Formula 1: Sliver of hope for Max Verstappen’s opponents in Austria?

The winning team in Austria hasn’t often gone on to win the Formula 1 constructor championship in recent years. Will that trend continue?

Red Bull have been unstoppable through the first eight races of the 22-race 2023 Formula 1 season, with two-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen winning six races and teammate Sergio Perez winning the other two ahead of Verstappen in second place.

Red Bull have racked up as many points as the second and third place teams in the constructor standings, Mercedes and Aston Martin, have combined. Verstappen himself would be leading the constructor standings.

But is there a sliver of hope for the rivals of the Milton Keynes-based team heading into this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring?

Just two of the last seven race winners at this track have driven for the team that went on to win the Formula 1 constructor championship.

Max Verstappen won it in 2018 and 2019, while Mercedes went on to win the constructor title both years.

In 2020, Mercedes teammates Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton won the two races at the track, and Mercedes did go on to win the title. The 2020 season was a bit of an anomaly, considering the fact that the season didn’t start until an originally unplanned doubleheader at the Red Bull Ring in early July, thanks to COVID-19-related restrictions.

A Mercedes sweep was all but expected, though if not for late contact with Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull’s Alex Albon was actually tracking to win the race due to a pit stop for new tires.

While Verstappen won both races at the 10-turn, 2.683-mile (4.318-kilometer) road course in Spielberg, Styria, Austria in 2021 and went on to win the world championship, Mercedes still won the constructor championship.

Then last year, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won the race, achieving the ultra-rare feat of passing Verstappen three times in the process, and Red Bull went on to win the title.

So only twice in the last five years (2020, 2021) has a Red Bull Ring race winner gone on to win the world championship, and only once in the last five years (2021) has a Red Bull Ring race not been won by a driver who didn’t go on to win the title.

Let’s also not forget that there is somewhat of a history at the Red Bull Ring when it comes to team’s entering the Austrian Grand Prix eight for eight to start the season.

In 2019, Mercedes entered the race having won each of the season’s first eight races, and with more 1-2 finishes (six) than Red Bull have secured through eight races this year (four).

The race ended in a Red Bull-Ferrari 1-2 finish, with Verstappen ahead of Leclerc.

DraftKings Sportsbook, which is now offering fans $150 just for signing up and betting $5 (no promo code required), still lists Max Verstappen as the heavy favorite to win Sunday’s 71-lap race, but there are quite a few longshot picks who shouldn’t be ignored.

Odds and availability subject to change.

Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss the Red Bull Ring sprint race or the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend. The former is set to be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 10:25 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 1, and the latter is set to be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 8:55 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 2.