With 6 races in 8 weekends this summer, if ever there was a more appropriate sponsor for the 3rd race through this F1 endurance marathon it's Red Bull. We have arrived wide eyed and with the caffeine jitters back in Speilberg, Austria at The Red Bull Ring.
With around 10,000 miles traveled in the last 21 days the teams will be happy they are back in central Europe and may even be organised enough with there upcoming 'weekend off' into bringing some upgrade tweaks for the back to backs of Austria and Great Britain. Eyes peeled everyone for twiddly bits and go-faster stripes.
The race track is one of the shorter ones on the calendar at just 2.684 miles which gives us a beefy 71 lap race. A meer shadow of it's earlier 3.6mile iteration between 1977-1995, but we moo-ve on (bull joke for you there...sorry)
Last years race saw Lewis take pole in 1.08.455. It didn't help him in the race however as he made a poor get away (yup again) and Nico passed him into the first corner resulting in a follow the leader snooze fest up front for the remainder of the race. Williams have some form here with their front row lock out in 2014 and taking a podium 3rd place in both 2014 and 2015 they are certainly a dark horse to keep an eye on. Seb had a wheel nut problem last year which arguably robbed him of 3rd. Alonso will be hoping he can make it around the first lap without mounting Kimi as he did last year in what could of been a very serious crash. Actually with a DNF in 2014 as well, he will be hoping to simply finish.
So to this years race, Nico will be keen as mustard to build on his win in Baku, building on his earlier form and rebuilding that gap to Lewis. If he does take the win he will make it 3 wins in row at The Red Bull Ring, maintaining his record of being the one and only (F1) winner at this new iteration of the Speilberg track.
It's hard to see past a Mercedes win but the Ferraris have looked much improved since their token free 'reliability (in no way faster) upgrade' to their turbo. Who knows the Red Bull home advantage could finally kick in as well in what has been a poor event for them, finishing just 8th in 2014 and 10th last year. But if I was to have a cheeky each way bet it would be on Williams. I've just got a feeling.
Nico has rebuilt his championship lead to a snifter off a full win haul in points with 24 points clear. Seb is knocking on the back door just through shear consistency just 21 points behind Lewis. It certainly keeps the championship interesting, if Nico had lost the championship lead in Baku I can't help feel it would of been a slippy slope for him.
The CTA massive scored this one a 5.5 out of 10 in 2015 but a healthier 7 out of 10 in 2014.
I think we are well overdue a stonker so fingers crossed Spielberg can deliver.
Kimi & Alonso crash from last year.
TV times.
With around 10,000 miles traveled in the last 21 days the teams will be happy they are back in central Europe and may even be organised enough with there upcoming 'weekend off' into bringing some upgrade tweaks for the back to backs of Austria and Great Britain. Eyes peeled everyone for twiddly bits and go-faster stripes.
The race track is one of the shorter ones on the calendar at just 2.684 miles which gives us a beefy 71 lap race. A meer shadow of it's earlier 3.6mile iteration between 1977-1995, but we moo-ve on (bull joke for you there...sorry)
Last years race saw Lewis take pole in 1.08.455. It didn't help him in the race however as he made a poor get away (yup again) and Nico passed him into the first corner resulting in a follow the leader snooze fest up front for the remainder of the race. Williams have some form here with their front row lock out in 2014 and taking a podium 3rd place in both 2014 and 2015 they are certainly a dark horse to keep an eye on. Seb had a wheel nut problem last year which arguably robbed him of 3rd. Alonso will be hoping he can make it around the first lap without mounting Kimi as he did last year in what could of been a very serious crash. Actually with a DNF in 2014 as well, he will be hoping to simply finish.
So to this years race, Nico will be keen as mustard to build on his win in Baku, building on his earlier form and rebuilding that gap to Lewis. If he does take the win he will make it 3 wins in row at The Red Bull Ring, maintaining his record of being the one and only (F1) winner at this new iteration of the Speilberg track.
It's hard to see past a Mercedes win but the Ferraris have looked much improved since their token free 'reliability (in no way faster) upgrade' to their turbo. Who knows the Red Bull home advantage could finally kick in as well in what has been a poor event for them, finishing just 8th in 2014 and 10th last year. But if I was to have a cheeky each way bet it would be on Williams. I've just got a feeling.
Nico has rebuilt his championship lead to a snifter off a full win haul in points with 24 points clear. Seb is knocking on the back door just through shear consistency just 21 points behind Lewis. It certainly keeps the championship interesting, if Nico had lost the championship lead in Baku I can't help feel it would of been a slippy slope for him.
The CTA massive scored this one a 5.5 out of 10 in 2015 but a healthier 7 out of 10 in 2014.
I think we are well overdue a stonker so fingers crossed Spielberg can deliver.
Kimi & Alonso crash from last year.
TV times.
