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#IAMSTORIES: Birgit, Austria

As Formula One heads into the Styrian Mountains for back-to-back races at the Red Bull Ring, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team is shining a spotlight on the passionate fanbase that makes the racing a seasonal highlight.

Birgit, Austria

Birgit had tickets for the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, only for COVID-19 to delay her first Grand Prix experience until 2021. For Birgit, it will be worth the wait. In her own words, she shares her Formula One story.

It's incredible to me that a prestigious championship like Formula One races in a "small" country like Austria. It provides such a boost to Spielberg and makes me proud to be Austrian. People often underestimate the impact of having a race in Austria.

An absence of 15 years from the calendar has helped grow our passion for the Austrian Grand Prix. We're passionate people, and being able to share in the experience is special. Of course, our history in Formula One with three-time World Champion Niki Lauda also helps.

I'm proud that the Red Bull Ring has become a highlight of the season, and it was a great choice to host back-to-back races. With the elevation changes, challenging corners, and long straights, it's an exciting circuit that creates great racing.

While COVID makes travelling difficult for now, there's more than just a great race to experience. Spielberg is near Graz, a beautiful and historic city. If you ever get the chance, go to Grazer Uhrturm and get a great view of the city. There's great nightlife and culture in Graz, too.

Spielberg lies in the beautiful countryside. It has the Alpine regions nearby, lakes and mountains, as well as the lowlands, so there's more than just a race to experience.

Race preview by Cognizant

Styrian Grand Prix

Get ready for this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix with our in-depth preview. Discover the history of the Red Bull Ring, the challenges of a lap of the track and the key talking points for the race.

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Get ready for Austria

The 2021 race will be my first-ever Grand Prix, and it will be a life-long dream come true. Tickets can be hard to come by because they sell out so quickly and can be expensive, but I managed to get tickets for the 2020 Grand Prix.

I was excited to finally go to trackside, especially to my home race, but sadly it was behind closed doors. Thankfully, we were able to swap them for this year’s event! I can’t wait to be at the Austrian Grand Prix next month.

My first time at the Red Bull Ring was in 2012; I went to the DTM round with my dad. I found it fascinating sections of the A1 Ring/Österreichring were part of the modern-day layout. I was too young to remember the old days, but they sounded dangerous and exciting.

My dad is a big reason for my love of motorsport, as well as Sebastian's dominance between 2010-13 too. Sebastian is my favourite driver because of his passion for Formula One and how he puts his heart and soul into his work, proving he is a great team player. He's down to earth, and it’s great to see him creating a strong relationship with his new team.

He has achieved so much, but my favourite moment in Formula One history is his most recent success: second place in Azerbaijan.

I have loved seeing the team welcome Sebastian and its passion while bringing Aston Martin back to the grid. Everyone wants to do the historic name justice, and it's inspiring to watch.

While the season has been up and down at times, we've shown that we can come together in good times and bad, achieving good results. I’m very excited by what the team can do in the future.

I can't wait to support the team this weekend in Austria, and I know going to my first race will be one of the best moments of my life.

#IAMSTORIES | VOICES

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#IAMSTORIES | VOICES

Jessica Hawkins