Formula 1: Drivers worry about ‘Mario Kart’ racing in Austrian Grand Prix

Several Formula 1 drivers are fearful that the Austrian Grand Prix will be more like a Mario Kart-style race than a typical Formula 1 race.

This weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix is the ninth race on the 21-race 2018 Formula 1 schedule, and it is the second race of the season’s tripleheader, as the French Grand Prix took place last weekend and the British Grand Prix is scheduled to take place next weekend.

The 10-turn, 2.683-mile (4.318-kilometer) Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria has featured two Drag Reduction System (DRS) zones for past Formula 1 races. However, the track is set to feature an additional DRS zone for this year’s 71-lap Austrian Grand Prix.

A third DRS zone was added by Formula 1 in an attempt to create more opportunities for passing. None of the last four Formula 1 races have featured any lead changes aside of when the leader came into the pits and then the driver who inherited the lead came into the pits one lap or several laps later. Even this has only happened twice in those four races.

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A third DRS zone was also added to the Melbourne Street Circuit for the season opener, the Australian Grand Prix, and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the host of the seventh race of the season, the Canadian Grand Prix. However, those third DRS zones did not change much, as those races featured just one combined lead change.

However, the fact that a third DRS zone has been added to the Red Bull Ring which is already one of the shortest tracks on the Formula 1 schedule, has prompted concern from drivers. Drivers have expressed their concern that the race could end up featuring “artificial” racing and that the race could turn out to be more of a “Mario Kart”-style race as opposed to a typical Formula 1 race.

Among the drivers who have commented about this are four-time Formula 1 champions Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

Here is what Vettel had to say about the matter, according to ESPN.

"“I don’t know if it is a solution to put in [extra] DRS zones. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of people that maybe like the idea of Mario Kart, including myself, I played it when I was young, but then again I think it shouldn’t get artificial. We will see how it works out. Maybe it helps with overtaking and so on, but if you end up driving past another car it isn’t very exciting either. There is more tension and more excitement if the car is behind and maybe something will happen rather than just sailing past.”"

Here is what Hamilton had to say about the matter, according to ESPN.

"“I think ultimately they’re doing that to try and make racing more exciting because it’s not exciting enough, and the fundamentals are too big to change within the season. We’re trying to make the best with what we have. I think the way they’ve got it set up, you can get DRS in one zone, you can overtake, and then the other guy can get DRS in the next part. So it could be good maybe. It’s not particularly the easiest of tracks to follow on, so it will be interesting.”"

Here is what Raikkonen had to say about the matter, according to Autosport.

"“Half of the track is DRS, so it should make it [overtaking] pretty easy. I don’t know if it’s too easy or not. Obviously we want overtaking but there must be a point where it’s kind of artificial overtaking.”"

Here is what Grosjean had to say about the matter, according to ESPN.

"“Let’s see how it goes. When I saw it first of all, I was a bit skeptical because I think it’s a lot of DRS zones, basically on every straight. So we just need to see how it goes into racing and if it’s not like Mario Kart where I pass, then you pass, then I pass back.”"

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Do you share the same concerns as several of these Formula 1 drivers, or does the prospect of Mario Kart-style racing in this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix excite you? Be sure not to miss any of the action from the Red Bull Ring when that race takes place this Sunday, July 1. It is scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN2 starting at 9:10 a.m. ET.