[GuidoK]

So now that the 2024 season is over, this topic should bridge all the news about development, events, gossip and other predictions before the new 2025 season starts (first race: Austrailan GP Melbourne - march 16th 2025)

[fs1977]

FIA awards in Rwanda, so I guess it won't be to long before the Kigali F1 will be on the calander.

[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by fs1977

FIA awards in Rwanda, so I guess it won't be to long before the Kigali F1 will be on the calander.

If so, I wonder if it is catering for locals or tourists..Prices for tickets will be a topic of discussion and I guess the circuit will be near the airport...

[M5Rick]

First it was Charlie with food poisoning and now it's Antonelli going sick with an undisclosed illness for him not to take part in tyre testing, though I suspect it's the same bad food thing. Honestly they'll be far better going to McDonalds and having a proper meal than the slop that they're consuming there now.

[AmuroRay]

Lewis Hamilton's greatest rival, in his own words:

https://twitter.com/7amzilton/status/18664...mE-HtJK9nCbSGw

[Roman]

Well would ya look at this ranking from Autosport.

[Killed by Death]

Looks like Carlos got Williams Santander

"Williams Racing is pleased to announce a new multi-year partnership with Santander that will begin in 2025"

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Killed by Death

Looks like Carlos got Williams Santander

"Williams Racing is pleased to announce a new multi-year partnership with Santander that will begin in 2025"

Worst customer service bank.

[Killed by Death]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Worst customer service bank.

I don't care long as they give Williams money. They don't have presence here in the states except for some auto loans.

[GuidoK]

I never knew santander was a bank
Half the sponsors on F1 cars I have to google to see what they sell...

Or I just know them from newssites/8 o'clock news, mostly in a bad way....
Like a few weeks back that Crowdstrike software bug that made airports etc shut down, I only then learned it was firewall software...
I was more like...Crowdstrike...haven't I seen that name on an F1 car?

[Killed by Death]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

I never knew santander was a bank
Half the sponsors on F1 cars I have to google to see what they sell...

Or I just know them from newssites/8 o'clock news, mostly in a bad way....
Like a few weeks back that Crowdstrike software bug that made airports etc shut down, I only then learned it was firewall software...
I was more like...Crowdstrike...haven't I seen that name on an F1 car?

This

I liked it better when McLaren put driver names on the cars.

[GuidoK]

The latest gossip:
Even Helmut Marko isn't sure that they'll get the championship next year.
RB still has a problem with their car that their simulations don't match real life performance, something that for example Mercedes have been struggling with since '22....
For sure McLaren has the fastest and most predictable car, but they got that only this year just before half season.
So predicting 2025....very very difficult

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

The latest gossip:
Even Helmut Marko isn't sure that they'll get the championship next year.
RB still has a problem with their car that their simulations don't match real life performance, something that for example Mercedes have been struggling with since '22....
For sure McLaren has the fastest and most predictable car, but they got that only this year just before half season.
So predicting 2025....very very difficult

It's nearly always the same before a season, quali or race, there are doubts and questions and Marko looks his serious self with Christian trying to hide a wry smile, then when it counts the car suddenly comes alive as the basic sims all of a sudden click into place, all part of the game trying to fool the others.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

then when it counts the car suddenly comes alive as the basic sims all of a sudden click into place, all part of the game trying to fool the others.

We can only hope

But I'm afraid McLaren will dominate 2025.
That said I look foreward to see what Piastri is gonna do.
I like him as a driver, he's aggressive and eager, but the last few races he was a bit disappointing and generally outclassed by Lando.

I like aggressive and eager racers, like Max is and like Senna and Schumacher were. Lots of people hate that about Max. I guess they were the ones cheering for Damon Hill back in the days...

[GuidoK]

So it seems Ben Sulayem is open to the idea of permanent stewards for F1 races that are employed by the FIA rather than the current system of rotating, volunteering stewards.
But his main concern....who is gonna pay them...
Really? F1 took a huge leap in popularity the last few years where billions change hand every F1 weekend in the grand scheme of things and he has trouble to come up with the change to pay a few people?

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/b...them/10681732/

Of course other popular sports (like football etc) have fixed payed referees for years now that seldomly vent their opinion or support for clubs or players in the media like we've seen certain stewards do in F1, so I think this is a healthy change.

[fs1977]

Don't they have al those penalty fines stacked somewhere, must be enough

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

We can only hope

But I'm afraid McLaren will dominate 2025.
That said I look foreward to see what Piastri is gonna do.
I like him as a driver, he's aggressive and eager, but the last few races he was a bit disappointing and generally outclassed by Lando.

I like aggressive and eager racers, like Max is and like Senna and Schumacher were. Lots of people hate that about Max. I guess they were the ones cheering for Damon Hill back in the days...

McLaren looks like it will be like a bat out of hell when the season starts though I think the song will remain the same as far as the drivers championship is concerned. The RB21 should be on song with whatever Woking can concoct and I want to forget with what's happening to the second driver at RBR

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

McLaren looks like it will be like a bat out of hell when the season starts though I think the song will remain the same as far as the drivers championship is concerned. The RB21 should be on song with whatever Woking can concoct and I want to forget with what's happening to the second driver at RBR

The '2026 FIA Formula 1 concept car.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

The '2026 FIA Formula 1 concept car.

This one doesn't look too bad, tho' it's getting a bit silly with the wavy front wing with its stick out the side blades .

[///M Power-Belgium]

.

[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

.

The guy who earns 19.5m is earning too much

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by wizardofOz

The guy who earns 19.5m is earning too much

Yeah my friend. It's the KitKat man who crashed a $5Million hole in the Red Bull budget cap...
He's the winner of the 2024 F1 “Destructors’ Championship” => https://www.m3post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=374

I'm still lost in words that he got a new 2025 Red Bull contract ...
Horner has lost his mind . It's a true shame for motorsports (!)