MotoGP first visited the Red Bull Ring in 2016.
The Austrian circuit in Spielberg returned to the world championship calendar that year after a 19-year absence. Its previous Austrian Grand Prix had been held in 1997 at the A1 Ring, the earlier name for the modernized venue. The track was originally known as the Österreichring.
The 2016 Austrian Grand Prix was won by Andrea Iannone, who led a Ducati one-two finish ahead of teammate Andrea Dovizioso. Jorge Lorenzo completed the podium. The event marked Austria’s return to the MotoGP calendar, rather than the opening of a completely new circuit.
A frequent source of confusion is the venue’s changing names. Motorcycle Grands Prix had taken place there before the MotoGP era under the Österreichring and A1 Ring names, but 2016 was the first Red Bull Ring appearance in the MotoGP series as it was then known.