Austrian Grand Prix

The “Spielberg” track is an amazing setting for a Formula 1 race right in the Austrian Alps two hours southwest of Vienna (Wien) or two and a half hours southeast of Salzburg. The Austrian Grand Prix is known for surprises and as a spectator one of the most beautiful tracks around with fantastic visibility of the action…though, oddly, some of the best views are not from the stands.

Getting There

Coach Window

Transport in and out can be tricky with large queues on the one (small) main road but once there you can soak up the beautiful countryside and often spectacular views of both the Alps and the track.

Sign

The track is in the small town of Spielberg which seems to pretty much pack up and leave when the Formula 1 comes to town…but still keeps its nature as a small mountain village.

Staying There

Many choose to avoid the long journey into the track every day but choose instead to stay in the good number of camp sites scattered around the main entrance at the bottom of the mountain. Facilities here are good with entertainment in the evenings as well as toilets and food stalls.

Camping

Watching the Race

Security, as with all Formula 1 tracks, is quite tight so expect bag checks at every entrance.

Main Entrance

Having watched the race many times on television over the years (from when Formula 1 was first held here) we were astonished at not only the beautiful scenery but also the view offered by Turn 3 (Remus) where the cars travel up a long hill then break sharply to complete the rest of the lap through the infield. The view from the top of the hill takes in roughly half of the entire lap just leaving the final few corners and start/finish lines not visible. Note that the entrance for the top of the track (turn 3 to turn 4) is generally via the end of the coach park on the west side of the track - Yes, the hill is quite steep so you don't want to be climbing up and down it too often…

Security

There are several sections for spectators (who have “General Admission” tickets) where there are no allocated seats and, with the incline of the mountain, make for ideal picnic spots with fantastic views of the track. It is only when the rain comes that you are exposed (so come prepared). Many bring camping chairs but often on the incline they are not such a good idea (use the practice and qualifying days to try out different options/viewpoints before committing for race day).

Walkway

As with all other tracks there are the ubiquitous (and expensive) souvenirs. The food is also as you might expect with a bit of a nod to Austrian fast food (lots of sausages).

View

Most want to grab a spot up against the fence but we found sitting back was not only less crowded it had the best views. With the large video screens everywhere you never miss a minute of the action in any case. Race day, of course, is the most crowded.

Driver

The grandstands are generally all at the bottom of the track (start/finish line and turn 1) which offers great view of the action there but you also spend a lot of time with nothing going on in front of you while the cars make their way around the rest of the track.

Pictures from 2017

Pictures we took during our visit in 2017…

 

Further Information

For further information please see: