44 replies to this topic

[Haribo 1975]

Hi new on here, really good forum it must be said!!! At the age of 11 was lucky enough to be at what I think was the last Austrian GP held at the old Osterreichring won by good old Nige!!!!

What I was looking for were some photos of the old cicuit or the now demolished A1 ring???? Any links ect would be great as been searching high and low. Many thanks Mark

[BRG]

I wish that I had had a camera with me in 2004 when I visited the sadly derelict O'Ring and A1 Ring.

None of you would have enjoyed the depressing sight but at least you would understand the destruction that Red Bull have carried out at Austria's premier track!

[Roly]

Maybe not the best quality pic, but here you can see the old and new track layout together.
The old track goes furher to the left.

http://www.google.co...107803&t=k&om=1

[Haribo 1975]

Yeah you can just see the outline of the old bosch kurve as well. I think the airfied to the south is where the race use to be held prior to building the ring!!

[Gary C]

that would be Zeltweg Airfield, we used to use it to fly in to when I worked for Bernie.

[axlex]

For Osterreichring : http://www.statsf1.c...dCircuit=4&LG=1

For Spielberg : http://www.statsf1.c...Circuit=60&LG=1

For Zeltweg : http://www.statsf1.c...dCircuit=5&LG=1

Nor really good picture for Zeltweg but very nice (I Think) for Spielberg ;)

[subh]

This picture shows the relationship between the old and new tracks:

[Gary C]

so can tell exactly what is now on the site of the A1-Ring / Osterreichring? I was last there in 1999 for the Grand Prix & can't believe that in 5-6 short years it's all gone? Goodness, I remember hearing how hard Gerhard Berger had worked to get the race back there in 97, it can't have all gone, can it??

[MCH]

Red Bull started working on updating the whole track, tearing down the pits facilities and digging up some of the track....before being stopped by local government I believe. So the track's still there but work's been halted for a number of years by now.

[Haribo 1975]

Yeah I did see some photos last year which someone took recently and its pretty much all gone

All the buildings each side of the pits straight inc that huge grandstand flattened , and large sections of the track dug up!

The last thing I heard was that Alex Wurz was trying to put something together to buy the site but who knows!!!

[Zuzana97]

Hello,

great pics from Zeltweg you will find at

http://www.motorsportarchiv.at/

Greetings Oliver

[Haribo 1975]

Just found these photos as you can see not looking too good

http://www.projektsp...-Ring_00011.jpg


http://www.projektsp...1-Ring_0031.jpg

[BRG]

The second of Haribo's links is exactly how it was when I visited in October 2004 - except that it was raining which made everything look even more desolate! Not a building or grandstand left standing and that road gouged right through the start-finish straight (actually, the access tunnel opened up, I think).

Is it the same today, I wonder?

[Stoatspeed]

This is all a sad story ... I only went to the track once, for the DTM in 2002 or 2003, but remember the accounts of the old Oesterreichring races. It was a very scenic location for a race track, and the natural topography made it an easy place to watch the action.
If you look at the "Projekt Spielberg" web site in Haribo's links, it suggests that better news is coming, though. In June, there was a presentation of the new plans, including discussion about uses for the track (tellingly NOT including F1 at this point!), and there seems to be a realistic hope that construction of the facility according to the original designs will restart sometime in mid 2007.
Let's hope that Dieter Mateshitz will keep the faith and lead his partners (VW and KTM among them) through the whole thing.

[Der Pate]

Some years ago I did some laps on the A1-Ring with a Porsche...during a brake I "acccidently" found the old track...after Start-Finish the track went on through the Niki-Chicane...during the A1-Ring-times some fanshops were situated there...and then suddenly I found out, that the old track went on...

It was a strange feeling there...all of the old banners like "Martini" and so on were still there...slightly damaged by the time...it was hard for me to imagine, that years ago F1-cars raced there with about 300km/h...

Unfortunately now both tracks are gone...I hope, that sometimes it will be possible to race at Zeltweg(Spielberg) again...

[Lee Towers]

I've seem some recent photo's of what's left of the old Reims grand prix track, the martini banners still up, very strange, a nice throwback though...

[lil'chris]

Originally posted by Lee Towers
I've seem some recent photo's of what's left of the old Reims grand prix track, the martini banners still up, very strange, a nice throwback though...

Lee,

You might be interested in this.

http://www.amis-du-c...ux.fr/-Accueil-

Les Amis are a hardcore of supporters who are doing their best to keep the memory of Reims alive including restoring / repainting the pits and stands.

Recently held their 2nd celebration of the circuit with the 3rd programmed for Sept 2009. Hopefully this event will grow and grow

Cheers

Chris

[Seebar]

You've probably encountered this site already.

Some great pictures of the Österreichring (and Reims, and quite a few others).

http://www.circuitsofthepast.nl/

[Der Pate]

Originally posted by Seebär
You've probably encountered this site already.

Some great pictures of the Österreichring (and Reims, and quite a few others).

http://www.circuitsofthepast.nl/

Great site...

BTW...what happened to the banket at Monza...???

[cpbell]

Originally posted by Der Pate


Great site...

BTW...what happened to the banket at Monza...???

I presume you mean the banking? To my knowledge it's still there.

[Stephen W]

Above Keke Rosberg during practice for the 1982 GP.

[Der Pate]

I really like those 1982-cars with the skirts on the sides...with that downforce a frontwing wasn´t needed...

[Ivan Astikoff]

The best holiday ever was in '76 when four of us went camping, first to the German GP at the 'Ring where Lauda had his crash, then we went to Salzburg for a few days, took a look at the Salzburgring before going on to the Osterreichring for the GP. John Watson won a popular victory in the Penske, and my abiding memory is of the sheer speed of the cars as they left the Hella-Licht Kurve (not a chicane in those days) and screamed through the full-bore swerves down towards the Bosch Kurve. Simply awesome, and a sight I'll never forget. As I remember the race was poorly attended that year since Ferrari withdrew and consequently most of the Italian fans stayed away.

[Dale Harvey]

I was also at the Osterreichring for the GP in 1976. My wife and I were on holiday in Europe from Australia for 9 weeks. We also managed to see the Dutch GP at Zandvoort and the Italian GP at Monza. My memories of the Osterreichring were that it was a great circuit in a very beautifull area. It is a shame that these great circuits have to be bastardised.
Dale.

[brandspro]

One of my greatest racing regrets is that the 1994 European Formula Ford round in Austria was canceled, thereby robbing me of the chance to race on a truly fantastic circuit - the Osterreichring. Of course, at the time, I had no idea that that would be the case as there was always next year. Thanks to Bernie's dog and pony show though, there wasn't...

[Wirra]

It seems many Australian travellers made their way to the Osterreichring - for me it was 1979 and 1981. Here are a few photos from my '81 visit showing the glorious setting. I have two great memories from '81. Firstly Alan Jones' win, IIRC only after Prost somewhat expectedly blew a turbo, and the fantastic performance of the Italian Air Force team. As the circuit was set in a three-sided valley (see photos) one of their maneuvers was to have a jet appear over the pine trees at one end of the circuit then dip down and fly along the main straight and the rise again to clear the Hella pedestrian bridge at the other end of the straight. If that wasn't enough, the aircraft was upside down for the whole maneuver with the pilot waving to the crowd in the main grandstand. In hindsight it was probably a bit over the top, bearing in mind they had a huge crash within 12 month killing several pilots and quite a few spectators at an airshow and IIRC the team was disbanded.

Oh, a third great memory, particularly for a 250 GTO fan like myself. The head under the cap in the start line photo belongs to Innes Ireland.

In the 70s-80s Osterrrichring seem to frequently produce odd winners - often a first-time (Jones/Shadow) or even a once-only driver. I'm sure someone can list them

[bigears]

Originally posted by Wirra
In the 70s-80s Osterrrichring seem to frequently produce odd winners - often a first-time (Jones/Shadow) or even a once-only driver. I'm sure someone can list them

1975 - Brambilla
1976 - John Watson
1977 - Jones
1982 - de Angelis

Shame I was born too late to witness the circuit in its glory.

[uffen]

I was there in 1976, too, and the crowd was thin because Lauda was not there. There was a Ferrari impact on attendance, too.
The weather was quite damp some mornings, as I recall, but the place was absolutely majestic. If it was still there I'd go see another race there for certain.

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Wirra
[B]If that wasn't enough, the aircraft was upside down for the whole maneuver with the pilot waving to the crowd in the main grandstand. In hindsight it was probably a bit over the top, bearing in mind they had a huge crash within 12 month killing several pilots and quite a few spectators at an airshow and IIRC the team was disbanded.

]

Rammstein 1988? 70 fatalities in total.

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by Wirra
I have two great memories from '81. Firstly Alan Jones' win, IIRC only after Prost somewhat expectedly blew a turbo ...

I suspect you're getting your '79s and '81s confused - Jones won in '79 and Laffite in '81. I was there too in '79 - what a tremendous place it was then, with incredible atmosphere. I went back to the A1-Ring in '99 - still a good track, as modern tracks go, but not a patch on the old track. And now there's nothing ...

[Wirra]

Originally posted by Tim Murray

I suspect you're getting your '79s and '81s confused ...

Yes, you are right. I'm starting to think my daughters are right when they describe me as 'too old, too slow, too stupid'. I think in future I will start all my posts with IIRC.

I should have remembered Laffite in '81 because it recalls another memory of the good-natured English-Antipodean ribbing. At that time there were usually at least three track commentaries in English, French and Italian. At the conclusion of each race the English commentator would proudly announce the umpteenth win for whatever British product was associated with the winning car. The so and so GP victory for Cosworth, the whatever number win for Dunlop, et cetera. But here there was a problem. A Frenchman in a French car with French tyres and fuelled with French oils had won. I was expecting embarrassed silence, but no, in typically unflappable style, as Laffite flashes across the line, the British announcer proudly proclaimed another win for Champion spark plugs. I chalked up one for the Poms.

Sorry if a bit OT.

[Haribo 1975]

Things are looking up!

http://img72.imagesh...975da0e6d6.jpg/


http://trackreviewer...1/Red-Bull1.jpg

[Tim Murray]

That's good news - is it still owned by Red Bull, or has someone else taken over?

[chdphd]

That's good news - is it still owned by Red Bull, or has someone else taken over?

Yes, still Red Bull. It's now called the Red Bull Ring.

[Duc-Man]

Yes, still Red Bull. It's now called the Red Bull Ring.

I had a look at the pics on facebook. Nice to see that it makes a comeback.
Is it still the same track layout that the A1-Ring had afer 1996 or did that change?

[eldougo]

..Alan Jones 1979 winner

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
...A great Procar race that year also

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Edited by eldougo, 07 January 2011 - 11:46.

[Wirra]

Doug - I was standing right behind you!

[Stephen W]

This picture shows the relationship between the old and new tracks:

I had a look at the pics on facebook. Nice to see that it makes a comeback.
Is it still the same track layout that the A1-Ring had afer 1996 or did that change?

Still the same I understand.

[Haribo 1975]

A good view here on Bing Maps, go to birds eye view, a few years old though I think.

http://www.bing.com/...DkxOTQyMjYxNzU=

[Haribo 1975]

Here are some photos I was sent of the old circuit, looks in pretty good nick!

[LittleChris]

I thought that Red Bulls plans included a left hand hairpin just before the current turn 2 hairpin that would've eventually led to around half way long the Flatschach on the old circuit then up through the Glatz / Sebring-Auspuff / Dr Tiroch Kurve eventually rejoining at the current Turn 2. Perhaps / hopefully this will happen at some point in future.


Ah found a map of the proposal

http://en.wikipedia..../Österreichring

[arttidesco]

Hello,

great pics from Zeltweg you will find at

http://www.motorsportarchiv.at/

Greetings Oliver

I did not know about TNF in 2006 but I am most grateful for this link in 2011

[eldougo]

Doug - I was standing right behind you!

I took my from pit lane you must have had a bigger lens then mine Peter. That summer we must have crossed path a lot.

[Duc-Man]

I thought that Red Bulls plans included a left hand hairpin just before the current turn 2 hairpin that would've eventually led to around half way long the Flatschach on the old circuit then up through the Glatz / Sebring-Auspuff / Dr Tiroch Kurve eventually rejoining at the current Turn 2. Perhaps / hopefully this will happen at some point in future.


Ah found a map of the proposal

http://en.wikipedia..../Österreichring

I would prefere if they preserve the original layout as alternative track for fast endurance races for example. That proposal is a bit to much of a mickey mouse track and leads me to two questions:
a) What is wrong with a fast track?
b) Why does every track have to have a hairpin?

[LittleChris]

Same here especially if they recreated the old Bosch and Rindt Kurves