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  1. #841
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    Top five most controversial moments from 2024 F1 season.
    RacingNews365 has listed the top five most controversial moments from the year, listed in the order they happened!
    31 Dec 2024
    RacingNews365 Staff
    RacingNews365

    The 2024 F1 season was filled with dramatic and controversial moments - but which instances take our pick?

    Opening lap chaos in Monaco: The Monaco Grand Prix was a joyous race for Charles Leclerc as the Ferrari driver finally won on home soil. Long before he reached the chequered flag, however, a major crash on the opening lap of the race sent Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg out of the race.

    Verstappen and Norris clash in Austria: It was the moment the drivers' title truly felt alive this year. After battling for several laps, Verstappen and Norris came to blows in the final laps of the Austrian Grand Prix.
    McLaren team orders in Hungary: Oscar Piastri captured his first win in Hungary following a tense period on the McLaren pit wall. The Australian took the lead on the opening lap but later fell back behind his team-mate as McLaren opted to pit Norris earlier.

    Sainz and Perez's late clash in Azerbaijan: Two laps from the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a highly engaging battle emerged towards the front of the field.
    Verstappen’s aggression on Norris in USA and Mexico: As the F1 season reached its final rounds, Verstappen was looking to kill off any remaining hope for Norris in the title fight. In the USA and Mexico, he deployed aggressive tactics in wheel-to-wheel combat as he forced his rival wide on several occasions.

    ‘Controversial’;

    https://racingnews365.com/top-five-m...2024-f1-season


    Why George Russell thinks 2024 put Mercedes in good stead for potential F1 title tilt
    12 Jan 2025
    Taylor Powling
    Motorsport Week

    “I feel really pleased with my own personal performance this year,” Russell, who out-qualified Hamilton 19-5 in 2024, told media including Motorsport Week last December.

    “I think in qualifying I’ve been performing better than ever. Whenever the car has had a chance of being on pole, we’ve been on pole. Whenever we’ve had a chance of fighting for the victory, especially since Canada [where Russell went from P1 to P3], I think that was the only race that went amiss, we’ve been in that position to take it.”

    “That gives me confidence. If we build a car that is capable of fighting for a championship, we’ll be there to achieve it,” he continued. “The few opportunities we’ve had this year, we’ve clinched it. As a team, we’ve won almost as many races as McLaren, which is crazy to think.”

    ‘Qualifying better’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...f1-title-tilt/


    Fernando Alonso highlights ‘biggest positive’ to Aston Martin’s 2024 F1 slump
    12 Jan 2024
    Dan Lawrence
    Motorsport Week

    “[The season] goes up and down for everybody,” Alonso rued in the penultimate round of the campaign at Qatar. “Difficult to be sure of that, but I think we didn’t manage to improve the car much throughout the season.”

    “So we started quite strong, but we are now in a position that we’re struggling to be in Q3 on some occasions. “All those difficulties, I think, probably are teaching us a lot of lessons, which we will apply into next year’s car,” he said.

    “And that will be probably the biggest positive aspect of the second part of the year, you know, that even if we didn’t succeed in putting much performance on the car, I think it’s well understood what we are struggling with at the moment. So that will be applying in 2025.”

    ‘Teaching us a lot of lessons’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...2024-f1-slump/


    McLaren ‘working a lot’ to address ‘inherent limitations’ prevalent on 2024 F1 car
    30 Dec 2024
    Motorsport Week

    “It’s been a complaint of mine for the last six years and again we’ve still not been able to iron it out and get it out enough from our car,” Norris told media including Motorsport Week. “Some tracks that are more limited or certain things, these issues don’t arise but we’ve always been one of the worst teams for front graining.”

    “When we do our front graining, we’re not the quickest car but as soon as the front graining is gone, we have a car that’s quick enough. When you can manage it to a certain extent, we can survive. Today, we couldn’t manage it enough. The problems were way too severe and they’ve been just as bad in many other races even like Montreal. Montreal, we were killing the fronts.”

    “A similar case, low grip, street circuit vibe. A similar thing this weekend. There are traits. We have weaknesses in the car. They’re ones I’ve been saying for a while, but they’re ones which are very difficult to get out of our characteristic of a car. It’s something we’re working on a lot.”

    ‘Working a lot’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...n-2024-f1-car/


    Lewis Hamilton’s test set to cause chaos at Ferrari HQ
    14 Jan 2025
    Michelle Foster
    PlanetF1.com

    “A kind of Hamilton mania has already started in Italy,” he told the James Allen on F1 podcast. “Since the New Year began, there is a big question mark that Italian Ferrari fans are trying to answer – when will the first test of Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari car take place?”

    “I cannot imagine the number of people that will be around the track. I’m expecting the Maranello and Fiorano streets will be filled with people. I’m expecting something that we haven’t seen in years. So it will be hard work for the police in Maranello.”

    “But I’m not surprised. All the national media, not only the sports media, are giving a lot of space to the man Lewis Hamilton. The mainstream is telling you who is Lewis, his passion and interest, the story of his career and his desire to end this career driving a Ferrari.”

    ‘Chaos’;

    https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...-at-ferrari-hq


    Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari sim session now scheduled ahead of ‘most likely’ F1 test debut date
    14 Jan 2025
    Ben Evans
    F1 Oversteer

    Ferrari fans have been waiting for nearly a year now to see Lewis Hamilton in action for the very first time in one of their Formula 1 cars. Lewis Hamilton announced at the beginning of February 2024 that he would be swapping the Silver Arrows for the Scuderia ahead of the final stage of his F1 career.

    Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari simulator session to take place next week. The report from Autoracer suggests that there is already ‘optimism and enthusiasm’ about Hamilton starting work at their factory in Maranello. He’s set to meet with his team of engineers in a few days before getting to work in the car. Ferrari won’t officially unveil Hamilton and the SF-25 until February 19, a day after F1’s official launch event in London.

    However, by then Hamilton would have already done a significant amount of work behind closed doors. They report that Hamilton’s first session in the Ferrari simulator is scheduled for January 20. Ferrari’s test track at Fiorano is booked out from January 21-23 and they believe the ‘most likely’ date for his debut is January 22. However, Hamilton’s first Ferrari could change dates at the last minute if the weather isn’t good enough. Given he’ll only be allowed to do 1,000km of running in private tests this year, he and the team won’t want to waste it if it’s raining.

    ‘Optimism and enthusiasm’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...st-debut-date/


    Italian police on alert as Lewis Hamilton to cause something 'not seen in years'
    Lewis Hamilton is gearing up for his first season at Ferrari after making the switch from Mercedes.
    Jan 12, 2025
    Charlie Gordon
    Daily and Sunday Express

    Speaking to the James Allen on F1 podcast, journalist Robert Chinchero claims that Italy is already in 'Hamilton mania'. He added that the streets of Maranello, and around the Fiorano Circuit, will be 'filled with people' to create a spectacle 'not seen in years'.

    Chinchero expects it to be 'hard work for the police' if supporters turn out to show Hamilton their passion and hunger to see Ferrari back on top. Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to win an individual title while driving for the Italian outfit, with his triumph coming nearly 18 years ago.

    ‘Italian police on alert’;

    https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...police-ferrari

  2. #842
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    We all hate repeats on TV but a re-run of the 2024 F1 season in 2025 would be fantastic, for us and Netflix.
    F1 is now more popular than it’s ever been. Truthfully, it’s thanks in large part due to Netflix, which has until now done the impossible by transforming otherwise boring seasons into gripping, edge-of-the-seat soap dramas with its Drive to Survive series.
    3 JAN 2025
    Tom Jervis
    AutoExpress

    The series’ storyboard artists will have an easy job when reflecting on how to cover the 2024 season, as fans were blessed with not just two drivers’ title contenders, but also three teams fighting for the constructors’ trophy – something we hadn’t seen in a very long while and that I (and the entire F1 fanbase) desperately want repeated in 2025.

    With McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull all battling it out until the end of the 2024 campaign, what was one of the most intriguing years in recent times could just be just an appetiser for something even more exhilarating in 2025. A regulations shake-up and Cadillac joining the grid in 2026 are just the icing on the cake.

    ‘Edge-of-the-seat soap dramas’;

    https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/formul...ntastic-us-and


    ‘That’s how you get to the front’ – Mercedes address key F1 2024 weakness
    14 Jan 2025
    Michelle Foster
    PlanetF1.com

    After a tumultuous 2024 season, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin admits the Brackley squad were “not quick enough” in updating the W15 which put them on the back foot. “The whole thing of development in Formula 1 is fixing problems, and can you fix them quicker than your competitors. And that’s how you get to the front,” he said.

    “If you look at when we brought our updates compared to our main competitors, we were often bringing our big package a couple of races later. But if we brought it earlier, it would be a smaller package. So the fact is, on average, over a season, we’ve not been quick enough when we deliver an update, we had a few races where we were competitive, the teams were trying to beat them, bring theirs, and they moved back ahead.”

    “Not quick enough”;

    https://www.planetf1.com/news/merced...-2024-weakness


    Lando Norris: McLaren’s overstated pace advantage in F1 2024 a ‘compliment’
    16 Jan 2026
    Taylor Powling
    Motorsport Week

    Asked whether he viewed the 2024 season as what might have been, Norris told The Race: “I think that’s quite obvious. Not as many [spurned chances] as people think. And people in general think it’s been a lot worse than it’s been, that we’ve been a lot quicker than we have been.”

    “It’s a compliment because it shows how far we’ve come, and I’m proud that in those days, whether Singapore or Zandvoort, I’ve still been the one that’s there and making the most of those opportunities.”

    ‘What might have been’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-a-compliment/


    Red Bull threatened to turn Sergio Perez into a ‘show pony’ if he didn’t leave for 2025
    17 Jan 2025
    David Comerford
    F1 Oversteer

    Perez kept repeating that he had a contract in his media appearances as he faced constant questions around his future. It was clear that Red Bull regarded his performance levels as unacceptable. Red Bull’s threat implicitly made it clear that Perez’s position at the team was untenable. The relationship could have become toxic if it continued, which wouldn’t have benefitted either party – particularly when the driver was entitled to pay off anyway.

    “Perez was constantly deriding the speculation as fiction and insisting he had a contract,” Mitchell-Malm said. “After his lap-one retirement in the Abu Dhabi season finale, though, Perez’s tune finally changed. He admitted there would be discussions to resolve his situation. “These December negotiations included Red Bull making it clear to Perez that if, he didn’t agree to move aside, his contract would be honoured in 2025 by making him a show pony and glorified reserve driver.”

    But there’s also a theory that Perez’s race engineer made things ‘ridiculously difficult’. Viaplay commentator Nelson Valkenburg noticed Hugh Bird repeatedly making judgement errors during qualifying sessions, which were one of the driver’s biggest problems in 2024.

    ‘Turn Sergio Perez into a show pony’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...eave-for-2025/


    Sergio Perez’s 2024 F1 season made ‘ridiculously difficult’ by one Red Bull staff member
    14 Jan 2025
    Rory Mitchell
    F1 Oversteer

    Discussing Perez’s season at Red Bull in 2024, journalist Nelson Valkenburg believe there was one staff member who made his life ‘ridiculously difficult’ throughout the year when speaking to RacingNews365.nl.

    Sergio Perez’s engineer made life ‘ridiculously difficult’ for Mexican: During qualifying for the Sao Paulo GP, Bird mistimed the final run in Q2 which saw Perez drop out and qualify in P13 despite having the pace for a top ten. Valkenburg believes this was a trend that repeated throughout the year.

    “Partly it was in the car. He is often four-tenths off Max Verstappen, but now there were ten cars in between in one go,” said Valkenburg. “But in part I also think his racing engineer made it ridiculously difficult for him in qualifying. You can name five times when he was not helped by his pit box. He didn’t have enough time for another lap, and they just expected him to do the same as Verstappen.”

    ‘One staff member who made his life ‘ridiculously difficult’ throughout the year’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ser...-staff-member/


    'Perez is an attractive choice for Alpine over Colapinto'
    23 Dec 2024
    Toby Nixon
    GPblog.com

    Montoya reveals: 'I heard that it wasn't friendly': Montoya first explained some of the details behind Perez's Red Bull exit, revealing that he was actually surprised Perez and Red Bull ended their relationship so soon.

    “I tried very hard thinking that they were not going to get rid of him because when they met with the board and saw the numbers, they would have held out for a year and, in the end, removed him at the end of that year," he began on the Colombian AS. "I imagine that the number had to be very high for them to convince him. What I heard from gossip is that it (the departure) was not so friendly,” Montoya reveals.

    The multiple-time Indy 500 winner continued: “The story of the sabbatical year must be part of the negotiation so that Checo does not close his career. Publically, it appears that he is going to take a year off to look for options for the following year, that is part of what they have to say," Montoya believes.

    “(The departure) was not so friendly”;

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32033...or-alpine.html


    EXCLUSIVE: Aston Martin target Max Verstappen in £1BILLION deal for Red Bull's four-time world champion to turn Formula One on its head - after signing up £20m-a-year star designer Adrian Newey
    • Aston Martin are telling potential sponsors that Max Verstappen will join them
    • The Dutch four-time world champion’s contract could be worth up to £1billion
    • It deal would almost certainly include equity in the Silverstone-based team
    16 Jan 2025
    JONATHAN MCEVOY
    MailOnline

    A source with knowledge of the situation said of Slack, Aston’s managing director, commercial and marketing: ‘Jefferson, or Jeff as others know him, has been going around saying Max will be joining Aston Martin. It may be a ploy, adding extra value to the deal he wants to do, but bringing Max in also makes perfect sense.

    ‘£1BILLION’;

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ian-Newey.html


    Max Verstappen’s team issue blunt response to Aston Martin speculation
    17 Jan 2025
    Dan Lawrence
    Motorsport Week

    GP Blog reached out to Verstappen’s team to comment and a short reply was given: “That’s nice.”
    This is in keeping with the Dutchman’s mentality towards a move to Aston Martin, having told Viaplay last year that “I haven’t thought about [Aston Martin] at all.”

    “That’s nice”;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...n-speculation/

  3. #843
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    Coulthard labels Hamilton ‘biggest disappointment’ of 2024.
    “I would still point to Lewis as the biggest disappointment,” Coulthard remarked. “I know that’s controversial as he’s a seven-time World Champion and a real winning machine, but I’ve never seen this Lewis in Formula 1.”
    08/01/2025
    Phillip van Osten
    F1i.com

    “I know that’s controversial as he’s a seven-time World Champion and a real winning machine, but I’ve never seen this Lewis in Formula 1. He was beaten in qualifying, while the greats can always find speed somewhere to squeeze out a qualifying lap when it really matters.” David Coulthard.

    ‘Biggest disappointment’;

    https://f1i.com/news/528898-coulthar...t-of-2024.html


    Coulthard slams Hamilton after a tough 2024: 'The biggest disappointment'
    1 Jan 2024
    Sandy van Wijngaarden
    GPblog.com

    The 2024 season had its share of highs and lows. After the longest season in F1 history, the winter break offers a chance to reflect. David Coulthard has named Lewis Hamilton as the driver he believes was the biggest disappointment of 2024.

    'The biggest disappointment';

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32137...ent-in-f1.html


    Flavio Briatore questions Ferrari signing Lewis Hamilton: ‘I wonder if it makes sense’
    3 Jan 2024
    Connor McDonagh
    Crash.Net

    Flavio Briatore, who is executive advisor for Alpine, cast his verdict on Ferrari’s decision to replace Sainz with Hamilton. “I don’t understand why they split up this great pairing. It’s not my job to judge, but if I had been in a position of responsibility at Ferrari, I wouldn’t have signed Lewis.”

    I wonder if it makes sense’;

    https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106176...er-if-it-makes


    Alpine chief Flavio Briatore explains why he ‘wouldn’t have signed’ Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari boss
    2 Jan 2025
    David Comerford
    F1 Oversteer

    Flavio Briatore says Ferrari already had ‘top’ F1 line-up before signing Lewis Hamilton. Speaking to German newspaper Sport Bild, via sport.de, Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore questioned the wisdom of the Scuderia’s decision. He feels they already had a ‘great’ line-up. He accepts that Hamilton may yet prove him wrong. And he also recognises that it’s ‘good for Formula 1’ to have the legendary driver in the scarlet red car.

    ‘”Wouldn’t have signed” Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari boss’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alp...-ferrari-boss/


    Eddie Jordan slams Ferrari for “suicidal” Lewis Hamilton signing over Carlos Sainz
    2 Jan 2024
    Connor McDonagh
    Crash.Net

    Ex-F1 team owner Eddie Jordan has labelled Ferrari’s decision to replace Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton as “absolutely suicidal”.

    Speaking on the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan and co-host David Coulthard picked out their “FFS moment” of the year. Coulthard said: “It’s the FFS moment, the ‘for f**k’s sake moment of the year’. “So for me, I think the FFS moment of the year was Lewis signing to Ferrari. I just never saw that coming. What was your FFS moment of the year?”

    Jordan agreed with Coulthard but gave a more damning verdict on the decision made by Ferrari. The 76-year-old said: “We’re on the same page here, because my FFS is, I say to John Elkann, who’s the chairman of that group, what the f**k was he thinking about in getting rid of Carlos, when he had a very happy, friendly, structured team that knew how to work together. The drivers got on well together.

    “Absolutely suicidal”;

    https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106174...r-carlos-sainz


    Eddie Jordan doubts Lewis Hamilton “can match” Charles Leclerc in one crucial area
    4 Jan 2024
    Connor McDonagh
    Crash.Net

    Speaking to talkSPORT, Jordan warned listeners that Hamilton will have a tough time against Leclerc in qualifying. “When he goes to Ferrari, well, first of all, he’s got to beat Leclerc,” Jordan said.

    “Charles Leclerc is no stooge. Let me please tell you that in a qualifying position, that I will be surprised. I will be surprised if Lewis can match him in the qualifying. But who knows? Lewis is a very dark horse. You just never know what you’re going to get.”

    ‘Hamilton will have a tough time against Leclerc in qualifying’;

    https://www.crash.net/f1/news/106000...e-crucial-area


    Hamilton set for impossible Ferrari task
    Lewis Hamilton is expected to make his Ferrari debut next week, but faces a daunting challenge when the season gets underway in Australia.
    18 Jan 2024
    Nick Golding
    RacingNews365

    Some of the greatest drivers of all-time have raced for Ferrari, making one record almost impossible for Hamilton to match. To match the record for the fewest Ferrari races before claiming a win, the 40-year-old must win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. That is because Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell all won on their Ferrari debuts.

    ‘Daunting challenge’;

    https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-s...e-ferrari-task


    Hamilton is already in a crucial acclimatisation phase at Ferrari
    18 Janu 2024
    Ludo van Denderen
    GPblog.com

    Excitement is reaching fever pitch among Ferrari fans, particularly in Italy, as seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton prepares to drive an F1 car for the iconic Italian team for the first time next week. With high expectations and immense pressure, Hamilton faces a steep challenge. The upcoming month will be critical for Hamilton as he begins this new journey, laying the groundwork for what both he and Ferrari hope will be a championship-winning campaign.

    ‘Acclimatisation’;

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32367...-he-do-it.html


    Ferrari about to do one thing for Lewis Hamilton that they haven’t done since Michael Schumacher era
    18 Jan 2025
    David Comerford
    F1 Oversteer

    Ferrari will tailor car to Lewis Hamilton – they haven’t done this since Michael Schumacher years. Ferrari have taken two fundamental risks with their 2025 car. First, they’ve ‘drastically’ changed it from its predecessor, unlike their three main rivals.

    Perhaps the biggest tweak is a new front suspension as they shift from push-rod to pull-rod. They have also shortened the gearbox so they can move the engine further back. Second, they reportedly made these changes at Hamilton’s request. He doesn’t like the cockpit being ‘positioned too far forward’.

    Thus, this year’s Ferrari will be ‘tailored specifically’ to the 40-year-old. F1-Insider note that the team haven’t taken a driver-centric approach like this since the days of Schumacher. If Hamilton’s 2024 woes are in fact symptomatic of an age-related decline, then the gamble from Fred Vasseur may backfire. It could lower the collective ceiling at Ferrari, with Leclerc potentially unsettled.

    ‘Ferrari will tailor car to Lewis Hamilton’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...chumacher-era/


    Alesi: Ferrari triumph would make Hamilton a ‘hero forever’
    18/01/2025
    Phillip van Osten
    F1i.com

    Former Ferrari charger Jean Alesi believes a championship win with the House of Maranello would elevate Lewis Hamilton to an unparalleled status – a "hero forever"!

    ‘Hero forever’;

    https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=...rchheadlines=1


    Why Ferrari can win the F1 2025 titles with Lewis Hamilton on board
    9 Jan 2025
    Sam Cooper
    PlanetF1.com

    Why Ferrari can win both titles in F1 2025 season. The big question mark at Ferrari is an obvious one – how will Lewis Hamilton adapt to life at Maranello?
    A new team, a new environment, a new engine. There are enough variables for it to make you think twice about backing Ferrari for the Constructors’ but on paper they have everything they need to mount a push.
    The key factor will be the strength of the car throughout the year and Leclerc could emerge as a leading contender if he hits the ground running.

    ‘Why Ferrari can win both titles in F1 2025 season’;

    https://www.planetf1.com/features/wh...lewis-hamilton

  4. #844
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    The reason Maranello’s mayor has declared ‘a state of emergency’ before Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari test.
    Earlier this month, Ferrari were warned that Hamilton’s arrival would be ‘hard work for the police’. And that’s proving to be the case. So much so, the mayor of Maranello has declared a state of emergency, according to F1-Insider. He’s asked for surrounding communities to dispatch extra officers to help.
    21 Jan 2025
    David Comerford
    F1 Oversteer

    All the local hotels are said to be fully booked. Ferrari are doing what they can to ease the pressure by keeping Hamilton’s test plans a secret, otherwise fans would flock to Fiorano. Extra officers to help. They will primarily be tasked with regulating traffic around the small town, which may have tipped beyond its capacity amid an ‘onslaught’ of fans. This is arguably the biggest driver transfer in the history of F1.

    The main event of the week will be Hamilton’s first test. Fans are desperate for a glimpse of the seven-time world champion behind the wheel of the iconic scarlet red cars. Under the rules, Ferrari are allowed to use the 2022 or 2023 cars for the occasion. Hamilton could also drive the 2025 car before the official pre-season test in Bahrain late next month. The Scuderia haven’t confirmed when his first outing at Fiorano will be. Sensibly perhaps, he’ll drive the car on the simulator first.

    ‘A state of emergency’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/the...-ferrari-test/


    All Eyes On Lewis Hamilton’s First Ferrari Test
    Jan 21, 2025
    F1 Chronicle

    Hotel rooms are fully booked in the region surrounding Ferrari’s Maranello HQ, as Lewis Hamilton gets his red-coloured Formula 1 career underway. An unusually big crowd of Tifosi had gathered in the rain and freezing temperatures to be part of the former Mercedes driver’s first official day as a Ferrari driver. La Repubblica newspaper said the Tifosi had waited “since dawn”.

    ‘Unusually big crowd of Tifosi’;

    https://f1chronicle.com/all-eyes-on-.../?nowprocket=1


    Lewis Hamilton has already ‘requested’ one adjustment to be made to his 2025 Ferrari F1 car
    21 Jan 2025
    Ben Evans
    F1 Oversteer

    The 40-year-old was greeted by plenty of Ferrari fans outside of the team’s factory on Monday after weeks of teasing from himself and the team on social media. Hamilton completed his first duties as a Ferrari driver and met many of the staff members who will be helping him to win an eighth world championship. That’s not going to be easy given how much the grid has converged during the current set of regulations.

    Every minute Hamilton and new teammate Charles Leclerc can spend at Maranello working on the 2025 car could prove to be vital. Hamilton has already taken part in his first Ferrari simulator session, although there’s no substitute for examining how the car feels on track. Ferrari’s drivers will have to wait until they officially launch the car in February before they can drive the 2025 machine due to testing restrictions.

    Lewis Hamilton has already requested steering wheel changes after first day at Ferrari. It’s not been explained exactly what these changes are, but could be to do with the layout of the buttons on the steering wheel which may be in a different position to when he was at Mercedes. When Hamilton is required to make changes at high speed during races, he won’t want to hesitate and have to think about which button he needs to press, although Ferrari will also expect him to continue adapting to how they go racing.

    ‘Steering wheel changes’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...errari-f1-car/


    Lewis Hamilton 'reunites with Angela Cullen at Ferrari' as physio makes huge sacrifice
    Lewis Hamilton is back with his most trusted paddock companion.
    Jan 21, 2025
    Harry Smith
    Daily and Sunday Express

    Lewis Hamilton and Angela Cullen are reportedly working together again after the New Zealander was present alongside the seven-time world champion at his first visit to Ferrari's Maranello facility.

    Cullen joined Hamilton's entourage in 2016 as a personal trainer, and while the Brit lost out to team-mate Nico Rosberg in the World Championship that year, she helped guide him back to glory the following year as Mercedes' star man kickstarted a run of four consecutive titles.

    The 50-year-old departed the F1 paddock in a mysterious fashion in 2023, but according to a report from the Daily Mail, Cullen has returned to Hamilton's inner circle, moving to Fiorano to aid the seven-time world champion as he adapts to life at Ferrari.

    ‘Angela Cullen was present at his first visit to Ferrari's Maranello facility’;

    https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...errari-reunion


    Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari 2025 F1 car run will take place at ‘beautiful’ track before Bahrain testing
    20 Jan 2025
    Ben Evans
    F1 Oversteer

    Lewis Hamilton to drive Ferrari’s 2025 F1 car at Fiorano before Bahrain pre-season testing. Hamilton is only allowed to do 1,000 km of testing this year in Ferrari’s previous cars across four days. He’s expected to do this at Ferrari’s private testing track at Fiorano and later in the month at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

    Lewis Hamilton will start the 2025 F1 season on the back foot compared to Charles Leclerc. F1’s testing rules mean that Hamilton and Leclerc will have to share Ferrari’s 2025 car over three days of pre-season testing at the Sakhir circuit.

    It’s likely to give Leclerc an initial advantage as he will be more accustomed to Ferrari’s car and the team’s processes and procedures. Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit will give Hamilton a good indication of his latest car and whether it’s going to be a championship contender or not.

    ‘On the back foot’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...hrain-testing/


    Hamilton has special message for Ferrari and Tifosi in Italian
    21 Jan 2025
    Nicole Mulder
    GPblog.com

    Hamilton thanks Ferrari in Italian: "Day one. I’m grateful to John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna and Fred Vasseur for their trust in me and making me part of this family. I’m so excited to start this new era and to meet and work with a hugely talented and inspiring group of people, who have been so welcoming. I’m dedicated to bringing everything I have to deliver for the team, the wider organisation and the fans." Hamilton wrote on Instagram.

    ‘Special message for Ferrari and Tifosi’;

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32399...st-day-f1.html

  5. #845
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    Lewis Hamilton's first Ferrari F1 test day at Fiorano circuit | 22/01/2025 Ferrari SF-23 F1 car.
    Lewis Hamilton has made his first appearance as a Ferrari driver at the team’s legendary racetrack Fiorano in Maranello. In today's video you'll get to see his very first test and debut as a Ferrari driver behind the wheel of the Ferrari SF-23.
    Jan 22, 2025
    NM2255 | Raw Car Sounds

    @anthonymg8870: The number 44 on a Ferrari, yellow helmet, LH downshifts at corners—BEAUTIFUL SCENES!! Really looking forward to this season

    @cabba6915: I am Italian, (pardon the language mistakes), a Ferrari fan since I was a child. Well, what can I say? I am moved. One of the strongest super champions in history choosing Ferrari to end his career makes me proud because it shows how Lewis is still willing to risk his career with a team that, although beloved, has not won anything for almost twenty years. I am proud of him.

    @mmm10cr7: We all have to agree this guy got balls.. at this age at the end of his career taking a move like that which can affect your whole legacy and getting out of the comfort zone with aura like that only a man of steel can do that.... Hamilton and ferrari were destined to be together and create some kind of magic that will go down in history books....LH44

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dClCZOR3KME


    Behind the scenes of Lewis Hamilton's first Ferrari drive
    Jan 22, 2025
    Sky Sports F1

    Watch as Craig Slater and Sky Sport Italy's Vicky Piria react to Lewis Hamilton's first day behind the wheel of a Ferrari as a Scuderia driver.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUzMWXHnIR8


    Lewis Hamilton's First Days At Ferrari
    Jan 22, 2025
    FORMULA 1

    The journey begins for Lewis Hamilton as he arrives at Maranello for his first days at Ferrari. Enjoy a behind the scenes look as the seven-time world champion meets the team and takes to the track for the first time as a Scuderia driver.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbE1fmM--Q4


    Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari F1 test - what we learned
    Jan 22, 2025
    THE RACE

    Lewis Hamilton's first laps as a Ferrari F1 driver garnered more hype and attention than thought possible for a small test in an old car. But how much could actually be gleaned from this momentous occasion? Quite a lot, according to Scott Mitchell-Malm and Jon Noble.

    @seanbeukman9563: I'm finally getting excited. I wasnt sure about FERRARI's ability to deliver but the last 2 seasons show some promise. As far as Lewis is concerned, he looks filled with pride and respect for the Ferrari heritage and prestige. Ferrari IS AN ICON. That alone will power Sir Lewis to his best performances yet. The Tifosi rightfully acknowledge his 7 times world championship status and seem to love him already. Its a golden opportunity deluxe. The fact that Ferrari has moved the seat back specifically for him is amazing and Vasseur knows him from way back is very encouraging. Who knows I may be supporting Ferrari this year! Lol.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T9177EJ9XQ


    Charles Leclerc & Lewis Hamilton testing at Fiorano circuit with Ferrari SF-23 *Pre-season 2025*
    Jan 23, 2025
    NM2255 | Raw Car Sounds

    Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be Ferrari team-mates in the 2025 Formula 1 season! Check them out in action at Ferrari's legendary racetrack Fiorano in Maranello during some pre 2025 season tests!

    @E_Dubb21: Its the downshifts/breaking in the corners...I was trying to distinguish the difference in their driving styles and from what can tell Lewis has a faster downshift sequence than Charles into the corners...Lewis has always been a late breaker so that may be why. Time will tell how that will translate in Qualifying form...He looks super comfortable in the car though!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE1gVMvCBNE


    Lewis Hamilton Drives First Ferrari F1 Car! | F1 2025
    Jan 22, 2025
    F1Unraveled

    Lewis Hamilton Drives the Ferrari SF-23 For First Time - EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE! | F1 2025 Lewis Hamilton Finally get to achieve a childhood dream of Driving a Ferrari Formula One car today the 22nd January 2025 behind the wheel of the SF-23. It was a very foggy and wet day, but Hamilton still managed to complete 30 laps before his next outing in Barcelona at the end of the Month. Watch Lewis as he get a first taste of what life is going to be like for him during his time being a Ferrari F1 driver in Italy!

    @stevenmoore4078: That look and smile between him and his dad was priceless. Even with all of Lewis' accomplishments, it was like they both were saying, "Here we are, can you believe this."

    @mahrez3704: Fred looking at him like a proud father... Just to Mention,Fred played the biggest role onto Hamilton's Journey success

    @Mast3rMindTalks: Is it me but look how all the personnel are in pure astonishment watching Hamilton get ready lol. You know they are proud to be working with a legend lol

    @sandynahar7667: Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari..it's magic. Thank you Mr. Elkann.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2IYm82p7YQ


    Lewis Hamilton with his Mom and Dad as he drives for Ferrari 1st time in Maranello
    Jan 22, 2025
    F1 Chequered Flag

    @MiZtErNiCe420: To see him emerge from Enzos home dressed in Scarlett Red is Iconic!

    @bustaknutt7729: His Dad is happy to see him at Ferrari... i think there is a lot more about this move we havent heard about yet

    @PaulWilliams-pq2cp: I would love to hear what his new engineers thought about his first test… was it quick, slow etc

    @MissTaylorMade101: He’s so lucky that he get to spend these important moments with his family.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gz_u3zceOQ


    Lewis Hamilton meets Ferrari fans in Maranello on 1st day as Ferrari Driver
    Jan 20, 2025
    F1 Chequered Flag

    @p3t3r_waffles: i think this is the happiest ive ever seen him interacting with fans. normally its head down, shades on, looking down, not acknowledging anyone

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHew5BloXvg


    Lewis Hamilton fans REACT after exciting INTERVIEW
    Jan 22, 2025
    Pro Football NFL

    @evertonnixon5881: Thank you sky sports Italia and the tafozi for showing genuine love and respect for Sir Lewis,I hope he and Charles does well and brings you you the titles you all deserve and again thank you very much for giving him this momentus opportunity. Nuff love and respect.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvWG43-8a-I

  6. #846
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    Adrian Newey’s surprise claim over Red Bull F1 2024 setbacks.
    Former Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey believes “inexperience” may have played a part in the RB20’s troubled development path last year.
    Thomas Maher 30 Jan 2025

    The famed designer opened up on where he felt things had gone wrong for his former F1 team during 2024, pointing to how issues had begun to make themselves felt towards the end of the dominant 2023 campaign. “Obviously, part of it was McLaren in particular, and Ferrari developing their cars, and doing a very good job of developing their cars,” he told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

    “I think, Red Bull, from what I could see… the 2024 car, and through the very last stages of ’23 as well, I would say, started to become more difficult to drive. Of course, that suited Max, and he could handle that, if you like – it didn’t suit him, but he could handle it. Checo [Perez] couldn’t. So you also started to see more of a difference in performance between the teammates, Max and Checo. That carried into the first part of ’24 but the car was still quick enough to be able to cope with it.”

    “It’s something I was starting to become concerned about, but not many other people in the organisation seemed to be very concerned about,” he said. “From what I can see from the outside, but I don’t know, the guys at Red Bull – this is no criticism, but I think they just perhaps, through lack of experience, kept going in that same direction, and the problem came more and more acute to the point that even Max found it difficult to drive.”

    ‘Surprise claim’;

    https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...problems-claim


    Oscar Piastri explains why one 2024 F1 race was ‘pretty nasty’ despite McLaren’s championship-winning season
    23 Jan 2025
    Ben Evans
    F1 Oversteer

    Oscar Piastri says the 2024 British Grand Prix was ‘pretty nasty’ after being injured. The 23-year-old won his first Grand Prix in Hungary but was carrying an injury into the summer break. Piastri broke his rib last year and explaining how it happened, he said: “It was just from driving. So I hurt it around Austria, so Silverstone was a pretty nasty weekend, and the next couple of races as well were a bit sore.”

    There wasn’t a notable drop in Piastri’s performances after he suffered the injury. He ended up on the podium in Austria after Norris and Verstappen collided before briefly leading the British Grand Prix he was complaining about in mixed conditions. However, a strategy error meant he missed out on the podium and Norris couldn’t secure victory. Piastri then won in Hungary and finished second again in Belgium before the summer break when he was able to recuperate properly for the final 11 Grand Prix of the season.

    The Australian will be aware that he needs to keep improving if he wants to be considered a championship candidate. Piastri has identified qualifying as an area to improve in 2025, with Norris matching Verstappen’s number of pole positions last year, while he continues to search for his first in F1. His race pace can be exceptional and the way he won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from Charles Leclerc proves he can perform under extreme pressure. The trick for Piastri is whether he can begin to do that consistently and get the better of Norris, Verstappen and both Ferrari drivers in wheel-to-wheel racing.

    ‘Silverstone’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/osc...inning-season/


    Toto Wolff reveals Mercedes came ‘very close’ to cost cap breach in F1 2024
    20 Jan 2024
    Taylor Powling
    Motorsport Week

    Wolff revealed that Russell’s impact in FP2 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez had placed Mercedes in “serious trouble” with the sport’s $135 million spending threshold. The Austrian proceeded to reveal post-race in Mexico that Russell’s errors would cause the team to have to get “creative” with car parts on the W15 over the remaining races.

    “I love a driver to push and I’d rather crash him and we know what the car is capable of doing than not,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “The cost cap plan nevertheless is a tricky situation. So these three chunks put us on a back foot. Certainly, the one that happened before yesterday was massive.”

    “We had to change, we had to opt for a completely new chassis. There is a tremendous hit in the cost cap and we probably have to dial down on what we put on the car. We have certain limitation on parts where we need to be creative.”

    “Serious trouble”;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ch-in-f1-2024/


    Lewis Hamilton left rival F1 team boss ’emotional’ with one thing he did during 2024 season
    25 Jan 2025
    Tyler Rowlinson
    F1 Oversteer

    Lewis Hamilton left Alpine boss Oliver Oakes ’emotional’ after his win at Silverstone. The Brit grabbed two wins in 2024 – his first since Jeddah in 2021. He inherited the win in Belgium from Russell after his Mercedes was found to be underweight.

    Hamilton’s first win of the season came at his home race at Silverstone. After a tense battle with the McLarens and Russell, the 40-year-old came home to win his ninth British Grand Prix. Hamilton left the media pen ‘shaking’ after his overtake on Russell for the lead. His victory marked an incredible moment in 2024, and it left Alpine boss Oliver Oakes ’emotional’. Speaking on the James Allen On F1 podcast, Oakes admitted there was a ‘tear in my eye’ as Hamilton took the win in his final British GP as a Mercedes driver before his move to Ferrari.

    “As a fan, out there, I think it’s going to be exciting not only to see the rookies on the grid, [but] seeing Lewis in red,” he said. “I don’t think it’s sad to say but you can’t help but be emotional when he won at Silverstone as an Englishman. “My home track in a way, my Hitech being based there. What he did, I had a bit of a, I’m not ashamed to say it, a tear in my eye because it was a massive win there.”

    ’Emotional’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...g-2024-season/


    James Vowles took Williams to breaking point ahead of 2024 F1 season
    18 Jan 2024
    Dan Lawrence
    Motorsport Week

    Williams boss James Vowles has admitted he wanted to stress the team’s infrastructure to the point of “breaking” ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Upon developing 2024’s FW46, Vowles was met with an antiquated design and manufacturing process that he and Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry sought to rip up. With the shocking revelation that Williams used an Excel spreadsheet to track car parts, Vowles and Fry sought to revolutionise the team’s production processes.

    Williams sacrificing 2024 and 2025: “I always said from the beginning, before we started the year, we were going to sacrifice 2024 and 2025,” he explained.
    Exacipating Williams issues in 2024 was a series of high-speed, high-dame crashes throughout the season. This is a little bit what the sacrifice looks like, just with a lot more attrition than I expected,” Vowles admitted.

    Williams owners have backed Vowles’ strategy: “It was part of the agreement from the get-go when I joined, which is no one, neither side, wants any short-term fixes,” he said. “Everything is doing right for the future. Nothing should be a sticky plaster. Sticky plasters look good, create a veneer, and then it falls over pretty quickly. It could be a year, it could be three years, but it falls over. Do this right that we’re building a team that is successful for many years to come. So in answer to that, it’s mutual buy-in for us.”

    ‘Breaking point’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...024-f1-season/

  7. #847
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    Lewis Hamilton to ‘win everything’ in bold Ferrari timeline prediction.
    “…give it about six or seven races, and if the car is competitive, Lewis is going to win everything.” Juan Pablo Montoya.
    2 Feb 2025
    Elizabeth Blackstock
    PlanetF1.com

    Just over a year ago, Lewis Hamilton announced a groundbreaking move to the Ferrari Formula 1 team after being dedicated to Mercedes for over a decade — and not everyone is convinced it’s the right move. But there are others like former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya who are confident that once Hamilton gets up to speed, he’ll be unstoppable.

    “Lewis is mature enough to appreciate that in the short-term he is going to struggle a little bit, learning the Ferrari thing,” the Colombian racer stated. “Charles is going to feel like he’s got the upper hand. But give it about six or seven races, and if the car is competitive, Lewis is going to win everything.”

    ‘Bold Ferrari timeline prediction’;

    https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...ari-prediction


    Lewis Hamilton told 2025 is his ‘best chance’ at an eighth F1 title.
    David Croft believes it is now or never for Lewis Hamilton as he aims to win a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 World Championship with Ferrari next season.
    2 Feb 2025
    Harry Whitfield
    Motorsport Week

    “What I would say is this might be Lewis’ best chance of an eighth World title,” Croft said at the Autosport Awards. “Given the season that it could be in terms of teams won’t be throwing developments week after week after week.”

    “Because they’ve got 2026 to think about. I do think Ferrari will be the most keen to get the most out of 2025 of the big four teams because it’s so long since they won something. And they want to prove that Lewis is the right man and or Charles [Leclerc] as well.”

    ‘2025 is his ‘best chance’ at an eighth F1 title’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ight-f1-title/


    'Gut feeling': Giedo van der Garde outlines why Ferrari should be ‘very strong’ in 2025 F1 title race
    3 Feb 2025
    Rory Mitchell
    F1 Oversteer

    Giedo van der Garde believes Ferrari will make key changes to their car for 2025. Ferrari will unveil their 2025 challenger on the 19th February, a day after the official F1 75 launch in London. It is expected to be an evolution of last year’s car but with a significant tweak that will put them on par competitively with McLaren and Red Bull according to Van Der Garde.

    “He will also be there this year, but my gut feeling just says that Ferrari will be very strong. I think they have already put out that they have a completely new front suspension, also a bit like the philosophy of a McLaren and Red Bull,” said Van Der Garde.

    ‘Ferrari should be ‘very strong’ in 2025’;

    https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gie...f1-title-race/


    Lewis Hamilton gets immediate redemption shot as third Ferrari test approaches
    3 Feb 2025
    Oliver Harden
    PlanetF1.com

    Lewis Hamilton will have a chance to put his Barcelona crash behind him this week when he gets a rare chance to drive Ferrari’s 2024 car in a Pirelli tyre test. Hamilton made an impressive start to life at Ferrari last month, receiving a warm reception upon his first official visits to the team’s Maranello factory and Fiorano test track.

    His pre-season preparations suffered a setback last Wednesday when he crashed in the final sector during the morning session, with the extensive repair work meaning Leclerc did not take to the track at all. Initial reports from trackside suggested that the incident occurred at Turn 12, the long, winding and relatively slow-speed right-hander turn.

    After this week’s test, Hamilton’s next appearance as a Ferrari driver is expected to come at F1’s first-ever collective season-launch event attended by all 10 teams and 20 drivers in London on February 18.

    ‘Immediate redemption shot’;

    https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...e-test-preview


    Cause for Hamilton's Barcelona crash revealed
    2 Feb 2025
    Balazs Szabo
    F1 Technical

    Following the incident that derailed the second day of Ferrari's 'TPC' running, it has emerged that a bump may have caused Lewis Hamilton's high-speed crash at the last corner of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

    Following their on-track activity at Fiorano last Wednesday, Ferrari have headed to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for this week in a bid to complete more running with the two-year-old SF-23 in slightly better weather conditions.

    According to the Italian publication AutoRacer, a bump in the third sector was "probably" the cause of the incident which led to Hamilton's high-speed crash that caused significant damage to the car. Notably, in 2023, Logan Sargeant also crashed his Williams due to heavy bumps in the final corner in the final practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix.

    “Bump may have caused Lewis Hamilton's high-speed crash’;

    https://www.f1technical.net/news/26249

  8. #848
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    "From what I can see..." - Max Verstappen's Red Bull future thrown into doubt after damning Adrian Newey admission.
    Despite having a contract that runs until 2028, Verstappen has been tipped to leave Red Bull, with the likes of Aston Martin, Mercedes and even Williams all linked.
    31 Jan 2025
    Marcus Chan
    SPORTbible

    Max Verstappen will be looking to clinch his fifth Formula 1 world title in 2025. Ahead of the 2025 season, Verstappen will be expected to win the title due to his unmatched ability on the track. However, the question remains whether Red Bull can deliver a car capable of challenging at the front of the grid.

    Speaking recently to German news outlet Auto Motor und Sport, former Red Bull chief technical officer Newey explained why he thinks the team suffered a dip in form. “So you also started to see more of a difference in performance between the teammates, Max and Checo That carried into the first part of ’24 but the car was still quick enough to be able to cope with it. It’s something I was starting to become concerned about, but not many other people in the organisation seemed to be very concerned about.”

    Could Red Bull struggles lead to Max Verstappen departure? If Red Bull's problems continue in the new season, there will no doubt be rumours swirling around the paddock concerning Verstappen's future. All eyes will be on Red Bull and Verstappen when the 2025 season kicks off in March with the Australian Grand Prix, which will be held around Albert Park in Melbourne.

    ‘Damning Adrian Newey admission’;

    https://www.sportbible.com/f1/max-ve...66456-20250131


    Newey: "I felt I wouldn't be true to myself if I stayed at Red Bull"
    The legendary designer has no regrets after leaving Red Bull – and reckons the team's engineers underestimated the RB20's issues
    Jan 31, 2025
    Ben Vinel
    Motorsport.com

    Newey was also unhappy with Christian Horner's comments in an interview with Motorsport.com in late 2023, when Red Bull's team principal said: "The technical team beneath [Newey] led by Pierre Wache, they're doing a wonderful job and so that they're not reliant on Adrian." In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Newey revealed he had done some soul-searching as he pondered a decision that would lead him to join Aston Martin a few months later.

    Newey's departure from Red Bull, which was made official on 1 May, coincided with a sharp decline in performance for the team. Sergio Perez took his last top-five finish of the year at the following race in Miami, while Max Verstappen won 'only' five of the next 19 grands prix on his way to a fourth consecutive world title.

    "Already through the very last stages of '23, the car was starting to become more difficult to drive," Newey explained. "Of course that suited Max – he could handle that, if you like. It didn't suit him, but he could handle it. Checo couldn't.”

    ‘No regrets after leaving Red Bull’;

    https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/n...bull/10692547/


    Ex-F1 star claims ‘not even Max Verstappen can beat’ Lewis Hamilton in ‘fast’ Ferrari
    4 Feb 2025
    Jack Oliver Smith
    Motorsport Week

    Former Formula 1 race winner Juan Pablo Montoya has claimed that “not even Max Verstappen can beat” Lewis Hamilton should Ferrari produce a “fast car” in 2025. The ‘old Hamilton’ could win in right machinery Montoya, is of the belief that Hamilton’s previous form, one that has cemented his status as one of the all-time greats of the sport, will return if the team are able to provide him with the right car.

    “What happened to Lewis Hamilton is what happened to Fernando Alonso,” he told Crash.net. “They still have 100 per cent of their speed, but they will still somehow qualify just in the top 10. If the car is capable of winning, then they would be much higher. If Hamilton has a fast car this season, we’ll see the old Hamilton from a few years ago, the Hamilton that nobody can beat, not even Max Verstappen. But the question for Ferrari is how will they keep him motivated?”

    ‘Old Hamilton’;

    https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-fast-ferrari/


    'Not even Verstappen could beat Hamilton if he had the right car'
    5 Feb 2025
    Ludo van Denderen
    GPblog.com

    According to Juan Pablo Montoya, there’s no doubt that Hamilton still has the speed to compete at the very top. He cites Fernando Alonso as an example. “They still have 100 per cent of their speed, but they will still somehow qualify just in the top 10. If the car is capable of winning, then they would be much higher," the Colombian told Crash.net.

    Therefore, the former F1 driver believes, “If Hamilton has a fast car this season, we’ll see the old Hamilton from a few years ago, the Hamilton that nobody can beat, not even Max Verstappen."

    "Ferrari are putting all their eggs in the basket so they can compete this season, Mercedes don’t have to risk much, McLaren have a huge opportunity to keep dominating before the 2026 regulation changes, where they could become average.”

    “The Hamilton that nobody can beat”;

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32613...errari-f1.html


    Steiner on Verstappen/Aston rumors: ‘Max should go for a billion!’
    03/02/2025
    Phillip van Osten
    F1i.com

    Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has offered his own colorful perspective on the $1 billion price tag Aston Martin is allegedly willing to slap on Max Verstappen to lure him away from Red Bull. “A billion is a big number. Even if Max finishes last, he should go for a billion,” Steiner told F1 website GPblog, undoubtedly picturing Verstappen cruising around among the laggards while laughing all the way to the bank.

    A Deal Too Ridiculous to Be Real? Steiner, never one to hold back, thinks the billion-dollar price tag is straight out of a Hollywood script. “The billion? It’s a little bit putting it high because that would set the record, which will never be broken again,” he said. “That’s a bit fictional, but I’m sure Aston Martin will pay a good amount of money for him.”

    “Even if Max finishes last, he should go for a billion”;

    https://f1i.com/news/530085-steiner-...a-billion.html


    Windsor advises Verstappen: 'That will end in tears eventually!'
    5 Feb 2025
    Olly Darcy
    GPblog.com

    Former F1 team and sponsorship manager and now F1 journalist Peter Windsor has advised Max Verstappen to not join Aston Martin for the money, as that could "end in tears," after the rumours that the Dutchman had been offered a mammoth £1 billion contract by the British team to prise him away from Red Bull Racing.

    Windsor was then asked if he would do it now that the continued success at Red Bull has decreased quite rapidly, among other factors at the Austrian team: "Well, that may be, that may not be, but that's a different question. If Adrian Newey was saying to Max, 'Look Max, I'm going to be in this... I love it here, I'm going to be in it for the next 10 years. I can tell you now, we're going to win a lot of races. If you want to join us, we're going to win a lot of races, a lot of championships, let's go.' If I were Max, I'd probably do it.’
    "But the first question was about would I do it for the billion dollars to work for Lawrence Stroll. Two different things. And also, don't forget, if you took the first one, the 1 billion and the Lawrence Stroll, there's no guarantee Adrian's going to be there for the next decade. He is not getting any younger. But not for the money, that's the point I'm making. I think Max is bright enough and has been around long enough to know that that's the way to do it, how to go motor racing with the right people, away from huge, ridiculous sums of money, which inevitably always end in tears," concluded Windsor.

    ‘Tears’;

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32606...rtin-deal.html


    Advice to Verstappen: 'Wait a while before possibly leaving Red Bull'
    4 Feb 2025
    Ludo van Denderen
    GPblog.com

    One billion pounds is even said to have been set aside to entice the Dutchman to make the switch. To do or not to do, that is the big question in the near future. Guenther Steiner previously indicated that for such a sum, Verstappen should absolutely make the switch to Aston Martin, even if he comes last in every race. But the former Haas F1 team boss also realises that for the Dutchman it is not about money - he instead wants to win and become a champion.

    Is Aston Martin the right team for that? Steiner therefore offers some advice to Verstappen during an exclusive interview with GPblog - without forsaking a moment's thought on the money: "Just wait [out] 26! I don't know Max's contract, what is in there, how he can get out. But I assume that he's got the performance clause for the team there. If the team is not good, he can leave after 26 because that's the key."

    If Red Bull Racing does hit the nail on the head in 2026 with the new technical regulations, it will be golden times for Verstappen, Steiner believes. "If the car is good in 26, it would be good for another three or four years. If you start on a new regulation, the new concept, the car, it takes you quite a while to get out of it."

    "Just wait [out] 26!”;

    https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/32599...ll-racing.html

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