F1 Austrian GP: practice, qualifying, race start time, predictions, TV guide, betting odds

Can Ferrari and home team Red Bull
challenge Mercedes in Spielberg?

Preview

In 2018 Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were
both forced to retire and it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who took
the chequered flag ahead of Ferrari duo Kimi Räikkönen and
Sebastian Vettel. 

With last year still fresh in the memory Mercedes boss
Toto Wolff said: “Our result in last year’s Austrian Grand Prix was
the low point of the 2018 season. A double DNF after a promising
front-row lockout meant that we left a lot of points on the
table. 

“The race was a cruel reminder how quickly things can go
wrong in our sport and that reliability and performance go hand in
hand in Formula 1. 

“This year, our race finishing record has been good, but
it would be complacent to ignore the fact that for two weekends in
a row now, our mechanics had to perform the equivalent of
‘open-heart surgery’ on our cars.” 

Marko optimistic, Verstappen less
so

Max Verstappen’s victory at the Austrian GP in 2018 was
the first time Red Bull had won their home race.

This season Verstappen has only secured a couple of
podiums but Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is hopeful that the
21-year-old can win in Austria for a second successive
year. 

Marko said: “I really believe that we will be
competitive in the coming races and participate in stage. Hopefully
also for a win. It may be a bit optimistic, but we may
succeed.” 

Despite Marko’s optimism, Verstappen was less confident about
the upcoming weekend. He said: “We’ll probably finish fourth or fifth,
though that depends on Ferrari making mistakes. Maybe even third if
both Ferraris make a mistake. 

“We’re just lacking pace at the moment, you have to accept
that. In the meantime we keep working hard on the car and mostly
the power unit, too.”

What the drivers and teams are
saying

Pierre Gasly, Red Bull

“I feel we are far from showing the potential we have and
that’s not pleasant and no one is happy about it. At the moment
it’s just trying to focus on putting everything together. Same on
my side: I think there are things we can do better as well. We can
all do better but we’re clearly not showing the potential so I
think that’s the main thing to focus on at the moment.”

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

“Austria is one of my favourite circuits. I think for the
car it shall maybe fit a bit better compared to Paul Ricard. So
hopefully we can have a good weekend. It’s quite a different track,
I’m pretty sure that we can have a positive weekend
there.”

2019 F1 Austrian GP race
guide 

• Circuit name: Red Bull Ring
• First grand prix: 1970   
• Number of laps: 71  
• Circuit length: 4.318km  
• Race distance: 306.452km  
• Lap record: 1:06.957 by Kimi Räikkönen in 2018 
• Last year’s podium: 1st Max Verstappen (Red Bull); 2nd Kimi
  Räikkönen (Ferrari); 3rd Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

When are the practice
sessions? 

There are three full practice (FP) sessions in Austria. On
Friday 28 June FP1 takes place from 10am-11.30am and FP2 is from
2pm-3.30pm. FP3 will be from 11am-12pm on Saturday 29 June. All
times BST.

When is qualifying? 

Qualifying for the Austrian GP starts at 2pm on Saturday
29 June. 

What time does the race
start? 

The 2019 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix starts at 2.10pm
(BST) on Sunday 30 June.

Austrian GP predictions: who will
win?

Matthew Atkinson, The Stats Zone: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

“After Lewis Hamilton’s masterclass demonstration in
France where he comfortably cruised to victory, Mercedes and
Hamilton are expected to dominate in Austria. Red Bull will be
determined to win again in their home race, but realistically after
France, they are worried about their lack of pace and the
performance gains of both Renault and McLaren. Bottas needs to
regain the form he showed at the beginning of the season, otherwise
Hamilton will have no opposition in his quest to claim his sixth
title. Racing fans will hope he will be closer this weekend. The
prediction is for another Lewis Hamilton win, where the hills will
be alive with the sound of Hamilton celebrating.”

Joseph Tyrrell, GPBlog: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

“Mercedes had won four in a row until last season’s
disaster and the 2017 winner, Bottas, is normally strong in
Austria. On pole in 2018 and winner a year earlier, it wouldn’t be
a surprise to see him on top again.”

Austrian GP betting odds

Prices according to Oddschecker, as of 27 June. 

Austrian GP race winner odds

• Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): 4/5 
• Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes): 3/1  
• Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari): 11/2  
• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): 13/2  
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 28/1  
• Pierre Gasly (Red Bull): 325/1  
• Lando Norris (McLaren): 1,000/1 
• Carlos Sainz (McLaren): 1,000/1

Austrian GP TV guide 

Sky Sports F1 will show live coverage of
practice, qualifying and the race from Spielberg. Channel 4 will show highlights of both
qualifying and the race. All times below are BST.

Watch on Now TV 

F1 fans can also watch the action live on . Viewers can subscribe to a Sky Sports
F1 pass via  for all race weekends in 2019. 

Sky Sports F1 coverage of the Austrian
GP 
Thursday 27 June 

• 2pm: drivers’ press conference  
• 5pm: Welcome to the Weekend 

Friday 28 June 

• 9.45am: practice one build-up  
• 10am: practice one live  
• 1.45pm: practice two build-up (simulcast on Sky Sports Main
  Event)  
• 2pm: practice two live (simulcast on Sky Sports Main
  Event)  
• 4.30pm: Austrian GP: The Story So Far 

Saturday 29 June 

• 10.45am: practice three build-up  
• 11am: practice three live  
• 12.10pm: Paddock Walkabout  
• 1pm: qualifying build-up  
• 2pm: qualifying live  
• 4.45pm: The F1 Show

Sunday 30 June 

• 12.30pm: Pit Lane live  
• 1.30pm: On The Grid  
• 2.10pm: Austrian Grand Prix live  
• 4.30pm: Paddock live  
• 6pm: race highlights  
• 7.30pm: race replay

Channel 4 coverage of the Austrian
GP

• Saturday 29 June: qualifying highlights at
  6.30pm 
• Sunday 30 June: race highlights at 7pm

Red Bull Ring circuit graphic: Formula1.com