Austrian Grand Prix 2026 — Weekend Preview

Round 8 of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship takes the field to Spielberg, Austria. Austrian Grand Prix — Short and Sharp — Every Lap Counts. Kimi Antonelli leads the championship with 143 points, 39 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Driver Championship (entering R8):
P1: Kimi Antonelli — 143 pts (5W, 6P)
P2: Lewis Hamilton — 104 pts (1W, 4P)
P3: George Russell — 85 pts (1W, 3P)
P4: Charles Leclerc — 58 pts (0W, 2P)
P5: Oscar Piastri — 55 pts (0W, 2P)

Constructor Championship:
P1: Mercedes — 228 pts
P2: Ferrari — 162 pts
P3: McLaren — 108 pts
P4: Red Bull Racing — 86 pts
P5: Alpine — 47 pts

Spielberg is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar.

Recent winners at Spielberg:
- 2026: George Russell (Mercedes)
- 2025: Lando Norris (McLaren)
- 2024: George Russell (Mercedes)
- 2023: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- 2022: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

Tyre strategy data will be available after practice sessions provide degradation information.

Battles to watch:

Championship battle: Kimi Antonelli vs Lewis Hamilton — 39 points separate them.

P4 vs P5: Charles Leclerc (58) vs Oscar Piastri (55) — just 3 points apart.
P5 vs P6: Oscar Piastri (55) vs Lando Norris (53) — just 2 points apart.