so think probably more to it.
Yup - $$$$
Maybe sceptical, but I don't see what's changed at RB that will make Lawson more successful than every no.2 since Ricciardo arrived
Nothing. I'd bet money that he doesn't last the entire season.
Red Bull just continue to pick up the dice and roll them again and again until they land a double six.
Meanwhile Bottas is back at Mercedes; the driver who, alongside Hamilton at (it would seem) his peak, delivered the exact performance that Red Bull want alongside Max.
I don’t see Red Bull fixing their problems until they hire from outside. It looks like they’re scared of losing Max in the next couple of years and just want the next superstar to be a lucky dip from their driver pool. Meanwhile, that doesn’t build them a secure constructors’ bid, and it risks being all at sea in the driver market if they fall down the order in 2026.
Something seems to have lost the team’s nerve… whether it was Mateschitz passing, Horner being under fire, Newey leaving, whatever it was, they just seem desperate.
Something seems to have lost the team’s nerve
That's the thing with their driver development program. They've poured millions into sponsoring young drivers but ended up with Perez. Verstappen wasn't even one of their sponsored talents. The junior team should have been a chance for drivers like Albon to develop before being promoted, but they just burned through all their talent and now are struggling.
Right. It has the signs of there having been a clear instruction that all that investment now needs to bear fruit or else. Problem is, it leaves them boxed into doing the same thing they’ve been doing since Ricciardo left: as you say, just burning up their talent. Meanwhile it also means they’ve missed the boat on some very good drivers who were on the market this year.
Lawson seems to have a bit of attitude*. How long before he doesn't want to let MV past and it all goes wrong?
*not saying thats bad, or good for that matter...
Reading between the lines…
…this seems to say what I expected: that Lawson has to deliver in the first half of this year otherwise Yuki gets a go in the big car. Same old Red Bull, gives you wings and then expects you to fly close to the sun.
Video of Lewis saying goodbye to MB.
^^^^ it's a bit dusty in here ...
…this seems to say what I expected: that Lawson has to deliver in the first half of this year otherwise Yuki gets a go in the big car. Same old Red Bull, gives you wings and then expects you to fly close to the sun.
Its probably more the case that:
"we wont be using Honda engines from 2026, so dont have to run a Japanese driver to keep them happy"
Same old Red Bull
TBH, I don't think many other teams would fare that much better, but, yeah this particular issue is entirely one of their own devising. You got to feel for Yuki, he's done everything asked of him, and watched as a succession of drivers come along to be told "Beat Yuki, and you get to drive the in no#1 team", and neither Riccardo nor Lawson have achieved it, but still Lawson gets the nod.
Still, it should be all the motivation he needs to at least put the CASHAPP Visa Barclaycard Mastercard American Express Diners Club higher up the grid every qualis, even if he can't beat them in the race
Its probably more the case that: “we wont be using Honda engines from 2026, so dont have to run a Japanese driver to keep them happy”
Oh, of course—we can take that as read. There was never any way Yuki was stying there long term without Honda. But what might be lurking below the surface of what Horner’s saying, is that there’s the possibility of an opportunity for him this year—which would only be if they swap him and Lawson. That approach is straight out of the Red Bull playbook: launch a young hotshot into the top team and see if they sink or swim. Immediately. If Horner’s alluding to a possibility of Yuki having actual race time in that car then it’s because they’re running that playbook on Lawson, they’re not settling him in for the long haul until he’s proven himself. They seemed to have plenty of uncharacteristic patience in Checo, who was far more experienced and really shouldn’t have needed nurturing, but perversely they seem to be back to their total lack of patience with the fresh young talent that does need that nurture,
You got to feel for Yuki
I guess he’s ended up as a sort of miniaturised Tommy Byrne. Not as outrageously talented, nor as outrageously unemployable, but still somehow having done enough to permanently close some doors on the basis of first impressions.
They seemed to have plenty of uncharacteristic patience in Checo,
But he was on the pace immediately. He didn't require any 'nurturing'. When he started he said "It will take me five races to get used to the car" He won his sixth race for the team. In his first season he was "a legend" and did exactly what was asked of him. He then delivered the team's first ever 1-2 in the driver's championship and two constructors championships, although was obviously less pivotal in that in 2023.
He started this year well with a string of podiums, and then his performance just nosedived for whatever reason.
Yes, they showed more patience with him in the final two thirds of 2024 than they showed with Kvyat, Gasly, Albon but prior to then he had decent results and was doing what was asked.
I agree that he had to go unfortunately, the last two thirds of 2024 had been utterly abysmal, but before that he had been exactly what they needed.
.
To add one more stat to the 'Checo bashing'. In his entire F1 career Logan Sargent out qualified Alex Albon once. In 2024 he out qualified Checo six times.
I got the impression that the Red Bull was virtually undriveable, a car which was flattered to a very high level by Verstappen’s ability to drive around it, and also a car that should very much take the blame for Red Bull’s lack of enough points for the constructor’s championship, rather than Checo. I hope he got a very satisfactory pay out, because he has earned one
I don't often quote Whinger Spice, but he did say 'If the season was twenty four races at Baku, Checo would be world champion'
I can't think of anything else positive he's said in the last few months.
So today I happened to find myself in the Design Museum in Zürich, which currently has a large exhibition of Olivieri Toscani’s work, the most famous of which is his groundbreaking advertising work for Benetton in the 1990s. Part of the exhibition is an interview video in which he discusses the images and the reaction to them. He describes “real fights” about them and relates an anecdote about Flávio Briatore who was particularly vocal: “‘Why are you using n**roes?’ he [Briatore] said, ‘You should use Trump’—he actually used the word ‘n**groes’. Real racism.”
So if anyone had a dislike for Flav and wanted some confirmation bias, turns out he’s not just a mendacious little cheat but also a racist.
In other Swiss news, the Swiss Transport Museum at Lucerne includes a Red Bull Racing room, which holds a few Red Bull F1 cars (and Johnny Herbert’s Red Bull-sponsored Sauber), a simulator, and a video wall which seemed to be largely an exercise in trolling as it appeared to be replaying Red Bull’s favourite bits from Abu Dhabi 2021, complete with smug commentary; eg (as below) “Max Verstrappen (sic—yes, they really did fail to spell the name of their golden boy) overtakes Lewis Hamilton in an ice-cold maneuver 60 seconds before the end of the race.” Bleugh.
They seemed to have plenty of uncharacteristic patience in Checo
My understanding is that Checo brought quite a lot of sponsorship money with him from South American markets. I wonder if part of the timing was so the team could find alternative revenues from somewhere else. I read over the weekend that one of RB sponsors is pulling out and not renewing their contract.
Mercedes have joint up with Adidas now, will we see Stealth gripped race boots?
I read over the weekend that one of RB sponsors is pulling out and not renewing their contract.
Yep Bybit have ended their deal...
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-news-sponsors-f1-2025-bybit-exit
...at the end of the article it seems like they've filled the gap already. I can't see Red Bull struggling for money.
Absolute travesty that they are wanting to rotate this historic circuit, but expand into new areas with bland tracks with poor attendance (looks at Las Vegas and the Middle East venues)
Its like saying we're only going to Wimbledon every other year, as someone in Timbuktu is giving us a load of cash so they can host an event.
As much as Bernie would threaten to remove these circuits to get them up improve, he always knew there value to the championship.
I don't mind a bit of rotation - keeps things interesting. And I'd rather have some Spa than no Spa.
And I'm not sure circuit history is such a big thing for many new F1 fans. It's all about 'the story' now, and drivers and team personalities are a much bigger deal.
Spa doesn't even have a roller coaster, simulated marina or human rights violations. Boring TBQH.
Looks like Colapinto will be in the Alpine after the first 6 races.
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/franco-colapinto-f1-2025-role-jack-doohan/
I'm not against rotation so long as it also includes identikit tracks in dismal countries - but it won't.
I've only been to Silverstone and Spa and as much as I liked the British GP the track and the inclines at Spa was way above although Maggotts,Becketts and Chapel are great
Brands Hatch must have been great in it's day with F1 Donnington '93 Senna on the first lap in the wet
Wee mention for Knockhill if you've never been it's worth a visit if the weather is good
BITD I preferred going to Brands Hatch to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. Even though Silverstone was closer.0
https://twitter.com/sim3744/status/1877273678057976286?s=12&mx=2
...with a 44 sign in the background. 🙂
I thought she'd stopped working with Lewis a couple of years ago? Or am I missing the obvious news???
absolute travesty that they are wanting to rotate this historic circuit
I'm not so sure, I know it's a fan favourite and the drivers like it, but that doesn't always mean good racing. Unless it's wet, Spa can be pretty dull, Eau Rouge is flat out now, Albon even questioned whether it was really a corner anymore. I think some of these historic tracks (Monaco also springs to mind) could do with being 'rested' occasionally to give other less well known circuits a go around. Portimao was pretty well rec'd during covid after all.
I thought she’d stopped working with Lewis a couple of years ago? Or am I missing the obvious news???
She did - the obvious teaser here is they are back together at Ferrari.
At this time of year though people look for any snippet of F1 related news to keep interest up! 🙂
I’m not so sure, I know it’s a fan favourite and the drivers like it, but that doesn’t always mean good racing. Unless it’s wet, Spa can be pretty dull
Yup, it’s also a circuit whose interest has been somewhat dampened by DRS as well as modern aero. Get a good exit from La Source and it’s flat through Eau Rouge and a shoo-in pass on the Kemmel.
I don’t know why it is, but Silverstone is the track that’s been delivering the best racing—or at least, most consistently delivering one of the best races of the season if not the best—for a good few years now.
Dohoan has a contract for the first 6 races apparently, he will be out after that.
Excellent choice of car in the background. The last of the interesting Ferraris IMHO 🙂
Although is it me or does the outfit make it look a bit like he’s about to ask a guy in a bulldozer to chuck a couple of E-Types and an Aston off the side of an alpine pass? 😀
Definite Mafia vibes! 🙂
Excellent choice of car in the background. The last of the interesting Ferraris IMHO ?
F50 was pretty special too, but I approve of the choice
Let’s hope that’s not the 3rd F40 getting crashed this week
F50 was pretty special too, but I approve of the choice
Ferrari are all over the numbers in their social media build-up to Lewis's arrival - bet the F40 is there because it was his 40th birthday a week and a bit ago.
Good job they hadn't got Lando's F40 pencilled in for the photoshoot! 🙂
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-f40-lando-norris-crash-footage-emerges
Definite Mafia vibes
My guess is he's saying Ferrari made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Re this:
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/trick-that-toppled-red-bull-could-be-key-to-f1-2025-revival/
A simplistic view of this is that both Red Bull and Ferrari could make a significant step forward with their 2025 cars, catching up with changes already banked by McLaren and Mercedes.
Given that in the latter half of the season Ferrari often seemed to be close to McLaren and ahead of Red Bull, does this now make them look like the favourites to hit 2025 on the front foot? With Red Bull and McLaren vying for second best and Mercedes fourth?
An interesting prospect if so.
I had similar thoughts to Bez when I read that article. One question will be how close to maximizing the flexi-wing McLaren is? Another will be whether the Red Bull suspension (with extreme anti-dive and anti-squat) is optimal for a flexi-wing. Related to that will be whether the downstream aero needs to be optimized for a flexi-wing. Another factor will whether a flexi-wing makes the Red Bull much easier to drive and Lawson is fast enough to fight for podiums and wins. One thing I'm willing to predict is that Hamilton and Leclerc won't be mates by the end of the year.
I'm copyrighting "Hamo maF1a"
I'm excited for this season with the changes in driver pairings.
Reckon it is Ferrari v McClaren for constructors.
Drivers it will be interesting to see Lewis v Charles, I hope Lewis is a success. It didn’t work out for Seb when he did his Ferrari move. Oscar's development with Lando and that team mate-rivalry playing out will be good. I actually think Max will take the drivers. You'll have Lewis and Charles taking points off each other, and the same for Lando with Oscar.
Shame Sainz doesn't have a better seat. RB should have taken him. Can't see Lawson being a success there, the car will still be tricky and the team structure is clearly not helpful to developing the number 2.
More comedy regulations from the FIA! If I were the drivers I'd go all 1970s unions on the FIA - one out all out if anyone gets a 1 month ban - leave them with an empty grid. Bloody ridiculous...
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-drivers-could-face-misconduct-bans-under-new-fia-guidelines/
Christ. It’s just getting silly now.
So would Hamilton’s BLM comments and taking of the knee in 2020 have fallen into the political statements offence?
And language that is “coarse” or “rude” is 40,000 Euros a pop? How are we defining that, then?
Is it me or does that sound a load of vindictive old pony?
Ben Sulayem is up for re-election later this year, so that might be an interesting sideshow in the second half of the season. Can't see him being the preferred candidate of the F1 community but the post is actually elected by motoring orgs around the world who don't necessarily care what is going on in F1
For some real racing the 24hrs of Daytona is this weekend! Live on YouTube.
the post is actually elected by motoring orgs around the world who don’t necessarily care what is going on in F1
My understanding is that each motoring organization (i.e. each country) gets an equal vote. Some are much richer than others and Ben Sulayem has been "fundraising" for the less well off ones.
McLaren sign rival team boss, hoped it would be Gunther lol
Herbert sacked by the FIA: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c4g7j0j8357o
I also read something earlier - during the week of the British GP Estiban Ocon was using an Alpine company car, someone at Alpine noticed from the car's tracking data that it had been parked outside the Williams factory for 5 hours. Oops!
I also read something earlier – during the week of the British GP Estiban Ocon was using an Alpine company car, someone at Alpine noticed from the car’s tracking data that it had been parked outside the Williams factory for 5 hours.
Well he knew he’d be needing drive at that point didn’t he?
Certainly puts paid to the BS that a tracker is there for safety and security.
So now they are going to get tougher on flexiwings, but only from 1 June. This just makes them look silly. I'm a long-time McLaren fan, but I thought the flexiwings were pushing things beyond the intent of the regulations. Was happy enough that McLaren won the constructor's title, but changing the tests mid-year doesn't make any sense to me, it's just an admission that they should have been tougher on it last year when the problem first arose.
https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/43641013/fia-introduce-flexi-wing-clampdown-2025-f1-season
I can’t see the point in this rule either - just let them run flexi for the rest of this regs lifespan.
Teams have now got to spend money on flexi till June and more money for non-flexi just for a few months racing. All alongside developing their 2026 cars!
Completely agree. It’s the last year of these regulations. Just leave them alone and go racing there is enough of a change for 26 to keep the engineers busy
Good Gary Anderson article on the subject...
Not F1, but probably of interest to most on here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0027vqq
(Nicky Grist)
Camo! First 2025 car on track...
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mclaren-reveals-first-2025-f1-car-surprise-launch/
Right, time to get the 2025 hype train rolling!
The Mclaren is out on track today for a shakedown. Not visible in the pic, but it's got new front (and possibly rear) suspension too.
Believe Williams are revealing their new car tomorrow.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I like to think that I wouldn't disgrace myself at circuit racing, given huge amounts of practice and (let's be honest) an enormous talent transplant, but I'll put my hand up and say I am NOWHERE near brave enough to be a rally driver. 🙂
Anyone tuning in for the live livery launch?
I might give it a whirl - it could be the best car-crash we see all season! 🤣
It’s so cringe isn’t!! Painful at times but jack whitehall is so funny (most of the time at least, a couple of jokes have missed the mark significantly!)
A reveal of some dry paint? It's not even as interesting as watching paint dry...
LOL at Horner getting booed! 🤣
What have they done to that Ferrari!! Huge white band looks... 🤢🤢🤮🤮
