Austrian Grand Prix: Stage Preview

      How interesting the season is shaping up this year, and how much is still ahead. The balance of power changes with each race, and the European part of the season will be rich in such changes.

      In the first year of a new regulation, teams always progress by leaps and bounds, quickly adapting to the new rules, abandoning some decisions in favor of others. They have already managed to pick up the most interesting ideas from their rivals, and the pause due to the cancellation of two Middle Eastern races provided an opportunity to implement them.

      In Barcelona, Ferrari made a significant leap. On one of the tracks where the car's efficiency is particularly important and noticeable, Lewis Hamilton lost to George Russell in qualifying by just 0.069 seconds, but won the race, breaking Mercedes' winning streak that had continued since the start of the season. This week in Spielberg, Ferrari will receive a more powerful engine.

      Could anyone have imagined at the start of the season that after six races, Antonelli and Hamilton would be leading in the individual standings? It is clear that Ferrari is on the move. Frederic Vasseur needed time and patience, but his ideas and methods are working.

      In Spielberg, Red Bull Racing will showcase its first major update of the season, hoping to return to the fight for the lead. The car will become lighter, its aerodynamics more efficient – Red Bull Racing is doing everything to ensure that Max Verstappen can win again – this is the best way to keep him in the team.

      But the competitors are not standing still either. The European races will become a "race of updates," where the stronger will be the one who acts bolder, more precisely, and effectively. But for that, the right tools are needed, so the strongest teams will still remain the strongest.

      Aston Martin also hopes to make a small revolution, but closer to the end of the European series. Adrian Newey is very keen to bring the team at least into the ranks of the leaders of the midfield this fall, creating a solid foundation for the 2027 car.

      After the European series, most teams will focus on the car for the next season, except for those who will be fighting for the title.

      It is good that the unpleasant story with penalties for speeding in the pit lane in Monaco is gradually fading away.

      In Formula 1, the speed of cars in the pit lane is measured not by radar, but by calculating the time taken to cover the shortest distance between two lines. The measurement of speed is the responsibility of FOM, which then sends the data to the FIA.

      It was only after the finish that it became clear that the shortest distance was not 2692 centimeters, as had been assumed in the calculations, but 2615 centimeters. Because of this, several cars were recorded exceeding the speed limit by 0.1 km/h, which led to penalties, even though all cars were actually driving at the permitted speed.

      Mistakes happen to everyone. It is unclear why it was not corrected on Friday when during practice, teams, FOM, and FIA saw that the speed slightly exceeded the set values. If corrections had been made on the first day, everyone would have avoided this unacceptable confusion in a competition of this level on Sunday.

      The teams' task in this situation is to set the limiter to the value specified by the race director. And that's it. No one will set the car to a lower speed than allowed – this contradicts the very nature of Formula 1, where everything is always aimed at results. In this situation, only the FIA and FOM could have changed something, but they did not act, and once again, the story repeated itself when the race results changed after the spectators had already left, but now it was due to the organizers' fault.

      Well, McLaren and Red Bull are still awaiting a hearing in the appeals court on this matter. The hearing is expected to take place in July.

      The Grand Prix in Spielberg is a true celebration for Styria and Austria. A celebration for the sake of celebration, where the commercial aspect has always taken a back seat. Dietrich Mateschitz left behind a wonderful legacy, including a Formula 1 race in his home region.

      After Dietrich's death, the empire he created was shaken by power struggles filled with scandals and intrigues, resulting in key figures being sidelined, and the new management has far from racing priorities and lacks such bright ideas.

      It must be acknowledged that Mateschitz was a completely unique figure, comparable to the true pillars of Formula 1, like Enzo Ferrari, whose successors also find it difficult to meet the level set once.

      It will be interesting to see if Lawrence Stroll, who has invested everything in his son's career, in the team, in Aston Martin, will ultimately achieve something. It seems that Aston Martin simply has no other option but to achieve loud successes this year – the best forces have been attracted, but so far it has only been a flop.

      However, it took Mateschitz years before the team he created began to win.