For the second stage of this hat-trick, inaugurated by the Spanish GP a week ago, we moved to Austria, to the Red Bull Ring, which will host the third Sprint Race of the season after China and Miami. The Austrian track is a highly anticipated and always uncertain event due to the weather but also to the track limits issue which last year led to a series of penalties. To overcome this, the FIA decided to modify some points of the track by inserting gravel. With the Sprint weekend we return to having to line up the Fanta F1 lineup as early as Friday, with the Sprint qualifying: so let's see our advice for the Austrian GP.
Who to line up at Fanta F1 on the Austrian GP weekend
With Max Verstappen undisputed favourite, thanks to his four victories at the Red Bull Ring on his home circuit, many might be tempted to bet everything on the Red Bull driver. However, the Austrian circuit is known for holding surprises, and the recent performances of the McLaren suggest there could be a close challenge for victory. McLaren has proven to have one of the most competitive cars this season, and two equally strong drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
After an excellent result at the Spanish Grand Prix, where Norris showed he can keep up with Verstappen, the Woking team is ready for another high-level performance in Austria. For our top 5 at Fanta F1 for the Austrian GP we chose to rely on these two drivers. With a budget of 100 credits, the team we propose for the Community Club sponsored by NOW is therefore composed of: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Logan Sargeant.
With McLaren in excellent form, Norris is an obvious choice. He has shown that he can compete at the highest level and could be one of the surprises of the weekend. Although less experienced than Norris, Piastri has shown that he has the talent needed to achieve good results. His presence in the team guarantees strong support in the fight against opponents. Determined to return to the points, Hülkenberg has the experience and motivation to do well at the Red Bull Ring. Haas could use its straight-line speed to get a good result. As for Alpine, Gasly fresh from renewal comes from three consecutive weekends with a points finish. With the ability to manage the tires well, he could make the difference in the race.
The forecast for the Austrian GP
Safety Car in the race: SI
Virtual Safety Car: DO NOT
Red flag: DO NOT
Drivers switch off wet/full wet tires in the race: SI
Team double in the race: DO NOT
Driver who starts on pole wins the race: DO NOT
Number of teams to place both drivers in the top 10: 4
Number of cars forced to retire: 2
