Location | Plainfeld, Austria |
---|---|
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) CEST (DST) |
Coordinates | 47°49′16″N 013°09′34″E / 47.82111°N 13.15944°E |
FIA Grade | 3 |
Broke ground | 1968 |
Opened | September 1969 |
Major events | Current: TCR Europe (2024) TCR Eastern Europe Trophy (2024) Formula 4 CEZ (2024) Former: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix (1971–1979, 1981–1991, 1993–1994) WTCC Race of Austria (2012–2014) World SBK (1995) Sidecar World Championship (1971–1979, 1981–1991, 2005–2007) TCR International (2015–2017) European Touring Car Cup (2008, 2010–2014) ETCC (1970–1981, 1983–1985) Formula Two (1972–1976) Formula 5000 (1970) |
Website | https://salzburgring.com/ |
Grand Prix Circuit (1998–present) | |
Length | 4.241 km (2.635 miles) |
Turns | 15 |
Race lap record | 1:16.843 ( Akash Nandy, Dallara F308, 2015, F3) |
Motorcycle Circuit (1986–1997) | |
Length | 4.255 km (2.644 miles) |
Turns | 15 |
Race lap record | 1:17.896 ( Mick Doohan, Honda NSR500, 1994, 500cc) |
Grand Prix Circuit (1976–1997) | |
Length | 4.246 km (2.638 miles) |
Turns | 13 |
Race lap record | 1:12.450 ( Vittorio Brambilla, Alfa Romeo 33SC12, 1977, Group 6) |
Grand Prix Circuit (1969–1975) | |
Length | 4.238 km (2.633 miles) |
Turns | 11 |
Race lap record | 1:10.500 ( Peter Gethin, McLaren M10B, 1970, F5000) |
The Salzburgring is a 4.241 km (2.635 mi) motorsport race track located in Plainfeld, east of Salzburg.
Track Length 4.241 km (2.635 mi)
Bends 15
Straights 4 (the longest being at start/finish which is 750m)
Incline maximum 3,8%
Decline maximum 1,8%
Altitude difference ca 25 m (82 ft)
Altitude 648.3 m (2,127 ft) to 670.6 m (2,200 ft)
Boxes 31
1968 Groundbreaking ceremony
1969 Opening with a combined car and motorbike race
1970 First Grand Prix of Austria for Motorbikes
1971 First FIM Motorbike World Championship race
2012–2014 Touring Car World Championships
2013 First Electric Love Festival which, in 2018, brought 180,000 attendees to the track
2019 50thanniversary
The race track was first opened in 1969. Lying in a narrow, alpine valley, it has a rather simple layout, with two long straights plus the sweeping and fast "Fahrerlagerkurve" ("paddock turn") at the bottom, and the narrow "Nockstein-Kehre" on the top. In spite of its simple layout, it garnered a fearsome reputation for the high speeds reached on the straights and the "Fahrerlagerkurve". Michael Doohan describes the section between 7 and 10 as his all time favorite piece of racetrack, likening it to "threading a motorcycle through the eye of a needle at 290 km/h (180 mph) whilst banging fairings with your competitors with armco barriers on each side". He continues "Sure it was fast and dangerous, but also enormous fun. To me it's what motorcycle racing is all about".
The Salzburgring track hosts touring car races like the German ADAC Procar Series, Deutsche Produktionswagen Meisterschaft, Deutsche Tourenwagen Challenge, Super Tourenwagen Cup and the European Touring Car Championship. It was also the home of the Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix from 1971 to 1994, except for the 1980 and 1992 seasons. Giacomo Agostini and Angel Nieto are the all-time leaders in motorcycle Grand Prix victories at the circuit, with six wins apiece. Sidecar motorcycle races were also held at the venue. The track has also hosted the Oldtimer Grand Prix as well as during the last years a "Rupert Hollaus Memorial" organized by Ex-Grand Prix motorcycle and sidecar racer, Wolfgang Stropek . In 2008, the circuit played host to the then one-off European Touring Car Cup, with the event being won by Michel Nykjaer.
As of June 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Salzburgring are listed as:
Year | Winner(s) | Car |
---|---|---|
1970 | Helmut Marko | BMW 1600 |
1971 | Gian Luigi Picchi | Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior |
1972 | Carlo Facetti | Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior |
1973 | Dieter Glemser John Fitzpatrick |
Ford Capri RS 2600 LW |
1974 | Hans-Joachim Stuck Jacky Ickx |
BMW 3.0 CSL |
1975 | Dieter Quester Urs Zondler |
BMW 3.0 CSL |
1976 | Hughes de Fierlant Patrick Nève |
BMW 3.0 CSL |
1977 | Gunnar Nilsson Dieter Quester |
BMW 3.0 CSL |
1978 | Martino Finotto Carlo Facetti |
BMW 3.0 CSL |
1979 | Martino Finotto Carlo Facetti |
BMW 3.0 CSL |
1980 | Dieter Quester Dieter Kindlmann |
BMW 320 |
1981 | Umberto Grano Helmut Kelleners |
BMW 635 CSi |
1982 | Zdeněk Vojtěch Jo Gartner |
BMW 528i |
1983 | Tom Walkinshaw Chuck Nicholson |
Jaguar XJS |
1984 | Tom Walkinshaw Chuck Nicholson |
Jaguar XJS |
1985 | Gianfranco Brancatelli Thomas Lindström |
Volvo 240T |
Source:[26] |