This coming weekend, Formula 1 returns to European soil after a very brief jaunt to Canada. Red Bull Racing will be competing in their home race during the Austrian Grand Prix. With the return to European soil, the race on Sunday will take place at a normal time. However, Formula 1 will still have a different schedule as the Red Bull Ring will host a sprint race weekend for the second time this year.
The drivers and teams will have one practice session this weekend to fine-tune their cars. On Friday, there will be one free practice session before qualifying for the main race on Sunday. Saturday, just like in Azerbaijan, will be entirely dedicated to the sprint race. The Sprint shootout is scheduled for 12:00 p.m., and four and a half hours later, the shortened race will begin. The race on Sunday will start at the usual time of 3:00 p.m. The full schedule for the weekend is provided below.
| Session | Day | Time |
| First free practice | Friday | 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. |
| Qualification | Friday | 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
| Sprint-shootout | Saturday | 12:00 p.m. - 12:44 p.m. |
| Sprint race | Saturday | 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
| Race | Sunday | 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
Last season, Max Verstappen was the favorite for the Austrian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver has won the race multiple times, but last season he was beaten by Charles Leclerc and Ferrari. Verstappen managed to win the sprint race on Saturday, but he knew it would be much more difficult on Sunday. As it turned out, he was right. The Ferrari tires held up better, allowing Leclerc to secure the victory.
This season, the first sprint race took place in Azerbaijan. Ferrari was the strongest in qualifying at the street circuit in Baku, but Red Bull once again showed that they had an excellent race car. Verstappen tried to make his way to the front, but after an incident with George Russell, there was a large hole in his sidepod. As a result, Sergio Pérez became the only challenger to Leclerc. The Mexican driver won and earned eight points. The next day, he also won the Grand Prix.