SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) — The Austrian Grand Prix is set to stay on the Formula 1 schedule until 2041 after a long-term extension was announced Sunday for the race at the Red Bull Ring.
Austria already had a contract through 2030, agreed two years ago, and the new extension sees it match the Miami Grand Prix as the only F1 events contracted into the 2040s.
The Austrian Grand Prix is closely connected with Red Bull's presence in F1.
The Red Bull company's co-founder, Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in 2022, funded the renovations that allowed it to return to the calendar in 2014 after an 11-year absence, and rebranded it as the Red Bull Ring.
“I am delighted that Formula 1 will remain at the Red Bull Ring for many years to come," his son Mark Mateschitz said in a statement Sunday.
"I am proud to continue my father’s legacy and to preserve the rich history of motor racing in (the region of) Styria and at the Red Bull Ring – with and, above all, for the people of the region. Austria’s close ties to Formula 1 are an excellent foundation for our long-term partnership. Working together, we intend to continue this success story for many years to come.”
It continues a trend by F1 of planning for decades to come with unusually long deals for certain circuits.
The Canadian Grand Prix was extended to 2035 earlier this month, while Miami got its extension through 2041 last month.
Other Grands Prix with more than a decade to run on their contracts are Bahrain, which agreed a deal in 2022 that is valid through 2036, and the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne has an agreement through 2037.
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Williams driver Carlos Sainz of Spain in action during the qualifying at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain in action during the second free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia steers his car during the third free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix, in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
For the first time in 20 years, rain is expected to intrude on the Rose Parade in Southern California, a venerable New Year's Day event that attracts thousands of spectators and is watched by millions more on TV.
Storms caused Christmas week flooding, mudslides and other miseries across the region. Now comes a 100% chance of rain Thursday in Pasadena, the National Weather Service said.
“We try not to say that word around here,” joked Candy Carlson, a spokesperson for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the organization behind the 137th Rose Parade, which precedes the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff game.
Arctic air is meanwhile expected to blanket much of the eastern two-thirds of the country, the weather service said.
In New York City, forecasters predict temperatures in the low 30s Fahrenheit (around zero degrees Celsius), which is not unusual, when the ball drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Light rain is possible in Las Vegas, where several casinos will be shooting fireworks from rooftops.
During Nashville's Big Bash, a New Year's Eve event at a park, temperatures will be in the low 30s when an illuminated music note drops at midnight in the Tennessee city. New Orleans will be in the mid-40s Fahrenheit (around 7 degrees Celsius) for a free concert and fireworks along the Mississippi River.
At the Rose Parade, it has rained only 10 times in the parade's history — and not since 2006, Carlson said.
Rare wet weather is unlikely to keep floats, marching bands, entertainers and others from participating. Carlson said people riding on floats will have rain gear if necessary, and tow trucks will be standing by in case of mechanical problems.
Spectators will need to prepare, too. Umbrellas are not allowed in parade seating areas that require tickets, though the ban doesn't cover people who simply line up along the nearly 6-mile (10-kilometer) route. Curbside camping — no tents — begins at noon Wednesday. Rain also is predicted that day.
“Last year's parade theme was ‘Best Day Ever!’ and six days later it was the worst," said Lisa Derderian, spokesperson for the city of Pasadena, referring to the devastating Eaton wildfire in Los Angeles County. “We want to start the new year on a high note. Hopefully Mother Nature cooperates with the weather.”
Confetti is released during a confetti test ahead of New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
FILE - Marching bands perform along Colorado Blvd. in the 136th Rose Parade, in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
