Motorsport festival draws thousands to Salzburg Ring

Thousands of fans, drivers and teams gathered at the Salzburg Ring racetrack this weekend for a motorsport festival, ORF reported. The programme included the GT3 racing series, junior drivers and historic touring cars.

Hobby racer Luca Warter from Radstadt said the appeal of motorsport could only be fully understood by driving on a track. He said the circuit allowed drivers to “really let loose” with their cars.

The passion was also reflected in the extensively prepared vehicles, which are often passed down through generations. Warter’s father, Robert, said the whole family shared the enthusiasm and was enjoying the weekend together.

While some drivers have years of experience, others are at the beginning of their careers. Eighteen-year-old Emely Abt competes in the Touring Car Junior Cup. She said her car understeered, touched the grass, entered the gravel and then hit the barrier. Despite the setback, she said her team was doing everything possible to repair the car so she could take part in the race.

The GT3 cars were another highlight of the weekend. Tim Hütter, a GT Masters driver from Upper Austria, said they reached about 260 kph on the fast circuit, particularly at the Fahrerlagerkurve bend. He said there was very little space inside the car, which had a steering wheel and a tight seat, and that almost everything apart from its shape differed from a normal road car.