Austria 2018 - GP Preview - Sauber Ferrari

The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team is heading to Austria for the second of three back-to-back races. After a successful weekend in France, the team goes into the next round with a total of 13 points to its tally feeling motivated and optimistic. The continuous progress that has been made over the last race weekends gives the two drivers the confidence they need to tackle the Red Bull Ring. The Austrian Grand Prix weekend is popular among drivers and fans alike, offering excitement, both on and off track. Being one of the shortest tracks on the calendar, the circuit, also known as the Spielberg Ring, offers good opportunities for overtaking and challenges drivers, especially with its interesting corner combinations.

Marcus Ericsson

"The Grand Prix in Austria is always a fun one to return to. It takes place on one of the shortest tracks on the calendar, with only a few corners. That makes the lap time margins very tight. It has some interesting parts – mainly, it is the second part of the lap that is challenging. There are some very fast corners that require good car balance, as well as commitment from us as drivers. The longer straights and hairpins offer some opportunities for overtaking. The atmosphere is always great, with many fans coming to support us at the track. I really look forward to going back."

Charles Leclerc

"I really look forward to racing in Austria. The Red Bull Ring is my favourite track, next to the one in Monaco. It is very small, but has a special rhythm to it that I really like. There are a lot of fans there to support us and many events taking place around the track, which gives the weekend a special feel. In terms of driving, my favourite parts of the circuit are the two last corners. The team has been doing a great job in improving our performance week by week, and we are motivated by the progress we are making. It will be interesting to see what we can do during this upcoming Grand Prix weekend in Spielberg."

Track facts

The Red Bull Ring, also known as the Spielberg Ring, is a braking-and-traction circuit, calling for "medium-downforce" levels. The balance between the number of corners and lengths of the straights is similar to the track in Montreal. However, the nature of the corners is substantially different with flowing corners in place of chicanes, and changes of elevation. Braking is also a key factor.