BOSS GP Racing Series at the 2026 Red Bull Ring Classics
Horsepower in multiples of a thousand is unleashed when the drivers of the FIA-certified BOSS GP Racing Series start their engines. Formula 1, GP2, World Series V8 and other representatives of the fastest single-seaters ever built come together to form a full-throttle ensemble that is unique in the world of motorsport. For over 30 years now, the BOSS GP Racing Series has been offering drivers and fans an incomparable racing experience in which open-cockpit, single-seater cars form the pinnacle of the motorsport pyramid. Often manufactured for only a few races, they continue to thrill spectators across Europe in the BOSS GP Racing Series long beyond their actual lifespan. Spectators at the Red Bull Ring Classics will once again have the opportunity to see, hear and feel BOSS GP action live in 2026.
Hard Facts Boss GP
- The four-letter acronym BOSS stands for “Big Open Single Seater”
- The series was founded in 1995
- Authorised by the FIA as an international championship
- The races have a rolling start
- There are five classes
Across five classes, ‘Ladies’, ‘Gentlemen’ and ‘Youngsters’ battle for points, at all times conscious of the immense emotional and financial value of these cars.
Insider tip: The individual classes can best be identified by their start numbers:
- 1 to 19 are reserved for Formula 1 cars
- 20 to 99 for FORMULA and WORLD SERIES
- Numbers from 100 upwards are reserved for the SUPER LIGHTS and OPEN classes
The five classes in detail:
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BOSS GP class
This is where the real gems of motorsport’s premier class compete. Formula 1 cars from 1996 onwards are eligible. In 2024, Ingo Gerstl drove the original Toro Rosso STR in the Red Bull Ring Classics. Gerhard Berger’s Benetton was also on the starting grid. Depending on the number of contestants, the F1 cars have their own flying start ahead of the rest of the field. -
FORMULA
In the highly competitive FORMULA class, Formula 2 and GP2 cars are pitted against each other. -
WORLD SERIES
One of the most fiercely contested classes, featuring cars from World Series 3.5, A1 GP and Auto GP. -
The SUPER LIGHTS category
Six-cylinder and older Formula 3000 cars with V8 engines are allowed to compete here. -
OPEN class
More heavily modified cars, US IndyCars and the new Wolf Racing Cars GB08 Sonik. In 2023, the Austrian team HS Engineering competed in the Red Bull Ring Classics fielding the Dallara World Series T12 and the Dallara World Series T02.
Star Ensemble
Together, they offer action-packed, fast-paced and powerful motorsport at its finest, which fans won’t find anywhere else in the global motorsport universe. Pirelli is the exclusive tyre supplier to BOSS GP. The renowned Italian manufacturer offers BOSS GP participants a unique product: F1 performance combined with easier handling when warming up.
Race format:
Europe’s fastest racing series is contested on the Red Bull Ring track during a session lasting around two and a half hours. If weather conditions remain consistent, qualifying is divided into two sections: in the first part, the fastest drivers from the two combined free practice sessions get to set their lap times, and in the second part, it is the turn of the rest of the field. At the end of the 30 minutes, the times are compared. The result determines the starting grid for both races, each of which lasts 22 minutes. The result for the F1 class is decided after only 15 minutes.