29 June 2026 16:00 (UTC)
Football fever, tough temperatures, and language lessons: Behind the scenes in Spielberg
Allow us to take you behind the scenes of the Austrian Grand Prix and deep into the paddock, with our regular post-race wrap-up. Covering all the action you might have missed, we'll explore everything from the outfits that caught our attention to the strongest snaps and the standout quotes.
On a sweltering weekend in the Styrian Alps, Oscar and Lando secured P4 and P7, respectively, with Oscar producing an impressive drive from seventh on the grid. It marked the first race of the Austrian–Great Britain double-header, with the team now returning to the UK for a brief stop at the factory before making the short trip to the Northamptonshire countryside for our home Grand Prix.
Away from the track, there was plenty to keep us entertained, from the passionate Austrian crowd and a World Cup crossover to an unexpected lesson in the German language.
Here's what caught our eye in Spielberg.
At face value, you wouldn’t think football and Formula 1 have much in common, especially when it comes to their day-to-day terminology. But with the World Cup now well underway, we were determined to find a connection.
Well, determined for Lando and Oscar to find one for us.
They didn’t disappoint, pairing ‘kick-off’ with ‘lights out’, ‘final whistle’ with ‘Chequered Flag’, and ‘substitutes’ with ‘reserve drivers’. Some of the links were more obvious than others, but comparing the walk out of the tunnel before a football match to the lap to the grid was clever, as was likening the offside rule to overtaking under a Yellow Flag.
Our favourite moment, though, came when Oscar revealed he'd seen and enjoyed the now-viral clip of World Cup referee Iván Barton dramatically showing Paraguay's Miguel Almirón a red card during their match against Türkiye.
Our team knew they were in for a tough weekend when the FIA declared a heat hazard for the Austrian Grand Prix, with temperatures expected to exceed 31 degrees across the three days.
The challenging conditions demanded an extra effort from the crew, but standards never slipped. Everyone pulled together, supporting one another throughout the weekend, and the smiles never left their faces.
Don’t say you never learn anything on the McLaren channels. We’re not sure what was funnier: Oscar’s face when he thought he’d correctly guessed what ‘geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung’ meant, or when he realised it actually translates to ‘speed limit’.
Either way, we dare say that he’ll struggle to remember the exact word by the time we’re back in Austria next year.
Not sure if it’s just us, but does anyone else think the cooling vests are a vibe?
Designed to regulate body temperature in extreme heat, the specialised vests feature 50 metres of internal tubing woven into the fabric, circulating cooling fluid throughout the body. With air temperatures reaching 34.5°C and on-track temperatures of 46.8°C for the Grand Prix, they were a necessity in Austria.
But we’re not here to talk about their effectiveness - what stood out was how stylish they are. We didn’t expect to say this a few days ago, but the cooling vests are our outfit of the weekend. The refrigerated tubes looked as cool as they felt.
With the Austrian Grand Prix taking place the weekend before our home race at Silverstone, and only a few days separating the two, it would be easy to overlook just how fantastic the fans were in Spielberg… but we would never dream of doing you such a disservice.
The crowd at the Red Bull Ring is always excellent. With so many fans choosing to camp in the heart of the Styrian mountains rather than stay further away from the track in hotels, it creates a unique atmosphere. This weekend, amid uncomfortably hot temperatures, you delivered the energy we needed to keep going. Especially on Sunday morning, when we arrived at the track to an inspiring welcome, which energised us for the day ahead.
Your move, Silverstone. You’ve got your work cut out to beat this Austrian crowd.
"We have a strong undertaking to our fans to get back to the front, and we are working tirelessly to deliver the performance that will allow us to celebrate victories with them again soon.”
Sticking with the fan-led theme, Andrea delivered a timely reminder of the reason why we do what we do. That reason, is, of course – you.
After enjoying two years of winning races on a regular basis, we’ve needed a little more patience in 2026 following F1’s major rules reset. While there have been some strong Grands Prix, and even some podiums, we’re desperate to return to the top step of the podium for you.
We're heading back to Britain for one of our favourite events of the year: our home Grand Prix. Oscar, Lando, and the team will get the chance to briefly stop by the factory behind travelling across to Silverstone.
