Toto Talks Austria

Victory and a double podium in Montreal were a reward for the hard work of everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. Though we have made solid progress with our car in recent weeks, we know that we cannot expect this level of performance each and every weekend. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with its absence of high-speed corners and a more closed tarmac that puts less stress on the tyres, suited the W16. The team executed well and took advantage of that, but we know that our rivals will likely be much more competitive in Austria this weekend.

Building on the momentum from Canada is therefore our focus. The track in Spielberg will be a good test of our recent updates and provide another reference point for our progress. There is still a long way to go this season. We will look to maximise our points scoring and hopefully be able to challenge for the podium once again.

 

Fact File: Austrian Grand Prix

 

·         With a lap record of just 1:02.939, set by Valtteri Bottas in 2020, the circuit in Spielberg is the shortest in terms of time on the 2025 calendar.

·         Despite that, it ranks fifth in terms of shortest distance, clocking in at 4.318 km. Only Monaco, Zandvoort, Mexico City, and Interlagos are shorter.

·         With just 10 corners, Spielberg has the fewest of any track of the current F1 circuits. At the same time, Turns 2, 5 and 8 are taken at full throttle and are therefore not considered to be corners in an engineering sense.

·         Austria is one of four tracks on the calendar in 2025 (Miami, Canada, and Las Vegas) to have three corners that are taken at full throttle.

·         There are large demands placed on a car's handling in Austria, whilst at the same time the circuit demands good mechanical grip at low speed (Turns 1, 3, and 4) and strong performance at high speed (Turns 6-7 and 9-10). Engineers have to find the best compromise with set-up in order to achieve the best lap time.

·         The difference in elevation of 69 metres between the lowest and highest points at the circuit is one of the largest of the season. That is unsurprising given the track's location in the Styrian mountains.

·         It also has a steep gradient from track edge-to-edge in places, as exemplified by Turns 3 and 4. The circuit here slopes up towards the apex as the car drives over the crest while accelerating out of the corner. This can result in one wheel leaving the ground, causing challenges with braking, stability, and traction.

·         The track has three very hard braking zones in succession on the approaches to Turns 1, 3, and 4. As the brakes are unable to cool down sufficiently over the rest of the track, as the lap is relatively short, it has an impact on the maximum pressures and general wear and tear experienced.

·         For that reason, teams must apply significant cooling levels to the brakes. That poses a challenge in warming up the front tyres. With a short out-lap, it is a challenge to get them in the right operating window for a qualifying lap.

·         Spielberg is notorious for its aggressive kerbs and is considered to be one of the toughest tests for vehicle suspension. This especially applies to the kerbs at the exit of T1, T6, and T7, which take a high toll on the cars due to their amplitude (i.e. the gap between the highest and lowest points of the kerbs) and the frequency (speed effect) at which they are taken.

·         With a maximum previously-recorded track temperature of 55.1 degrees, the surface in Spielberg can be the hottest of the season

·         The 2025 Austrian Grand Prix sees the return of the original format after three years of hosting the Sprint race format.

·         Niki Lauda is the only Austrian driver to have won the Austrian Grand Prix, in 1984.

·         The Red Bull Ring became the first circuit to host consecutive Grands Prix when it hosted the Austrian and Styrian GPs at the start of 2020.

·         Mercedes has seven wins at the Red Bull Ring, more than any other F1 constructor.

·         George’s triumph in 2024 means he has won at the Red Bull Ring at Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula 1 levels.

·         Kimi drove an F1 car for the very first time at the circuit in 2024, when he tested the Mercedes F1 W12 from the 2021 season.

·         George’s 2024 victory also meant that every Mercedes F1 driver at that time in the Hybrid era (2014) had won the Austrian Grand Prix. That list also includes Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and Valtteri Bottas.

 

Noah Strømsted Talks Austria

 

I am really excited to be back racing this weekend in Austria. I know this track really well and I’ve always performed there.

 

The first half of the season has gone well, and I am pleased to be P4 in the standings. Hopefully we’ll be able to build on this and bring points home this weekend.

George Russell
That is the only time I’ve ever had goosebumps after a qualifying lap! I went around the first corner and was one tenth up and after that, the car just felt like it was on rails. I felt so confident pushing the limits and we ultimately went six tenths quicker than our first lap in Q3. It was pretty special and something that I will remember for a long time. Crossing the line, I felt that surely it was pole position and I’m very happy that it was!

It's a short run to turn one so hopefully we can put ourselves in a good position and go from there. We will focus on ourselves and hopefully show similar pace as to what we had on the long run in FP2. It is rarely as simple as that though, so we will have to be at our best if we want to fight for victory tomorrow.

 

Kimi Antonelli
That was a better Qualifying session than recent races and I felt a lot more comfortable on the Soft C6 tyre. It took a little while for me to get into the rhythm and that meant I burnt through both of my new Medium tyres before Q3. Being on the used tyre in that final segment meant I was at a slight disadvantage for my final lap. The grip began to fade away in the final sector and lost quite a bit of time. My lap wasn’t particularly great but, even with that, I ended up P4. That is not a bad starting position and hopefully we can fight at the front.

The other factor for us to consider is the weather. It has been slightly warmer than on Friday today and yet we still performed well. It may be hotter tomorrow and that will have an impact on how the tyres react. Our long run in FP2 looked competitive though and I felt good in the car. Hopefully we can show similar good pace and focus on the cars ahead.

 

Toto Wolff, CEO & Team Principal
That was a very good Qualifying session for us as a team. George’s lap was superb; you could see the lap time coming throughout and he did well to put it all together. There were no mistakes and, even though it has been a bit warmer today, we were right there at the end to take pole position. That is a promising sign for us, but we need to make sure we build on that and race well tomorrow.

For Kimi, he is slightly disappointed with P4 and that is a sign of just how high his standards are and the progress he has already made in his rookie season. Ultimately, he had to use his second new Medium tyre to get through to Q3 and that left him at a disadvantage for his final lap. Nevertheless, he still produced a solid effort and starting P4 tomorrow gives him every chance of fighting for the podium.

 

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director
George put together a great final lap to secure his sixth pole position. It was also a very impressive effort by Kimi to get P4 on the used Medium tyre. We knew it was going to be tight and, at different times during the weekend, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull have all looked very quick on a single lap. To come away with pole position and the other car on the second row is a pleasing result therefore.

We had expected the Medium to be the best tyre today; George was quickest on it yesterday in FP2 and it was working equally well today. Unfortunately for Kimi, we'd used both Mediums on the way through to Q3 so he didn't have the benefit of a new set. He was still able to secure a solid grid position for tomorrow thankfully.

We've got a good opportunity to score big points tomorrow, but we're well aware that this can be an unpredictable race. It is also expected to be the hottest day of the weekend so far so we’re under no illusion that we're in for a tough fight. Our pace on Friday looked respectable though and we'll be doing everything we can to convert the good work from today into a great result tomorrow.

 

Doriane Pin, Mercedes Junior – FIA F1 Academy

I am very happy with how today has gone. It was great to take victory in race one and bring home the maximum number of points. That helped me take the lead in the overall standings as we look to achieve our goal of winning the championship. It was a beautiful race; I felt really strong in the car and it was great to win in my first race in Montreal. It was awesome to be celebrating with all the team after the race.

The reverse grid race is always tricky and gives us some fantastic fights. We played smart, kept ourselves out of trouble and increased our lead in the standings. It’s been a good day overall and hopefully we can end the weekend on a high with race three tomorrow.

Toto Talks Canada

We’re eager to get back on track in Montreal after a challenging triple header. We showed an improved performance in Barcelona and that is something for us to build on. However, we know we need to be more consistent, and continue to make progress with the W16, if we are to rediscover some of our form from earlier in the season. We enjoyed a strong race here in 2024, and I hope we can repeat that level of performance this time round.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a great track with its mix of low-speed corners and long straights often creating an exciting race. Montreal is a superb host city for F1 too and the fans always create a brilliant atmosphere. We’re looking forward to seeing Doriane racing once again as F1 Academy returns to action. She has put in some strong performances so far this year and we will be supporting her as she looks to challenge for the lead of the championship in Canada.

 

Fact File: Canadian Grand Prix

 

·         The 4.361 km Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is similar in its characteristics to that of the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan. Long straights requiring lower drag are punctuated by slower speed corners such as chicanes and hairpins that require higher downforce.

·         The 14 corners of the circuit comprise six left-hand and eight right-hand turns. Most of the corners are in a similar speed range, which is at the lower end of the scale compared to the rest of the circuits on the 2025 calendar.

·         This will be the 44th F1 Grand Prix to take place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Only Spa, Silverstone, Monaco, and Monza have hosted more.

·         Several corners come as a double change of direction (left/right or right/left combinations) that require good responsiveness from the car. These include the combinations that comprise turns one and two, turns three and four, turns six and seven, turns eight and nine, and the final chicane at turns 13 and 14.

·         The 405-metre pit lane ranks eighth in terms of length across all the circuits we race at. However, time expended during a pit stop is not especially high, as drivers are spared the inconvenience of going through the last chicane, instead entering the pit lane directly. Additionally, the pit exit feeds in at Turn two, thus drivers avoid having to negotiate the first corner too.

·         The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is traditionally regarded as tough on brakes, similar to the Austrian GP. However, there are usually fewer cooling problems in Canada than in Spielberg because the lap distance is greater and there is more time for the brakes to dissipate temperature.

·         The wall on the exit of the final corner has been dubbed ‘The Wall of Champions’ ever since 1999, when Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher, and Jacques Villeneuve all had their races ended at the turn through crashes.

·         Along with Miami, Austria and Las Vegas, Montreal has the most heavy-braking zones on the F1 calendar with three.

·         Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the record for the most wins at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with seven.

·         The circuit is located on the Île Notre-Dame, an island that hosted the World Expo in 1967. The Expo 67 American Pavilion, which became the Montreal Biosphere and is now an environmental museum, is a visible reminder of this.

·         The man-made body of water outside the track – which drivers cross over to get into the paddock – was built to host the rowing and canoeing events at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games.

 

Doriane Pin talks Canada

I am really excited to go racing in Canada for the first time with F1 ACADEMY. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a completely new track to me, and I have been preparing thoroughly for the race weekend on the simulator in the past few days. 

The expectations are really high as I am just one point away from Maya (Weug) in the drivers’ standings. I am fully focused on delivering a strong performance there and the goal is clear: take the lead of the championship this weekend.

George Russell

It feels good to be back near the front of the grid today and it is nice to be in this groove again after a tough Monaco Grand Prix. The car felt good today and being with the same lap time as Max (Verstappen) is not surprising. Except for Monaco, we’ve been in the top five every single race since the start of the season, and we know we have the pace to challenge our competitors on a Saturday.

We do know it is still going to be a challenging race with these hot ambient temperatures and a track temperature forecast to be in the low 50°C degrees. Just like Bahrain though, we’ve been able to manage the tyres better when they’re on the hardest end of the Pirelli spectrum. Hopefully that will be the same case tomorrow.

The McLarens are still the dominant force this weekend and it will be a challenge to fight with them. However, a podium is what we are realistically aiming for, and I do think this is achievable tomorrow. I started P4 in this same race last year and ended up in the lead after turn one; I’ll certainly try to replicate that tomorrow!

 

Kimi Antonelli

After two difficult race weekends, it is good to be back in a good rhythm. It took me some time to build up my speed at the start of the session, but I started to gain a lot of confidence lap after lap. Unfortunately, with only one set of new Soft tyres for Q3, I was slightly limited. I wasn’t able to take quite as much risk, and I know there was a couple of tenths to grab here and there, but overall, P6 is a great come back from where I had been earlier in the weekend.

It is going to be a difficult race tomorrow with these hot temperatures. Preserving the tyres will be a real challenge for the whole field. That is why we deliberately have focused on our long run pace this weekend as we know it is an area we need to improve in. Tomorrow will be a good test of the progress we have made, and I am hopeful that we can put in a competitive showing.

 

Toto Wolff, CEO & Team Principal

We were back to being at the competitive end of the grid today which was encouraging. Obviously, it is a bit painful to see George starting P4 when he could have been P3 having set the same lap time as Max (Verstappen). We know that race pace is what matters around here, rather than your specific starting position, so we are looking ahead to tomorrow now. If the temperatures stay as they were today, it is going to be a difficult afternoon for everyone tomorrow. Preserving the tyres will be a struggle, as we have seen in previous hot races not only this year but around this circuit before.

That is why we decided before the weekend to focus on improving our long run pace, given it is the main area of improvement we need to make with this car. Starting with both cars in the top six gives us the chance for a solid result. We will need to show that we have made progress with our race pace though to stand a chance of converting that promise into genuine performance. Let's see how the opening lap goes and from there, our main objective will be to preserve the tyres lap after lap and still ensure we can post competitive lap times.

 

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

We could have done a little better than P4 and P6 today, which is frustrating. George matched Max’s (Verstappen) lap time to the thousandth and wasn't far behind Lando (Norris), but the smallest of differences still count. Kimi had to use more sets of the Soft tyre than was ideal on his way to Q3. That left him with just one new tyre set, and it was hard to judge the grip step on a cooling track. He felt he left a bit of lap time on the table but it was still a good effort to split the Ferraris.

The race is going to be tough on the tyres tomorrow. It’s really hot here in Barcelona and that's going to make it hard to keep temperatures under control. We have done plenty of high fuel work in free practice though, so hopefully both drivers will be as well prepared as possible. It is an area we need to improve in, so tomorrow’s race will offer a good test of the progress we’ve hopefully made.

 

Noah Strømsted, Mercedes Junior – FIA F3   

It was a very difficult and frustrating race here in Barcelona today. With good pace and great tyre management, I was able to make my way to P2 having started P5. Unfortunately, with only three laps remaining, the car broke down and I had no option but to retire from the Sprint race. That is a good helping of points that we have missed out on but hopefully tomorrow morning’s Feature race will play out differently and we can end the weekend on a high.

Toto Talks Spain

We will be looking to get back on track in Barcelona this weekend. It is a circuit that provides a good test of a car, with a mixture of low, medium, and high-speed corners. That will be useful for assessing our recent updates and our position relative to our competitors as we move into the second third of the season.

With 16 races left, there is a long way to go. The team is still pushing to find performance and this weekend’s updated front wing technical directive will provide another level of intrigue. We are focused on ourselves though and looking forward to having the opportunity to do a better job than we have done at the last two races.

 

Fact File: Spanish Grand Prix

 

·         The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is an ideal track for testing an F1 car, as it has a wide range of corner types and speeds, plus some long straights. Slow-speed corners like Turns 5 and 10 focus on mechanical grip, but high-speed sections such as Turns 3 and 9 test a car’s aerodynamic grip.

·         Sector three is incredibly important and drivers can find a lot of lap time here in the slow corners. It can be rare for a driver to set three purple sectors at the circuit, because maximising grip and being faster in sector one will overheat the tyres for the crucial third sector.

·         The chicane in the final sector of the lap was removed for the 2023 race, reverting back to the previous track layout for the final two corners.

·         Most of the track’s low-speed turns are left-handers and most of the right-handers are taken at high speeds. So slightly different car set-ups can be used on the left and right-hand sides, and that track characteristic also means the left tyres wear out quicker, while the right tyres experience lower temperatures.

·         24 of the 34 races that have taken place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya have been won from pole.

·         The start of the ground effect era at the start of 2022 presented a very different challenge for the drivers around the track. For example, the long Turn 3 is now taken at 225 km/h, compared to 240 km/h in 2021. The fast Turn 9 is now a 250 km/h right-hander, whereas in 2021 it was taken at around 265 km/h.

·         Barcelona is one of three tracks that George Russell has recorded two podium finishes at in Formula 1. Melbourne and Baku are the other two.

·         Barcelona first appeared on the calendar in 1991 and has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in every season since.

·         Lewis Hamilton recorded his 100th pole position at the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix while driving for the team.

·         Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most consecutive wins at a Grand Prix circuit with five in Barcelona (2017-2021). He shares this record with Ayrton Senna and Monaco (1989-1993)

·         George triumphed at Barcelona in 2018 while driving in Formula 2. He shared the podium that day with future F1 drivers Lando Norris and Nyck de Vries.

·         Junior Driver Noah Strømsted continues his maiden FIA Formula 3 campaign in Barcelona, with the track set to host round five of the 2025 championship.

Junior Driver Noah Strømsted Talk Spain

 

Noah Strømsted

I am looking forward to Barcelona, it is a track I know very well. We did our pre-season test at the circuit this year, so we already have some experience with the car there.

It’s going to be very tight as every driver is familiar with the layout, but we will do our best to get some good points.