Courtesy: Google
While the Austrian Grand Prix, previously also known as the Styrian Grand Prix, a venue that held in 2020 multiple events at the same venue, is a beautiful and stunning racing event, it is also a touch mired in controversy.
It's not always bereft of either dramatic driving incidents or confusing verdicts - as one has found out - that happen when track limits and other issues are violated.
It is also, at the same time, a must-win event for Red Bull, with Spielberg being the charming home racing event for the famed Milton Keyenes-based outfit. But now let us find out which have been some really dramatic and incident-fuelled controversial Austrian GP moments in the past:
Most controversial mometns in Austrian Grand Prix history that grabbed headlines
1. The 2023 Austrian GP drama concerning Track‑limits chaos and post‑race penalties
Every Grand Prix venue or race venue generally tends to have some tricky corners and turns where drivers tend to run beyond the permissible or legal track limits. It's not too surprising, truth be told. But a couple of seasons back, at the beautiful and charming Austrian Grand Prix venue, the turns 10 and 9 turned out to be the very nadir of drivers who were found in breach of the track limits. This meant that somewhere around thousands of track-limit infringements were noted by the venerable FIA.
Some official numbers suggest that no fewer than 89 laps were actually eventually deleted for drivers guilty of track limit violations or breaches, which led to several penalties being handed out to several then-drivers on the F1 grid, including - Sainz, Hamilton, Gasly and even others.
The critics for such a move, found to be unfair and strict, labelled the entire event and markings as "farce".
And it was hardly a surprise to the effect that both drivers and their respective teams were found at the receiving end of penalties they termed "too harsh" to contend with.
As found in this particular case, the penalties were actually applied or came into effect after a few hours that actually confused fans and even the contesting teams in the very Grand Prix.
Some individuals even went as far as suggesting quite clearly that the track was in immediate need of a redesign.
Also Read: Fastest lap times set at Austrian Grand Prix
2. Oscar Piastri’s Q3 lap disallowed in 2024
It all occurred during the 2024 qualifying for what was now last year's Austrian Grand Prix in which McLaren's brilliant driver Oscar Piastri's quali lap during P3 was first secured, but later done away with (or considered illegal).
The reason?
Oscar Piastri, who had initially secured P3, was found to have driven a lap that actually exceeded the F1 track limits at Turn 6, now even as the famous McLaren stable under Andrea Stella's leadership even protested for the ruling, it would be eventually rejected.
This matter, fundamentally speaking, was a touch controversial as it highlighted the gaps between the FIA rulings in terms of what was and wasn't legal in terms of track limits and the driver's maintenance of the fact that hey had put together a strong lap, which was thought of being legal or within the limits of what is considered a fair or legal lap.
The driver in this case, Piastri, the very man currently leading the world championship was struck with a penalty and hence, felt unfairly treated. And this was controversial. Besides, the episode raised questions over the processes deployed by the stewards.
3. Verstappen-Norris dramatic collision and its aftermath in 2024
Usually speaking, there's always that extra bit of drama involved the moment something dramatic as an on-track incident occurs with Max Verstappen involved in it. Just that, the last year around, with Norris versus Verstappen fight for driver point supremacy having hit peak crescendo, an unwanted incident transpired at Austria.
At turn 3, the two battling drivers - Max and Lando - collided with each other whilst battling for the lead. While both drivers suffered from punctures, Norris was forced to retire as his car just couldn't continue and on the other hand, Verstappen, who felt unfairly treated, was struck with a 10-second penalty at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. This meant that the Red Bull driver, contesting at his constructor's home race faced a race result that affected his overall standing.
Moreover, more drama happened in the aftermath of the GP when Norris said openly about Max being in the wrong; this clearly meant that Norris in his disconsolation over the episode wasn't alone.
Andrea Stella made comments over the media that the "entire world knows who was wrong", which further escalated the tensions between the Red Bull and the McLaren camp.
