Since I'm in Austria for a couple of months, I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me about the country's racing history (apart from Red Bull and Gerhard Berger belonging here). Yes, I know I can google such info, but it's much better getting to know firsthand accounts
They've had two world champions I think, Jochen Rindt who won it posthumously. And Niki Lauda who was a triple world champion.
I'm always surprised that Red Bull is classed as Austrian. Like most teams it's base is Britain and most if the design and manufacture is also British. The only thing Austrian is the owner who also owns Torro Rosso which is strangly Itallian, go figure.
First time they won a race the British national anthem was played, because a team in their situation would ordinarily be considered British. At the owner's insistence this changed next time they made the top step.
Are you aware of the Ãsterreichring (more recently referred to as the A1 Ring, but now going under the unfortunate name: 'Red Bull Ring')? In terms of being a daunting prospect for drivers, it was once one of the most formidable tracks, with frightening speeds and almost no run off at notorious corners such as Boschkurve. It is a circuit which claimed many lives and in this sense it sat uncomfortably with other illustrious circuits such as Nürburgring Nordschliefe and the historic version of Spa Francorchamps. Google Osterreichring
A1 ring, always one of my favs for racing online in, when it was in the games. As for Austrians, Wurz was a driver who I felt never really fulfilled his potential, I remember when he arrived he was on pace straight away, then sort of faded away.
Wurz is a super-technical driver who prefers to avoid battle. But in terms of testing and feedback, he is one of F1's true all time greats. Is he really? I didn't know this.
It has been used as an F1 circuit in the recent past, from '97 to '03. The circuit has been upgraded since DM bought it, but he's said it won't host F1 (for the foreseeable future anyway), although last years redbull has been around it a few time.
The old Osterreichring was great, although the A1 Ring has been somewhat "tamed" it was still a good little track that produced some good racing, much better than the rubbish we get dished up on the Iberian peninsular for a start.
Absolutely, the old circuit was one of the fastest on the calendar. Was struck from the schedules after Stefan Johansen hit a deer in 1987 and then it was deemed to narrow following this double startline crash, also 1987, please log in to view this image [video=youtube;T14HLURCLW8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14HLURCLW8[/video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W2xf4YRv7E As a treat, here is a video of Andrea de Cesaris at his back-flipping best in 1985 ......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuglyUW6-4o
