2025 F1 Season

[MD thaivuN]

and so begins Lewis Hamilton's gradual loss of sanity by the Ferrari radio

 

[JoVel]

At least Hamilton got accustomed to the Ferrari life early.

 

[DaveG]

Knew that Williams was looking better this season but I was not expecting a top 5 finish, yet alone in the first race.

 

[The Marquis]

Fun race to watch. So much drama. Hulkenberg picking up more points than Ferrari drivers combined is probably the most shocking thing.

 

[Brookbank]

What a race it was.

I really thought in that moment that it was Russia 2021 all over again for Norris and Piastri. Thankfully it wasn't. It would have been such a downer for the team. Norris recovered better because he was the lead car. But Piastri could have been more conservative leading up to the incoming rain.

Max and George Russell put in solid veteran drives. Russell held back and waited for an opportunity which did come, allowing him to scoop a sneaky podium.

Unreal recovery drive from Antonelli. I thought he was risking it too much but he got away with it. Mercedes put that kid through hours and hours of drive time in old F1 cars. It really shows.

 

[Skidooboy]

Teammates are judged in head to head qualifying. When there are none of the variables in a 2 hour race. And in head to head qualifying, it was not close. In no other team , would anyone be saying one driver "might be a little better" than the other, with a 17-5 qualifying deficit.

umm no they aren't judged by quali grid slot.

Ultimately they are judged by raw lap times in both qualy and race pace using data from setups, engine modes, fuel loads strategies etc. Data only the teams fully have access too.... but most importantly drivers are judged by RESULTS. Does it matter if you are the best in preseason testing like RB? or the WCC champs like McLaren?

If I have a team and one guy qualifies ahead of the other...but the worse qualifier wins more races...which guy am I going to sign? in 10 years time they remember the wins nobody will remember who won the quali.

in terms of RESULTS...it was much closer than the 17-5 you are mooing about. Especially based on one Lame duck season for an exiting driver.

 

[Khelandros]

 

[My3Sons]

They should have sprinklers mounted over every track and randomly turn them on at various times during the race. The cars are so good now that in normal conditions the races down the stretch last season became one stop races with little drama at the top. They should probably make the tires worse. Maybe the softs last ten laps at most and the mediums 15 and the hard ones 20? Maybe bring back refueling? Maybe release turtles onto the track that have hard enough shells they don't get crushed when they are run over? They have to do something.

 

[PanniniClaus]

They should have sprinklers mounted over every track and randomly turn them on at various times during the race. The cars are so good now that in normal conditions the races down the stretch last season became one stop races with little drama at the top. They should probably make the tires worse. Maybe the softs last ten laps at most and the mediums 15 and the hard ones 20? Maybe bring back refueling? Maybe release turtles onto the track that have hard enough shells they don't get crushed when they are run over? They have to do something.

Thought the racing last year was amongst the top 2-3 seasons of the past 35 years once we got past Max's early season run. Talking 4 teams winning any given week and the gap from 1-20 was the tightest I have ever seen it.

There have been some better title fights bringing major drama but usually only two teams in the fight.

Many years where it was a one team and 1 driver run away. Hoping this year is every bit as good as last.

Watch the 1994 season with refueling. I went back and watched that season, this winter.

 

[My3Sons]

Thought the racing last year was amongst the top 2-3 seasons of the past 35 years once we got past Max's early season run. Talking 4 teams winning any given week and the gap from 1-20 was the tightest I have ever seen it.

There have been some better title fights bringing major drama but usually only two teams in the fight.

Many years where it was a one team and 1 driver run away. Hoping this year is every bit as good as last.

Watch the 1994 season with refueling. I went back and watched that season, this winter.

The cars were relatively even which was great but how many winners had more than one stop after say thr first five races.

 

[PanniniClaus]

The cars were relatively even which was great but how many winners had more than one stop after say thr first five races.

Plenty of one stop.

Personally, i don't love trying to generate action through pitstops.. I'd rather the racing do the talking. Maybe there will be a little more variety in the strategy this year?

Mandating 2 stops at Monaco.

 

[My3Sons]

Plenty of one stop.

Personally, i don't love trying to generate action through pitstops.. I'd rather the racing do the talking. Maybe there will be a little more variety in the strategy this year?

Mandating 2 stops at Monaco.

Maybe the DRS needs to be tweaked a bit? I’d just like to see more passing at the front. The race where Norris and Verstappen crashed into each other allowing Russell to win was exciting. They just need some more craziness in my view.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Maybe the DRS needs to be tweaked a bit? I’d just like to see more passing at the front. The race where Norris and Verstappen crashed into each other allowing Russell to win was exciting. They just need some more craziness in my view.

Perhaps DRS. With new regulations next year, I assume they will see what the racing looks like before making any changes.

 

[JoVel]

They should have sprinklers mounted over every track and randomly turn them on at various times during the race. The cars are so good now that in normal conditions the races down the stretch last season became one stop races with little drama at the top. They should probably make the tires worse. Maybe the softs last ten laps at most and the mediums 15 and the hard ones 20? Maybe bring back refueling? Maybe release turtles onto the track that have hard enough shells they don't get crushed when they are run over? They have to do something.

I had no idea Bernie Ecclestone posted on HF.

 

[Khelandros]

My only hope for this season is that Yuki scores more points than both Lawson and Hadjar combined.

 

[The Marquis]

My only hope for this season is that Yuki scores more points than both Lawson and Hadjar combined.

That’s your ONLY hope for the season? I mean, I love that it’s something you hope for, but bud, give me at least one other thing you hope for this season.

 

[Khelandros]

That’s your ONLY hope for the season? I mean, I love that it’s something you hope for, but bud, give me at least one other thing you hope for this season.

I hope everyone has fun this season and sees the real competition was the friends they made along the way.




And that Lawson gets punted halfway through and replaced with Ricciardo.

 

[JoVel]

My only hope for this season is that Yuki scores more points than both Lawson and Hadjar combined.

Why Hadjar though?

Tsunoda is obviously a better driver than Lawson, but if I was a fan of his, I'd be happy that it's Lawson instead of him that gets his career destroyed by Verstappen.

 

[Khelandros]

Why Hadjar though?

Tsunoda is obviously a better driver than Lawson, but if I was a fan of his, I'd be happy that it's Lawson instead of him that gets his career destroyed by Verstappen.

Why Hadjar? Just cause he's teammates and the goal is to beat your teammate. Nothing against the guy.

I don't think Yuki would get his career destroyed by Verstappen. I think he would go with the clear understanding of being #2, getting points, and not messing up the teams plans.

 

[The Marquis]

I hope everyone has fun this season and sees the real competition was the friends they made along the way.




And that Lawson gets punted halfway through and replaced with Ricciardo.
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This I would like. Lawson, for me, is the least likeable guy out there, and damn near everybody loves Danny Ric.

I’d like to see a season where on of the midfield presses hard enough to upset the balance of the top 4. Maybe not to make it there, but to keep it interesting long enough. I personally would like it to be Williams, but would be happy with any of them except RB.

I’d also love to see a new driver champ. We’ve had 2 over the last 10 years. No thanks.

 

[JoVel]

Why Hadjar? Just cause he's teammates and the goal is to beat your teammate. Nothing against the guy.

I don't think Yuki would get his career destroyed by Verstappen. I think he would go with the clear understanding of being #2, getting points, and not messing up the teams plans.

I thought you had him and Lawson grouped as "beat them and prove Red Bull wrong that way".

I think Red Bull at this point has made it clear enough that they don't see Tsunoda in their long term plans, but he's done enough to get interest elsewhere. But people's memories are short, and beating Hadjar will be looked at more favorably than getting beaten by Verstappen by the same margin Perez was, and I don't really see a reason why the outcome would be different.

I have Hadjar and Tsunoda at around the same talent level, but Tsunoda should really have a clear edge this season. Both are probably too non-European for Helmut Marko.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I am really enjoying Lawson being 20th... Hope he stays there in the race and every race after that.

Racing is extremely close. The lap times so tight.

 

[MXD]

I thought you had him and Lawson grouped as "beat them and prove Red Bull wrong that way".

I think Red Bull at this point has made it clear enough that they don't see Tsunoda in their long term plans, but he's done enough to get interest elsewhere. But people's memories are short, and beating Hadjar will be looked at more favorably than getting beaten by Verstappen by the same margin Perez was, and I don't really see a reason why the outcome would be different.

I have Hadjar and Tsunoda at around the same talent level, but Tsunoda should really have a clear edge this season. Both are probably too non-European for Helmut Marko.

Hehhh... From what I know, Hadjar is really a Marko guy. Or was at the very least.

I just watched the F1A race and it wasn't great racing. At least three instances of drivers being rear ended on 13 laps, and I think 7 of these were full SC laps

 

[Brookbank]

Hamilton has a couple peaks a year. He got a pole in Hungary in 2023.

But maybe Leclerc isn't as good as the consensus says he is. The consensus has been that Leclerc is better than Russell (which I disagree with) Russell never let Hamilton win one sprint race. And Lelerc has already surrendered one. And a head to head sprint and main qualifying round. And this is with Hamilton 1-3 years older than he was vs Russell. Leclerc really needs to get with it.

Lawson beat Tsunoda in his first 4 ever F1 starts in 2023, when replacing an injured Riccardo. He also beat Albon in DTM in his first try. But he looks like he's barely driven an open wheel car in these first 2. Its crazy. The kid is not this bad. Japan is the next race. Lawson has plenty experience at that track (including beating Tsunoda)

The Racing Bull looks like the easiest car to drive in the field while the Red Bull is the hardest.

 

[JoVel]

Russell never let Hamilton win one sprint race. And Lelerc has already surrendered one.

I'm not sure how this point makes sense. Did Russell personally prevent Hamilton from winning a sprint race a year ago in China, when Hamilton was 2nd and Russell 8th?

Good for Haas to get a result here. I was a little worried after the dreadful weekend in Australia that they'd be back to the back of the grid.