Spielberg scandals

Whistles against Schumi, red flags and collisions

(Bild: GEPA)

In its long history in Formula 1, Spielberg has always been good for scandals. From accidental winners, red flags, mean stable orders and a "war of the stars".

Gerhard Berger will receive a special honor on Saturday and Sunday in Spielberg when the ten-time Grand Prix winner is allowed to take a seat in Michael Schumacher's world champion Ferrari from 2002 as part of the "Legends Parade". A successful car, but one that was involved in a major scandal at Spielberg. Not the only scandal to hit the Austrian GP.

THE ABORTION IN 1975
Heavy rain delayed the start and made the race organizers think about stopping the race after just a few laps. Only after the retirements of well-known drivers, such as Mario Andretti, did they decide to wave the red flag after 29 laps. Vittorio Brambilla took the sensational victory. However, Mark Donohue and a marshal died a few days later as a result of an accident in the warm-up.

THE END 1987
There were two crashes at the start and the race had to be restarted. Bernie Ecclestone then denounced the excessively narrow start/finish straight and openly voiced general safety concerns about the Österreichring. This meant that the days of the old Formula 1 circuit were numbered, which only returned after radical reconstruction in 1997.

One of two starting collisions (in the background) at the last GP at the old Österreichring(Bild: Rainer Schlegelmilch)

THE 2002 WHISTLES
Ferrari dominated the world championship with Michael Schumacher, but in Spielberg the German was unable to get past his team-mate Rubens Barrichello. Until team boss Jean Todt whistled him back over the radio and he had to let Schumacher pass him in the final meters before the finish. On the podium, Schumi was met with a roar of whistles, even as he left the top step of the podium to Barrichello.

THE 2016 COLLISION
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were in the middle of the 'war of the stars' for the title. Spielberg provided an explosive episode when the battle for victory between the two squabblers came to a head on the final lap! Hamilton won, Rosberg dropped back to fourth place with a broken front wing, and the team climate at Mercedes was finally poisoned.