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Verstappen predicts 'proper battle' in 2025 as he reflects on 'up and down' year at FIA Awards Ceremony.
The Red Bull driver secured his fourth consecutive drivers' title in 2024 – a season he described as “up and down” during the ceremony in Kigali – with many considering this to be his greatest championship achievement given the competition across the grid.
14 Dec 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Max Verstappen: “This season as you could see was quite up and down,” said Verstappen during the awards ceremony as he collected his trophy for the fourth time. “We had a great start to the year, everything was looking great. I think especially from the outside, of course, as a team you always understand your limitations and what you want to work on.”
“The competition did a great job, they improved their cars a lot and made it a lot more difficult for us – especially in the constructors’. We had a bit of a tough run in the middle of the season but even when we were under pressure, and having tough times, I think the team really stuck together. We didn’t panic, which could easily be done I think in those kinds of situations.”
"At the end of the day I’m just very proud of everyone in the team as well. Of course we’re not standing here as constructors’ champions but, in a way, I do think we deserved a little bit more in that championship. I tried my very best and we also know a lot what we have to work on for next year. I’m very excited about that as well because it does look like it’s going to be a proper fight between a lot of teams.”
‘Greatest championship achievement’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...bkYDrbogx99xl4
Max receives trophy for fourth world title in Formula 1: 'Proud'
13 Dec 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl
On Friday afternoon Max Verstappen received his fourth world championship title. In a hall filled with motorsport greats in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Max received his fourth championship trophy during the FIA Awards Ceremony 2024.
On the podium, trophy in hand, Max reflects on the past racing year, where he won nine Grands Prix and collected 437 points: “All of (the championships) are very different, which I think makes it always very special. For us it’s been quite a challenging year, so to be standing here, still winning the title… I’m very proud. We didn’t have the best middle of the season., but the end of the season was a bit more competitive.”
'Proud';
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5695/
FIA praises Verstappen's service: 'He gives back to the community'
14 Dec 2024
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com
Before the annual FIA gala, Max Verstappen completed his community service. As part of the punishment he received for swearing during a press conference, Verstappen worked with young drivers in Rwanda. After completing his community service, the FIA took to X to thank him.
FIA thanks Verstappen for his community service. After he completed his visit, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile thanked him for his efforts via X: "Giving back to the community. Thank you, Max." Along with the tweet, the FIA also shared pictures of Verstappen with FIA President Mohamed Ben Sulayem and the young drivers who were present.
Verstappen received many compliments from the FIA president who was pleased that Verstappen completed his community service. Ben Sulayem also mentioned that perhaps in the future, it did not have to be a punishment; it should become a mandatory part of the super license for Formula 1 drivers.
'He gives back to the community';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31899...-sentence.html
Marko warns Verstappen: Penalty points could risk 2025 title bid
14/12/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has issued a clear warning to Max Verstappen, reminding the freshly crowned F1 world champion that he will head into the 2025 season with the threat of a race ban looming.
Marko also addressed Verstappen's blunt radio rant in Abu Dhabi, when he voiced his frustration after learning of his 10-second penalty for clashing with Piastri, sarcastically telling his race engineer: “Can we ask for 20 seconds? “Stupid idiots!” Marko acknowledging the intense emotions that come with racing at the highest level but suggested Verstappen would have been better inspired by applying more restraint.
“That wasn't very diplomatic,” the Austrian said. “It's the emotions, and at that moment, you don't think very diplomatically. Maybe you shouldn't broadcast everything. In football, not everyone has a microphone hanging around their neck; “I don't want to know what kind of comments are being made.”
‘Penalty points could risk 2025 title bid’;
https://f1i.com/news/527779-marko-wa...title-bid.html
Why Verstappen is 'frightening' for F1 rivals
Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has called Max Verstappen a "beast" who keeps reaching new heights, despite already being on a run of four-consecutive F1 drivers' championships and counting.
15 Dec 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen's Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has explained why the Dutchman "must be frightening" for the rest of the F1 paddock. The 44-year-old claimed that his driver is a "beast" due to his ability to keep pushing his peak past its current point.
"I think this is the problem for the other drivers about Max, is he is a beast that just keeps improving year on year," Lambiase said to Viaplay. "Just when you think he’s reached his peak, he makes another step. "And that must be frightening for everybody up and down the grid." The increasing strength of McLaren and Ferrari - and Mercedes - has contributed to many contending that 2024 is Verstappen's most impressive championship, with Red Bull's fall to third punctuating that point.
However, to Lambiase, it does not quite have the edge on his first title, when the season went down to the wire in 2021 against Lewis Hamilton in an all-time titanic F1 championship fight. "I won't say it was quite as hard as 2021, that was an incredibly intense year," he said. "But it came very close, and it required a lot of dedication, commitment from the whole team, from Max."
‘Frightening’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-versta...-for-f1-rivals
Max Verstappen’s ‘excellent’ Sergio Perez verdict could now make Red Bull question 2025 line-up decision
15 Dec 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Red Bull are still yet to make a clear decision on their 2025 Formula 1 driver pairing with just two weeks of the year to go, but does Sergio Perez have any chance of remaining next to Max Verstappen? Perez made the 2025 Formula 1 entry list this week, suggesting that he may take to the track for Red Bull next season.
Max Verstappen’s ‘excellent’ Sergio Perez verdict could save his Red Bull F1 seat. Speaking to Motorsportcom Italia, Antonio Ghini believes that Verstappen’s praise of the 35-year-old as a teammate last week may do him a favour. “The FIA has published the list of entries for the 2025 world championship, and Red Bull are Verstappen and Perez,” he said. “According to my theory which says that more has also been seen from Verstappen’s statement, [of] Perez is ‘not an idiot, he’s an excellent teammate’. Perez is fine with him, so the whole scenario is still very open.”
‘Max Verstappen’s ‘excellent’ Sergio Perez verdict could save his Red Bull F1 seat’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...e-up-decision/
Perez wins something after all! The 'Action of the Year' award
14 Dec 2024
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com
Despite finishing eighth in the championship, Sergio Perez did not leave the FIA gala empty-handed. Instead, he went home with the 'Action of the Year' award. At the start of the season in Shanghai, there was a four-way battle during the sprint race. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc and Perez.
The battle was being closely fought especially between Alonso and Sainz. Sainz overtook Alonso, but the former two-time world champion would not accept defeat. Alonso attempted to overtake Sainz but as they were battling it out, Perez seized his opportunity. Both Alonso and Sainz went wide, which gave Perez the space to claim a higher position. Perez ended up taking P3 on the podium in that same place.
Because of this manoeuvre, Perez won 'Action of the Year'. On the social media platform, X, Perez thanked those who voted. He wrote "That was an exciting race! Thanks to everyone for voting!"
'Action of the Year';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31899...rmula-one.html
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Rosberg believes Norris will win 2025 world title: 'Got to be favourite!'
"Lando. I mean, he's the favourite for next year now to win the championship," Nico Rosberg began on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
11 Dec 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com
F1 world champion Nico Rosberg has picked Lando Norris as his 2025 title winner. The German believes that Norris has demonstrated why he is world championship material, but admits that there are still a few things for the Brit to iron out if he is to beat four-time consecutive winner Max Verstappen.
"There's no reason why he shouldn't be the favourite, right? Because at the end of this year, McLaren was the strongest car. He has been marginally stronger than Piastri within the team. So he should be the favourite," Rosberg believes. Norris is coming off of a positive year with McLaren, where, in glimmers, he has shown that he could be one of the best driver on the grid.
The former Mercedes driver acknowledges the fact that Norris must work on a few aspects if he wants to put in a concrete world title challenge. "What we've still seen are some issues for him. He has some inner demons in his mind, which results in one or other mistakes. The most notable was in Singapore, where he was leading the race by 20 seconds, and he almost crashed out, which was a little bit strange. So he has to work on that a little bit still to reduce one or other mistakes."
'Got to be favourite!';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31842...le-winner.html
Next year is my year, says Norris after winning constructors’ title for McLaren
10 Dec 2024
Gulf Today
The Briton won the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position, racing untroubled from start to finish as McLaren chief executive Zak Brown endured 58 laps of nervous agony on the pitwall. “You all deserve this. Thank you so much. It’s been a special year,” said Norris over the team radio after taking the chequered flag.
“Next year is going to be my year too.” The 25-year-old expanded on that later in pre-podium comments -- once he had told everyone that he and Brown were going to celebrate by getting “absolutely hammered” with the team.
“We want to win the constructors’, we want to win the drivers’ next year,” he said. “I made my mistakes this year, but I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve learned a lot from (Red Bull’s four times champion) Max (Verstappen) and my competitors around me. As much as I’m happy now, I’m excited to get next year going.”
“It’s been a special year”;
https://www.gulftoday.ae/sport/2024/...le-for-mclaren
Guenther Steiner tells Lando Norris who his biggest enemy in 2025 will be – and it’s not Max Verstappen
15 Dec 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Guenther Steiner tells Lando Norris that Oscar Piastri could be his ‘biggest enemy’ in 2025. Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was talking about Norris.
Talking about what he needs to do to potentially become a world champion, he said: “I hope Lando learned a lot about it [winning the championship], but can he next year when getting into it say, get his elbows out because he still has to prove it. He’s said it, but he hasn’t done it, you know? And to do it, what you need to do, you will have some friction with somebody. Can he do it or not? Does he even want to do that?”
“We need to see where this goes, but what is for sure? That Oscar Piastri in the same car will not be sitting there waiting for Lando to win a world championship. Oscar is fast as well as he showed this year. So, I don’t think that McLaren or I’m pretty sure McLaren hasn’t got a number one and number two driver or team orders at the beginning of the year.”
‘Biggest enemy’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gue...ax-verstappen/
McLaren battle to continue in 2025? 'We want that problem!'
15 Dec 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
During the 2024 season, (the lack of) team orders at McLaren was a much discussed topic in the world of Formula One. From the team to rivals and media, many reflected on the Woking-based team's decisions. According to Andrea Stella, that is a headache they would like to have next year if Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri ends up fighting for the drivers' title.
Asked how McLaren would react to a title battle that involves both Norris and Oscar Piastri, team principal Andrea Stella said: "We do want to have that kind of problem. We work very hard to have a problem of having a car in condition to win races and two drivers in condition to win races. And we know that this one in Formula 1 always comes with some complications, but these are complications that we have already faced this season to some extent."
The Italian underlined that what matters to the team will be the priority. "I think we have always approached that in a cohesive way. Both drivers were always fully aware that we need to find solutions that, first of all, put the interest of the team [first] and then the interest of the drivers [second]. And so far, I think this has been a very positive process. It's a process that we plan to carry over onto next season."
'We want that problem!';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31918...s-piastri.html
Peter Windsor concerned Lando Norris is ‘swallowing’ McLaren’s PR line after he lost out on F1 title
14 Dec 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Coming into 2024, Norris was taunted as ‘No-wins’ on social media, and he only had one pole position to his name. He ends the campaign with four victories, eight poles and a doubled podium tally (13 to 26).
But there were moments this year when he looked like a legitimate championship contender. After he won the Sprint at the Sao Paulo GP (Piastri moved over upon instruction from the pit wall), he closed the gap to 44 points with four races to go.
YEAR WINS POLES PODIUMS POINTS
2019 0 0 0 49
2020 0 0 1 97
2021 0 1 4 160
2022 0 0 1 122
2023 0 0 7 205
2024 4 8 13 374
“It’s very difficult for Lando now,” Windsor said. “He won’t be taking a 50-thousand-foot view of the 2024 season. He’ll basically be eating, drinking and swallowing the McLaren line, which is that ‘we had a brilliant year, we all worked together, we won the constructors’ championship, we took the drivers’ championship almost to the wire, what a fabulous thing’. Nobody at McLaren, I’m sure, will be saying ‘we really messed up here, because when Red Bull were down, we didn’t do anything like enough to take advantage of it’.”
‘Nobody at McLaren, I’m sure, will be saying ‘we really messed up here…’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pet...t-on-f1-title/
Verstappen's 'P', had a surprise for Lando Norris at Abu Dhabi
13 Dec 2024
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Penelope was at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in support of her stepfather, Max Verstappen. However she did not forget to give Lando Norris this little surprise while she was there.
An assiduous visitor of the F1 paddock, Abu Dhabi was by no means, little P's first Grand Prix, having been present at Australia and Japan earlier this season. In the Yas Marina Circuit podium celebrations she was also spotted shouting Norris' name, 'Lando' as he went on the podium.
However, the two had sweet moment together, as Penelope gave Norris a sticker. In a response of clear gratitude, the four time Grand Prix winner gave the little girl a hug.
‘Surprise for Lando Norris’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31880...abu-dhabi.html
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Leclerc emotional after 'tough to take' title defeat to McLaren.
So that’s it, the 2024 season is finished. Leclerc begins in a message on X. "Third in the Drivers’ Championship and Second in the Constructors’ Championship. We came so close.”
11 Dec 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com
It was clear that Leclerc was devastated by the result. After starting from 19th place, the Ferrari driver moved up sss places in a last-ditch effort to help his team steal their first constructors title since 2008. Leclerc seemed dejected after the race on Sunday but now has a more positive outlook on a season where he succeeded more than the last, as it included wins on Monaco and Monza.
He continued: "But I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved as a team this year. We turned a tough start of the season into a good fight for the Constructors Title until the very last lap of the last race. Winning Monaco and Monza has always been a dream of mine and we managed to win both of them this year. It’s something I’ll forever remember." Arguably, those two races are the most important to Leclerc. He won his home race at the Monte Carlo Street Circuit in style, as well as winning at the home of the Tifosi in Monza.
Leclerc also sent a message to Carlos Sainz, whom he had to say goodbye to as his teammate in Abu Dhabi. Since the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sanz has been behind the wheel of the Williams for a filming day and testing. "Carlos, thank you for being a fantastic teammate and always pushing me to improve. It’s been an honour to fight alongside you for Ferrari”. continued the Monegasque, who has spent four seasons with the Spaniard alongside him.
‘Leclerc was devastated’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31841...claren-f1.html
Leclerc warns against repeated Ferrari mistake
Ferrari is looking to end its F1 title drought as it enters the 2025 campaign after ending this year on a high.
14 Dec 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Charles Leclerc has highlighted the importance of starting next year's campaign in a strong position as it seeks to end its F1 title drought. Leclerc pointed to examples in the past when Ferrari was unable to be competitive from the start of the year after a positive end to the previous season.
“We just came up short of the ultimate goal this year but momentum is not a thing,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365. “There’s been quite a lot of examples on our side where we finished a year strong and then the beginning of the year after we've been struggling, so we really need to stay on it. We’ve had quite a few examples.”
Leclerc expressed confidence Ferrari can learn from its weaknesses in previous years to ensure it is in the title hunt in 2025. “We managed to pinpoint what went wrong in that winter break, that we didn't do quite right, and that we paid the price at the beginning of the season after,” he said. “And this is probably the experience that is the most helpful in order to start next year in the best possible way.”
‘Importance of starting next year's campaign in a strong position’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-wa...errari-mistake
‘Brave’: David Coulthard pinpoints ‘perfect’ Charles Leclerc moment this season that he absolutely loved
11 Dec 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
David Coulthard hails ‘perfect’ Charles Leclerc after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix opening lap. Leclerc was forced to start the final race of the season from the back row of the grid after a mistake in qualifying and a 10-place grid penalty for installing a new energy store.
David Coulthard was commentating on the race for Channel 4 and witnessed one of the Monegasque driver’s greatest moment on his first tour of the Yas Marina Circuit. Watching Leclerc’s start to the race, he went around the outside of turn 6, overtaking four cars and avoiding Sergio Perez’s collision with Valtteri Bottas in the process.
Looking at a replay, co-commentator James Hinchcliffe said: “Four positions just on the run down to turn 6! Absolutely carving his way through the field, position after position. Eventually ran out of tyres and had to do the undercut on George Russell, but an unbelievable first stint from the Ferrari man.”
‘Opening lap’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dav...olutely-loved/
Formula 1: Charles Leclerc Tops Abu Dhabi Post-Season, Carlos Sainz Impresses On Williams Debut
Charles Leclerc ended the 2024 F1 season on a high note, leading the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit for Ferrari. Leclerc set the fastest lap, edging out former teammate Carlos Sainz.
• Dec 10, 2024
• Indo-Asian News Service
NDTV.com
Charles Leclerc ended the 2024 F1 season on a high note, leading the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit for Ferrari. Leclerc set the fastest lap, edging out former teammate Carlos Sainz, who impressed in his Williams debut, and Mercedes' George Russell, who claimed third. The nine-hour test featured both rookies and regular drivers, with teams experimenting with different setups and testing Pirelli's homologated 2025 tyres. While teams like Ferrari and Mercedes worked to refine their packages, the focus was also on significant driver transitions.
‘Charles Leclerc Tops Abu Dhabi Post-Season’;
https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/fo...-debut-7218395
Leclerc on Hamilton's arrival: 'Thinking more about years with Sainz now'
13 Dec 2024
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
After the ruckus originated at the beginning of the year with Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari, with the last race of the season now behind us, Charles Leclerc looks back on the missed opportunities of 2024 and at the upcoming season, when he is due to partner the British champion, with extra motivation.
After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Leclerc spoke to media present at the paddock, including GPBlog, about the move and his thoughts on it: "Of course, Lewis has achieved so much in the sport and that will be a great motivation."
The driver of the #16 car, however, was still to busy savoring the final moments of his now previous teammate, Carlos Sainz, after their four year tenure racing for the Italian team together: "But right now I'm thinking more about the past year and the years I spent with Carlos. We've had a great relationship. We pushed each other. I really hoped we could end these four years together with a constructors' title. We both gave everything. It wasn't enough. So now the disappointment is obviously here."
‘Charles Leclerc looks back on the missed opportunities’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31878...departure.html
Charles Leclerc questions ‘wrong headlines’ over Carlos Sainz Ferrari relationship
17 Dec 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week
Charles Leclerc has questioned “wrong headlines” that took his comments over his relationship with former Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Carlos Sainz “out of context.”
I’ve seen some wrong headlines in the past few days,” Leclerc told select media including Motorsport Week. “My words have been put a little bit out of context. Especially in the fact that I won’t miss Carlos.”
“I was just saying that because he’s 20 meters away in the paddock. Honestly, I’ve had an incredible relationship with Carlos. Really, in terms of person, he’s such a good person. We’ve always had a really, really good relationship.”
‘Wrong headlines’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-relationship/
Is Hamilton and Leclerc Ferrari's greatest F1 driver line-up?
Ferrari will enter the 2025 F1 season with a star-studded line-up - but is it the best driver pairing in the team's history?
13 Dec 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
Next year will mark Charles Leclerc's seventh season as a Ferrari driver and he is arguably set to face his biggest test. The Monégasque will be joined at the Italian squad by seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton who opted to depart Mercedes after 12 historic seasons.
Hamilton joins as the most successful driver in F1 history as he looks to aid Ferrari's push to return to title-winning ways. With eight race wins and 43 podiums, Leclerc is also looking to take the next step and challenge for the F1 title.
‘Ferrari's greatest F1 driver line-up?’;
https://racingnews365.com/is-hamilto...driver-line-up
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Sergio Perez reveals Red Bull F1 2025 fate.
Sergio Perez has confirmed he has departed Red Bull Racing after four years with the Milton Keynes squad.
19 Dec 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
The Mexican took to social media to confirm that he would depart the team he joined in 2021 and won five times for. “I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing Team,” he said.
“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.”
“A big thank you to every person in the Team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future.”
‘Sergio Perez has confirmed he has departed Red Bull Racing’;
https://speedcafe.com/sergio-perez-r...-f1-2025-fate/
Sergio Perez confirms Red Bull exit but no replacement named
Sergio Perez confirms his departure from Red Bull following the conclusion of the 2024 F1 season.
18 Dec 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Sergio Perez has announced he is leaving Red Bull ahead of the 2025 F1 season. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “I would like to thank Checo for all he has done for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the past four seasons.
"From the moment he joined in 2021 he proved himself to be an extraordinary Team player, helping us to two Constructors’ titles and to our first 1-2 finish in the Drivers’ championship. His five wins, all on street circuits, were also a spectacular mark of his determination to always push to the limit.”
"While Checo will not race for the Team next season, he will always be an extremely popular Team member and a treasured part of our history. Thank you, Checo.”
‘Sergio Perez confirms his departure’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106164...-ahead-f1-2025
OFFICIAL: Sergio Perez and Red Bull part ways after poor 2024 F1 season
Perez’s dismal run of form in 2024 was the final nail in the coffin at Christian Horner’s racing team
18 Dec 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Sergio Perez and Red Bull part ways after a difficult 2024 Formula 1 season that saw the 34-year-old finish 285 points behind Max Verstappen, who will be partnered by New Zealand’s Liam Lawson moving forwards.
Perez finished with just 152 points on the board and was without a top three finish since the Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race all the way back in May, with his best result in the following 18 rounds being sixth at Zandvoort for the Dutch GP.
Despite pointing to difficulties with the car’s balance and consistency, his form was part of why Red Bull relinquished their grip on the constructors’ championship and ultimately finished third behind McLaren and Ferrari.
‘Part ways’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/ser...1-2024-season/
Perez announces departure from Red Bull F1 team
The Mexican driver and his squad have agreed to part ways with immediate effect
Dec 18, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com
Sergio Perez has announced his exit from the Red Bull Formula 1 team after four seasons with the squad.
As widely expected, the Mexican will vacate the seat alongside world champion Max Verstappen after a tough 2024 campaign in which he struggled for performance and dropped to eighth in the drivers' championship.
While there had been consideration of Perez retaining ties to Red Bull through some form of ambassadorial role, it is understood that this was eventually ruled out.
‘Agreed to part ways’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...2024/10683045/
Perez speaks out after Red Bull F1 exit
Sergio Perez's exit from the Red Bull F1 team has formally been confirmed following a disappointing past season.
18 Dec 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Perez issues social media statement: Perez also took to social media to deliver his own message. It read: “Four years ago an opportunity came along that would change my life. In a moment of confusion and frustration came an opportunity that would transform my career.”
“Hand in hand with my first victory, I joined Red Bull. I arrived with all the illusion of returning the team to the top and make my flag fly on the podium. It wasn’t easy but with hard work and determination, the results came. We were champions. Mexico sang with our first podium at home. And of course, we conquered Monaco. We built history with our own hands.”
“Today it’s time to thank Red Bull and move on. I am grateful and honoured to have been part of their history. On a personal note, it’s time to slow down for the first time in my life. But only for a few corners until we know what our next journey is. To all of you who have been with me, I thank you always. And no matter how hard your dreams may seem, always dare to believe. The best is always yet to come. We will meet again.”
“Hand in hand with my first victory, I joined Red Bull”;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-spea...d-bull-f1-exit
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Official! Liam Lawson Signed By Red Bull For 2025!
Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB super sub or RB for short, has been confirmed as Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
19 Dec 2024
World In Sport
After two seasons as RB’s reserve driver, the New Zealand driver has been given a full-time race seat—but not at RB but at Red Bull Racing. “To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing Driver is a lifelong dream for me, this is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old”
Having competed in 11 Grand Prix and only announced as Max Verstappen’s team-mate within 24 hours after Red Bull confirmed Sergio Perez’s exit, this announcement creates a mixture of shock and curiosity amongst the Formula 1 paddock but also the Formula 1 community. Upon the arrival of their 22-year-old driver, Red Bull’s CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner expresses his optimism about his new driver:
“Liam’s performances throughout his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top.”
‘Official!’;
https://worldinsport.com/official-li.../?nowprocket=1
Why Yuki Tsunoda will be furious when he discovers the timing of Red Bull’s Liam Lawson decision
19 Dec 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Yuki Tsunoda has officially lost out in the battle to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull. RB teammate Liam Lawson was confirmed as the team’s newest signing on Thursday morning. It’s a brutal blow for Tsunoda, even if it was widely expected. It once again confirms that the Red Bull hierarchy have little faith in him.
Tsunoda thought he had one final chance to impress Red Bull when they handed him a test outing in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. Remarkably, given his long-term involvement in the programme, it was his first-ever test in their machinery. It appeared to be a successful day. Red Bull tried to keep Tsunoda’s fans calm by denying him a low-fuel, flat-out run, but he logged a mammoth 127 laps. What’s more, Tsunoda impressed engineers with ‘excellent’ feedback on the car’s handling. But, according to F1TV’s Lawrence Barretto, none of this mattered.
Speaking on a live stream on the sport’s official channel, Barretto revealed that Red Bull had opted for Lawson even before Tsunoda had turned a wheel. Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and the team’s shareholders held a summit the day after the final race at Yas Marina. “From what I understand, they decided the day after Abu Dhabi – so before Yuki had even done the test on the Tuesday – they had decided that he was the one,” Barretto said of Lawson. “Once they’d done that, there was no going back.”
‘Yuki Tsunoda will be furious’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...wson-decision/
No promotion for Tsunoda: This is how the Japanese reacted to the news
19 Dec 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com
Yuki Tsunoda has said for months that he is ready for the move to Red Bull Racing. But at the end of the day, the Japanese remains at Racing Bulls, while his more inexperienced teammate, Liam Lawson, makes the move to Red Bull Racing and becomes Max Verstappen's new teammate, much to Tsunoda's disappointment.
Once that decision was made, Marko personally briefed the Japanese driver. This was not done face-to-face, Marko told F1-Insider. "He is currently in Japan and I spoke to him on the phone. He took the news relatively calmly. I told him to keep pushing at the Racing Bulls and then we'll see. He responded positively."
‘No promotion for Tsunoda’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31984...-red-bull.html
'The wrong decision': Ted Kravitz can’t understand why Red Bull signed Liam Lawson over two-podium F1 driver
19 Dec 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Ted Kravitz says Red Bull should have re-signed Alex Albon over Liam Lawson. Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast before the news was announced, Ted Kravitz argued that Red Bull had made the ‘wrong decision’. Many have argued that Horner should have re-signed Carlos Sainz, who was available following Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move. Sainz says Red Bull did him a ‘favour’ by overlooking him. But Kravitz believes another former driver was the answer – Alex Albon.
“For me, it’s the wrong decision,” Kravitz said. “I think Alex Albon, actually, strange as this might sound [was the right choice]. I don’t think it would have taken much of a lever to get Alex Albon out of Williams. Williams could have run Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz – perfect. Alex Albon would at least have been a known measure against Max Verstappen. Albon’s so much older and wiser and knows how to handle Max and the whole situation. I don’t know why they haven’t done that.”
‘Should have re-signed Alex Albon’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...ium-f1-driver/
Was Perez fired by Red Bull Racing? Here's what Perez sr. thinks!
19 Dec 2024
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Sergio Perez's Red Bull Racing stint has come to an end. As of next season Liam Lawson is set to partner Max Verstappen in the Austrian racing outfit. The Mexican driver's father, Antonio Perez Garibay, has reacted to his son's departure from Red Bull - and F1 - for the first time.
The best of 'Checo' Perez is yet to come? "If you ask me what has been the most difficult race for Checo Perez, it was not this last one that he went through or today's, it was at the age of twelve when he was kicked out of the Karting here in Mexico, then he was kicked out of McLaren, then he was kicked out of Racing Point, now he is kicked out of Red Bull, the best of Checo Perez is yet to come," Pérez's controversial father told Grupo Fórmula.
Essential goals not achieved, but he won Monaco. "I think Checo gave everything, he gave everything, two things that he lacked to achieve all his goals that he had were to win the Mexican Grand Prix and to be world champion. There are many drivers in Formula One, you know that they have been world champions and have never won the Monaco Grand Prix. Checo achieved that triumph, a wonderful triumph for Mexico," he concluded.
‘Perez sr.’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31978...dismissal.html
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F1’s class of 2025 is complete: Here's the grid.
This marked the culmination of a whirlwind driver market, one that saw established names depart and a fresh wave of talent emerge.
20/12/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
The 2025 season promises a thrilling mix of experience and youthful exuberance, with a remarkable six rookies set to line up on the starting grid in Melbourne next March.
This influx of fresh blood includes absolute beginners Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, and Gabriel Bortoleto, alongside Oliver Bearman, Liam Lawson, and Jack Doohan, who have tasted F1 competition but are yet to complete a full season.
Their arrival signifies a changing of the guard, as Grand Prix winners Perez, Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas, as well as well as Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu depart the grid. The driver market was ignited in February by Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell announcement of his move to Ferrari, ending his storied partnership with Mercedes.
‘Dramatic reshuffling of the grid.’;
https://f1i.com/news/528122-formula-...-complete.html
Oscar Piastri named the F1 driver “with the most to prove” in F1 2025
"I really expected him to step up this year and I am a little surprised he didn’t. I really felt that this year he would be better than Lando"
20 Dec 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
F1 legend Juan Pablo Montoya has labelled Oscar Piastri as the driver “with the most to prove” in 2025. Speaking to LuckyBlock, Montoya admitted he expected more from Piastri in 2024.
“Oscar Piastri is the driver with the most to prove next season,” Montoya said. “I really expected him to step up this year and I am a little surprised he didn’t. I really felt that this year he would be better than Lando [Norris]. But Lando took a massive step forward and Oscar didn’t.”
Piastri will have his eyes firmly on winning the title in 2025. However, he’s recognised his need to up his game in qualifying. He said at the end of the year: “I think this season, I feel like I’ve made some good steps forward. “There’s still room to go. I think, you know, the biggest one has been leaving a few too many positions on the table in qualifying.”
“Really expected him to step up this year”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106167...-prove-f1-2025
Former F1 driver predicts first-time champion for 2025 title success
The 2025 F1 title fight could be a hotly contested affair - but one name has been picked out of the list of contenders by this former driver.
20 Dec 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has backed Lando Norris to win the F1 championship next season. “Lando Norris,” Herbert told plejmo.com when discussing his pick for the 2025 champion. “All he has got to do is use his elbows a little bit more and he will be the complete driver.”
“Oscar maybe won’t help his teammate. Lando has learned his lessons and heard all the chatter that has been going on. Lando at the moment has that ultimate speed which Oscar might not have shown consistently this year. Lando has a massive chance next year.”
"Next year is McLaren's best chance to have a world champion. 2026 is all too up in the air with the new developments,” Herbert said. “There is no reason though why McLaren can’t keep their momentum going. They have a very good infrastructure, one of the best in F1, and a great mix of people throughout the team, not least to cope with the changes coming in 2026.”
‘Use his elbows a little bit more’;
https://racingnews365.com/former-f1-...-title-success
Bottas returns to Mercedes as F1 reserve driver for 2025 season
19 December 2024
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline
"I´m happy to finally answer the question I´ve posed over the past month," the 35-year-old Finn said. "Returning home to the Mercedes family as third driver for 2025 is what´s next and I couldn´t be more pleased. Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know that I´ve still got so much more to contribute to F1."
"Returning home to the Mercedes family”;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...25-season.html
Ferrari reveal launch date for "all-new" 2025 F1 car that will be "99 per cent new"
19 Dec 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has revealed during the Scuderia's usual pre-Christmas media day that the new car will be "99 per cent" new.
“Sometimes you don't feel that you are taking risks and you realise a bit later that was very risky. The car will be a completely new one. I think we have something less than 1% of the common parts that we will carry over. It's a different project, but it's true for everybody," concluded the Frenchman.
The team has now revealed that it will unveil the new car on 19th February, a day after Formula One's inaugural launch event that will take place at London’s 02 Arena. Ferrari's decision to show off their new car a day after F1's launch event means that they will only unveil the 2025 livery on last year's car, while the new one will be revealed only at Maranello.
‘That was very risky’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/26108
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Liam Lawson reveals what he told his dad in an emotional phone call after signing for Red Bull.
“I’m going to be testing in Silverstone now.’ Just to see his reaction, he was like, What are you saying? And so I said, I got the seat, basically.”
19 Dec 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer
The Kiwi revealed how he broke the news to his dad over the phone, which became an emotional call for both of them. He told the Red Bull YouTube channel: “So I FaceTimed him, and I said to him, ‘Oh, dad, I’m just looking at planning my January calendar at the moment. So we’re going to head back to Europe around mid-January towards the end of January.”
“Normally, we have a test with VCARB in Imola, and that was the same last year, and that was planned this year as well. I said to him, ‘I’m actually not going to be testing in Imola right now. I’m going to be testing in Silverstone now.’ Just to see his reaction, he was like, What are you saying?”
“And so I said, I got the seat, basically. It was real funny because he sat on it for probably two minutes, and I could see he just couldn’t really believe it. It is the same for me. And then probably a delay of two minutes, he started reacting and got emotional about it.”
“Sat on it for probably two minutes”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lia...al-phone-call/
How Liam Lawson found out he was in: 'Welcome to Red Bull Racing'
20 Dec 2024
Barry Guy
Radio New Zealand
Lawson said while he was well aware of the speculation, his seat was only confirmed by Red Bull boss Christian Horner over the past few days following a meeting with the team.
"I knew a change was on the cards. Christian was kind enough to send me a text, just a heads up that the meeting was good and then he called me with the classic one-liner.... welcome to Red Bull Racing."
The first person he then called was his father. "He was very emotional and I've never really seen him like that which is quite cool. He's been a big part of the mentality I've had growing up and coming into racing, he let me believe as a kid that I could do anything if I believed in it enough and I worked hard enough for it."
'Welcome to Red Bull Racing';
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/537...ed-bull-racing
New Sergio Perez role confirmed with F1 2025 run plan in place
21 Dec 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Horner has confirmed that Perez will remain involved with the team in F1 2025 by participating in a number of show runs – public demonstrations of old F1 cars, often taking place on the streets of major cities – next year. Asked if Perez has effectively been sacked by Red Bull, Horner told talkSPORT: “No, it’s a little different to that.
“Sergio has been with us for four years and, for the first three years, he played a huge role in the team and certainly that first Drivers’ World Championship. “You’ve only got to think back to Abu Dhabi ’21, the role that he played for the team on that day; Constructors’ Champions in 2022/23; he was second in the Drivers’ Championship last year.”
“He’s just had a really tough year this year and we sat down last week – we’d obviously been talking about it a little bit beforehand – and decided that it was right for both of us, just to step back, for him to step out of the car, take a bit of time with his family, work out what he wants to do. He’s still going to be involved with the team. He will be doing a couple of show runs with us during next year.”
‘F1 2025 run plan in place’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...-2025-schedule
'Quite crazy': Liam Lawson admits he was in awe of one Sergio Perez performance that put him ‘on the map’ in F1
20 Dec 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer
Perez joined the Formula 1 grid with Sauber in 2011 and had a very good feel for the Pirelli tyres, which were new for that season. The rubber was very fragile, but the Mexican made the tyres last longer than some others. This skill served him well in Malaysia in 2012, when he finished second behind Alonso.
Lawson explained he remembers watching this race and feels Perez’s superb drive made people watch out for him in the future. He told Sky Sports F1: “It goes back to when I was a kid, and I remember watching a race that I think really was one of his big putting on the map was in Malaysia in the Sauber, and he was fighting with Fernando Alonso.
“I remember that race as a kid watching that. To be competing against these guys now anyways, to put things into perspective, it’s quite crazy. I have a huge amount of respect for what he’s done in the sport and what he’s done for this team.”
‘In awe of one Sergio Perez performance’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lia...the-map-in-f1/
Former VCARB boss stresses: 'Lawson shouldn't compete with Verstappen'
20 Dec 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com
Liam Lawson has been given some advice by former Toro Rosso and Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost. Tost, who spent 18 years in the team principal role at Red Bull's sister team, believes that Lawson needs to find his feet at Red Bull: "The only thing I can recommend about Liam is that he should do his own thing and never try to measure up to Max Verstappen. Max is one of the all-time greats, comparable to Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. His peak is far from being reached, and his potential is endless," he explained.
According to Tost, Verstappen continues to grow tremendously, as he did last season with elite levels of consistency despite his mid-season winning drought. Now, he has the self-confidence of a four-time champion. "If you start looking at his lap times, it will go wrong. That's why Liam has to think only of himself and work with Max to try to make the car better. Anything else would be fatal to him and doomed to failure," Tost says.
‘Some advice’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31992...-red-bull.html
Liam Lawson has realised Max Verstappen’s ex-teammate was spot on about ‘hard to drive’ Red Bull car
20 Dec 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Liam Lawson agrees with Alex Albon on ‘Call of Duty’ Red Bull car. Lawson surprised the hosts of the Pitstop podcast when he admitted that the Red Bull was ‘hard to drive’. He’s able to compare it directly to the slower, but perhaps tamer, VCARB 01.
Former Red Bull man Alex Albon likened the handling to playing ‘Call of Duty’ on a video game controller because it’s ‘so sensitive’. Verstappen admits his driving style may be unfavourable to teammates, but the team have committed to building their car around the four-time world champion.
Lawson says the ‘aggressive’ front end demands confidence as well as accuracy from the cockpit. He can understand how his predecessors lost their way. “It’s very different,” he said. “It’s quick but it’s hard to drive. It’s what I would call ‘fronty’. It’s very aggressive. It’s a car that takes confidence. It’s got a lot of front grip, and if you don’t quite get it right, you lose the rear. And if you lose the rear in a Formula 1 car, you just lose all your confidence.”
‘Hard to drive’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lia...-red-bull-car/
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Wolff overjoyed with Bottas' "incredibly important" return to Mercedes.
In his first comments after the announcement of the comeback, Wolff directly addresses Bottas: "Welcome home, Valtteri! It's great to have you back."
19 Dec 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com
Mercedes' most experienced driver next season will be Valtteri Bottas, but in principle, the Finn will not be in action. Toto Wolff, Mercedes' CEO and team boss, expects Bottas to be of great value to the racing stable. "His impact and contribution in the five years he was with us previously as our race driver was immense. Along with scoring multiple Grands Prix wins, he played a vital role in five of our championship victories"
"His technical feedback and input were important in helping us to those successes and pushing the team forward. Not only that, but he was also a fantastic colleague and team member. His dry sense of humour and personable nature made him a firm favourite with everyone at Brackley and Brixworth," Wolff continued.
‘"Incredibly important" return to Mercedes’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31973...-mercedes.html
Toto Wolff has already delivered ‘inexcusable’ message Kimi Antonelli must heed ahead of his 2025 F1 debut
17 Dec 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
There’s a lot of hype surrounding Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Formula 1 debut – the sort of which hasn’t been witnessed since Max Verstappen burst onto the scene nearly nine years ago. The Silver Arrows are taking a gamble in placing the 18-year-old straight into a seat, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Antonelli won’t and cannot be expected to explode onto the scene.
Netflix’s Drive to Survive team will probably be covering their efforts closely as Antonelli embarks on his first full-time venture. Wolff spoke to them a few years ago during the 2021 season and mentioned what sort of attitude he will not tolerate from a young driver racing for Mercedes like Antonelli will be next year.
“With a young driver, you need to expect mistakes,” he said. “But things that would be inexcusable are arrogance, a sense of entitlement, and an approach of ‘it wasn’t my fault, it was always someone else’s mistake.'” Did Kimi Antonelli deserve the Mercedes Formula 1 seat for 2025? One key example which suggests that it may have been unfair to promote the young Italian so soon lies within his new teammate. George Russell was forced to spend three seasons at Williams developing as a driver at the back of the field before he got an opportunity with the German manufacturer.
‘There’s a lot of hype’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/kim...rcedes-season/
Toto Wolff expected to go back on his promise to Lewis Hamilton now Ferrari move completed
Toto Wolff made a promise to Lewis Hamilton after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Dec 15, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Toto Wolff has been accused of talking “b******* for the cameras” with a promise he made to Lewis Hamilton after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Mercedes chief claimed that he will cheer if the seven-time world champion wins races with Ferrari.
However, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner believes his former counterpart was talking “b*******” and will not be cheering if Hamilton earns victories while Mercedes struggle. “He doesn’t wish him that,” the 59-year-old told the Red Flags Podcast. “That was b******* for the camera, this was for the camera.”
Asked if he thought Wolff would be happy if Hamilton wins his eighth world title with Ferrari, Steiner added: “No, because he didn’t win it. There can be only one winner. Why should he be happy? He said, if it is not us, it should be you, yeah, for sure. But if he doesn’t win it, he doesn’t really care who wins it, in my opinion.”
“That was b******* for the camera”;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...milton-ferrari
'When the driving ends': Toto Wolff shares whether Lewis Hamilton could ‘one day’ return to Mercedes after Ferrari move
11 Dec 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Lewis Hamilton said goodbye to his Mercedes team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend. While his final years at Brackley fell short of both sides’ expectations, they will forever have a unique bond. Together, they broke all of the most significant records for a driver/team combination. Hamilton leaves with the most appearances, wins and championships for a single outfit.
Toto Wolff open to having Lewis Hamilton back at Mercedes when he leaves Ferrari. It’s unclear whether Hamilton will still be involved in F1 when he retires. He hasn’t expressed any notable interest in running a team or becoming a pundit, but few of the drivers have. Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Toto Wolff said Hamilton could still be part of Mercedes’ future. He implicitly closed the door on a driving return after promoting 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli as George Russell’s teammate.
“There is no such thing in an end to the relationship Mercedes has with Lewis, neither what we as a team have, nor I and Susie personally,” Wolff said. “I think Lewis has decided to do something else for the last part of his career, which I understand, but he’s always going to be part of that family, and always welcome in the family.”
'When the driving ends';
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/tot...-ferrari-move/
Marko and Wolff reveal trigger of closer relationship
Despite being their teams being rivals, Toto Wolff and Helmut Marko have a close relationship.
17 Dec 2024
Jan van der Burgt & Nick Golding
RacingNews365
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff have revealed that their relationship has gotten closer since the tragic passing of Dietrich Mateschitz. "Look at the year 2021," Marko said in an interview alongside Wolff with ORF. "That was the toughest season ever, both athletically and mentally and everything bordering on that.”
"The outcome satisfied us very much, but Mercedes of course in no way. And that brings emotions. We are full of passion for this sport and that brings a lot, but we are also mature enough to have learned how to deal with loss and how to learn to live with it. That fact actually brings us closer together as people."
Despite Red Bull and Mercedes being fierce rivals, Wolff has huge amounts of respect for Marko and what he has achieved. "At the end of the day, we're both like, 'we're a small group of Austrians with great mutual respect.' But when you're rivals and trying to win with all available weapons, it's hard to grow closer together," said Wolff.
‘Trigger of closer relationship’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-and-...r-relationship
'He's got enough': Toto Wolff initially rejected Lewis Hamilton’s ‘support’ proposal after Angela Cullen split
11 Dec 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Toto Wolff rejected Lewis Hamilton’s Stephen Lord proposal after Angela Cullen split. Hamilton is still a genius, and that was proven by recent drives at both the Las Vegas Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
But after a shock split from long-time aide and trainer Angela Cullen, he was left searching for some more help in early 2023. He requested the services of Mercedes coordinator Stephen Lord, to which Toto Wolff initially refused, as Lord admitted to F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.
“Initially, Toto said no, he said Stevo’s got a job, he’s got enough on his plate. By all accounts, Lewis persisted and in the end, Ron Meadows, the sporting director and Toto said ‘Well, look. Stevo will do it if he agrees to do it for two or three races until you find a suitable replacement for Angela.’ I started that side role in Saudi last year and here we are still, which I kind of suspected might happen.”
'He's got enough';
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/tot...-cullen-split/
Toto Wolff swerves question about signing Max Verstappen after row
Toto Wolff asked by Crash.net if he has been put off signing Max Verstappen after George Russell row.
9 Dec 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Wolff unusually appeared at Russell’s side for his news conference on Thursday in a clear show of support for his driver. The off-track drama raised question over whether Mercedes would still want to sign Verstappen in the future after publicly courting him earlier this season.
Wolff somewhat dodged providing a direct response when asked by Crash.net if he had been put off signing Verstappen over his conduct. “George put the line in the sand,” Wolff said.
“There is a relationship between two drivers that needs to stay between the two of them and for them to manage. As a team principle I don’t think I should get involved.”
‘Toto Wolff swerves question’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106145...ppen-after-row
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Timeline identified for Adrian Newey to lead Aston Martin into F1 title fight.
Newey will officially join Aston Martin in March. It means he will have time to influence their 2026 car, the first in the new set of regulations.
21 Dec 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Craig Slater noted that Newey joins an already impressive line-up at Aston Martin. “Nuclear fusion. You have got Andy Cowell here, and Newey. The engine guy and the car guy,” he said.
“They are the two most significant engineers in F1 - in Newey’s case, of the last 30 years. Cowell is the only engineer to supplant him in Mercedes’ period of dominance.” Newey will work with Fernando Alonso - achieving a personal goal - in 2025, and his teammate Lance Stroll.
‘Timeline identified’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105776...f1-title-fight
Coulthard makes ‘uncomfortable’ Adrian Newey Red Bull to Aston Martin admission
22 Dec 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
“I do a lot of talking. I’m Irish. Irish people do a lot of talking,” Jordan replied. “But when there’s money involved and you need to keep your trap shut, you do. Invariably.” Jordan went on to do some handing out of praise of his own, aimed at Red Bull.
“In my lifetime, I’ve done some really, really scary deals, deals that have come off, some that haven’t. But I really believe the negotiations I had with Red Bull were the finest and the best caliber. They were incredibly decent and proper people to deal with. They understood exactly the situation, why I was talking to them, and the position of Adrian, having been there 18 years, he was a huge servant to them.”
“He’s won dozens and dozens and dozens of World Championships there, but it was probably one of the greatest deals I’ve ever done in my life, not financially, but mentally. I felt so great about how that’s structured.”
‘When there’s money involved and you need to keep your trap shut’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-...-martin-switch
END OF YEAR REPORT: Aston Martin – A season below expectations but with key high-profile arrivals
20 Dec 2024
Alasdair Hooper
Formula One - Official Site
By Aston Martin’s own admissions, 2024 fell significantly short of their expectations. While the season before had brought podium-scoring exploits, this year the on-track performances failed to sparkle on a regular basis. In the end that would result in a relative no man’s land of P5 in the constructors’ – 374 points behind fourth-placed Mercedes. That said, the continued work behind the scenes and key personnel additions – including one particularly high-profile individual – means this is still one of the teams to watch in the months and years to come. Here is their end of year report…
Best finish: Fernando Alonso – 5th in Saudi Arabia
It’s hard to fathom that Aston Martin’s best finish came in the second race of the year – but that’s an indication as to how their season petered out. While Fernando Alonso crossed the line behind the likes of Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri that day in Jeddah it represented one of just a few ultra-competitive events for the Silverstone squad.
To put their campaign into perspective, Aston had scored 73 points by the time we got to the 2024 summer break. After that they only racked up 21 more points, all scored by Alonso. That’s a long, long way from last year’s tally of 280, and shows why Alonso in particular was wishing very openly to see the back of 2024.
‘Significantly short of their expectations’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...zwVvddsdHpzko7
Alonso finds silver lining in Aston Martin gloom
A difficult season was endured by Aston Martin in 2024 - but there is lots to look forward to, according to Fernando Alonso.
19 Dec 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Alonso denied it set its goals too high after its strong uptick in performance from the previous campaign. “No, I don’t think that the expectations were too high,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365. “We did a very strong campaign in 2023, and people were expecting us to fight for bigger things, or at least to be at the level that we were at the beginning of this year. And this is normal.”
“This is Formula 1, and we want to be there as well. You know, we didn’t succeed, you know, the second part of the year. We are aware of that. But we are not ashamed of that.” Alonso moved to point out the positives from its campaign as it continue to upgrade its new factory at Silverstone.
“We are working towards fighting for the championship in the future and the second part of the year we didn’t maybe bring to the circuit what we thought that it was in the pipeline,” Alonso said. “But at the same time, we have finished some of the facilities in Silverstone, with building two and three of the factory, the wind tunnel will be soon operating. And we have Adrian Newey on board, so it was not a bad, 2024.”
‘Silver lining’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-fin...n-martin-gloom
Montoya hints at surprising move Verstappen: 'They'd be pretty happy'
18 Dec 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Juan Pablo would not be surprised to see Max Verstappen end up driving for Aston Martin future, provided that the British team's investments go according to what they planned and they will have a fast car in the competition.
The former F1 driver continued: "If everything lines up well, Aston could be winning in ‘27 or ‘28, not before that. But by 2028, Fernando's going to be 47/48. So, who's going to be there? And by then, does Lance still want to race?" Montoya explains why Verstappen could be welcomed if Lawrence Stroll manages to build up a team capable of fighting for titles.
For the now four-time world champion Verstappen, the most important thing is to have a quick car. However, he has also done that for years together with Adrian Newey and Honda at Red Bull Racing. "It wouldn't be the most surprising thing in the world if Max Verstappen joined Aston Martin, would it? Honda and Newey; they’d be pretty happy to have Max driving the car," the former Williams and McLaren driver concluded.
‘Not be surprised to see Max Verstappen end up driving for Aston Martin’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/31950...y-montoya.html
Formula 1: The next 'understudy' of Fernando Alonso is not who you think
Fernando Alonso’s driver management company, A14, has been getting more attention recently, as Gabriel Bortoleto is set to be their first driver in Formula 1. Who's next?
Dec 24, 2024
Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
When Gabriel Bortoleto won the Formula 2 championship at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi just weeks ago, two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso was eagerly waiting to congratulate one of his drivers.
The Brazilian driver headlines the small group of drivers managed by Alonso’s company, A14.
‘The next 'understudy' of Fernando Alonso’;
https://beyondtheflag.com/formula-1-...o-01jf6m65djh3
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Hamilton’s Ferrari bombshell, Newey’s Red Bull exit and more – The key moments of an unforgettable 2024 F1 season.
How do you sum up a season as action-packed and eventful as 2024?
24 Dec 2024
Alasdair Hooper
Formula One - Official Site
January and February are the months where you’re sat wondering what on earth you’re going to write about. This time around there was no such problem. Following on from the huge news that Guenther Steiner had left Haas the month before (which would have been a key moment, but I have to set a limit somewhere) came the absolutely gargantuan announcement that – yes – Lewis Hamilton was moving to Ferrari for 2025.
It’s hard to describe how seismic this was and still is. Not only did it blow the driver market wide open – thanks to the knock-on impact of a vacancy at Mercedes and the fact Carlos Sainz was out of a seat now – but it would bring to an end the most successful driver/team partnership in F1 history. Before 2024 had even got going, the excitement for 2025 was already building.
Adrian Newey leaves Red Bull. After almost 20 years with Red Bull, and numerous more championships added to the design guru’s list of accolades in F1, a bombshell announcement dropped on May 1 – Adrian Newey was leaving the team.
‘Key moments’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...z6GyTmq8RbTfkr
Funniest moment, best radio message and more – F1's 2024 alternative awards
29 Dec 2024
Alasdair Hooper
Formula One - Official Site
Most improved driver – Oscar Piastri. We start with a semi-serious – and subjective – ‘award’ with Oscar Piastri taking the imaginary crown this year. Not only did the McLaren man secure his maiden Grand Prix victories in his second full season, his consistency also helped the team win their first constructors’ championship in 26 years. While an honorable mention could go to Yuki Tsunoda for his best-ever F1 campaign, the fact Piastri moved up three positions in the drivers’ top 10 drivers vote for 2024 gives this added validity.
Unluckiest driver – Alex Albon. Five retirements and one DNS in Brazil – oof. Williams’ Alex Albon comfortably takes this category with his Lap 1 crash in Mexico, from a P9 starting slot, and his DNS in Brazil – having secured P7 in qualifying no less – possibly enough to secure the unluckiest title on their own. What’s more, if we were to have an ‘unluckiest team’ award then look no further than those Williams mechanics…
Funniest moment – Yuki Tsunoda’s ‘brown flag’
Best radio message – ‘You can win this George!’
Best special livery – McLaren’s Senna-inspired Monaco livery
Best special race suits – Ferrari’s blue in Miami
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...mYJfV02S2h3ZPK
Vasseur says flexi-wing saga impacted 2024 F1 title race
06/01/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has pointed to the controversial use of flexi-wings by rival teams as a decisive factor in the tightly contested 2024 Formula 1 season. Vasseur then elaborated on the difficulties Ferrari faced in reacting to the situation, hampered by the cost cap regulations and the time taken for the FIA's assessment.
"I'm a bit frustrated with this, because it's clear performance, and we wait two months for the decision if it's legal or not," the Scuderia chief explained, quoted by Motorsport.com. "And with the cost cap, you have always to keep in mind the cost cap. It means that you have to be efficient with the budget. It means that if you start to do a development and at the end, it's a no-go, you burn €600,000.”
‘Flexi-wing saga’;
https://f1i.com/news/528769-vasseur-...itle-race.html
Why Red Bull felt they were ‘pegged back’ by Formula 1 over 2024 ‘grey areas’
6 Jan 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Red Bull have a ‘feeling’ that F1 ‘grey areas’ cost them in 2024. Red Bull should have optimism for 2025 after winning 12.5% more races than any other constructor last season. Speaking on a 2025 Formula 1 preview podcast by The Race, Scott Mitchell-Malm mentioned...
“Red Bull is no longer going to have the target on its back that it had due to its early dominance in this ruleset,” he said. It’s definitely, definitely a feeling within that team that it became a very convenient development for Formula 1 if Red Bull could be pegged back some way and others could be given licences to make gains in the grey areas that Red Bull didn’t consider to be so grey.”
“You look back through the year when talking about McLaren. Jon mentioned the step they made in Miami there with their upgrade. Red Bull were convinced that the performance swing through the season could not be explained by normal development alone,” he continued. “The only thing you can infer from that is that Red Bull felt there was a desire or a willingness to be a little bit more lenient for the teams playing catch-up, and not lenient at all on the team that was out in front.”
‘Pegged back’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...24-grey-areas/
Andrea Stella highlights key role FIA played in McLaren F1 2024 title success
4 Jan 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
In 2018, with the FIA moving to introduce regulations to clamp down on any possible disparities – supplied engines must be of identical specification to the manufacturer, and supplied with identical oils, fuels, and software.
“In itself, it’s not particularly satisfying because I think nowadays, thanks to the regulations, thanks to the good work that the FIA have done in terms of creating parity, as to the way the engine is used between customer and works teams,” Stella said in response to a question from PlanetF1.com about winning the Constructors’ crown as a customer team.
Andrea Stella praised the FIA for their work on ensuring parity when asked about the topic by PlanetF1.com. “In itself, it’s not particularly satisfying because I think nowadays, thanks to the regulations, thanks to the good work that the FIA have done in terms of creating parity, as to the way the engine is used between customer and works teams.”
‘Key role FIA played’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...onship-success
How McLaren avoided rivals’ development hurdles in F1 2024
2 Jan 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Houldey detailed how McLaren adopted a studious approach to upgrades throughout 2024. “I can’t answer for any other team and I’m sure there are many different reasons why different teams have been taking parts off, putting parts back on again,” Houldey said.
“The Miami floor was relatively easy, actually. It had so much performance, it was going to be better in every part of the corner, and there was no concern. It may have caused a little bit more bouncing, it might not, but these were going to be small effects with total lap time.”
“The harder one for us was the late season package in Austin where actually the performance wasn’t as high, but we’d been so diligent in ensuring that in every trajectory, every part of the corner, it was still better, that we were still confident that it was going to go onto the car and offer us some lap time. And I think that’s in part because of the way that we have good toolsets, that the CFD and the wind tunnel all give very similar results.”
‘Studious approach’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...es-in-f1-2024/
Why Toto Wolff branded Mercedes the ‘dirty track champions’ in F1 2024
31 Dec 2024
Motorsport Week
There were countless occasions across 2024 where Mercedes started a race weekend looking in competitive shape as it was on the leading pace in opening practice. However, that nascent promise tended to dissipate once the track grip ramped up, prompting other sides to make a seismic step that Mercedes was unable to unlock.
“I think we are dirty track champions,” Wolff told media including Motorsport Week in Las Vegas, a race that the team would go on to win through George Russell. “FP1 is always great and then the moment the grip kicks in, we’ve seen that the performances deteriorate.”
‘Toto Wolff: “The more you drive, the more you fail, the more you learn. But the competition doesn’t sleep.” ’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...ns-in-f1-2024/
The "self-fulfilling injury" in Williams's 2024 F1 crash-fest
Alex Albon has revealed that one of Williams’s time-saving but weight-adding measures in its 2024 F1 car build process actually meant it suffered more car damage during its early-year crashes
Dec 29, 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com
Alex Albon says Williams suffered a “self-fulfilling injury” with the early season timesaving but weight-adding measures on its 2024 Formula 1 car, which led to additional crash damage.
But the added weight of metal parts meant more force going through a monocoque in a crash, such as when Williams was forced to sideline Logan Sargeant after Albon crashed in Australian Grand Prix practice, his chassis was too damaged to be used again and the team did not have a spare at the time.
‘Williams's 2024 F1 crash-fest’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...fest/10685184/
