Track Torque: It’s back to Austria this weekend

THE Austrian Grand Prix will be held at the Spielberg track or A1 Ring this Sunday, June 22.

There has not been a grand prix at this venue for the last 11 years so this weekend will be a big occasion for the Austrian nation which has produced more than its share of top flight drivers and world champions – Jochen Rindt in 1970 posthumously as well as Niki Lauda 1975, 1977 and 1984.

The current lap record at Spielberg is held by Michael Schumacher at 1.08.3 and it will be interesting to see whether the current grand prix cars are able to beat the great man who as we speak has come out of his coma and is being moved to a Swiss hospital nearer to his home. This is very good news but we must all realise that he has a long way to go and send out our positive thoughts and prayers for him.

The grand prix should see the usual form book of Mercedes upfront with a battle continuing between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel and teammate Daniel Ricciardo and their Renault engine Red Bull are improving all the time.

We can expect the current world champion and his super fast teammate from down under to be putting the pressure on the German team. Both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will be pushing the prancing horses hard and can be expected to be well up in the top 10 positions.

Williams however is the team that has surprised everybody the most as it now has in Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas excellent drivers with a car capable of making the podium. It has to happen soon.

McLaren Mercedes is another team on a mission under the very determined hands-on management of Ron Dennis. He just has to get some good results soon as Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen are capable if they have the right car underneath them. Force India Mercedes is perhaps the only other big gun able to get its drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez home in the top 10.

Qualifying is at 2pm on Saturday and the race at 2pm on Sunday and it will be great to be back in Austria.