Why is Austria Hosting Two F1 Races – Styrian & Austrian Grand Prix?

One of the many reasons F1 is a popular sport is its unpredictability. Drivers race at different tracks in different countries throughout the season, and no one knows what changes each race weekend will bring. But since last year, there has been a change in the structure of the sport. Instead of traveling to a different track for every Grand Prix, there have been two consecutive race weekends at the same track in Austria – the Styrian Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix.

Why are there two races in Austria?

Just like last year, the COVID-19 has forced the FIA to cancel some Grand Prix weekends from the 2021 calendar, postpone others, and organize new ones to compensate for those canceled.

And as a consequence of those changes, Austria, Red Bull’s home country, became the venue for two back-to-back races. The two Grand Prix weekends, despite being held at the same track, have different names – the Austrian Grand Prix and Styrian GP.

It does create for some exciting races, as fans want to know if teams perform differently at the same track or put display the same level of dominance on the track.

The situation was the same last year, with the Styrian GP being the first of two races at the Red Bull Ring.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won the first-ever Styrian GP as his teammate Valtteri Bottas settled for second place. Hamilton’s title rival, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, had to come to terms with a P3 finish at his team’s home race.

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Who won this year’s Styrian Grand Prix?

Red Bull were looking to dominate their home race weekend in Austria from the get-go, and they did exactly that; Max Verstappen achieved pole position in the qualifying rounds.

Hence, the Milton-Keynes-based outfit was already on the front foot and were looking to capitalize on their fortunes and win the race. And, as fate would have it, the Dutchman gifted Red Bull a victory in their own backyard, while their arch-rivals, Mercedes had to taste defeat.

However, in just a few days’ time, they go return to the Red Bull Ring for an encore. Can Verstappen & Co. keep the Silver Arrows at bay and grab another win under their belt or will Mercedes find a way to bounce back?

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