Zeltweg held just one Formula 1 World Championship GP before the race moved to a purpose built circuit.
The Austrian Grand Prix has featured intermittently as part of the Formula One World Championship. A non-championship event was held at the Zeltweg military airfield circuit in 1963, with victory going to Jack Brabham. For 1964 the race was given full championship status.
Much of the pre-race attention in 1964 was focused on local driver Jochen Rindt, making his World Championship debut in a Brabham-BRM entered by Rob Walker. The race itself provided Lorenzo Bandini with the only win of his career, leading home Richie Ginther’s BRM and the tenacious privateer Bob Anderson, driving his Brabham-Climax.
Zeltweg would never again hold a World Championship Grand Prix. The circuit was deemed to be dangerous and unsuitable, due to its bumpy surface. There had been numerous suspension failures at both the 1963 and 1964 events.
The Austrian Grand Prix found a new home in 1970 at the picturesque Osterreichring. The race was dominated by Ferrari, with Jacky Ickx scoring the first win for the 312B. His team-mate Clay Regazzoni followed him home in second, with the two drivers sharing the fastest race lap. Rolf Stommelen was third in a Brabham, but almost a lap down. Rindt retired from the race, which would turn out to be his last Austrian Grand Prix. Later in the season he was killed at Monza but the points he had accrued ensured he won the World Championship posthumously.
Switzerland’s Jo Siffert was on great form in 1971, taking pole, fastest lap and the race win. Emerson Fittipaldi finished second for Lotus with Tim Schenken’s Brabham third. Jackie Stewart retired from the race but the result meant that no-one could better his points total, confirming the Scotsman as champion for the second time. Like Rindt in 1964 another Austrian great made his debut at his home Grand Prix that year. Niki Lauda qualified his March in 21st but retired early.
Fittipaldi took pole for the 1972 race and converted it into a win. Behind him came the McLaren pair of Denny Hulme and Peter Revson. Fittipaldi was on pole again in 1973 but retired from the race. His Lotus team-mate Ronnie Peterson took the win from Stewart in second and Carlos Pace’s Surtees in third.
By 1974 Lauda was driving for Ferrari and, at his home race, he took pole. To the dismay of the Austrian fans his engine expired in the race. Carlos Reutemann won the race for Brabham with Hulme second and James Hunt a fine third for Hesketh.
