Two weeks after the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, won by Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1 is back on track for another European double-header, starting this weekend in Austria before moving on to the UK.

Scuderia Ferrari HP arrives in the Styrian mountains off the back of encouraging performances in the past few races, aware that on a circuit that is short yet demanding, the slightest detail can make the difference. For the second time this season, the team will field three drivers: Ferrari Driver Academy member Dino Beganovic, currently racing in Formula 2 with DAMS, will take over Charles Leclerc's SF-26 during Friday's opening free practice session, completing one of the rookie outings required by the regulations.

The 4.318 kilometre Spielberg circuit features ten corners. It is one of the shortest on the calendar, combining long straights and heavy braking zones, particularly at Turns 1, 3 and 4, before a more flowing final sector with elevation changes that put the car's balance to the test. The layout is conducive to overtaking and often produces closely fought races. Given the short lap length, the time gaps are usually very small and even a few hundredths of a second can make a significant difference in qualifying.

Situated more than 700 metres above sea level and surrounded by mountains, changeable weather is the order of the day, with sudden changes that can influence the course of the sessions.

Fred Vasseur: We arrive in Austria encouraged by our positive showing over the past few races, even though we are fully aware that there is still a lot of work to do and that we must continue to focus on ourselves. We will approach this weekend with the same method and mindset that we have adopted since the start of the season aiming to put together clean sessions in every respect, from track execution to the strategic decisions taken on the pit wall. We know that every weekend has a different story to tell which is why we will continue to take the championship one race at a time.

Ferrari in Austria

37 GP Entered
1964 (L. Bandini 1st; J. Surtees ret.)
6 (16.22%) Wins
8 (21.62%) Pole Positions
5 (13.51%) Fastest Laps
30 (27.03%) Podiums

Three questions to Enrico Gualtieri - Technical Director Power Unit.

Enrico, in Austria we will introduce an updated specification of the power unit. What is the philosophy behind this evolution and how much does performance in Formula 1 come from a series of small gains rather than one big step?
Enrico Gualtieri: Formula 1 has always been about details and incremental, holistic gains. Power Unit development typically follows long cycles, as every step, especially major ones which involve a more intensive R&D loop, requires extensive validation. For this reason, major concept changes or architectural shifts during a Formula 1 season are uncommon, particularly when they affect installation and integration with the car and its operating conditions. Since the beginning of the 2026 project, we have combined a continuous development approach with longer-term development programmes, to fully exploit all available opportunities to increase the performance of our Power Unit. These two streams run in parallel and often reinforce each other. The entire team at the factory is now working relentlessly to make the most of the additional opportunities provided by the ADUO mechanism, in full alignment with our intended development roadmap. The update we are bringing to Spielberg is a relatively minor one and it's the result of the work completed in recent weeks to transfer improvements from our development programme to the track. It epitomises key principles of our sport: continuous improvement, reacting quickly, and deploying gains at the earliest opportunity.

There has been plenty of discussion around the latest power unit developments. In a championship as competitive as this one, how realistic is it to expect a single update to transform the hierarchy among the teams?
EG: As mentioned, this update is not a major step, and it will not, on its own, change the competitive order. What it does show is the attitude of the team and our technical partners: to push continuously and to make the most of every opportunity to improve our package. In a championship as competitive as this one, it is unrealistic to expect a single update to transform the overall picture, especially under the current homologation and development constraints. Performance is built progressively, not only through hardware changes, but also through how effectively you optimise the package race by race.

Is it the case that maintaining development pace is just as important as the absolute gain delivered by any single update, especially in the early days of these new regulations and when convergence of performance between the teams has not yet been achieved?
EG: This championship is a challenge from start to finish, not only in terms of pure performance, but also in how effectively you optimise each component at the track, and how robust and reliable your overall package is. At this stage, it is also fundamental to close the loop between track learning and factory development, reacting quickly to what we learn at each event, feeding that back into development, and deploying improvements efficiently. We fully recognize that some of our competitors have done a better job so far. This is part of the reality of Formula 1 and its challenges, and it sets a clear target for us. We know it won't be an easy journey, and we prefer to commit to facts rather than promises. But I can say that everyone is united and hard-working, and we are confident that, with focus and consistency, we can achieve our targets.

Austrian Grand Prix: Facts and Figures

788. The number of mountains in Styria that rise above 2,000 metres, more than in any other Austrian state. From the Hoher Dachstein, which at 2,995 metres is the region's highest peak, to the mountains of Gesäuse National Park, Styria's landscape is dominated by the Alps and by such abundant nature that it is known as the "Green Heart of Austria".

1696. The year of the first known reference to Apfelstrudel - one of the pillars of Austrian pastry-making. It appears in the manuscript known as Koch Puech, a recipe book preserved at the Austrian National Library in Vienna. According to experts, the origins of the famous rolled pastry filled with apples and flavoured with cinnamon can be traced back to ancient Middle Eastern desserts similar to baklava, which found their way into the Habsburg Empire through Ottoman influence.

1971. The year in which Styria began promoting itself as the "Green Heart of Austria" (Grünes Herz Österreichs), an expression that would become the symbol of the region. The nickname stems from the fact that forests cover around 60% of the territory, its landscapes dominated by mountains, lakes and alpine pastures. To this day, the "Green Heart" remains one of Styria's most recognisable symbols and even features in the logo of the regional tourism board.

1999. The number of tonnes of Steirisches Kürbiskernöl, the pumpkin seed oil produced in Styria every year. The product was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the European Union in 2001 and is known as the "Green Gold of Styria" thanks to its distinctive dark colour and slightly nutty flavour. It is used almost exclusively uncooked to dress salads, soups and vegetables, but in Austria it is also traditionally paired with vanilla ice cream, a combination regarded as one of the region's most distinctive specialities.

3000. The number of tonnes of Steirisches Kürbiskernöl, the pumpkin seed oil produced in Styria every year. The product was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the European Union in 2001 and is known as the "Green Gold of Styria" thanks to its distinctive dark colour and slightly nutty flavour. It is used almost exclusively uncooked to dress salads, soups and vegetables, but in Austria it is also traditionally paired with vanilla ice cream, a combination regarded as one of the region's most distinctive specialities.