The Osterreichring circuit was opened in 1969 as a replacement for the previous circuit at Zeltweg aerodrome. That same year on the new circuit, on 10 August, Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens drove a Porsche 917 to its first victory. Shortly after, a famous racing team was formed in Austria: Porsche Konstruktionen Salzburg. The team was owned by Louise Piëche, daughter of Ferdinand Porsche and married to Anton Piëch, a Viennese lawyer. On 14 June 1970, a 917 driven by Richard Attwood and Hans Herrman won the first Le Mans 24 Hours for Porsche.

Forty-five years later, on 21 June this year, the Red Bull Ring (initially the A1 Ring) played host to the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix, where Le Mans winner Nico Hülkenberg was much acclaimed. His rookie victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans a week earlier earned him plenty of compliments, especially from his fellow Formula One competitors, namely Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo). The German driver finished sixth in the Grand Prix at the wheel of his Force India car but team principal Vijay Mallya obviously did not regret having authorised the young driver to race in the 6 Hour of Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Porsche’s third 919 Hybrid with Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber.

The Red Bull Ring currently bears the name of its owner whose racing branch is directed by the Austrian Helmut Marko, who claimed Porsche’s second win at Le Mans in 1971 with Gijs van Lennep.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO — Translated from French by Emma Paulay

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SATURDAY 13 & SUNDAY 14 JUNE 1970. The Austrian team Porsche Konstruktionen Salzburg made a clean sweep in 1970. They took pole position with the 917 driven by Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens while Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann won the race.