Here’s a quick look at what you can expect this weekend at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix.

Formula 1 returns to Austria for an updated sprint weekend at the Red Bull Ring. While Red Bull is notoriously dominant around the circuit, the recent Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Ferrari updates could see a three-way battle for the podium.

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Austria is one of the shortest tracks on the F1 calendar, with long straights and medium-speed corners. This plays into the strengths of the heavily-modified Mercedes W14 and the AMG outfit could pose a challenge to Aston Martin. However, Alonso will be on top of his game to snatch another podium from his Mercedes rivals.

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Sprint Qualifying

The format of the race weekend has been altered to make room for a sprint race on Saturday. This means that all teams will get one practice session to set their cars up for traditional qualifying, which takes place late on Friday afternoon.

The traditional qualifying session will set the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. On Saturday, all teams will participate in a Sprint Shootout. This is a qualifying session that will set the grid for the Sprint Race later that same day. Points will be on the table for the top eight finishers, setting the stage for a thrilling session. However, teams will have to decide on how much risk they want to take since the feature race is still to come.

A Dominant Red Bull

Red Bull has effortlessly dominated the 2023 season thus far. In most races, the Red Bull of Max Verstappen finished the race 20 seconds clear of his nearest rival. With this being said, Mercedes and Aston Martin have made major strides over the last few weeks. This has effectively cut down the gap to the leaders. In the last few races, Mercedes has been noticeable quick, finishing just 10 seconds or so behind Max.

This puts the pressure on Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull. Perez has been off the pace in the last few races and has lost out to the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin. This track should suit his car even better, so the race will be on for everyone behind Max.

Mercedes’ Strengths

Mercedes shocked the paddock when they brought a heavily revised W14 to Monaco. They added even more upgrades in Spain, proving that they’re in the hunt for podium places this season. The new W14 has significantly more pace on the straights and does well around medium and high speed corners. This makes it ideal for the Red Bull Ring. Could the Silver Arrows upset the Red Bulls on their home track at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix?

Ferrari’s Performance

While Ferrari has not been living up to expectations so far, it’s important to note that they won the Austrian Grand Prix last year. Along with their new updates, they could be fighting among the front for pole position and possibly a win.

However, it’s clear that Ferrari lacks race pace and will need to have a master strategy to pull off an upset this weekend. If we’re being more realistic, their one-lap performance gives them a great chance at starting high and finishing on the podium.