Osterreichring

The original Osterreichring was built in 1969 in the spectacular mountains above the unpopular Zeltweg airfield circuit it replaced. It was a magnificent collection of fast corners and steep elevation changes. The Bosch Kurve, 180 degrees and no run-off, was awesome. A chicane was built at the first corner following Mark Donohue’s fatal accident in 1975, but that was the Osterreichring’s only slow corner. This was the scene of Elio de Angelis’ dramatic victory in 1982 when the Italian edged eventual world champion Keke Rosberg by just 0.05 seconds. However, when the 1987 race was twice stopped by accidents on the narrow startline, the Austrian Grand Prix was removed from the calendar.