2025 Formula One Season Thread

[CWallace]

Like Singapore, I like Vegas for the "spectacle" it offers as a night race in a vibrant cityscape. But I do agree neither is a very compelling race circuit (though I would give Vegas the edge over Singapore in that regard).

Still, at least they have spectacle, which puts them above other street circuits on the calendar like Monaco or Baku, to say nothing (please!) of that joke of a circuit the Miami International Autodrome. 🤢

 

[Glideslope]

Like Singapore, I like Vegas for the "spectacle" it offers as a night race in a vibrant cityscape. But I do agree neither is a very compelling race circuit (though I would give Vegas the edge over Singapore in that regard).

Still, at least they have spectacle, which puts them above other street circuits on the calendar like Monaco or Baku, to say nothing (please!) of that joke of a circuit the Miami International Autodrome. 🤢

I’m interested to see the crowd during the race and final attendance figures. Tourism is down close to 30% this year in Vegas. I’m interested to see if my northern friends will migrate down for a F1 event this year.

 

[avro707]

On the one hand, you have to ask "how hard can it be?", but on the other, the amount of "suction" the cars must be generating down the straights has to be crazy.

Maybe put them on narrow tyres and small wheels, smaller brakes (no carbon), have the cars go back to cigar shapes and maximum engine power 400hp, the weight would be 450kg. They have just a 5 speed manual.

It wouldn't be the first time GP cars have gone much slower, I mean we went from 600hp supercharged 8 cylinder beasts like the Mercedes W125 (with M125 engine) to much, much slower machines.

 

[CWallace]

FP3 starting on Intermediates as the track is damp in sports. 12C air temp and 14C track temp is making it very difficult to warm the tires so everyone is skating.

 

[CWallace]

With an hour before Qualifying, the rain is falling so we'll likely be starting with a wet track.

FP3

POS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	TIME / GAP	LAPS
1	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:34.054	21
2	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	+0.227s	28
3	23	Alexander Albon	Williams	+0.821s	21
4	6	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+1.115s	26
5	44	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+1.215s	29
6	12	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+1.331s	23
7	30	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+1.385s	25
8	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1.479s	11
9	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+1.486s	12
10	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1.508s	13
11	87	Oliver Bearman	Haas F1 Team	+1.532s	18
12	55	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+1.608s	22
13	5	Gabriel Bortoleto	Kick Sauber	+1.684s	16
14	31	Esteban Ocon	Haas F1 Team	+1.763s	24
15	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+1.854s	27
16	43	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+2.251s	17
17	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Kick Sauber	+2.596s	11
18	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull Racing	+2.613s	24
19	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+2.969s	20
20	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+3.058s	18

McLaren were the first to switch to Softs while the track was still quite damp and after doing a handful of laps called it good and parked for the rest of the session so they dropped to the bottom as everyone else followed on Softs and continued to circulate as the track dried and the tires found more grip.

 

[CWallace]

Definitely going to be starting on Intermediates for Q1.

 

[JustinePaula]

I think they need anchors, bow thrusters, a skippers ticket, a driving licence is not required... This is real boat stuff...

 

[JustinePaula]

"2025 WDC champion: Mr Norris..." might as well engrave the trophy, update the wiki...

 

[CWallace]

Yeah I think Lando has the WDC wrapped up. The only battle now is between Oscar and Max for second.

 

[pachyderm]

With an hour before Qualifying, the rain is falling so we'll likely be starting with a wet track.

FP3

POS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	TIME / GAP	LAPS
1	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:34.054	21
2	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	+0.227s	28
3	23	Alexander Albon	Williams	+0.821s	21
4	6	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+1.115s	26
5	44	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+1.215s	29
6	12	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+1.331s	23
7	30	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+1.385s	25
8	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1.479s	11
9	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+1.486s	12
10	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1.508s	13
11	87	Oliver Bearman	Haas F1 Team	+1.532s	18
12	55	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+1.608s	22
13	5	Gabriel Bortoleto	Kick Sauber	+1.684s	16
14	31	Esteban Ocon	Haas F1 Team	+1.763s	24
15	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+1.854s	27
16	43	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+2.251s	17
17	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Kick Sauber	+2.596s	11
18	22	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull Racing	+2.613s	24
19	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+2.969s	20
20	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+3.058s	18

McLaren were the first to switch to Softs while the track was still quite damp and after doing a handful of laps called it good and parked for the rest of the session so they dropped to the bottom as everyone else followed on Softs and continued to circulate as the track dried and the tires found more grip.

Where are you copy/pasting your grid from?

I like that style so much better than what the f1 site is doing.

 

[pachyderm]

1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
6. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
8. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
11. Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber)
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
13. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
14. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
15. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
16. Alex Albon (Williams)
17. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
18. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
19. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
20. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)


The website I copied from had Hadjar and Ocon in bold for some reason...

 

[Apple fanboy]

That was fun! I think all the drivers did so well. I was expecting a few red flags at the very least.
The track looked ultra slippery. The way they catch the back end and turn the next corner into a drift is insane.

Not sure what the forecast is for tomorrow, but if it’s wet I expect Max to pounce from P2. If it’s dry and Lando can lead into turn 1 I think he’ll keep the win.
Piastri is going to need 1 and 2 to collide to get a good result I think.

 

[Glideslope]

That was fun! I think all the drivers did so well. I was expecting a few red flags at the very least.
The track looked ultra slippery. The way they catch the back end and turn the next corner into a drift is insane.

Not sure what the forecast is for tomorrow, but if it’s wet I expect Max to pounce from P2. If it’s dry and Lando can lead into turn 1 I think he’ll keep the win.
Piastri is going to need 1 and 2 to collide to get a good result I think.

Agreed. I was absolutely amazed that there was not an abundance of Red Flags. A testimonial to their skills.

 

[pachyderm]

That was fun! I think all the drivers did so well. I was expecting a few red flags at the very least.
The track looked ultra slippery. The way they catch the back end and turn the next corner into a drift is insane.

Not sure what the forecast is for tomorrow, but if it’s wet I expect Max to pounce from P2. If it’s dry and Lando can lead into turn 1 I think he’ll keep the win.
Piastri is going to need 1 and 2 to collide to get a good result I think.

I personally would love to see #4 and #1 take each other out and then have #55 run away from the pack somehow... but I dream, I dream...

 

[Apple fanboy]

I personally would love to see #4 and #1 take each other out and then have #55 run away from the pack somehow... but I dream, I dream...

Can’t see it, but you never know.

If I was Lewis I’d start from the pit lane and get every change I could. New power unit, change my set up etc. he’s got nothing to lose.

 

[JustinePaula]

6am start time here, just about perfect, get the race done, relax before work...
Would love a William's team win.. But if not them, then of course Mr Alonso for the win...

But truly I am at a loss, very confused by the unprofessional almost racist behavior of the Ferrari team towards Lewis.. It seem so bizarre.. How can this team be this bad??

 

[CWallace]

Where are you copy/pasting your grid from?

I like that style so much better than what the f1 site is doing.

I actually use it from the Formula One site, and then remove the graphics of the drivers and teams so it looks cleaner.

 

[CWallace]

But truly I am at a loss, very confused by the unprofessional almost racist behavior of the Ferrari team towards Lewis.. It seem so bizarre.. How can this team be this bad??

It's not racism, it's traditional "Italian Intransigence". The Scuderia's senior management below Frédéric Vasseur are convinced that they know best and are not interested in anyone else's opinions. And Vasseur lacks the iron will of Ross Brawn or Jean Todt to break that. So you have too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the broth as everyone does their own thing and there is no unit cohesion.

All of this is not helped by Ferrari S.p.A. (a.k.a. - John Elkann) messing around with the team, as well - something il Commendatore absolutely forbid and, again, Brown and Todt were able to successfully keep at arm's length. So instead of listening to their drivers feedback on improving the car and strategy, they're ignored and told directly to "shut up and just drive harder".

All this is why I am 100% sure that if they fired Vasseur at the end of the season (which they will not) and put in WEC Director Antonello Coletta or AF Corse owner Amato Ferrari (since he really runs the team) they would still flounder like a dropped mackerel in 2026.

 

[pachyderm]

I actually use it from the Formula One site, and then remove the graphics of the drivers and teams so it looks cleaner.

i tried that and got fed up lol.

 

[CWallace]

i tried that and got fed up lol.

Browser OEM might play a role. I am on a Mac, but if I use Safari it does not keep the grid boxes. I have to use Chrome.

 

[CWallace]

Also with Lewis, it is not helping that that Riccardo Adami has appeared to be mostly useless as race engineer. Lewis believed that Q3 ended before or as he crossed the line so he started to slow even though he beat it by under a second. Adami should have immediately told him to continue to push. Would it have gotten him out of Q1? Unknown. But it probably would have lifted him out of P20.

 

[avro707]

So you have too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the broth as everyone does their own thing and there is no unit cohesion.

I remember John Barnard describing some of the ways that team operated when he joined it. Just madness. Bodywork being built to a different construction standard / process to what was intended (because they supposedly knew better), completely disregarding the detailed plans given, and of course the part didn’t work as intended.

The CFD people were initially blamed (it wasn’t their fault), then it was found the folks who built the part did the carbon lay-up differently. Doh! Depending on how you lay up the carbon it has different strength properties.

I can only imagine Barnard’s reaction given his well known ability to go nuclear! He was brilliant but combustible.

It took the likes of Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Jean Todt, John Barnard and then Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher to get that team really working properly. The GTO thing didn't work properly either - and never would have because you can't have a chassis being built in one land, then the engines and other stuff being built in another location and ridiculous lines of communication, then the squabbles between the two locations.

Montezemolo was also key in starting the overhaul of the road car division which was in a shambles (eg the 348 model).

 

[Glideslope]

Can’t see it, but you never know.

If I was Lewis I’d start from the pit lane and get every change I could. New power unit, change my set up etc. he’s got nothing to lose.

That’s a good call considering McLaren has gotten all their “New PU” complaints out of their system.

 

[JustinePaula]

Antonelli did a better job in this race than Bottas did the whole of 2021.. You see how it works... I wonder why anyone would hire Bottas.. He did not understand his assignment in 2021... How he will cope in 2026 is a bit confusing... I don't think he understands how F1 points system works.. Antonelli clearly does..

 

[CWallace]

Yeah Kimi was impressive on tires that almost did the entire race distance. Shame he jumped the start to lose fourth. Oscar not being able to get past him on 30 lap fresher tires was frankly a bit embarrassing.

Nice to see both the drivers and pit team at Ferrari give Elkann the middle finger - the drivers by climbing the grid and the pit team by executing slower than ever.