Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Stella’s warning: Williams could crash the top four party.
The data didn’t lie: Williams, powered by new signing Carlos Sainz, had topped the timesheets on day two with a blistering single-lap pace that turned heads across the paddock.
2 Mar 2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“We see there are definitely several cars that are in condition to put together very competitive lap times, which I think are competitive in absolute terms,” Stella told the media, quoted by Motorsport Week.

For Stella, it was a sign that 2025 might rewrite the pecking order. “So if anything my take so far is that I was thinking before coming here that in the past we used to talk about the top three,” he said. “Then thankfully McLaren has kind of added and now we have the top four.”

“But perhaps this year we might have to adapt our language again, which will be great for Formula 1 and then maybe the top five or the top six. So we will see. Certainly there seem to be a few quick cars out there.” Asked who among the chasing pack stood out, Stella pointed straight at Williams.

‘The data didn’t lie: Williams’;

https://f1i.com/news/531845-stellas-...our-party.html


F1: Williams could become threat for top 4 teams, say McLaren
Mar 5, 2025
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

McLaren’s Andrea Stella elaborated on why James Vowles’ squad should not be underestimated: “We see that at low fuel, there are definitely several cars that are in condition to put together very competitive lap times, which I think are competitive in absolute terms…”

“It’s interesting that, for instance, Williams were very strong in the second sector. Which is not only a sector of braking acceleration, is also a sector with a couple of medium-speed corners. So I think this should say that Williams might have improved in that area.”

In many ways, it is important to exercise caution about the lap times set by James Vowles’ team in Sakhir. Fundamentally, Williams were running significantly less fuel than the top teams when setting their personal best times. Of course, this is not to say the FW47 is not a clear step forward on its predecessor.

‘Williams could become threat for top 4’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...s-say-mclaren/


Williams a surprise threat ahead of Australian GP
McLaren boss Andrea Stella has singled out Williams as a potential surprise packet as the F1 circus heads to Melbourne for next weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
5 March 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

McLaren emerged as the team to beat during the three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain late last month. That reaffirmed the belief the Papaya squad is the favourite for the championship this year. However, team principal Stella is wary of the closing challenge posed by the field. “I’ve seen that, in terms of one lap pace, in addition to the top four… certainly Williams very competitive,” he said. “I’m sure everyone will have seen the same data that I look at.”

“Already last year, going through qualifying sessions, it was quite tight,” Stella admitted. “Those sessions in which you enter [Q1] and you think we’re going to go through with one set of tyres, just the first run will be enough; often we needed to go out again and it was still quite close from a lap times point of view. What I’ve taken from these two days is that, if anything, there is going to be even more of this as we start this 2025 season.”

‘Williams a surprise threat’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-m...ents-reaction/


Will Williams end painful three-year wait?
Williams have featured on the F1 podium 313 times in its history in the pinnacle of motorsport, although it has not added to that list since 2021.
4 Mar 2025
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Williams has not claimed a podium in Formula 1 in over three years, although the team enters the new season in a fascinating position. The Grove-based outfit's most recent podium came in the unusual 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, with George Russell finishing second.

At a soaked Spa-Francorchamps, Russell qualified in second. Following a significant delay due to extreme weather, the first two laps were completed behind the safety car. A red flag was flown on the third lap, with no restart possible. It holds the record for the shortest race in F1 history. Since then, Williams has not been in a position to compete for a podium.

‘Painful three-year wait’;

https://racingnews365.com/will-willi...hree-year-wait


Williams delighted with the reliability of their FW47
4 Mar 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Williams' chief engineer Dave Robson highlighted the reliability of the FW47 as its main strength, with only minor technical issues having hindered the team's on-track preparation for the upcoming season. "Alex was back in the car for the final day of winter testing. Conditions were more challenging today with the strong gusts making testing more difficult.”

"However, we were still able to complete some useful work across a range of fuel loads. In preparation for the season ahead, we scanned a range of car configurations and tyre compounds. Once again, the FW47 was mostly reliable with only a few minor issues affecting the programme. This puts us in a good place for the opening races of the season."

‘FW47 was mostly reliable’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26391


Joy for Carlos Sainz? Williams gains uncovered in F1 testing data analysis
3 Mar 2025
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz and Williams to start F1 2025 as best of the rest? In the short pre-season in Bahrain the team led by James Vowles seems to have made a clear step forward with the new Williams FW47. Carlos Sainz was the fastest driver during pre-season testing with a lap time of 1:29.438. Of course, no top team went in search of performance and if they had, they would have beaten this lap time.

Still, the telemetry data shows that the FW47 is a car with good aerodynamic efficiency on the straights, but still struggles to find grip on slow-speed corners as we can see in the following graph compared to Lewis Hamilton’s brand new Ferrari SF-25. The FW47 seems to have a certain ease in making the softer compounds work in the optimal operating window. However, it struggles more with the harder tyres in the long runs.

While there are many doubts about the relative differences between McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes, everything seems a little clearer in the middle of the grid. Williams seems to have an extra point of potential ahead of Alpine and Racing Bulls while Aston Martin, Sauber and Haas seem to be a step behind these three teams.

‘FW47 is a car with good aerodynamic efficiency’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ca...ata-f1-testing


What Williams can learn from its last great F1 leap forward
Mar 5, 2025
Edd Straw
The Race

Williams's leap forward in 2014 was no more than a dead cat bounce, with little chance of it leading to a sustained return to frontrunning form. That's the big difference in what it hopes to achieve in 2026 as, with the financial conditions prevalent in F1 now very different, there should be no reason why it can't hold onto any big gains made.

The one problem is that 2026 probably comes too early to expect Williams to repeat its 2014 trick and be able to jump forward to the extent that it's the second-fastest car. Williams might look well placed to make a leap from the back to the front of Formula 1's midfield in 2025, but team principal James Vowles has long been clear that the team's resources are focussed on the opportunity presented by the new regulations to make an even greater leap forward in 2026.

‘Williams's leap forward’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...-leap-forward/

[Fortitude]

Russell approves the return to Melbourne: "Definitely should be the opener".
Russell on returning to Melbourne for the season opener: "I think it's great starting in Melbourne.”
4 Mar 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

“Melbourne's naturally a great place, but of course, it takes a long time to get there. And I think the last couple of years, when it's been race three, you've already had quite a heavy start to the season with testing [in] Bahrain in general, whereas at the start of the season, things are a little bit calmer and it takes less of a toll on the body. So I feel it definitely should be the opener," Russell explained at the F1 75 Live event in London.

"I think when you look at last year, I don't think there's really any trends of where cars go well and when they perform poorly. So I think whoever wins in Melbourne or even if the team dominates, I don't think that necessarily means they'll go on to dominate the season. If they win the opening four races, that's a better indicator," Russell concluded.

“Great starting in Melbourne”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33041...melbourne.html


Doohan and Piastri headline free Australian GP fan event
7 March 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Australian Grand Prix organisers have supplemented this year’s event with an all-new festival in Melbourne Park Oval. Starting on Wednesday, the initiative offers a cost-free way for fans to engage with the Australian GP without attending the circuit. Doohan and Piastri will kick off the festival with an appearance at 3pm AEDT on Wednesday.

“The appearance of Oscar and Jack offers fans a free and exclusive opportunity to hear from the drivers ahead of their home race, something usually reserved for ticket holders attending the Grand Prix at Albert Park.,” said Australian GP boss Travis Auld.

“Over the five-day festival, fans will also get the opportunity to hear from Formula 1 reserve drivers and team principal, Supercars drivers and even Australia’s own 2025 Dakar Rally winner, extending the excitement of race week from the track to Melbourne Park Oval.” On top of the Q&A appearances, the fan festival will boast a big screen, display car, and virtual selfies. The five-day festival starts on Wednesday and runs throughout the weekend.

‘Fan event’;

https://speedcafe.com/doohan-and-pia...-gp-fan-event/


Norris backed to vanquish Verstappen and Hamilton with early boost
3 Mar 2025
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Who will win the Australian Grand Prix?
Answer Share of vote
Lando Norris 32.29%
Max Verstappen 22.87%
Lewis Hamilton 17.94%
Charles Leclerc 10.31%
Oscar Piastri 9.87%
George Russell 2.69%
Kimi Antonelli 0.90%
Liam Lawson 0.45%
Someone else 2.69%

‘Norris backed’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-bac...th-early-boost


Every F1 team ranked after 2025 testing
1 Mar 2025
The Race

10 Sauber: Being the slowest based on headline laptimes is one thing, but doing so in harness with unspectacular long-run pace in a car that is visibly the trickiest to drive adds up to a bleak picture for what was already last year’s worst team.
9 Aston Martin The fact Aston Martin had a disrupted test, completing only 306 laps – more only than Red Bull – perhaps shrouded the car’s potential. But on top of the inconclusive, but unspectacular, laptimes there were signs trackside of instability at corner entry, meaning the drivers often had to hesitate briefly after the initial turn in to ensure the rear end didn’t give up on them. That’s a time and confidence-sapping trait.
8 Haas: It was only the ninth-quickest car on single-lap pace, but it again looks set to be a competitive midfield proposition. As team principal Ayao Komatsu says: “we are in the ballpark, I don’t know exactly where”.
7 Racing Bulls: The team had to chip away at an understeer problem over the course of the Bahrain test, and there were still signs of a slight front limitation on the final day - but nothing too serious. In the hands of Yuki Tsunoda, in particular, the car looks like a good package with significant data accumulated and mileage logged.

6 Alpine: We might even be harsh on Alpine by ranking it only sixth, given it looks to be nip and tuck with Williams for the head of the midfield. Generally, the Alpine ran a little heavier on fuel load than the Williams in Bahrain, with the two cars looking to have similar pace.
5 Williams: Williams set the fastest laptime of the test, on the second day of running. While that led to some tipping it to join the lead group, that seems a step too far - as Carlos Sainz admitted when he said “I don’t think we’ve done the necessary step to be fighting with the top teams this year”.
4 Red Bull: The Red Bull RB21 is unquestionably fast enough to be in the leading group of four, but it appears to have inherited at least some of its predecessor’s problems. Watching from trackside, there were signs of the balance problems with the car not looking easy to get turned in and rotated through the corner consistently when pushing. Even when quick, the car looked tricky.

3 Ferrari: At its best, the car is nimble and strong, almost inseparable from the Mercedes in both poise on-track and in laptime. But it occasionally exhibited some more prominent limitations – sometimes understeer, sometimes rear sliding, sometimes excessive tyre wear. It seems the test was slightly disappointing given how well sorted McLaren looked and the step Mercedes has apparently made.
2 Mercedes: The Mercedes was unusually serene on track throughout the Bahrain test. It looked consistent, giving drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli real confidence.It also showed a good turn of pace, with the numbers placing it at a very similar level to Ferrari. Given the car looked so well balanced, despite a persistent front-brake-locking problem, that’s given it the marginal edge in our ranking. Russell described the test as “seamless”, reflecting the positive mood in the team.
1 McLaren: McLaren was only fifth fastest based on headline laptimes, but make no mistake - its race pace was mighty and clear of everyone. That means its status as pre-season favourite has been confirmed.

‘Rankings’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/e...-2025-testing/


Lewis Hamilton 'ready' as Ferrari boss warns F1 rivals ahead of Australian Grand Prix
Mar 6, 2025
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

"It was nice to start on the track after the first two months of enormous enthusiasm,” Ferrari boss Vasseur told Italian news outlet Corriere Della Sera. “Even though he is a seven-time world champion, he is living a completely new experience. It's not easy to change teams. He's known new procedures, he had to get used to a different steering wheel and different software. They were intense days, it went well in Bahrain, and now he’s ready for Melbourne."

'Ready';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix


'Would not be at all surprised': Ted Kravitz predicts three-win F1 star to beat Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen onto the Australian GP podium
6 Mar 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Kravitz, impressed by the speed of the Mercedes car during testing, has backed George Russell to prevail. That means Hamilton and Verstappen will both miss out, in addition to Charles Leclerc and youngsters Kimi Antonelli and Liam Lawson.

“I would not be at all surprised if we saw George Russell on the podium in Melbourne,” Kravitz said. “Maybe if you’re saying the McLaren is the fastest car, it could be a Norris-Piastri, Piastri-Norris first and second. I would say that George Russell has got a great chance of being third. That Mercedes is quick. I would put that Mercedes behind the McLaren on the grid, maybe ahead of the Ferraris.”

'Prediction';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...ian-gp-podium/


Ralf Schumacher fears a ‘difficult’ year awaits one-pole driver whose 2025 F1 car is a ‘disaster’
6 Mar 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ralf Schumacher is not holding out hope for one driver ahead of the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix as their car was a ‘disaster’ at F1 testing in Bahrain. Ralf Schumacher fears for Nico Hulkenberg as Sauber’s 2025 car was a ‘disaster’ at F1 testing. Expectations for the term ahead are not high as the C45 was just the ninth-best car in qualifying or race simulations at F1 testing.

So, Schumacher fears for Hulkenberg and even questions his German compatriot’s move as Audi will focus on 2026 when the automotive giants make Sauber a works team. He also has questions for Sauber/Audi COO Mattia Binotto plus new team principal, Jonathan Wheatley.

Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast: “Hulkenberg [faces a] difficult initial situation. Audi, last year of these regulations, they’ll be looking at ‘26. What can his motto be this year? I’m a little sorry about that because the car is really still a disaster, at least as it looks at the moment. But maybe something else will come to it. However, I’m afraid that Binotto is such a nice guy, but I don’t know exactly, I’m not quite sure yet if he sees the big picture now.”

‘Fears for Nico Hulkenberg’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ral...is-a-disaster/

[tbazsi95]

Fresh pictures about construction at the Hungaroring
https://www.instagram.com/p/DG5jC4rNAoT/

[tbazsi95]

BREAKING: Cadillac confirmed as 11th team on the 2026 F1 grid​
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Pc7k9TFl4eNrQN

[Fortitude]

F1 formally approve arrival of new Cadillac team with Silverstone base to enter sport from 2026.
Formal confirmation has now been reached between world motorsport’s governing body the FIA and FOM, with Cadillac F1 to become the grid’s 11th team from 2026 onwards.
7 Mar 2025
• Charles Crook
CitiBlog

The move will see Cadillac become the first new entry to the Formula One grid since Haas joined in 2016. In a statement on the F1 website, Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “As we said in November, the commitment by General Motors to bring a Cadillac team to Formula 1 was an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport.

“I want to thank GM and TWG Motorsports for their constructive engagement over many months and look forward to welcoming the team on the grid from 2026 for what will be another exciting year for Formula 1.”

The team operators previously opened a Silverstone base in April 2024 as part of their approach to get started on their attempts to enter the sport, with the 48,000 square foot facility adjacent to the race-track intended to house manufacturing facilities, ADM, electronics, R&D and additional office and meeting facilities. The site is one of three that will be used by the team, alongside further facilities in the American states of Indiana and North Carolina.

‘Cadillac team with Silverstone base’;

https://citiblog.co.uk/2025/03/07/f1...ort-from-2026/


F1 confirm new team - powered by Ferrari - will join the grid next year with at least one of the drivers likely to be American
• A bid, headed by US team Andretti, was first rejected but a deal has been done
• 1978 world champion Mario Andretti is set to be involved with team as an advisor
• The other 10 teams on the grid had been against introduction due to prize money
By PA
7 Mar 2025
MailOnline

The other 10 teams had largely been against the introduction of a new outfit because of the dilution of prize money. However, it is understood Cadillac's ambition to become a full works team and commitment to a future power unit of their own - as well as the significant financial involvement of General Motors in the project - was too good for the sport to resist.

Cadillac, a division of American motoring giant General Motors, will be supported by TWG Motorsports and powered by Ferrari before it develops its own engines. It is expected that at least one of Cadillac's drivers will be American. Briton Graeme Lowdon has already been announced as the team principal and it will have a base at Silverstone.

‘At least one of Cadillac's drivers will be American’;

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


Cadillac F1: Who are the key personnel at America’s latest Formula 1 team?
07 Mar 2025
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

TWG Motorsports: Cadillac F1’s ownership group: The motorsport division was created to absorb the increasing motorsport investments made by TWG Global, which now include the Cadillac F1 team, Andretti Global’s IndyCar and Formula E endeavors, NASCAR’s Spire Motorsports team, IMSA’s Wayne Taylor Racing, and the Walkinshaw Andretti United Supercars team.

Graeme Lowdon: Cadillac F1 team principal: Lowdon has been actively involved in motorsport since the mid-1990s, and with his ties to Virgin Group, he assisted Richard Branson in the founding of the Virgin Racing F1 team that went on to become Marussia, then Manor.

Nick Chester: Technical director: Chester started at Simtek as a vehicle simulation researcher before moving to the Arrows Formula 1 team in 1995. His role evolved from vehicle simulation engineer to suspension designer to race engineer. After that, Chester headed to Benetton, Lotus, and Renault…

‘Key personnel’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ca...formula-1-team


Who should Cadillac sign as its F1 drivers for 2026?
Cadillac has officially been approved for an F1 entry in 2026 - but we want to know who should be signed as its driver line-up!
7 Mar 2025
Jake Nichol

There will be an 11th team on the F1 grid for the 2026 season after Cadillac received final approval for its entry. The General Motors project will join the grid from the start of next season after passing all technical and commercial tests and will mark GM's first taste of F1.

Former Marussia boss Graeme Lowdon has been signed as team principal, but the identity of the driver pairing has yet to be confirmed. With that in mind, RacingNews365 wants to know who you think should be its driver line-up. To do so, vote in the poll below, and we will select the top two options from the number of votes cast to declare a result!

‘Who should Cadillac sign?’;

https://racingnews365.com/who-should...ivers-for-2026


Cadillac F1 chief addresses driver rumours after 2026 entry confirmed
American driver Colton Herta has been linked to the Cadillac F1 team.
Mar 7, 2025
Lydia Mee
Motorsport.com

Cadillac F1 team principal Graeme Lowdon has addressed the rumours surrounding the driver lineup for the team, which has now been formally approved to join the Formula 1 grid in 2026. “There’s some very talented drivers still out there. We hadn’t been able to be in the driver market until the entry was confirmed. Now it has, we can move forward with that.

“In terms of timing, we’re not putting any timeline on driver announcements or anything like that but for sure, there will be in time. For sure we’re going to hire drivers based on merit. But as such, we see no reason why we won’t have American drivers in time.”

“There’s nothing preventing a driver being selected on merit and being American. I think that would be something that a lot of fans would really want to see as well. At the end of the day, the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is based in the US. We have an operation in the UK, but it’s headquartered in the US and it is a US team as well. I’m fairly sure that hiring on merit and having a US driver are entirely compatible objectives for the team.”

‘Driver rumours’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/c...rmed/10701253/


Cadillac F1 entry ‘transformative’ as FIA president welcomes ‘milestone’ moment
7 Mar 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

In a statement, Ben Sulayem said: “Today marks a transformative moment, and I am proud to lead the Federation in this progressive step for the championship. The FIA Formula One Championship’s expansion to an 11th team in 2026 is a milestone.”

“GM/Cadillac brings fresh energy, aligning with the new FIA 2026 regulations and ushering in an exciting era for the sport. The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s presence in the paddock will inspire future competitors and fans. Their entry strengthens our mission to push motorsport’s boundaries at the highest level.”

‘Transformative’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/cadill...ed-ben-sulayem


Analysis: ‘We don’t just want to turn up and race’ – Cadillac’s challenge ahead as F1’s 11th team prepare to hit the grid in 2026
7 Mar 2025
Lawrence Barretto
Formula One - Official Site

Cadillac have done a deal with Ferrari to use their power units and gearboxes from next season. The race is now on to be ready for 2026 – and while it’s going to be a massive challenge, the American outfit is up for it. “In terms of being ready to race, everything is on schedule,” Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, who knows how to get a Formula 1 team set up having brought Virgin Racing into the sport in 2010, told F1.com.

“We don’t just want to turn up and race, we want to be as competitive as we possibly can be. From that point of view, for sure we would have loved to have had more time and more people because the more of that you have, the more performance you can build in. But we recognised that the process itself requires a huge amount of energy and effort.”

“In terms of timeline for production, we’re happy with where that stands. We’ve been using a lot of time up to now doing a lot of testing and validation of individual components, things like testing of noses, squeeze testing of chassis elements and the like. There’s an awful lot of work that has gone on in the background. There’s still a lot of work to do. We’re in a significantly better position now that we’re now a fully-fledged F1 team. We will have access to all the data and information that all the other teams have.”

‘Hit the grid in 2026’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...MXNyrINwqc4kUY

[Fortitude]

Joy for McLaren? Max Verstappen’s blunt Red Bull assessment ahead of Australian GP.
Max Verstappen has admitted that Red Bull have “too much work to do” to stop McLaren winning next weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the F1 2025 season.
8 Mar 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

According to PlanetF1.com’s best guess regarding the initial pecking order, based on conversations with teams up and down the paddock as well as from watching the cars trackside in Bahrain, McLaren are set to start the F1 2025 campaign with the quickest car with Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari all battling behind.

With the Red Bull RB21 carrying a striking resemblance to its predecessor, technical director Pierre Waché admitted at the conclusion of the Bahrain test that he is “not as happy as [he] could be” at this stage of the season.

Waché revealed that the RB21 “did not respond how we wanted at times”, a common complaint of the 2024 car, raising doubts over how much Red Bull have improved since the end of last season. He went on to add that while the team are heading in the right direction with development, “the magnitude of the direction was not as big as we expected.”

‘Max Verstappen’s blunt Red Bull assessment’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...-australian-gp


Hamilton slower than last year? 'I would put Mercedes ahead of Ferrari'
7 Mar 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz sees Lewis Hamilton's former team Mercedes "ahead of the Ferraris" as Formula 1 gears up for the Australian Grand Prix. Many saw it as a move to chase a record-breaking eighth world title, but according to Kravitz, speaking on Sky Sports News, it may be his former team who have more pace to start the season: "That Mercedes is quick. I would put it behind the McLaren in terms of where they are on the grid, and maybe ahead of the Ferrari's early on."

"I would say that George Russell has got a great chance of being third. And watch out for Kimi Antonelli too. It's great to have an Italian back in Formula 1, but when all the attention is on the man who went from Mercedes to Ferrari, it might be an Italian driver not in a Ferrari who manages to get on the podium," concluded Kravitz.

"That Mercedes is quick”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33073...australia.html


Why Williams staff are privately feeling ‘really nervous’ before the Australian Grand Prix
7 Mar 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Williams do not want to get carried away with testing performance before Australian Grand Prix. Early indications are that Williams have taken a step forward in development. Sainz went quickest on day two of testing ahead of the two Ferraris. But according to journalist Mat Coch, the staff in Grove are ‘really nervous’ heading into the Australian Grand Prix. They do not want to get carried away with their display in Bahrain, despite signs being good for their 2025 prospects.

Coch said via Speedcafe: “I was actually messaging a few people at Williams over the three days of testing and they don’t want to get themselves carried away. They’re really nervous, they’re saying: ‘It’s only testing!’ But the signs are good. Certainly when you look at the last couple of years, they’ve been struggling for points. They were in that battle for sixth but they were an arm’s length away from it really last season in terms of the constructors’ championship.”

“This year they look very much in the fight, not just for sixth but potentially for fifth as well. That’s a huge step forward in terms of where that team has come from in recent years. And what it does, it also validates all the work they’re doing off track because there’s been a huge amount of investment since Dorilton Capital bought that team in 2020. They’ve spent off the top of my head 857.2 million Australian dollars, work that out say 500 million American? That’s a huge amount of money to invest in a team.”

‘Really nervous’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...an-grand-prix/


Christian Horner names 'standout' car ahead of F1 season-opener
Pre-season testing in Bahrain saw the F1 teams roll out their new challengers for the year ahead, with one catching the eye of Red Bull's Christian Horner.
8 Mar 2025
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“Into this cycle of regulations, it’s clear that the cars have converged and they look very, very similar,” Horner told media including RacingNews365. “I think probably Ferrari is a standout as probably being a differentiator.”

“That’s inevitable, marginal gains are going to be there. Every surface on our car is different to last year, it just looks similar because it’s a similar philosophy. You can see other cars have converged with that. That’s what is going to make the racing so tight this year, that some cars might suit some circuits better than others.”

‘Ferrari is a standout’;

https://racingnews365.com/christian-...-season-opener


Bernie Ecclestone sells £500 million F1 car collection to Red Bull co-owner
8 Mar 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

According to the MailOnline, Mark Mateschitz, the son of the late Red Bull founder Dietrich, who inherited his father’s 49 percent share in the business, has snapped-up the collection of 69 cars from Mr Ecclestone. Ecclestone appeared happy with the sale, commenting: “These are unique vehicles. They have written sport history and marked technical milestones.

They embody 70 years of F1 history. “It means a great deal to me to know that this collection is now in the very best of hands. Mark is the best and most worthy owner we could ever imagine.” The collection comprises of a plethora of cars from various era, and features a strong presence of Ferraris, including the F2002, which helped Michael Schumacher to his fifth World Championship with 11 wins from 17 races.

Another notable car in the collection is the Brabham BT46, commonly known as the ‘fan car’, from 1978, when Ecclestone was owner of the team. Designed by Gordon Murray, the car utilised a fan which extracted air from underneath, creating a huge amount of downforce. It raced just once, at the Swedish Grand Prix, and took Niki Lauda to victory, but was pulled by the team thereafter due to concerns raised by other teams.

‘They embody 70 years of F1 history’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...bull-co-owner/

[Fortitude]

"McLaren are three tenths ahead," reveals Helmut Marko.
Following the three-day pre-season testing, Red Bull's motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko insisted that the Milton Keynes-based outfit still needs to iron out a few issues with its new car.
10 Mar 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Red Bull's motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko insisted that the Milton Keynes-based outfit still needs to iron out a few issues with its new car. “I’m not disappointed with the RB21, but it would have been nice if our adaptations and innovations had worked right away. The car is more predictable, it reacts to changes in trim as it should, there is no longer the unpredictability that characterized much of 2024. Some news didn’t work and this means we still have room for improvement.”

Marko expects McLaren to carry over its competitive advantage into the upcoming season, estimating that the reigning world champion outfit enjoying a gap of two-three tenths of a second which is mainly due to better tyre degradation. “We still have 2-3 tenths to be at the level of McLaren, which has had a much better degradation than ours in terms of tires,” concluded Marko.

"McLaren are three tenths ahead";

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26403


F1 Australian GP 2025 Schedule
This year, we kick off the Formula 1 season in Australia, something that last happened in 2019. Check out the full schedule of the F1 Australian GP here and don’t miss the moment the red lights go out!
10 Mar 2025
RacingNews365 Staff

The schedule of the F1 Australian GP is automatically adjusted to your time zone.
F1 schedule Australian GP

Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 14 March 02:30 - 03:30
Free practice 2 Friday 14 March 06:00 - 07:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 15 March 02:30 - 03:30
Qualification Saturday 15 March 06:00 - 07:00
Race Sunday 16 March 05:00 - 07:00

‘Schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-austral...-2025-schedule


Rising rain threat for Australian Grand Prix
This weekend’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix faces an extra threat with an increasing risk of rain forecast.
10 March 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Cars hit track for the first time on Friday with Thursday, opening day of the four-day event, given over to local support categories, headlined by Supercars. Current forecasts predict cool but dry conditions to start proceedings, with an expected top of 23.

Things will warm and brighten up on Friday, with a top of 29 on the cards as F1 heads out on track for the first time. The warmer conditions are expected to remain on Saturday, though there is a 40 percent chance of showers according to the Bureau of Meteorology. That is largely expected overnight and, while potentially making the Albert Park circuit greasy, forecasts suggest it should not otherwise interrupt proceedings for the first F1 qualifying session of the year.

However, the threat of rain during the day is real moving into Sunday. Temperatures are expected to fall slightly while the chance of any rain in Melbourne increases to 70 percent, with estimates of up to eight millimetres over the day. That is predicted to hit Melbourne in the afternoon, with the chance increasing from noon.

‘Rising rain threat’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-a...-rain-details/


‘People in the paddock’ spotted staff at 95-race F1 team looking miserable after 2025 Bahrain testing
9 Mar 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Kimi Raikkonen former engineer Julien Simon-Chautemps was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast and his sources in the paddock gave him the lowdown of what was happening during testing. It sounds like staff in the Aston Martin garage weren’t having the best time after a tricky end to 2024.

Aston Martin staff had ‘long faces’ after watching their cars during pre-season F1 testing. “And then for me, one of the disappointments was Aston [Martin]. Talking to some people in the paddock and you were there, I wasn’t, but apparently they had some long faces over there, like not very happy. They clearly don’t have the pace in qualifying or in the race. So they’re around P8.”

‘Miserable’;

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


'I am 100% convinced' - Former Red Bull driver makes key Newey claim
Adrian Newey has started work at Aston Martin - with one former Red Bull racer sure success will be delivered.
9 Mar 2025
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Former Red Bull driver Christian Klien is "100% convinced" that Adrian Newey will ultimately deliver F1 success to Aston Martin in the future. "This year's Aston Martin doesn't seem to be good, but it remains to be seen if Newey can do something for the car right away, I don't know, but I do think he will come up with something. However, it is not clear if he can implement them for this season, especially with the focus on 2026, which will be his main focus," Klien told RacingNews365.

"Aston Martin has done incredibly well in bringing Newey in, I am 100% convinced he still has it in him, and I remember how he made Red Bull a top team. He succeeded because he knew who to work with and created a fantastic team around him and built it step-by-step, but it did take a few years. Even at Red Bull, he needed some time to let everything fall into place, and in my view, a perfect process takes about five years.”

"The question therefore is whether he has come in time for Fernando Alonso (who will turn 49 in 2030). They will become a top team, but it is difficult to say in what time frame that will happen. It is not easy to gather a good team of people, and you have to take them away from other teams, and then also deal with gardening leave, but it is definitely not a 'one-man team' with Newey. One of his great strengths is that he knows exactly who to sign, that is why he is absolutely the right man for Aston Martin, he will be a success story."

‘100% convinced’;

https://racingnews365.com/i-am-100-c...ey-newey-claim


Honda tipped to come out on top in F1 2026 power unit regulation shake-up
09 Mar 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Honda has been tipped to create the best powertrain in Formula 1 during the next regulation cycle as new engine regulations will shake up the formbook next season. Honda is set to return to Formula 1 as a full-blown supplier in 2026, having agreed on a works supply deal with Lawrence Stroll’s Aston Martin team as Red Bull has embarked on a partnership with Ford to create Red Bull Powertrains for its two teams.

Otmar Szafnauer is a former veteran of Honda motorsport, having been on the board of Honda’s F1 team and becoming vice-president of Honda Racing Developments in the mid-2000s. Saafnauer believes that even if Honda doesn’t immediately have the best powertrain in F1 2026, it won’t take long for the Japanese manufacturer to rise to the top. “If I look back at what they did with these regulations when they came in with McLaren, again, they didn’t start off with the best powertrain and ended up with the best powertrain,” he said.

“They will absolutely end up with the best powertrain. They work hard. They have the resources to do it, they have the infrastructure to do it. They have smart powertrain engineers. And one thing Honda has always prided itself on is being a powertrain company, a powertrain-led company. So every CEO at Honda Motor Company has been an engine engineer. They’ve had no other CEOs other than engine engineers.”

‘Tipped to create the best powertrain in Formula 1’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/honda-...les-cycle-2026

[Fortitude]

IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2025 Australian Grand Prix.
That’s right everybody, it’s finally race week again! More than three months after last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a new Formula 1 season is set to kick-off and there is plenty to get excited about, so here are just a few of the fresh topics ahead of the race weekend in Melbourne.
10 Mar 2025
Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site

Home hope for Piastri: Australian drivers have not had the best of luck at their home race over the years. Since the race became a part of the World Championship in 1985 – then in Adelaide – there has never been an Australian driver classified on the podium.

Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari: Seeing Hamilton in red has been one thing so far this year, but seeing him racing in red is going to be quite another. Hamilton has been doing everything he can to get up to speed as quickly as possible, in the knowledge that 2025 is likely to be an extremely competitive season. He also has one of the quickest drivers on the grid alongside him in Charles Leclerc, so he’s set for a stern test.

While not technically a rookie, Liam Lawson will start his first full season in F1 at Red Bull after impressing for Racing Bulls last year, taking over as Max Verstappen’s team mate from Sergio Perez. Although Lawson will drive for a team that finished ahead of Mercedes in the Teams’ Championship, perhaps the most high-profile rookie is Kimi Antonelli stepping up to replace Hamilton, with the 18-year-old Italian continuing a remarkable rise through the ranks

‘5 storylines’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...9UiJysIhX7u1EY


Mercedes over the hill? Wolff looks to Australia: 'This is just the beginning'
10 Mar 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

In a press release, Mercedes team principal and CEO, Toto Wolff, speaks… ''We will write the opening lines of our next chapter at the Australian Grand Prix. It's an exciting time as we build upon the incredible legacy of the Mercedes brand in motorsport. We will be striving to set new benchmarks and fulfil new dreams in the years ahead. That will take every single one of us: from the drivers to the mechanics, engineers, everyone at Brackley and Brixworth and, of course, our fans," reads the start of the hopeful message.

Stating the components that make-up Mercedes' DNA, ''Innovation; Pushing the boundaries; The pioneering spirit of our founders,'' what 'drives them forward', he of course, addresses its "homegrown" all new driver lineup of Russell, and Hamilton's replacement, Andrea Kimi Antonelli. ''With George and Kimi, two homegrown talents from our junior programme graduates, we have a strong driver line-up that combines experience, youth, and raw speed. It is an exciting duo that will lead us into our next era.''

''As a team, we had an uphill challenge over the winter. Our competitors finished 2024 strongly and we know that Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren in particular, should have a performance advantage over us initially,'' added Wolff… "Both drivers commented favourably on the W16 after the three days, and we seem to have made improvements. Of course, the only thing that matters is how we measure up against the stopwatch relative to our competitors. We will certainly begin to get a clearer picture on that this weekend.''

‘Components that make-up Mercedes' DNA’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33127...lton-exit.html


'I'm ready' - Defiant Norris reveals McLaren 'momentum' hope
Lando Norris' pursuit of a maiden F1 drivers' title begins this weekend in the first round of the 2025 F1 season.
10 Mar 2025
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

On the second day of testing, Norris delivered a stunning race simulation, leaving the paddock pointing at McLaren as the team to beat at Albert Park. "I’m excited to get the 2025 season started in Melbourne!" said Norris. "It’s a special track for me as this was where I made my debut with McLaren back in 2019.”

"This circuit has been good to us in the past, and hopefully, we’ve carried our momentum from 2024 into this year. We had a productive test, but we won’t know where we stand until Qualifying on Saturday. I think this should be a very exciting season with a lot of close racing. There’s going to be a lot of competition, which should hopefully make it exciting for the fans to watch. I’m ready to get the season started!"

'Momentum hope’;

https://racingnews365.com/im-ready-d...-momentum-hope


Five unforgettable Australian Grand Prix moments from title-deciding collision to Jenson Button masterclass
11 Mar 2025
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill collide at Adelaide in 1994: Perhaps one of the most controversial moments in F1 history was when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill collided during the 1994 title showdown.
Ralf Schumacher gets airborne during 2002 season opener: Ralf Schumacher’s start to the 2002 season would last all but 400m when he created a spectacular crash trying to overtake Rubens Barrichello.

Jenson Button goes from last to first in 2010 masterclass: Jenson Button was always known as a wet weather master when he was in F1, and that was on full display in only his second race with McLaren.
Daniel Ricciardo loses podium in 2014: It is the dream of any driver to stand on the podium of their home race and it appeared as though Daniel Ricciardo has achieved that in 2014 when he crossed the line in third. But post-race he would be disqualified for exceeding the fuel flow allowed within the permitted amount by the FIA.

Fernando Alonso escapes injury after big 2016 crash: The 2016 season was already turning into a difficult one for Fernando Alonso after McLaren’s partnership with Honda got off to a rocky start. Alonso found himself at the back of the grid due to the poor reliability of the Honda power unit, and would go on to suffer a spectacular crash when racing with Esteban Ocon.

‘Unforgettable’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fiv...n-masterclass/


Australian GP facing rising threat ahead of 2025 season-opener
If you're heading to Albert Park this weekend, an emergency poncho or two might come in handy...
10 Mar 2025
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

As of 19:00 AEDT on Monday 10th March (08:00 UK) there is a 64% and rising chance of rain showers blowing through Melbourne and Albert Park at 15:00 AEDT on Sunday afternoon (04:00 UK) - the time the race is set to begin.

There is currently a huge storm system in the Tasman Sea off the coast of Tasmania and New Zealand, the bulk of which will hit the southern island before another system moves in behind in, drawing wind and rain from the Southern Ocean, near Antartica.

If the rain does hit the Albert Park circuit, it will come in from the south-west, meaning the final corners would be the first to be impacted if a shower pops up during the race, although race day morning itself is forecast to be extremely wet.

‘Rising chance of rain showers blowing through Melbourne and Albert Park’;

https://racingnews365.com/australian...-season-opener

[Fortitude]

Ex-McLaren mechanic now fears one ‘total disaster’ scenario between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in 2025.
Oscar Piastri is expected to go toe-to-toe with his teammate this year, having had two seasons to settle into the car and learn about its characteristics.
11 Mar 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Marc Priestley fears ‘total disaster’ at McLaren if Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fight for F1 title. Piastri admitted one 2024 move on Norris wasn’t appropriate after causing a stir on lap one of the Italian Grand Prix. For the first time, it showed that the two may not be the best of friends when it comes to fighting on the track. It was at a time of real need for Norris, who needed to win to keep his title hopes alive.

Marc Priestley is worried that a similar level of disregard could produce a nightmare situation for his ex-team in 2025. “They go in 25′, day one, both drivers have the same shot at winning the title,” he said. “If they produce a car that is either the quickest or right up there, the only thing standing between them and the world championship is probably the other one. I’ve never seen a situation ever in Formula 1, and I don’t believe it’s true it can happen, where the drivers stay friends when that’s the scenario. It rarely happens.”

“It happened with us in 2007 with Fernando and Lewis – total disaster. It happened with Nico and Lewis at Mercedes again,” Priestley continued. “This isn’t just about Lewis by the way. This is the rare occurrence when your car is dominant and there’s no other challenge from outside. It’s one of your two drivers is going to win the one thing they’ve both dreamt of since [being] kids.”

‘Fears’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ex-...astri-in-2025/


Why hometown hero Piastri could finally break the curse of Albert Park
11 Mar 2025
Oliver van Bronswijk
The Roar

The Australian Grand Prix has had a funny effect on our homegrown talents across the years. Despite Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo having capable podium-scoring machinery at the hands of Red Bull Racing, neither managed the feat. History has not been favourable for Australians since the debut of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide in 1985.

It took until 2002 for a full-time race driver to come back to an Australian in the form of Mark Webber. Whilst he did stand on the podium in 2002, it was for finishing fifth in a Minardi. A miraculous achievement but awards no trophy. His Red Bull successor Daniel Ricciardo also stood on the podium and lifted the second-place trophy in 2014. But he was disqualified the next day for breaching fuel consumption regulations.

In 2025, we have two Australians on the grid: Jack Doohan racing for Alpine and Oscar Piastri for McLaren. No offence to Doohan but as it’s his second Grand Prix and in a midfield car, he is unlikely to podium on Sunday. Oscar Piastri on the other hand has a real opportunity.

‘The curse’;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/03/1...f-albert-park/


Oscar Piastri hoping for fast start to F1 title challenge in Melbourne at Australian Grand Prix
11 Mar 2024
Michael Doyle
ABC Online

In short: Oscar Piastri has a genuine chance of winning his home grand prix this weekend, a feat not achieved by an Australian since the race was added to the Formula 1 world championship. McLaren stormed home in 2024 to claim its first F1 constructors' championship since 1998, with Piastri winning in Hungary and Azerbaijan.

For Piastri to become Australia's first world champion since Alan Jones in 1980, the McLaren driver says he needs to hitting the ground running to start the season. "Definitely, I'm going in with the hope and ambition to fight for the drivers' title and to help the team retain the constructors' title," Piastri said in an interview with McLaren ahead of the season-opener in Melbourne. "With the season we've just had, it would be silly to aim for anything less — certainly to prepare for anything less — but we'll see how we come out of the gates and reassess from there."

"Last year, for the most part, was a good step up from my rookie season, but I still need to improve," he said. "I think my good weekends were very strong, but it is about getting to a place where all of my weekends look like that. That's the big key. There are some specific areas I want to focus on to go faster, but it's mostly about trying to be at the top of my game, consistently."

‘Genuine chance of winning’;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-...enge/105036878


‘Mess up on this, you cannot be part of McLaren’: Aussie’s rivalry reset after team orders ultimatum
10 Mar 2024
Fox Sports (Australia)

Oscar Piastri is about to embark on just his third Formula 1 campaign, but his target in 2025 is clear. “I want to win the world championship this year,” he said, per Autosport. “I do think that I can become world champion this year.” It’s a quote as understated as the 23-year-old Melburnian himself.

Piastri is used to the competitive limelight. He won three junior titles on the bounce, all in succession, to make himself one of the most hyped rookies in years on debut in 2023. But it’s taken him three years to get what the paddock assumes will be a title-contending car, McLaren having unexpectedly surged to the constructors championship last season.

“We have discussions with our race drivers before every race,” Stella said. “We talk about our principles, going racing. One principle, just to make an example — I don’t want to disclose too much, but this one is simple — is: the interest of the team comes first. If you mess up on this matter, you cannot be part of the McLaren Formula 1 team. That’s the principle.”

‘Papaya rules?’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...7c048f0c95ba12


McLaren locks Piastri down with long-term contract extension
Mar 11, 2025
Josh Suttill
The Race

Oscar Piastri has committed to a multi-year extension on his current McLaren contract that should keep him at the Formula 1 team until at least 2028. Partway through his rookie F1 season in 2023 Piastri signed a long-term deal with McLaren stretching until the end of 2026. Now on the eve of the 2025 F1 season starting at the Australian Grand Prix in Piastri's home city of Melbourne, he has agreed a new "multi-year extension" to the contract.

"It's a great feeling knowing that I'm part of McLaren’s long-term vision," Piastri said. "The team had the belief in me when we signed in 2022, and the journey we've gone on over the past two seasons to help return McLaren to the very top of the sport has been incredible. There are so many talented and special people working at MTC [the McLaren Technology Centre] who have helped me to become a Formula 1 race winner very early in my career.”

"Therefore, I'm very proud to be continuing to represent this legendary team for many years to come. I'm excited to fight for the big prizes as a McLaren driver and after last year's fantastic achievements, it has made me even hungrier to stay at the sharp end."

‘Multi-year extension’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/o...erm-extension/


Analysis: Why McLaren have locked down Piastri to a new contract extension now
11 Mar 2025
Formula One - Official Site

McLaren have made a habit of not wanting to hang about when it comes to handing out contract extensions to their drivers and senior leadership team in the last couple of years. Their latest move to extend Oscar Piastri’s stay at the team still further proves how much he impressed them in his second year, how highly they rate him and how sought-after he is by some of their rivals.

Piastri only joined McLaren at the start of 2023, the Australian leaping over from Alpine and impressing so quickly, he earned a multi-year extension after just 15 races with the iconic British team. Ahead of this third campaign in F1, McLaren have locked him down until at least the end of 2027 and possibly longer – though as with any F1 contract, there are likely to be a plethora of options and clauses on both sides.

‘Impressed them in his second year’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...o6VoiCspcKnn50

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris rubbishes ‘short-sighted’ claims of McLaren advantage over F1 rivals.
Lando Norris has slammed the “short-sighted” notion that McLaren holds an advantage over its Formula 1 rivals ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
March 13th, 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“I know there’s a lot of expectation and it’s what everyone says,” Norris told select media including Motorsport Week on Thursday. “It was really, it was just my one race run I did made everyone believe this [advantage] quite heavily. It was a good race run, but it was also in the most perfect conditions.”

“Oscar [Piastri] did a race run the next day that was a lot slower. Not because he drove worse but simply because the conditions on the final day were considerably slower. So I’m quite surprised so many people are so short-sighted, especially people you wouldn’t expect to be, making so many conclusions before you even start the season.”

“But everyone just wants to play that game of looking like the underdog and playing it down. We just focus on ourselves and it’s nice that so many people are thinking about us and talking about us. Great publicity for us so I thank all of them.”

‘Lando Norris has slammed the “short-sighted” notion’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ver-f1-rivals/


‘We are not the quickest at the moment’ – Verstappen assesses where Red Bull stand ahead of Australian Grand Prix
March 13th, 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull are “not the quickest at the moment” going into the first race of the 2025 season in Australia, though the Dutchman is confident that the picture can “change quite quickly” as the year progresses.

Asked ahead of the weekend in Melbourne about the sort of shape that Red Bull are in entering into this season, Verstappen responded: “Positive shape, I guess. I don’t know! I guess we’ll find out more this weekend and after. We’ll try to do our best – there’s not really much more that we can do. Testing is not many days, so we found a few areas we can work on and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”

In terms of whether the RB21 felt like a step forward from its predecessor during the three days of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, the reigning World Champion added: “Yeah, I think naturally there’s an improvement, but there are still things that we want to improve on and to do better. This is a different track to Bahrain so that already will feel a bit different to drive the car here, but step by step.”

“We’ll try to do our best”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...fyJww4QeUvN3ma


‘You’ve got to be careful’: F1 experts’ warning for McLaren ahead of Australian GP – Pit Talk
March 13th, 2025
Fox Sports (Australia)

Sky Sports’ Formula 1 experts have warned that tensions could flare up between McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris if the duo aren’t properly managed and take points off each other this season. “There’s McLaren team personnel getting lost in the paddock because they haven’t been at No. 1 in the pitlane since 1998, when most of the staff weren’t even working there,” Sky Sports commentator David Croft while speaking on Fox Sports.

“We’re in for a brilliant season with McLaren. If they are head and shoulders above the rest, as the form in testing seems to suggest, that’s great for us, because there’ a team that will give both drivers equal chance to go out and race, which might not be the best way to win a title, but it’s great for us in the commentary box.”

Fellow pundit Martin Brundle predicted that McLaren wouldn’t choose a designated No. 1 driver to prioritise throughout the season, instead letting Piastri and Norris battle it out on the track. McLaren start the season as favourites in the teams’ championship, but you have to assume that Oscar and Lando will take points off each other like they did last year,” Brundle said. “You’re working for a team, but you're competing as an individual. They all want to be world champion.”

‘You’ve got to be careful’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...511d2817441ac6


Williams boss James Vowles tells Carlos Sainz where he wants him to finish at the Australian Grand Prix
12 Mar 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

“A successful season to me is obviously building on last year,” said Vowles. “What I mean by that is not just fundamentally in championship position but making sure that we have a much better grasp of what we’re doing in terms of developmental items, of use of the product. It’s also items that aren’t really relevant to the 24 races you see at home.”

“But making sure that we’re able to run the car programme and those 24 races in succession and tandem with developing next year’s car, without hindering it at the same time whilst we’re building the team and building technologies underneath as well.

“So effectively it’s this continued transformation that will take place across ’25 and ’26 as well without effecting our on track performance. A good season on track for me looks like that we have a constant or a commonplace position in the top 10 in qualifying and in racing and I think we have the drivers to do it. We have a good foundation to work from so that is our aspiration and goal.”

‘Top 10’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wil...an-grand-prix/


Lawson: Australian GP feels like a home race
This weekend’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix feels like a home race for Liam Lawson.
13 Mar 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

“Myself and the team have prepared a lot for the season which has been great,” Lawson said. “It’s been my first official pre-season in Formula 1, so it’s nice to bring all the hard work we’ve done into Melbourne for this weekend.”

“It’s obviously really exciting to get the season underway and, of course, have my first Australian Grand Prix,” Lawson said. “It’s close to home, so it feels like a home race for me. I’m looking forward to my first weekend with the team,” he added.

“Home race”;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-l...-bull-comment/


Hamilton hails ‘most exciting period of my life’ as he gets set for Ferrari debut in Australia
13 Mar 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Asked for his pre-race feelings in Thursday’s driver press conference, Hamilton said: “I’m very, very fortunate I’ve had this amazing career in F1. Starting with McLaren here in 2007 was an epic feeling, then starting with a new team again in Mercedes was incredibly special.”

“I think this is very reminiscent probably of my first year. For all those years I’ve gone up and down the paddock, looking at and seeing the red garage, and now I’m actually in the red garage… It’s a really nice feeling. I think just, always through the years, the pressure that I’ve put on myself has always been 10 times higher than any other pressure that can be put upon me,” he commented.

“I’ve not joined this team and been made to feel any pressure. I have an expectation for myself, I know what I can bring, I know what I can deliver, and I know what it’s going to take to do that. It’s just getting your head down and working away. I come with a very open mind coming into this weekend.”

“Very fortunate”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...u5IaeasD7KISfD