Red Bull Ring 2026

The history of Red Bull Ring begins long before its current name. The origins of the circuit in Styria date back to 1963, when the first races were held at Zeltweg airfield. From this provisional layout emerged the legendary Österreichring, which from 1969 became an independent racing circuit and hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for eighteen consecutive years from 1970 to 1987. Names like Jochen Rindt and Niki Lauda are inseparably linked to this era, when the circuit was feared and respected for its extremely fast sections.

A major turning point in the circuit’s history was the fatal accident of Mark Donohue in 1975, which triggered the first major safety redesign of the circuit. Over the following decades, the facility underwent several transformations: first came Hermann Tilke’s significantly shortened A1-Ring, which brought Formula 1 back to Austria from 1997 to 2003, but was humorously dubbed the Mickey Mouse circuit due to its convoluted layout. When Formula 1 outgrew the circuit, parts of the facility, including the pit building and main grandstand, were demolished, but construction work stalled, leaving the circuit unused for several years.

Salvation finally came through Dietrich Mateschitz and Red Bull, who acquired the property and completely rebuilt it. Under the new name Red Bull Ring, the circuit was reopened on May 15, 2011 and hosted a DTM race later that same year in the 2011 season. The modern circuit in Spielberg measures approximately 4.318 kilometers and features ten turns, seven right-handers and three left-handers, with an elevation change of 65 meters with a maximum gradient of 12 percent and a descent of up to 9.3 percent. This three-dimensional track layout demands particular performance from drivers and vehicles, as DTM driver Thomas Preining emphasizes, describing the area around turn seven as critical for momentum through the corner exit.

Since its reopening, Red Bull Ring has developed into a central fixture of international motorsport and is, alongside Formula 1, which returned to Austria in 2014, also a permanent part of the DTM calendar, MotoGP as well as numerous endurance racing and junior series. Great names like Michael Schumacher, Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez have shaped the more recent history of the circuit and underline its significance far beyond the borders of Austria.

For DTM 2026, Red Bull Ring promises once again a race weekend full of excitement amid the Styrian mountain landscape. The combination of elevation profile, tight technical sections and fast straights makes the circuit one of the most demanding venues of the season and guarantees, in keeping with its eventful history from Zeltweg to the modern Red Bull Ring, thrilling motorsport moments.