Spielberg, Austria

The Red Bull Ring sits in a natural amphitheatre in the Styrian hills of southern Austria — a compact, fast circuit entirely surrounded by spectator banking, meaning almost every grandstand offers a view of multiple corners simultaneously. It is widely considered the finest viewing experience in Formula 1. The surrounding Murtal valley is beautiful, the organisation is excellent and the Austrian Grand Prix consistently attracts one of the most vocal and partisan Dutch fan bases (following Max Verstappen) of any race on the calendar.

F1 2026: 26–28 June. Late June in the Austrian Alps is outstanding — warm (22–26°C), the surrounding meadows in full summer bloom, the mountains clear. Book accommodation months ahead — the Red Bull Ring area has limited capacity and race weekend hotels in Spielberg, Zeltweg and Knittelfeld sell out quickly. Graz (80 minutes) and Leoben (40 minutes) are practical alternative bases.

Graz is the nearest major city (80km north). Trains run from Graz and Vienna to Zeltweg station, with shuttle buses to the circuit on race days. A hire car is the most practical option for the surrounding area. The circuit itself is entirely walkable — at 4.318km it is one of the shortest on the calendar and the compact hillside layout means walking is minimal.

Graz is the best base — Austria's second city, with a UNESCO-listed old town, excellent restaurants and a genuine character. Leoben (40 minutes from circuit) is a charming industrial city with the excellent Kunsthalle gallery. Schladming (40 minutes south) is an Alpine resort with outstanding hiking and excellent mountain hotels. Spielberg and Zeltweg have limited accommodation — useful if proximity to the circuit is the priority.

Graz Old Town — the UNESCO-listed historic centre is the best-preserved Renaissance city centre north of the Alps; the Schlossberg (castle hill) above the city gives panoramic views. Schloss Eggenberg (Graz) — a 17th-century Baroque palace with outstanding state rooms and the best collection of Roman archaeological finds from Styria. The Kunsthaus Graz — Colin Fournier and Peter Cook's extraordinary "friendly alien" building containing contemporary art; architecturally one of the most significant buildings in Austria. Lipizzaner stud farm at Piber — the breeding farm for the white horses of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, open to visitors; one of the finest equestrian heritage sites in Europe. Bärnbach (near the circuit) — Friedensreich Hundertwasser's redesigned parish church is a pilgrimage for architecture enthusiasts.

Styrian cuisine is one of Austria's finest regional traditions. Kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil) is the defining ingredient — dark green, nutty and extraordinary on salad. Backhendl (breaded fried chicken, the Styrian version) and Schilcher wine (a local rosé made from the Blauer Wildbacher grape, bone dry and excellent with food) are essential. In Graz, Steirereck im Stadtpark's Graz outpost and the traditional Gasthaus Glöckl Bräu both represent Styrian cooking at its best.

The Red Bull Ring circuit is on a hillside — the viewing banks involve some walking and climbing. The surrounding area is excellent for walking. June weather is ideal. A waterproof layer is advisable — the mountains create localised weather that can produce afternoon showers even on otherwise fine days.

Austria is an extremely safe country. The emergency number is 112. Travel insurance recommended.

The general admission hillside at Turn 3 (Remus corner) gives a view of the entire circuit from a single vantage point — arguably the finest single viewing spot in Formula 1. Arrive early on race morning to secure a good position. Drive the Sölkpass south of Schladming — a mountain pass road through the Niedere Tauern range that is almost entirely unknown to tourists and one of the finest drives in the Austrian Alps. The Styrian pumpkin harvest is in October–November but the pumpkin seed oil produced in the farms around Spielberg can be bought directly from farm shops year-round — a genuinely excellent souvenir.