Formula 1 to race in Austria through to 2041 with contract extension
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, talks on his smartphone before free practice at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo. David Davies/PA Wire/dpa
The Austrian Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One calendar through to 2041 following a long-term extension to its contract, F1 said in a statement ahead of this year's race on Sunday.
"Austria has long been an incredibly special race for Formula 1 so it's fantastic we have secured the long-term future of a Grand Prix so deeply rooted in the sport's history," F1 president Stefano Domenicali said.
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The event has appeared on the calendar 37 times, with the first race taking place in 1964.
The current venue Red Bull Ring first hosted the event in 1970.
The circuit dropped off the calendar in 2004, but in 2010 the late Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz invested in the Red Bull Ring, funding renovations that revitalized the facility and led to its return in 2014.
"The vision and passion of Dietrich Mateschitz gave the race the investment and attention that allowed it to return as an incredible event on the Formula 1 calendar," Domenicali said.
Four drivers from the current grid have also claimed victory in Austria: Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and George Russell.
For Sunday's race, Lando Norris of McLaren will start on pole position.
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