The Truth About the Red Bull Ring – What F1 Lost in Austria

The Truth About the Red Bull Ring – What F1 Lost in Austria 🇦🇹

What if one of the fastest, most thrilling circuits in Formula 1 history was simply… cut in half?

In this video we uncover the full story of the Red Bull Ring, from its glorious origins as the high-speed Österreichring, to its transformation into a compact, modern Grand Prix circuit. This is not just a circuit tour — it’s a journey through motorsport history, innovation, compromise, and controversy.

📍 It began in 1969, when the Österreichring replaced the dangerous Zeltweg Airfield Circuit. Carved into the Styrian hills, this majestic track quickly earned a reputation among F1 drivers as one of the best on the calendar. With fast sweepers like Hella-Licht, and dramatic elevation changes, it delivered a driving experience few circuits could match.

But speed came with sacrifice.

By the 1980s, the track’s minimal run-off areas and high-speed nature were seen as too dangerous for modern F1. In 1987, after a start-line crash and growing safety concerns, the Austrian Grand Prix disappeared from the calendar. It was the end of an era.

🛠️ In the 1990s, the circuit returned — but in a radically different form. Backed by telecom sponsor A1 and redesigned by Hermann Tilke, the track was shortened from 5.9 km to just 4.3 km. The A1-Ring brought safer barriers, tighter corners, and better overtaking… but the soul of the Österreichring was gone. The sweeping high-speed bends were replaced by stop-and-go segments, and many fans and drivers lamented the loss of one of F1’s most beautiful circuits.

Yet, a piece of the past still survives — hidden in plain sight.

The Westschleife, a now-abandoned upper section of the original track, winds quietly through the trees above the modern circuit. Once home to the legendary Hella-Licht curve, it's now overgrown, partially paved, and even used for material storage. Urban explorers and nostalgic fans still walk its forgotten paths, remembering what once was.

🏗️ In 2004, Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz bought the site with bold plans for a state-of-the-art motorsport complex. But legal and environmental obstacles stalled construction, leaving the site partly demolished for years. At one point, it looked like Austria might lose its track forever.

Luckily, the story didn’t end there.

After government intervention and compromise, the circuit was rebuilt—maintaining the A1 layout—and reopened in 2011 as the Red Bull Ring. In 2014, Formula 1 returned to Austria after an 11-year absence.

Since then, the Red Bull Ring has been anything but boring:

🏁 In 1999, Mika Häkkinen spun on lap 1 but stormed back to finish 3rd.
🏁 In 2002, Ferrari controversially ordered Barrichello to let Schumacher win — sparking global outrage.
🏁 In 2016, Rosberg and Hamilton clashed dramatically on the final lap.
🏁 In 2020, during the pandemic, Austria hosted two back-to-back races to kickstart the season.

Today, the Red Bull Ring is the shortest permanent circuit in F1 — but far from the easiest. With only ten corners, it combines fast straights, tricky braking zones, and dramatic elevation shifts. Turn 3 remains one of the best overtaking points in the sport. Turn 6, a blind downhill left-hander, challenges both car balance and driver nerve.

Critics may say the layout is too simple, or that it lacks the flow of older circuits. But the Red Bull Ring continues to deliver exciting wheel-to-wheel battles — and its breathtaking setting in the Styrian Alps remains one of the most beautiful in motorsport.

📌 So what did Formula 1 lose in Austria?
We lost the flowing majesty of the original Österreichring — a rare track that combined danger, speed, and natural beauty. But what we gained is a venue that still honors its roots while adapting to modern needs.

🔍 This is the full story of the Red Bull Ring — its fall, its rebirth, and the legacy it carries forward.

If you love motorsport history, forgotten corners, and deep dives into the world’s most iconic racing venues, make sure to subscribe to Circuits of the Past and leave a comment with your thoughts on the track’s evolution.

Want to discover more lost circuits?
Visit www.circuitsofthepast.com and download your FREE eBook: 7 Abandoned Race Tracks You Can Visit Legally.

Thanks for watching — and see you at the next circuit. 🏁

Sources:
Footage by Red Bull Media House & Herman Liesemeijer

Photos abandoned track by Michael Draye

Current F1 photo on thumbnail by Red Bull Media

Music:
Undercover Vampire Policeman van Chris Zabriskie is gelicentieerd onder een Creative Commons Attribution 4.0-licentie. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Bron: http://chriszabriskie.com/uvp/
Artiest: http://chriszabriskie.com/

#RedBullRing #AustrianGP #F1