2025 Formula One Season Thread

[TheIntruder]

Max (or Min), isn't the guy driving the trailers to the track, or sweeping the shop floors.

He's an integral member of the team who has been vital to whatever success it has achieved, and vital to what it will achieve in the near future.

Is he a guy you'd leave out of the loop if there was a shakeup to occur?

Would Ron Dennis not have clued Senna, or Prost into what was going on with the team? Would Frank or Patrick done the same with Mansell? di Montezemolo/Todt and Schumacher?

Without bring privy to the conversation, who is to say what the nature of it was, never mind characterizing it as unprofessional? Did Mintzlaff ask for him permission? I doubt it.

Conversely, if they had not had that conversation, what would the blowback be? From Max, and the press?

For the team, which driver would be ready to slot in and do the things that Max can do? Drivers are expendable to a degree, but not drivers like Verstappen.

Molehill territory here, I'm afraid.

 

[Madonepro]

*If* Christian was one of the (main) reasons Max was considering leaving the team, I can understand why the CEO would want to have a chat with him about it and how that might impact his staying or leaving.

Also, whereas Dietrich Mateschitz was completely content to let Red Bull Racing operate without any oversight from Corporate, Mintzlaff is said to be quite involved in the team's operations and decisions and this was a "pressure point" between he and Horner, who was used to running the team without any interference.

So, again, I could see why Mintzlaff might want to talk to Max about a major personnel move within team management even if Max's position at Red Bull for 2026 and beyond was secure.

I think one of the points that was being made, was not that Max shouldn't have been advised of changes within the management of the company, but speaking of it, in public, isn't discrete or professional. Personally I see that as a little arrogant, and a power play.

 

[JustinePaula]

What cannot be forgotten is that Daddy Chris took a rank useless fire sale team, and turned it around, Chris took chances on drivers, some of whom were only fit to drive the catering team Hi Ace bus, others are worthy champions..

Max is one of those rare once in a generation, that have gone on to win, he has nothing left to prove in Red Bull, but then actually maybe we have this all wrong...

You see actually maybe this is actually in a quirk of fate, actually when you think about it, 2026. we have in all aspects 11 new teams, that is a complete new set of regulations, and what was valid in 2025, will not maybe be accurate in 2026, so what is Max gaining from leaving? Not much, after all, the cars will all be new to all drivers in 2026..No matter how many wins, everyone starts 2026 with 0 wins in the 2026 regs version of the car..

What is not known, or may never be known, is what was the reason for Christian to leave, was it political, was it a design decision, a clash of corporate philosophy? Was it zippergate 3.0? The team's car guru has moved on.. Who is the 2026 car guru for Red Bull?? Who has the design in the cranium????

Will 2026 see the rise of the tier 2 teams? Will we see the likes of William's/Hass/AM rise and the fall of Maclaren, Merc?

Would it have made more sense for Max to William's? Although I really don't have much interest in Lewis, I do admire his determination, to try at least in a number of teams, 3 at last count.. That says a lot.. Max has only been a 1 brand donkey, maybe he is scared of pulling a Fernando, going to AM, and getting a lot of DNF or worse last places.. Being a mobile all weather chicane...

So what does Max do? Stay for the 2026 car, with a team that is at this point dealing with survivor's guilt.. Why Chris, and why now? And dealing with a new boss.. New ideas, and at the same time a new car/regs...

What says a lot is that Red Bull said nothing about drivers when the news broke about Chris Horner, and that says a lot.. Nothing.. So does that mean, both are staying, and for how long, or are both sending LinkedIn invites to TP, [why does that make me think toilet paper...]???

Radio silence on drivers.. read the room..we can hear and see...

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I think one of the points that was being made, was not that Max shouldn't have been advised of changes within the management of the company, but speaking of it, in public, isn't discrete or professional. Personally I see that as a little arrogant, and a power play.

Or you can choose to see it as an honest answer to a question that was asked.

 

[Madonepro]

Or you can choose to see it as an honest answer to a question that was asked.

Of course you can. If your partner asks you how many drinks you had last night, is honesty the path you take? Or do you think of the consequences of the truth, and modify your answer, based on the impact it might have.

 

[TheIntruder]

Of course you can. If your partner asks you how many drinks you had last night, is honesty the path you take? Or do you think of the consequences of the truth, and modify your answer, based on the impact it might have.

What part of this, Verstappen's response to the questioning, is unprofessional, uncouth or crosses any boundaries?

"Half a day before, the shareholders told me. I have a good relationship with them, so I think it's quite normal that they inform some people in the team, before it goes out.


"At the end of the day, I think in this world things like that can happen. And when they told me it wasn't like they just hung up the phone, you have a conversation about it. I don't need to go into detail what they said.


"Management and the shareholders decided that they wanted to change and at the end of the day they run the team and I'm the driver, so whatever they decide it's fully their right to do what they want, and that's basically how it happened."

Anybody in the paddock who is worth asking has been questioned, and many have also weighed in on what transpired.

Komatsu, whose response is in line with what some expect, still took 188 words to say that he didn't have an opinion about it.

Should the press, which thrives on the circus aspects of F1, have tiptoed around it?

Have people forgotten that a big reason F1 as a sport has risen in popularity, and attracted non-racing fans, is due to a streaming show that highlights its soap operatic aspects?

The other issues surrounding Horner were much more of a nature that should strictly remain an internal HR matter, yet neither the press, nor the fans had any issues discussing it and throwing around speculation, including here. If anything, that's what has been distasteful and much closer to being unprofessional.

When a coach or GM is sacked, and the circumstances surrounding it, is fair game for sports entertainment.

I don't count myself as a Max fan, and am definitely not a fan of his father, but to interpret this as a power play is only denying the influence that they've long had inside the team.

 

[CWallace]

So even with rain possible, McLaren clearly has to trim some downforce off the car before Qualifying later today.

 

[Glideslope]

Well managed race from Max. You need a very special driver to make that setup work. Toto has his spreadsheet out for 2027 again….😉

 

[JustinePaula]

Seeing comments about "what is the point of Sprints?" Even Crofty and Brundle were saying "no moves from Piastry.." This was a procession, to the point even a car a week late and $2 short on paying the entry fee was able to trundle around...

Sprints are useless, they serve no use in F1, we have sprints in F2/F3, expanding F2 to F1, the only way sprints make sense if it is for the VIP private jet abuser.. The bored stiff time wasters.. They are at every race, getting fat and getting warts from sitting around doing nothing, have them race 6 weekends a year..

 

[pachyderm]

meh

 

[CWallace]

Well managed race from Max. You need a very special driver to make that setup work.

Which is why I give Yuki a free pass this year (and to a lesser extent, Liam). The only way the RB21 is competitive is to take all the downforce off and it worked at Suzuka and Imola because you cannot pass and failed at Silverstone because you can.

Not sure about Spa. Not having a pit stop in the sprint helped Max, but Oscar was not fast enough even with DRS to catch Max up the Kemmel Straight and while he was far more planted in Sector 2, the dirty air off Max ensured he could not close. So I think he needs to trim enough downforce to give him an extra tenth or two so he can use DRS to keep Max at bay down the KS and then pull ahead in Sectors 2 and 3.

 

[Glideslope]

Which is why I give Yuki a free pass this year (and to a lesser extent, Liam). The only way the RB21 is competitive is to take all the downforce off and it worked at Suzuka and Imola because you cannot pass and failed at Silverstone because you can.

Not sure about Spa. Not having a pit stop in the sprint helped Max, but Oscar was not fast enough even with DRS to catch Max up the Kemmel Straight and while he was far more planted in Sector 2, the dirty air off Max ensured he could not close. So I think he needs to trim enough downforce to give him an extra tenth or two so he can use DRS to keep Max at bay down the KS and then pull ahead in Sectors 2 and 3.

Sure looking like wet conditions Sunday. Setup will be a challenge for Max. Given he’s not really in the WDC it will be interesting to see. Go for the pole and settle for non podium finish? Put more down force in and try for P2 in qualifying and a race podium? P2 is the preferred start IMO at Spa.

Hopefully there will be some good racing. I really enjoy Spa. 👍🏼

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Of course you can. If your partner asks you how many drinks you had last night, is honesty the path you take? Or do you think of the consequences of the truth, and modify your answer, based on the impact it might have.

Honesty, always. It is the way of the Dutch. Besides, the truth will come out anyway, so why not now.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Well, that sprint race was pretty awesome. And Charles did a great job in Quali....

 

[Glideslope]

Well, that sprint race was pretty awesome. And Charles did a great job in Quali....

Max wasn’t too happy with his balance after the additional wing. It’s going to be interesting to watch Oscar and Lando set up for La Source with Max and Charles closing in the slipstream. 😉

 

[CWallace]

With rain now expected for the race, Max would have been doomed if he did not add downforce. And it seemed to have really helped Yuki.

Both Racing Bulls, Albon and Bortoleto in Q3 was nice. Both Haas just missing out was not. Lewis out in Q1 after his P7 time was deleted for track limits has to be galling. Maybe it is time to go to Ferrari's HyperCar team and add a LeMans win to his resume. And Kimi...I think the pressure is starting to get to him.

Aston Martin might as well just call it for 2025 and pray Adrian can work his magic for the 2026 car. I am starting to understand why Lance has given up.

 

[Glideslope]

With rain now expected for the race, Max would have been doomed if he did not add downforce. And it seemed to have really helped Yuki.

Both Racing Bulls, Albon and Bortoleto in Q3 was nice. Both Haas just missing out was not. Lewis out in Q1 after his P7 time was deleted for track limits has to be galling. Maybe it is time to go to Ferrari's HyperCar team and add a LeMans win to his resume. And Kimi...I think the pressure is starting to get to him.

Aston Martin might as well just call it for 2025 and pray Adrian can work his magic for the 2026 car. I am starting to understand why Lance has given up.

I’d like to see Lewis and Fernando in the WEC.

 

[CWallace]

I’d like to see Lewis and Fernando in the WEC.

Fernando already has two LeMans wins and a WEC championship with Toyota, but I'd love to see him in the Valkyrie.

 

[Glideslope]

Fernando already has two LeMans wins and a WEC championship with Toyota, but I'd love to see him in the Valkyrie.

Agreed. That would be intense.

 

[Glideslope]

Antonelli broke down crying again in the Media Pen after his Q1 exit. I think Toto needs to evaluate the current trajectory. The Inverted-U Theory seems in play with him…..

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Max (or Min), isn't the guy driving the trailers to the track, or sweeping the shop floors.

He's an integral member of the team who has been vital to whatever success it has achieved, and vital to what it will achieve in the near future.

Is he a guy you'd leave out of the loop if there was a shakeup to occur?

Would Ron Dennis not have clued Senna, or Prost into what was going on with the team? Would Frank or Patrick done the same with Mansell? di Montezemolo/Todt and Schumacher?

Without bring privy to the conversation, who is to say what the nature of it was, never mind characterizing it as unprofessional? Did Mintzlaff ask for him permission? I doubt it.

Conversely, if they had not had that conversation, what would the blowback be? From Max, and the press?

For the team, which driver would be ready to slot in and do the things that Max can do? Drivers are expendable to a degree, but not drivers like Verstappen.

Molehill territory here, I'm afraid.

I don’t agree with a lot of what you are saying here and that’s fine. No, Dennis, Todt, Williams definitely wouldn’t have been discussing the sacking of a drivers boss prior to him finding out. Most of the big drivers there managed were forced out of their teams before they even knew themselves, because they were never bigger than those running the teams. Even the mighty Schumacher was told Raikkonen had been signed before he knew it was happening, so drivers come and go. Team management at the top end doesn’t, if it’s working right. Red Bull have sacked their architect, and it’ll be interesting to see if they become a Ferrari or a Mercedes going forward.

 

[Madonepro]

Seeing comments about "what is the point of Sprints?" Even Crofty and Brundle were saying "no moves from Piastry.." This was a procession, to the point even a car a week late and $2 short on paying the entry fee was able to trundle around...

Sprints are useless, they serve no use in F1, we have sprints in F2/F3, expanding F2 to F1, the only way sprints make sense if it is for the VIP private jet abuser.. The bored stiff time wasters.. They are at every race, getting fat and getting warts from sitting around doing nothing, have them race 6 weekends a year..

There should be two races at the weekend, in my view, slightly shorter, and qualifying for the 1st on the Friday, and the grid order for the 2nd, based on finish positions of the 1st race. More revenue and interest from fans for the weekend, and adds more spice to the Friday.

 

[JustinePaula]

What we saw Saturday was why Sprints are useless for F1 drivers, here we had 2 teams, Red Cows, and PawPaws, and they had 2 very different ideas, Red Cows for the win, PawPaws focused on Sunday, as we saw this play out in Saturday afternoon Q3... Minimum had changed his car from the winning Saturday lunchtime spec, to the ox kart it is for Sunday. However PawPaws did not change spec from Saturday Sprint to Qualifying..

Sprints should be 6 events per year for the very expensive private jet abusers, of which every team has access to 1 or 2.. That sit around getting bored playing solitare, and basically getting in the way of actual drivers... A 3rd wheel on a unicycle...

They should do the sprints, or maybe 6 rookie races.. We have a 30 minute warm up 8am Friday morning, and a 30 minute Sprint 12pm Friday, then the rest of the weekend, FP1 Friday PM/FP2 Sat AM, Q Saturday PM.. Sunday Race...

Using Sprints for rookies or bored useless failed drivers YES.. Using Sprints for actual F1 drivers, NO..

 

[JustinePaula]

Monsoons and submarine racing at Spa. Damp not, soaking YES, F3 race delayed, race red flag after 3 cars crashed on safety car lap

Engineer: Did you have any aquaplanning coming here?
Driver: Yes
Engineer: Tyres:
Driver: What about them?
Engineer: Did you aquaplanning, from the tyres not being in the right temperature?
Driver: Mate I just like... I think it is quite wet mate...


The medical car is almost in the hedge, he so nearly rolled it... Yes it is wet...

Race to restart 09:05 local, under safety car

Red Flag with 14min left...

RACE WILL NOT RESUME.

 

[JustinePaula]

F2 FEATURE RACE:
Wet
Start behind safety car on wet tyres..