As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes. Accordingly, the tens of thousands of F1 fans were undaunted by the rain shower this morning. After donning their rainwear, they gathered for the first major highlight of the day – Meet the Drivers. The teams sent along their star performers to the event stage in the F1 Fan Zone where they answered questions put to them by presenter Karina Toth. When Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez eventually put in an appearance, the atmosphere among the fans reached fever pitch.
Verstappen in dominant form at Spielberg
The ebullient atmosphere at the Meet the Drivers session seemed to inspire Verstappen in the shootout and later in the sprint. In difficult track conditions, the defending world champion and current championship leader gave yet another performance to savour, taking more than 21 seconds off the opposition in just 24 laps. “24 laps on intermediates are long,” said Verstappen, “but ultimately it’s not a problem.”
Second place went to his Oracle Red Bull Racing team-mate Sergio Pérez: “I had the better start. After a little fight with Max and a few position changes, I had a scrap with Nico. It wasn’t easy to get past. Max was a bit annoyed, but I was just trying to cover. Max and I talked it over afterwards, and we can be more than happy with P1 and P2.” P3 went to Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.
Authentically Styrian
The Formula 1 drivers received special presentation today. As a welcome gift, each of them was given a personalised Styrian harmonica. The instrument not only has a long tradition in folk and blues, but is also an important part of Austrian musical culture.
Last chance for selfies and autographs
The programme for the final day of the race weekend includes some more unforgettable events on and off the race track. The Styrian Green Carpet in front of the Welcome Center of the Red Bull Ring starting at 09:00 offers you another chance to meet your favourite driver. After that comes the Legends Parade. Six well-known figures from the motorsport world, including Dr Helmut Marko, will be racing in historic V8 giants from the CanAm series.
The early bird catches the worm
Increased traffic is to be expected, especially on Sunday, so you should either come by public transport or set off in your car as early as possible. Early risers will be additionally rewarded: spectators coming through the Red Bull Ring gates at or shortly after 07:00 will receive an Early Bird voucher as a reward (only while stocks last). Tip: National broadcaster Hit Radio Ö3 puts out frequent traffic bulletins. The free ASFINAG app also provides you with information about traffic jams, road works and closures.
