Salzburgring

Racing track in Austria From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Salzburgring is a 4.241 km (2.635 mi) motorsport race track located in Plainfeld, east of Salzburg.

Coordinates47°49′16″N 013°09′34″E
Broke ground1968
Quick facts Location, Coordinates ...
Salzburgring
Grand Prix Circuit (1998–present)
LocationPlainfeld, Austria
Coordinates47°49′16″N 013°09′34″E
FIA Grade3
Broke ground1968
OpenedSeptember 1969; 56 years ago (1969-09)
Major eventsCurrent:
ADAC GT Masters (2025–present)
TCR Eastern Europe (2024–present)
Formula 4 CEZ (2024–present)
Former:
Grand Prix motorcycle racing Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
(1971–1979, 1981–1991, 1993–1994)
WTCC Race of Austria (2012–2014)
TCR Europe (2024)
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)
Websitehttps://salzburgring.com/
Grand Prix Circuit (1998–present)
Length4.241 km (2.635 mi)
Turns15
Race lap record1:16.843 (Malaysia Akash Nandy, Dallara F308, 2015, F3)
Motorcycle Circuit (1986–1997)
Length4.255 km (2.644 mi)
Turns15
Race lap record1:17.896 (Australia Mick Doohan, Honda NSR500, 1994, 500cc)
Grand Prix Circuit (1976–1997)
Length4.246 km (2.638 mi)
Turns13
Race lap record1:12.450 (Italy Vittorio Brambilla, Alfa Romeo 33SC12, 1977, Group 6)
Grand Prix Circuit (1969–1975)
Length4.238 km (2.633 mi)
Turns11
Race lap record1:10.500 (United Kingdom Peter Gethin, McLaren M10B, 1970, F5000)
Close
East-northeast view of the Salzburgring

Key facts

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

History

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              50th Anniversary

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 [de]. In 2008, the circuit played host to the then one-off European Touring Car Cup, with the event being won by Michel Nykjaer.

Layout history

Events

Current
Former

Lap records

As of September 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Salzburgring are listed as:

More information Category, Time ...
CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Grand Prix Circuit (1998–present): 4.241 km (2.635 mi)
Formula Three1:16.843[1]Akash NandyDallara F3082015 Salzburgring Austria F3 Cup round
GT31:17.799[2]Alexander FachPorsche 911 (992) GT3 R2025 Salzburgring ADAC GT Masters round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:20.422[3]Colin BönighausenPorsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup2023 Salzburgring Porsche Sprint Challenge Central Europe round
Formula Renault 2.01:21.301[4]Colin FlemingTatuus FR20002004 Salzburgring Formula Renault 2000 Germany round
Formula 41:22.087[5]David WaltherTatuus F4-T4212025 Salzburgring Formula 4 CEZ round
TC11:22.571José María LópezCitroën C-Elysée WTCC2014 FIA WTCC Race of Austria
Formula Volkswagen1:22.777[6]Walter Lechner Jr. [de]Reynard Formula Volkswagen2002 Salzburgring Formula Volkswagen Germany round
V8Star Series1:24.774[7]Robert LechnerV8Star car2002 Salzburgring V8Star round
Super Touring1:24.922[8]Christian AbtAudi A4 STW1998 Salzburgring STW Cup round
TCR Touring Car1:25.435[9]Levente LosonczyHonda Civic Type R TCR (FL5)2024 Salzburgring TCR Europe round
GT41:26.833[10]Edwin WaldhierPorsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport2020 Salzburgring Porsche Sprint Challenge Central Europe round
Super 20001:26.875Yvan MullerChevrolet Cruze 1.6T2013 FIA WTCC Race of Austria
SEAT León Supercopa1:27.701[11]Pol RosellSEAT León Cup Racer2014 Salzburgring SEAT León Eurocup round
Super 16001:39.637[12]Jens Löhnig [sv]Ford Fiesta 1.6 16V2010 Salzburgring ETC round
Motorcycle Circuit (1986–1997): 4.255 km (2.644 mi)
500cc1:17.896Mick DoohanHonda NSR5001994 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
World SBK1:20.147[13]Carl FogartyDucati 916 R1995 Salzburgring World SBK round
250cc1:20.916Loris CapirossiHonda NSR2501994 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
Sidecar (B2A)1:25.149Ralph Bohnhorst[14]Bohnhorst1991 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
125cc1:28.950Dirk RaudiesHonda RS125R1994 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
80cc1:38.280Ian McConnachie [it]Krauser 801986 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
Grand Prix Circuit (1976–1997): 4.246 km (2.638 mi)
Group 61:12.450[15]Vittorio BrambillaAlfa Romeo 33SC121977 Salzburgring Elan Trophae
Group 51:13.620[16]Manfred WinkelhockPorsche 935J1980 Salzburgring DRM round
Formula Three1:13.684[17]Timo ScheiderDallara F3971997 Salzburgring German F3 round
Formula Two1:14.950[18]René ArnouxMartini MK191976 Salzburgring F2 round
500cc1:17.420Christian SarronYamaha YZR5001985 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
Super Touring1:19.243[19]Laurent AïelloPeugeot 4061997 Salzburgring STW Cup round
Group N1:22.610[20]Kris NissenBMW M3 GTR1993 Salzburgring ADAC GT Cup round
250cc1:23.270Freddie SpencerHonda NSR2501985 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
350cc1:24.230Anton MangKawasaki KR3501982 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 21:25.760[21]Tim SchenkenJaguar XJ12C1977 Salzburgring ETCC round
Group A1:26.930[22]Win PercyJaguar XJS1984 Salzburgring ETCC round
125cc1:28.130Fausto GresiniGarelli 125cc GP1985 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
Grand Prix Circuit (1969–1975): 4.238 km (2.633 mi)
Formula 50001:10.500[23]Peter GethinMcLaren M10B1970 Olympia Trophy
Formula Two1:10.840[24]Patrick DepaillerAlpine A3671973 Salzburgring F2 round
Group 51:11.800[25]John BurtonChevron B211972 Salzburgring European 2-Litre Championship round
Group 61:14.000[26]Vic ElfordLola T2121971 Taurenpokal Salzburgring
Group 21:16.810[27]Hans-Joachim StuckBMW 3.0 CSL1974 Salzburgring ETCC round
Formula Three1:20.700[28]Alceste BodiniTecno 70/T001974 Salzburgring German F3 round
500cc1:21.780Giacomo AgostiniYamaha YZR5001975 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
350cc1:23.850Hideo KanayaYamaha TZ 3501975 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc1:27.700Börje JanssonDerbi 250 GP1972 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
125cc1:31.690Pier Paolo BianchiMorbidelli 1251975 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
50cc1:47.000Jan de VriesKreidler 50 GP1971 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix
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Results

Motorcycle Grand Prix

European Touring Car Championship

More information Year, Winner(s) ...
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Notes

References

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