Formula 2 heads into its seventh round of the 2025 season with a strategic stop in Austria. The Spielberg circuit, also known as the Red Bull Ring, is famous not only for its scenic beauty but also for being one of the most technically demanding tracks on the calendar. Its short layout, featuring long straights and tight corners, requires a perfect combination of speed and precision — something Jak Crawford, driver for DAMS Lucas Oil, knows very well.
“Spielberg – in the mountains, very beautiful and cool place,” said Crawford. Although it’s one of the most picturesque circuits of the year, the American is quick to point out that the pleasant surroundings hide a challenging and technical track. “It’s a very high-speed circuit especially Sector 3, but also some low speed stuff, so you need a good mixture of both,” he explains, highlighting the need for a versatile car setup and adaptive driving style to deal with the track’s changing rhythm.
With sections that favor DRS and corners that test drivers’ reflexes and precision, the Red Bull Ring offers clear overtaking opportunities — provided they are well-executed. “Lots of straights, low speed and high speed. The best overtaking spot is diving down the inside of Turn 3 or setting someone up at Turn 3 to get DRS to pass them into Turn 4. The most challenging part is how close the laptimes are. It’s the shortest laptime of the year so the times are close, so you really need to be on it and performing.”
The Austrian weekend marks the turning point of the season — the halfway stage — and comes at a time of fierce competition in the standings. After an eventful round in Barcelona, Irishman Alexander Dunne took the championship lead with 87 points, representing Rodin Motorsport. Now, he’ll try to defend his position on a track where just a few tenths of a second can decide an entire race.
In addition to the usual battles, Spielberg will also be the stage for an important debut: Dunne will make his first official appearance in a Formula 1 weekend by taking over Lando Norris’ car for McLaren during Free Practice 1.
Back in Formula 2, the drivers will hit the track for the first time on Friday at 11:05 a.m. (local time) for Free Practice, followed by the Qualifying session at 3:55 p.m. On Saturday, the Sprint Race will take place with lights out at 2:15 p.m., with 28 intense laps on the schedule. The weekend wraps up with the Feature Race on Sunday at 10:00 a.m., with 40 laps promising high drama all the way to the chequered flag.
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Image: James Sutton – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images
