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A supremely interesting racing track with a resplendent history and a tarmac set amid serene lush green fields and the Styrian Alps, the Austrian Grand Prix might be one of the slowest venues when it comes to pure racing on the calendar but it is a visual delight and some delightful records too, have been set here.
So as round 11 of the current season stops over in Austria to witness the sound of music of 20 blazingly fast racing cars, here are a few world records in Austria to take note of.
The fastest lap in a Grand Prix in Austria
Back then he wasn’t a reserve driver, he was going blazingly fast in a Mercedes and would often, beside Lewis Hamilton set the fastest times on the grid and dominate different Formula 1 events.
And it was back in the year 2020, the last time ever that the sport endured a curtailed run that Bottas shone brilliantly at the Styrian Alps.
The famous Finn Valtteri still holds the world record for the fastest lap set at the Austrian Grand Prix, with a time of 1:02.939 set in the 2020 race.
Overall fastest lap record at Styria
It was back at McLaren, circa 2020, where Carlos Sainz jr. held the team together consolidating a vastly improved McLaren’s position into being a midfielder of repute even as frequent podiums or regular top five finishes were still not a reality for the stable as what one sees today with Piastri and Norris packing a punch.
And it was here in the serene Spielberg when during the race titled the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix that McLaren’s Sainz set a belter of a lap time at 1:05:619 on lap 68. While the race win belonged to Sir Lewis Hamilton, a legend of the sport, it was the young Spaniard who proved his might by getting the speed traps some work to do.
Most wins
Who else but Max Verstappen with 4 race wins at the Austrian Grand Prix holds the record for being the most successful driver in terms of victories clinched at the scenic venue.
Over the years, Max’s consistency at roaring supreme at the venue most known for being Red Bull’s home race has resulted in mega wins for the stable and for him as a driver.
Take for instance his successive triumphs in 2018 and 2019 events at the Austrian Grand Prix.
So dominant has Verstappen been here in Austria, a venue that ticks all the right boxes for him that in 2018, he beat Ferrari’s Raikkonen by 1.5 seconds, improving further the next year as he defeated Ferrari’s Leclerc by a margin north of 2.7 seconds.
It’s Mad Max Verstappen where it comes to oozing class in Austria.
Most podium finishes in Austria
It is hardly a surprise to note that Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen actually holds the record for the most podium finishes at the Austrian Grand Prix, with a total of 8, including 4 wins (and five pole positions), where it comes to the current grid.
The great sir Lewis Hamilton has no fewer than 7 podiums at Spielberg.
In the end, here’s another interesting stat to note at Austrian Grand Prix. No fewer than 26 F1 drivers have won, at least 1, race at the Austrian Grand Prix nestled in the heart of the picturesque Styrian hills. 11 of these drivers are world champions when you take cognisance of great names such as Alain Prost, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell, Jacques Villeneuve, Emerson Fittipaldi, Alan Jones, Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen.
