into Turn 3 and downhill towards Turn 4. Teammates have also found themselves in close battles here. Notable examples include Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton`s contact on the final lap of the 2016 Austrian GP, or Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez`s aggressive driving in the 2023 Austrian Sprint race. Given the similar pace of the McLaren drivers, it`s possible they will be competing directly against each other again, only two weeks after their incident in Canada.
According to Jacques Villeneuve, “Now Norris knows what Piastri is likely to do in races, so he won`t be surprised anymore. Norris has typically been faster in race conditions. His main challenge is qualifying, which has been inconsistent, but he still has a speed advantage. Being behind in the championship points makes him more of an underdog, which might benefit him.”
Norris, currently 22 points behind Piastri in the championship standings, has yet to secure consecutive victories in a single season, despite having had chances over the past year.
He achieved his first F1 podium finish in Austria five years ago. With the British Grand Prix following just a week later (July 4-6), the 24-year-old will have the support of his home crowd. These two potentially favorable tracks offer Norris an opportunity to build momentum.
Jenson Button commented, “This weekend is a test of Lando`s mental state and whether he can bounce back strongly. I believe he is confident in his skills and is fully committed, so I`m looking forward to seeing him progress.”
Verstappen`s Penalty Points Concern and His Opportunity Against McLaren
Max Verstappen expressed frustration regarding questions about his potential race ban. This threat will decrease after the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. Verstappen currently has 11 penalty points on his super licence; accumulating 12 points results in a one-race suspension. While he avoided penalties in Canada, he must navigate the Austria race without incident, as two points from his tally are due to expire shortly after the event, based on the rolling 12-month period rule.
Verstappen`s Penalty Point History
- June 30, 2023: 2 points for causing a collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian GP.
- October 27, 2023: 2 points for forcing Lando Norris off track at the Mexico City GP.
- November 2, 2023: 1 point for speeding under Virtual Safety Car during the Sao Paulo Sprint.
- November 30, 2023: 1 point for driving excessively slowly and impeding George Russell during Qatar GP qualifying.
- December 8, 2023: 2 points for causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi GP.
- June 1, 2024: 3 points for causing a collision with George Russell at the Spanish GP.
Verstappen holds the record for most wins (five) at the Red Bull Ring. He likely would have won last year`s race had it not been for a slow final pit stop, which led to an intense battle with Norris that resulted in contact. Arguably, the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix was the last event where Red Bull`s car was dominant throughout the entire weekend, as Verstappen secured Sprint pole, the Sprint win, and main race pole position.
Although he has claimed wins and pole positions since then, including earlier this year at Suzuka and Imola, Red Bull has often needed significant performance improvements between Friday practice and Saturday qualifying/race.
The characteristics of the short Austrian circuit, with only seven braking zones, seem to suit Red Bull`s car design across different technical eras, though team principal Christian Horner has tempered expectations for this weekend.
Horner commented, “Our current weakness is likely in medium-speed corners. The middle sector here has some of those, so we`ll see. If temperatures are high, I`d expect McLaren to be strong again.”
Verstappen reduced the points gap to championship leader Piastri to 43 points by finishing second behind race winner George Russell in Canada.
Although the season hasn`t reached its midpoint, a deficit of over 40 points is difficult to overcome. However, Martin Brundle believes Verstappen is “absolutely not out of the title fight.”
Brundle explained, “If he finishes second or third, being beaten by George one weekend, Oscar the next, and Lando after that, it almost doesn`t matter in the long run. He will still claim significant victories, as we`ve seen twice already, and consistently secure podium finishes. If his competitors keep taking wins from each other, he remains firmly in contention.”
Can Russell Maintain Momentum After Canada Win?
George Russell`s win in Montreal marked Mercedes` first victory of the season and appeared convincing, but the question remains whether this performance was unique to that specific track.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve`s chicanes and kerbs seemed to suit the Mercedes W15. Although the car was expected to struggle in warm weather, Russell managed to keep Verstappen behind even on a hot, sunny race day, while Kimi Antonelli also achieved a maiden podium.
Mercedes introduced their new rear suspension in Canada, having opted not to use it in the preceding Monaco and Spain races due to performance uncertainties following its initial run in Imola.
Toto Wolff noted that correlating wind tunnel data with real-world pace has been “difficult” for Mercedes, but expressed hope that the new upgrade has resolved their rear tire overheating problems.
Wolff stated, “Performance fluctuations are still present. Last year, we weren`t competitive at some tracks, but then dominated others. Austria will be different – a different layout with unique challenges. All our focus is now on Spielberg.”
Russell has won the Austrian Grand Prix previously, benefiting from late race incidents. However, in past races here, Mercedes has sometimes lacked outright pace, with Russell finishing significantly behind the leaders.
Forecasts for Spielberg predict hot weather, with temperatures around 30°C throughout the weekend. The circuit`s faster corners will provide a genuine test for the Mercedes car`s performance.
Wolff concluded, “While we`ve made good progress recently, we can`t expect this level of performance at every circuit. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with fewer high-speed corners and tarmac that`s easier on tires, suited the W15. The team performed well and capitalized on this. However, we anticipate our competitors will be significantly stronger in Austria this weekend.”
Ferrari`s Planned Upgrades for Austria
Despite Charles Leclerc briefly leading the Canadian GP during the pit stop sequence, Ferrari once again found themselves off the pace on a circuit where they had hoped to be more competitive.
Lewis Hamilton`s performance was hampered by hitting a groundhog, but even without that issue, Ferrari`s overall pace was still over half a second behind the front-runners.
Hamilton stated, “We desperately need upgrades, and many things need to change for us to challenge at the front. We hope to have something for Austria next week. I`m unsure how significant it will be; I don`t think it`s a major package. It feels like just one of those difficult years.”
