Formula 1 Lenovo Austrian Grand Prix
Location: Spielberg, Austria
Course: Red Bull Ring
Course Length: 4.32 km
Laps: 71
Austrian Grand Prix Race Preview
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari disrupted Mercedes' winning streak two weeks ago in Spain, claiming their first victory together since Hamilton joined the team in 2025. The win also strengthened both championship bids, with Hamilton and Ferrari sitting second in their respective standings. Perhaps more importantly, the result proved Mercedes can be beaten. The top teams had already begun closing the performance gap as upgrades rolled out over the past few races, and it seemed only a matter of time before the front of the grid tightened even further. Ferrari may have benefited from some good fortune in Spain, but the pace was clearly improving and this week's stop in Austria will tell whether Spain was a one-off success or if Ferrari has truly caught Mercedes. As the season moves forward, teams will continue introducing upgrades, and Mercedes will need to find gains of its own to relieve the growing pressure. Many teams will be bringing those upgrades to this race and this is a track where each of the four major teams has won within the last four years. Grid position is also critical, which should make Saturday's qualifying session a strong indicator of who will be in position to win on Sunday.
Key Stats at the Red Bull Ring
- Races: 39
- Winners from pole: 15
- Winners from top-5 starters: 34
- Winners from top-10 starters: 36
- Fastest Race: 235.437 kph
Previous 10 Red Bull Ring Winners
2025 - Lando Norris
2024 - George Russell
2023 - Max Verstappen
2022- Charles Leclerc
2021 II - Max Verstappen
2021 I - Max Verstappen
2020 II - Lewis Hamilton
2020 I - Valtteri Bottas
2019 - Max Verstappen
2018 - Max Verstappen
The current configuration of the Red Bull Ring returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2014, and while the lap is short, the track delivers plenty in a compact package. Its mix of elevation change, high-speed sections, and medium-speed corners makes it more demanding than the layout may first appear. The circuit's terrain also adds another layer of difficulty. Cars climb from the start line through turns 1 and 2 before the track begins its mostly downhill run through a series of eight medium- to high-speed turns. That stretch puts pressure on teams to keep the tires in the right operating window while maintaining balance through fast, flowing corners. Austria is typically a one-stop race, but that strategy gives teams little room to recover if they lack pace early or get trapped behind traffic. With such a short lap and limited strategic flexibility, starting near the front is especially important. That history is hard to ignore, as no winner has started lower than fourth since Formula 1 returned to the Red Bull Ring 11 years ago.
RotoWire Formula 1 DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Austrian Grand Prix
Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kimi Antonelli - $13,000
Lewis Hamilton - $12,400
George Russell - $12,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Max Verstappen - $10,600
Charles Leclerc - $10,400
Lando Norris - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Oscar Piastri - $9,000
Isack Hadjar - $6,600
Oliver Bearman - $5,000
DraftKings Constructor Values
Mercedes - $14,300
Ferrari - $12,500
Red Bull Racing - $8,300
Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Austrian Grand Prix
Captain - Pierre Gasly - $9,300
Oscar Piastri - $9,000
Isack Hadjar - $6,600
Liam Lawson - $5,600
Oliver Bearman - $5,000
Constructor - Mercedes - $14,300
With so many questions left to answer after Ferrari's win in Spain, chances for a win from the top contenders seem relatively equal across the board. For that reason, this lineup tries to get as much varied representation across the top teams as possible. To do so, we have to compromise a little with the team captain pick and go with Pierre Gasly. The Alpine driver is eighth in the standings and came from 14th to finish seventh at Spain. He was the biggest mover in that race, and he finished 10th or better in three of his last four Austria visits.
McLaren is represented here by Oscar Piastri. This tracks slower corners with long straights should suit their car, plus recent steps forward in race pace seem to be making them more competitive. With the field running a bit more tightly together due to the nature of this short track, McLaren should be poised to be closer to the front. They aren't the favorites, but Piastri was the runner up in this race in each of the last two seasons.
Red Bull Racing is expected to bring some upgrades to their car to this race, which could help some of the complaints Isack Hadjar has had. Even with suboptimal car characteristics, Hadjar has been productive and scored points in the last three races. He finished 12th in this race last season, but he should have a potential points finish in hand this week and that will be even more likely with the expected upgrades.
Liam Lawson has also finished in the points the last three races. He sits 10th in the championship standings heading into this race and was the sixth-place finisher last season. Lawson is an aggressive driver that can gain ground when the field is bunched together, which Austria tends to do. This could be a week he outperforms his usual expectations.
Oliver Bearman is another driver with upside potential at this track. Given the importance of qualifying at Austria, a clean and quick lap from Bearman on Saturday could give him initial track position that he can capitalize on in the race. Again, the short nature of this circuit with a single-stop strategy helps some of the teams that lack outright pace, and Bearman falls squarely into the category of driver that can be opportunistic in the right situation.
With the selections above, Mercedes as constructor is within reach. The manufacturer has been the class of the field this season and it is still too soon to say whether or not that advantage has been wiped out. Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are both among the favorites to win, and if they can avoid trouble, they may both end up on the podium.
Formula 1 Betting Picks for the Austrian Grand Prix
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 1:00 PM ET Thursday
Race Winner – Kimi Antonelli +200
Podium Finish - Lando Norris +200
Double Top-Six Finish - McLaren +110
A mechanical failure in Spain took Kimi Antonelli out of the fight for the win. While there may be some lingering questions about the reliability of Mercedes, the car still seems to have the legs over the competition. With five wins from the first seven races, he is the driver the rest of the field have their sights set on. Fans can be assured Mercedes assessed the trouble at Spain and are coming prepared to get their man to the finish line again this week to continue his quest for a maiden series title.
As the front of the grid tightens with each upgrade, McLaren may be at risk of falling behind. Ferrari took a huge step forward and broke Antonelli's win streak at Spain, but McLaren have a set of upgrades they are bringing to this week's race to help them join that battle. Even without an increase in performance, McLaren remains competitive. Norris won this race from pole last season and a good lap from him in qualifying on Saturday would put him in position to grab a podium Sunday.
With their planned upgrades, McLaren could be a good wager for a double top-six finish. As things stand, both McLaren drivers are in the top six in the championship standings, which reflects their pace all season so far. That competitiveness, plus the promise of even more improvement with the upgrade package, should put them in contention to firmly establish themselves in those top positions again this week at Austria where they finished first and second last season.
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