February 9, 2025

FF1M

Fantasy Formula 1 Management

Austrian GP : Preview

FF1M heads back across the Atlantic and through some of mainland Europe for the Austrian Grand Prix, located at the Red Bull Ring near Spielberg. It’s a race where the previous two editions have witnessed Tornado 1-2 finishes, and the way their season is going so far, a third successive 1-2 looks fairly likely.

Kimminen’s remarkable run continues

The last race at Road America was a closely fought and sometimes chaotic encounter which saw Vaino Kimminen extended his run of podium finishes to nine, just two away from the record set by Sebastian Vettel during the 2007 season. He had to work for it however as polesitter Fernando Alonso proved to be a serious threat, leading the first half of the race before some good inlaps during the second round of pitstops allowed Kimminen to close in, attack the Spaniard on his outlap, and outbrake him at the end of the Moraine Sweep. The two remained locked together during the final stint before Kimminen won by just three seconds. The Finn’s reward was a contract extension with Tornado for 2018, one of two drivers confirmed with Lewis Hamilton remaining with Mitchell for next season.

Further back, it was heartbreak for the other Shake ‘n’ Bake of Nolan Bryant as a two-stop strategy put him on course for a dream podium finish at his home race until Lewis Hamilton made contact with him going into the first corner on the final lap. The time loss for both allowed the CBA Racing of Tomas Gonzalez to pick up the scraps for his first podium since the opening race at Melbourne. Meanwhile, some of the non-mechanical retirements took place at famous Canada corner with James Clark having a sizeable shunt into the tyre barriers, Daniel Ricciardo being wiped out by both Cooper Lee and the terminally unlucky Stoffel Vandoorne, and both GRM drivers coming a cropper, while Kimi Raikkonen instead chose the final corner to total his car.

Paddock News

This could be the final race on this layout of the Red Bull Ring. With laptimes approaching the one minute mark in recent seasons the AFIA have been looking at ways of extending the lap and it is rumoured that preparations will be made over the closed season to use the 5.9km Österreichring layout in future seasons.

With thirteen teams being provisionally confirmed for the 2018 season, discussions are currently taking place as to how to organise the pre-season testing schedule, practice sessions, and qualifying, with it being virtually confirmed that pre-qualifying will return for the first time since the 2009 season. In the amongst the entries, British tyre manufacturer Avon will be making their FF1M debut, supplying Ajay Motorsports exclusively and making it three tyre manufacturers for the first time since 1998.

It has also been reported that FJR team boss James Brickles isn’t particularly happy with the lack of straight-line speed of the Judd engine compared to Megatron after Kevin Magnussen struggled to overtake Bryant during the race. Judd are responding to this by bringing an ERS upgrade for this race meeting, their second upgrade of the season.

Mugen have also taken their second engine upgrade of the season and will have a new ICE, ERS and CE

Action at Austria

Spielberg’s short lap and three decent straights usually makes for close grids and good racing, so a new polesitter for this season is possible. Its tight first corner also brings a bit of incident with it as well with Hamilton in particular having a few moments last season, and more comically both FJR drivers retiring on the spot in 2012 thanks to contact with Bruno Senna and a calculated nudge from Sebastian Vettel. Talking of the German, he nearly scored points last time out in what has been a sorry season so far for the double drivers champion. With the silly season fast approaching and Pedersen departing at the end of this season, where he’ll go will be particularly interesting to observe as he’ll undoubtedly be a valuable asset to any team

Support Races

FF2M has also crossed the Atlantic after a chaotic affair at Road America and once again supports FF1M this weekend. Chuck Bucknam is in a strong position going into the main European leg of the season.

Coverage Details

The race itself will be broadcast live from 17:00 BST on Sunday 6th October.

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