Consigned to history: the fearsomely fast Österreichring

Many of those who watch the Austrian Grand Prix will never have witnessed the visceral drama of racing at the magnificent Österreichring, part of which has morphed into what is now known as the Red Bull Ring. The original circuit reached parts of the Styrian hills that drivers at the Red Bull Ring have never seen.

The Austrian Grand Prix was originally run on an airport circuit near Zeltweg until, in 1969, the beautiful, challenging and undulating 3.7 miles of the Österreichring was built at Spielberg. It was fearsomely fast and after Mark Donohue’s fatal accident in 1975 at the first corner, the Hella-Licht right-hander, the track was modified for the Grand Prix in 1976 and a year later the corner was re-drawn again, this time as a chicane. The circuit, however, continued to produce some sensational racing, a place where a Formula 1 car was unleashed to its ultimate potential.

Predictably the Österreichring was eventually deemed to be too dangerous and no longer suitable for Formula 1. Its last Austrian Grand Prix was held in 1987 when the narrow start/finish straight was blamed for a series of accidents that caused the race to be re-started twice. During Friday practice a deer had run into the path of Stefan Johansson’s McLaren and the Swede was lucky to escape serious injury when the car was destroyed.

The writing was on the wall and the track was taken over, modernised and renamed the A1 Ring after the new owners, a telecoms company. The rhythm and flow of the old circuit had gone, the Westschleife loop lost to the new shortened layout.

In 2004 Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz bought the A1 Ring with plans to build a hotel, racing school and kart track. The Austrian Grand Prix was back on the calendar in 2014 at the new Red Bull Ring and Mateschitz was said to be looking at using some of the old track but this has not happened and the majestic old Österreichring is consigned to history.

Österreichring
In use 1969-96
Fastest race Lap 1min 28.318sec, Nigel Mansell, Williams FW11B, Formula 1, 1987

My top 3 tracks: Jacky Ickx

• The Nordschleife, the ‘Green Hell’, and it sometimes felt like that, but I liked the challenge. In my time there were 17 jumps. A Formula 1 car is not made to jump but it helped that I came from motorcycle enduro racing and I had good teams, good preparation.
• The old Spa, the long track, 8.7 miles, very fast, the fastest ever road track. In 1972 with the Ferrari 312 PB I was on pole, over 160mph average speed in practice, no qualifying tyres, straw bales for safety. That’s how it was and Spa is still a favourite for drivers.
• Le Mans for sentimental reasons because you are lucky to win one and I won six. The track was very demanding on the car. Now it’s a grand prix, the cars are so reliable. The drivers get the glory but for my wins I thank the team, the mechanics looking after the car.