With different styles of tracks, varying climates and new parts introduced constantly to the cars, the goals and expectations of Formula 1 teams can really vary week-to-week.
Although we've somewhat settled into the order of power in the 2025 season, a shorter track like the Red Bull Ring with a larger number of medium speed corners and a couple slow ones could shake things up.
So what should the 10 teams on the F1 grid be aiming for in Austria? Here are their accomplishable, but still lofty at times, goals.
Alpine: Gasly return to form, Colapinto show us anything at all
After a P8 in Spain, Pierre Gasly's Canadian Grand Prix was one to forget -- a last-place qualifying effort and then 15th place on the road, two spots behind Franco Colapinto.
Gasly is responsible for all 11 of Alpine's points (last place in the constructors' standings), but more than half came from a P7 in Bahrain. A better weekend in Austria would erase a bad one in Montreal.
Meanwhile, Colapinto has shown nothing to suggest he's that much of an upgrade from Jack Doohan (both have the same best finish in 2025, P13). Despite this, the Argentine is expected to stay in the seat for the rest of the way in 2025. Time to earn it, Franco!
Sauber: Time to see something from Bortoleto
In what is probably the slowest car in raw pace on the grid, Nico Hulkenberg has put together a P5 and P8 in back-to-back races.
Hulkenberg doing wonders in subpar machinery isn't new to anyone. And we already know he's the German leader of the soon-to-be German Audi team in 2026. That's all set to go.
But we are still awaiting something from Franco Colapinto, whose best finish in his rookie season was a P12 in Spain.
I don't think anyone is expecting him to complete with Hulkenberg much (6-3 Hulk in race head-to-head), but in order to reinforce his place in F1 in 2026, he will need a bit more.
Aston Martin: Lance? Can you show up?
Remember when Fernando Alonso was pointless and Lance Stroll had 14 points just about a month ago?
Since then, Stroll has done nothing in grand prixs, while Alonso has back-to-back points finishes, making the point versus only 14-8 in favor of Stroll now (and many of those came from the rainy Melboune race).
Stroll's best GP finish since race #3? 15th! His lone points since China came in the Miami sprint. He has been nowhere before and after his wrist issues. Not that that will matter for his standing with the team boss.
Racing Bulls: Shooting for another double points effort
Monaco remains Racing Bulls' lone race in 2025 where both drivers put up points, but that was plainly because of the shenanigans of still racing in Monaco with two required stops.
Racing Bulls (VCARB ... RB ... whatever) only pulled off double points once in 2024 (Brazil), but the car seems improved in 2025. Liam Lawson has improved as well and Isack Hadjar has been a big talent. I think it's possible.
Haas: Time to get Bearman back in the mix
Ollie Bearman's early season production was an eye-opener: six points in four race weekends, including an impressive show of overtaking in China.
Since then -- no points, not much in the way of highlights and poor qualifying efforts. While Bearman has outqualified Esteban Ocon in the last two races, Ocon has found eight points in the last month.
The young Brit has struggled to either find his way out of Q1 or out of the basement of Q2. While the Haas car isn't one that is supposed to make it to Q3, it feels like Bearman can't string together multiple solid efforts.
A P12 or higher and a point or two would go a long way for helping Haas in their fight for sixth in the constructors'.
Williams: A Sainz signature effort? Or just take it easy
Williams finds itself pretty firmly fifth fastest on most weekends, and they sit somewhat comfortably in that spot in the standings. They only really need a few more hauls of small points to lock in a P5, with P4 nowhere in sight.
So what's the goal for Williams at this point? They can easily just take their foot off the gas and look fully to 2026 (if they aren't already).
But it wouldn't be bad to see some better signs from Mr. Sainz as we near halfway in the season. Alex Albon is killing him on points (42-13), and that's with back-to-back DNFs from him coming into Austria.
Sainz's best efforts have been 8ths while Albon has turned in 2 P5s and a P7. At some point, Sainz needs to heat up.
Red Bull: Have Max do so well that we continue to ignore how poorly Yuki is doing
It feels almost like Yuki Tsunoda's horrible time at Red Bull is being ignored, whereas Liam Lawson's short tenure was put under the microscope.
In case you haven't notice (and many probably haven't!) Tsunoda has scored just four grand prix points with Red Bull, with a best finish of ninth.
He hasn't finished any better than 12th over the last three races. He also has qualified better than 10th one single time.
It seems like Red Bull is just kicking the problem of what to do here until next season. So until then ... it feels like we're due for a Max Verstappen master class, eh?
Ferrari: Show something in quali pace
P2-P4 in the constructors' is a close one, but Ferrari has the most consistent overall lineup to gun for P2 (they sit 16 points back from Mercedes).
But Ferrari's qualifying has been largely mediocre and behind their competitors for a bit now. Just one single P3 or better qualifying time has come in the last six races (Leclerc in Monaco).
One (or both) drivers have qualified P7 or worse at every race since Japan. Despite Leclerc delivering much better race pace in that time (P4 or better five times), quality Q3 times for both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are something fans are in need of.
Mercedes: Solidify yourselves as a weekly win contender?
It's dreaming big, but Montreal's double podium that really came from nowhere made Mercedes fans dream big.
Since 2022, Mercedes has had winning cars a few times a year, but the team almost always falls back to earth a bit next time out.
Bridging the gap to the dominant McLarens seems far-fetched ... but as the Papaya team battle heats up, can George Russell or Kimi Antonelli swoop in again?
McLaren: Hope for Lando to calm down
As a team, McLaren's P1 in the constructors' is already wrapped up. At this point, it's just hoping Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri don't take enough points off each other to let Max Verstappen (or George Russell?) get their shot for the drivers'.
Realistically, it's almost certainly going to be one of their duo. But it would sure be nice to see Norris to get out of his head and show his talent more than his struggles.
If he puts up a big fight and Piastri still wins, he can at least hold his head high that he did well down the stretch. If not ... it's probably just going to get worse for him.
Also, a Norris win would be good to spice up the title battle, since he comes in 22 points back.