The Fear With The Fun: Austria

I want to take you on a journey to a region in Central Europe that is embosomed with furrowing alpine terrain and home to a circuit that dwells within the panoramic Styrian mountains. It’s one of the smallest of it’s kind and tests the bravery of almost every athlete that steps foot on it. The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria is our destination and marks the half way point in the MotoGP World Championship for 2018. Like the perfectly measured ingredients for Taka Nakagami’s 150th Grand Prix cake, this circuit encompasses the integral balance between beautiful and challenging. However, beneath the perfect frosting and picturesque mountain peaks is the fear of a small miscalculation that can intern cause a hefty repercussion. This weekend the continental circus that is MotoGP has arrived and they are ready to face the famous bull.

Within the ‘Green Heart’ of Austria lies the 4.318 kilometre ribbon of tarmac known as The Red Bull Ring. It is “Austria’s Alpine drag strip” according to ex motorcycle racer Simon Crafar. The first international spectacles to take place in this area were in 1957 at the Zeltweg military base, a mere 5 kilometres from todays circuit. This stretch of land became the hub of Austrian motorsports and since has embraced hundreds of thousands of spectators. The area is peppered with sloping terrain and strong elevation changes which are juxtaposed against the rich natural environment. Iconic characteristics such as the 18 metre high ‘Bull of Spielberg’ situated in the heart of the track or the architecturally impressive Voestalpine Wing forge a unique experience for any fan or rider and have become a definitive part of it’s identity. From the exterior, the beauty of this place can be overwhelming but it is the unexpected risk that looms beneath the pretty surface that is of great importance.

There is a lot that goes into producing the perfect cake and similarly much precision that goes into a race weekend. In order to concoct the ideal cake or race, almost every component needs to be perfectly executed or the knock on effect could be amiss. Now, you may be wondering why I am comparing one of the most fierce motorsport events to something that seems so elementary but hear me out. LCR Honda rider, Taka Nakagami received a pale white frosted sponge decorated with a golden perimeter and numerals on Friday evening. If you're a cake loving fein like me, you wanted a slice because it enticed the basic human senses. To the ordinary person, the process of creating this delicious final course is insignificant. All you see is the final product but to understand that one miscalculation can induce a result that is almost unpalatable is an imformative way to envisage how one mistake in MotoGP at this circuit can produce a whirlwind of problems. See, The Red Bull Ring is unlike most circuits. It has the least amount of corners on the calendar and the highest average speed across race distance (it is very, very fast). Between 1969 and 1987 motorsport events were being held at the original Österreichring circuit (the pre-modernised layout). It was a long and fast circuit (qualities much like today) and quickly blossomed into a named favourite; but in 1975 American F1 driver Mark Donohue unintentionally uncovered a considerable issue with the circuits safety. His tyre had failed and one modest moment caused him to be hurled into the unduly close catch fence. It caused damage to his brain and sadly resulted in his death. This tragic incident claimed not only one life but two when the debris that followed Donohue struck a track marshal. This influenced the first major changes to the layout.

Numerous adjustments were made between 1987 and 2016 but the basic elements remained the same. The track was still immensely quick and the walls a little too close for comfort. In 2016 after his first test with Ducati at the Red Bull Ring, Casey Stoner made strong animadversions against the safety of the circuit, claiming the walls were still an issue. This was supported by several other riders during their own testing especially in wet weather conditions but no alterations were imposed. In 2017 after a down pour of rain, several Moto2 riders suffered crashes at turn one due to insufficient grip during Free Practice (this turn has since been sand blasted as a preventative measure). One unavoidable motion and they were being sent towards a large unyielding structure where the consequences could have been severe (as seen back in the tracks infancy). This incited fear into some of the most audacious sportsman in the industry and ultimately should have rung alarm bells. It has become an all too familiar string of words during safety commission meetings and debriefs. Nakagami revealed “Some points you can feel the danger” on his debut MotoGP outing and on Friday afternoon Danilo Petrucci (who has raced here before) voiced similar opinions “ I am a little bit scared to ride in the wet here because the walls are very very close and especially on the straight there is a lot of water. The bike starts aquaplaning and it’s a difficult situation”. However, on race day we saw little to no accidents in all three classes (which is positive!) and yet it feels like it falls back into that perfectly frosted, light, fluffy and full of flavour cake bracket because the same concerns and obstacles still exist, it was just camouflaged by the fierce battle between Marquez and Lorenzo.

The Red Bull Ring, much like the that 150th GP cake is something that appeals to the most organic ocular sense. It is a picturesque canvas painted with an ambitiously quick sloping track in the centre. Amongst its beauty, it continues to test the fortitude of its athletes and explores the strenuous side of the job and it is our duty as fans to understand just how many layers and ingredients there are within a race weekend. There are parts that feel like they shouldn’t work but it’s the final outcome when all is done perfectly that cements Austria on the MotoGP calendar and nevertheless makes it one of the most visited all year round.

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