The FIA Formula One World Championship heads to Spielberg this weekend for the eighth round of the season, the Austrian Grand Prix, in the scenic backdrop of the Styrian Alps.
For the first time in its history, the new generation of Formula 1 cars will race on the iconic Red Bull Ring circuit, featuring pronounced elevation changes, with 69 m between the lowest and highest points.
Situated around 700m above sea level, the circuit spans 4.318km (2.7 miles) in the Styrian Alps. As a result, altitude affects aerodynamic performance and may pose an additional challenge to the power units.
Also, it is particularly challenging on the brakes and suspension as it is the shortest on the calendar in terms of lap time (around 65 seconds).
Therefore, management and mechanical grip become key for teams and drivers at the 39th edition of the Austrian Grand Prix, battling wheel-to-wheel for victory on a circuit they know well, but that represents uncharted territory for the new machinery.
Boasting long straights in the uphill section, the layout includes 10 corners, ranging from low to medium, and some very high-speed turns, such as Turns 2, 5, and 8, all taken full throttle over 71 laps.
Seventh-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton arrives on Austrian soil off the back of claiming his first victory with Scuderia Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, the No. 106 of his career.
The British driver now stands second in the drivers' championship, having narrowed the gap to Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli to 41 points.
Despite Hamilton's breakthrough in Barcelona with the Maranello squad, Scuderia Ferrari HP Team Principal, Frederic Vasseur, is cautious when discussing the championship.
"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," he outlined.
Adding: "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".
Meanwhile, Antonelli remains at the top of the charts on a 156-point tally after seven races.
The Italian racer teammate, George Russell, stands in third with 106 points, followed by Charles Leclerc with 75.
The McLaren of Lando Norris completes the Top 5 just two points behind the Monegasque driver.
Mercedes remains the dominant force in the constructors' championship; the German outfit won six of the seven Grand Prix held this season, collecting 262 points in the process compared to Ferrari's 190 and McLaren's 141.
On a further note: Pirelli nominated compounds for the Grand Prix are the softest in the range: C3, C4, and C5.
According to the Italian tire manufacturer, "wear is not a decisive factor in Austria, where degradation is mainly thermal in origin."