Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Alpine confirms Colapinto will replace Doohan for next five rounds as team rotates drivers.
Alpine said in a statement Colapinto will take Doohan’s place for the next five rounds at Imola, Monaco, Catalunya, Montreal and Red Bull Ring. The team then intends to re-evaluate its driver line-up before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
7th May 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Doohan’s future at the team looked shakier after they benched him during the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. They ran Ryo Hirakawa instead, a substitution which did not count towards the team’s quota of rookie driver runs, as they had already fulfilled that obligation on Doohan’s car.

Doohan, who made his F1 debut at the final round of last season, said he was proud to have achieved his ambition to become an F1 driver. “Obviously this latest chapter is a tough one for me to take because, as a professional driver, naturally I want to be racing,” he said. “That said, I appreciate the team’s trust and commitment.”

Colapinto said joining the team in time for the run of three consecutive rounds beginning next week will be “intense and a big challenge for everyone. I have stayed sharp, and I am as ready as possible with the team’s race support testing programme, as well as on the simulator at Enstone. I will do my best to get up to speed quickly and give it my all to deliver the best possible results alongside Pierre.”

‘Next five rounds at Imola, Monaco, Catalunya, Montreal and Red Bull Ring’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/05/07/...t-five-rounds/


Report: Jack Doohan was privately furious after taking the fall for error that cost Alpine £1.3m this season
6 May 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alpine showed a lack of class after Jack Doohan’s 185mph Japan crash. Replays showed that he’d kept the DRS open into the high-speed right-hander, a technique he’d used in the simulator. As a result, he didn’t have enough downforce to make the corner. Doohan accepted that this was his mistake, but according to The Race, Alpine didn’t tell him ‘to do anything different’. Therefore, they had to bear a ‘degree of responsibility’.

While senior Alpine staff tried to ‘help Doohan as best they could’, he was left to take the fall. ‘He was not happy’ with the lack of support he received. Doohan’s Suzuka crash cost Alpine £1.3m, a major dent in the cost cap. But the team arguably showed a lack of class by making him a scapegoat.

‘Privately furious’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jac...m-this-season/


‘He can be very proud’ – Piastri voices support for Doohan after fellow Australian’s Alpine demotion
May 8th, 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Oscar Piastri has shared support for Jack Doohan following the news that the Alpine driver will lose his race seat from the upcoming Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix weekend.

“I think if it is the end of the road for Jack, he can be very proud of firstly making it to F1,” Piastri told the Wide World of Sports show. “It’s not an easy thing, especially coming from Australia – there’s a lot of hard decisions along the way.
“If he has had his final race, I think hold your head up high, you’ve been an F1 driver, and no one can take that away from you.”

‘He can be very proud’;

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


‘Got inside his head’: F1 icon’s brutal verdict for Norris vs ‘street fighter’ Piastri
May 8th, 2025
Matthew Sullivan from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

One former F1 driver believes Oscar Piastri has “got inside Lando Norris’ head” as commentators float the theory Max Verstappen races the Aussie differently to his McLaren teammate. Piastri has a rocket ship of a car this season but the ease at which he’s overtaken Verstappen in recent times has sparked comparisons to Norris’ struggles with getting past the Dutchman.

Asked on Sky Sports if Verstappen races Piastri differently to Norris, commentator Martin Brundle said: “100 per cent, yes unquestionably. I think he (Verstappen) knows that there’s something a bit more street fighter about Oscar Piastri, he saw it in Jeddah. I think Max knows he’s got a different animal when Oscar’s in his mirrors, not by much, than Lando.”

“Just (in terms of the) positioning of the car, there’s a decisiveness about what he did (overtaking Verstappen in Miami). You can’t criticise Lando’s race craft because the way he passed the Mercedes and eventually Max was just top drawer. But I have absolutely no doubt, and just what he says as well, that Max realises Oscar’s a different deal in wheel to wheel combat.”

‘Got inside his head’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...99d1177cbfa55b


The McLaren 'secret' teams are falling over themselves to expose
May 8, 2025
Emily Patterson
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

McLaren has a car design "secret" that the rest of the Formula 1 grid is scrambling to expose, according to Mercedes star George Russell. The papaya team's early-season dominance is largely thanks to their superior tyre temperature management, and rivals are scrambling to catch up.

Across the six grand prix so far this season, the McLaren MCL39 has dominated. For the most part, this is because of their car's ability to keep its tyre temperatures controlled in warmer conditions. In Miami, the hottest race of the season so far, its advantage was on clear display - Oscar Piastri leading home teammate Lando Norris some 30 seconds clear of Russell in third.

‘Design secret’;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motors...08-p5lxoh.html


'That's got to hurt': Bernie Collins suspects Lewis Hamilton will privately be ‘hurt’ by what he saw at Mercedes in Miami
8 May 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton will be hurt by Kimi Antonelli fanfare, Bernie Collins says. While Ferrari still have just one podium to their name this season, Russell scored Mercedes’ fourth in six rounds in Miami. But Antonelli made even bigger headlines by taking Sprint pole on Friday evening.

Antonelli became the youngest pole-sitter in any format in F1 history. While a first-corner run-in with Oscar Piastri cost him places and he later collided with Max Verstappen in the pit lane, this was still the moment he announced himself as a future superstar. Hamilton is even struggling to beat Carlos Sainz, the driver he replaced at Ferrari. Midfield outfit Williams have occasionally shown the pace to disrupt the top teams.

“There were some comments from Lewis over the weekend about how good it was to see Kimi Antonelli on the Sprint pole,” Collins said. “That’s got to hurt, hasn’t it? That’s like seeing your ex having a much better new other half. As much as Lewis is saying all the right things, a little bit inside of you has got to feel that in Sprint qualifying.”

'That's got to hurt';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ber...edes-in-miami/


Ferrari hand Lewis Hamilton blow ahead of 2025 Emilia Romagna GP
The team confirms an upgrade will be introduced, but won’t be for pure performance
7 May 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Ferrari hand Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc a blow ahead of the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP by confirming an upgrade package is on the way, but that it won’t fix their problems with the SF-25 car.

“There will be updates for Imola,” Vasseur told media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “But it’s not just about development. It’s about finding the best compromise with this car. We definitely have a small step planned for Imola.”

“Then another one for Barcelona,” Vasseur added. “But the most important thing is to put everything together. Imola will likely suit us better than Miami, because we struggle a lot in low-speed corners.”

‘Ferrari hand Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc a blow’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/fer...ia-romagna-gp/


Ferrari now working on ‘totally unexpected’ change to fix what’s ‘compromising’ Lewis Hamilton
8 May 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari are now working on an ‘unexpected’ suspension change after their Miami GP woes. Also, only Hamilton’s bold strategy secured Ferrari a podium in the Miami Sprint after being one of the first drivers to pit for dry tyres. Their qualifying for the Grand Prix was also a vast disappointment in Miami with Leclerc the lead Ferrari in P8 and Hamilton eliminated in P12.

So, according to AutoRacer, Ferrari are now working on a ‘totally unexpected’ change to the rear suspension layout of the SF-25. The Scuderia cannot fathom why their existing design is proving to be so poor, with Maranello bosses unsure if it is due to the anchors or the travel. Ferrari overhauled the suspension set-up on their 2025 F1 car and moved the aerodynamic balance forwards with a new gearbox and a smaller rear unit. But the Scuderia failed to see the ‘trap’ Ferrari have fallen into, after their simulator data did not highlight any drawbacks.

‘Ferrari now working on ‘totally unexpected’ change’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...ewis-hamilton/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris issued 'perfection' warning by top McLaren boss.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has urged Lando Norris to "stop striving for perfection" and relax more into his driving if he is to become F1 world champion this year.
7 May 2025
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has been given a word of advice from McLaren CEO Zak Brown. "He needs to stop striving for perfection," said Brown, speaking to select media, including RacingNews365. "You talk to any driver, they'll always say they've never done the perfect lap. Just focus on doing the best you can."

As to how McLaren can prevent Norris from his perfection search, Brown added: "Well, there are various degrees of perfection. For me, perfection is doing the best you can, and if you miss that apex by three inches or brake a metre too late, that's going to happen, so I think striving to do the best you can is the best approach.”

"At every pit stop, if we do a 1.8-second stop, I bet we could do a 1.78. But don't go into each pit stop saying, 'I want to do 1.78'. Just go into each pit stop and do the best you can. That's a better place to be."

‘How McLaren can prevent Norris from his perfection search’;

https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...p-mclaren-boss


Ralf Schumacher tells Lando Norris he needs to learn how to overtake from one F1 rookie to conquer Max Verstappen
8 May 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Ralf Schumacher says Lando Norris can learn how to prepare overtakes from Oliver Bearman. It was put to Schumacher on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast that Norris continues to struggle to be decisive when battling Verstappen, especially on the track, but also other drivers.

He explained, “What is it definitely is that he’s not capable of doing this, otherwise he would be doing better. He’s been around long enough, there are no excuses for this. There are simply drivers who have a great eye for it. Max, for example, and Piastri and Bearman, are also great examples of how to prepare someone for an overtaking manoeuvre.”

“And Lando simply lacks that and he won’t learn it. That’s how it is and that’s what he tried and that was a reaction of defiance, but he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and that became a problem. I say it again, he can’t learn it and it will stay that way. That means for him, it’s only possible [to win the championship] through dominance and if he’s really at the front, and doesn’t make any mistakes.”

“He’s been around long enough, there are no excuses for this”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ral...ax-verstappen/


Lewis Hamilton 'should have apologised' as Ferrari star called out for F1 controversy
Lewis Hamilton's actions have been scrutinised by a former F1 star.
May 9, 2025
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that Lewis Hamilton should have apologised to Ferrari for his comments on the radio at the Miami Grand Prix, rather than claim that he meant them sarcastically. (Lewis Hamilton said), “You hear some of the things others have said in the past… Some of it was sarcasm. Look, you’ve got to understand we’re under a huge amount of pressure within the car. You’re never going to get the most peaceful messages coming through in the heat of the battle. And yeah, it was fine. We said we’ll take it…”

However, this explanation wasn’t enough to satisfy former Williams and Toyota driver Schumacher. Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, he stated: “'Mi, mi, mi’ Hamilton, that was somehow off the mark. If you really want to get past, that’s one thing; he was faster at the time. But then give it back without a fight.

“And afterwards, I don’t pretend that I meant it sarcastically. Instead, I just say that I’m sorry. That shouldn’t really happen with his experience and his age. He could have acted a bit more cleverly. I think that would have suited him better.” Schumacher then added: “Of course, the relationship is tarnished by such actions. That will stick, and he has to know that himself. There is now a need for clarification, and it will definitely be discussed – especially internally, how to deal with it in the future.”

“Of course, the relationship is tarnished by such actions”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...alf-Schumacher


Carlos Sainz reveals staggering scale of 're-learning' facing Lewis Hamilton
Carlos Sainz has provided an in-depth look at the sheer scale of adjusting F1 drivers such as Lewis Hamilton are facing.
9 May 2025
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

"For me, this is just one of the 15 things that you have to re-learn," Sainz explained to media, including RacingNews365, when presented with Hamilton's comments on the engine braking problems he has. "Some teams like to use engine braking to turn the car, others just prefer using more differential, and others prefer to use brake migration.”

"With others, the set-up of the car and putting front-end with the aerodynamics, others with mechanical and others with pitch or ride, you cannot imagine the amount of variability to make the car do a similar lap-time in so many different ways. That might be one of the 15-to-20 things I'm still trying to figure out and of course I am trying high-engine braking in the Williams to see if it works.”

"I'm trying differential maps, I'm trying mechanical balance, I'm trying everything every week to see what the car likes and what it doesn't. There are things which suit your style, others that don't and I enjoy that process which you are going to get wrong many times, but as long as you enjoy and embrace it and know you will get it wrong a few times, when you click and get it right, it is actually an Eureka moment that it feels good and makes sense."

‘Staggering scale of 're-learning' facing Lewis Hamilton’;

https://racingnews365.com/carlos-sai...lewis-hamilton


Max Verstappen sceptical on success of Red Bull F1 floor update in Miami
9 May 2025
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Verstappen uncertain on Red Bull update. But while he pipped Lando Norris to achieve a third pole this season, Verstappen was powerless to stop the McLaren duo passing him and cruising to a dominant 1-2. The Dutchman’s sizeable 40-second margin to Oscar Piastri has created scepticism in his mind about whether Red Bull’s revised floor has delivered the intended step.

Asked whether the update had worked, Verstappen told media including Motorsport Week: “If you look at the gap, not, but I don’t know. It’s very hard to say, we’ll keep working on it.” Red Bull boss Christian Horner, however, suggested the team was prioritising an enhancement to the RB21’s capricious quirks rather than outright performance gains. “I think it’s delivered a characteristic that we were looking for, and it’s part of a sequence of parts that will be introduced over [the] coming races,” he added.

‘Red Bull’s revised floor’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...date-in-miami/


Perez/Alpine talks a fresh F1 driver market twist
Perez an Alpine option after initial 2026 F1 talks
May 9, 2025
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Initial talks have taken place between Alpine and Sergio Perez's camp about a possible Formula 1 race seat for the Mexican driver next season. However, Perez’s representatives are not just in talks with Cadillac. He has a new management set-up now and long-time backer Carlos Slim Domit (pictured below with his wife last year) is still willing to support Perez. To that end, Slim combined an appearance at the Miami Grand Prix with meetings over Perez’s future.

It is understood that, with Perez's camp having made contact with Alpine late last year, a further conversation was had with Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore, to scope out whether that could be a destination for Perez next year. Perez is believed to be very open to that idea as it would obviously be a more competitive prospect than Cadillac, especially in the short-term, which Perez needs to consider given he will turn 36 in January next year.

‘Alpine option’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/s...pine-cadillac/

[Fortitude]

Thermal secrets and tyre tricks: Why Red Bull are scrambling to catch McLaren in F1 2025.
According to reports, images revealed unusually cold areas in McLaren’s brake drum assembly, suggesting they’ve developed a way to keep brake heat from transferring into the tyres — preserving tyre life for longer.
9 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

After a crushing defeat in Miami, Red Bull are racing to uncover McLaren’s tyre management secrets as overheating issues persist into 2025. “We’re doing our best to solve that,” Verstappen added. “Some things take a bit longer to understand.” Horner echoed that concern: “If you look at the data after the race, all the cars faced similar problems. But McLaren can manage these things much better.”

Why are McLaren faster than Red Bull in races but not always in qualifying? According to Andrea Stella, the McLaren car is more difficult to handle over a single lap but excels during race conditions when tire management becomes crucial and the car isn’t pushed to the absolute limit.

What specific advantage does McLaren have with tire management? Evidence suggests McLaren has developed an innovative brake drum cooling system that prevents heat from transferring to the tires, helping them maintain optimal operating temperature throughout race distances.

‘Thermal secrets and tyre tricks’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/red...-wear-f1-2025/


Max Verstappen spotted in 'secret' test for another team as F1 star uses pseudonym to avoid attention
9 May 2025
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

As reported by Auto, Motor und Sport (AMuS), Verstappen was seen driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 on the Nurburgring Nordschleife. It was suggested that Verstappen used the pseudonym 'Franz Hermann' in a bid to stay under the radar.
However, his true identity was revealed after Verstappen's name was seen on his helmet and his racing suit. The car was being run by Emil Frey Racing, a GT3 racing team based in Switzerland.

It was announced in March that Emil Frey Racing would be collaborating with the Red Bull driver's Verstappen.com Racing project in GT3. The report stated that Verstappen was shielded by his own security team, and photographers were not permitted inside the garage.

'Franz Hermann';

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/max-ve...87045-20250509


Toto Wolff urges F1 to seek ‘financially sustainable’ solution to rising fuel costs
9 May 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Speaking to media including Motorsport Week at the Miami Grand Prix, Wolff concluded that the costs are mostly down to the environmental impact of production, and is working with the team’s longstanding fuel partner for a viable solution. “From my point of view, what makes it so expensive is that the whole supply chain and energy contribution needs to be green,” he said.

“So we need to look at whether there’s anything we can tweak to bring the per-litre price down. We want to be open-minded. To achieve all of that, you need a certain specification of ingredients that is very expensive – and it’s coming in much more expensive than anyone thought.”

“Petronas has been a great partner of ours. They’re fully committed technically to the project, and with them we’re evaluating is there a regulation that can be changed to make it more financially sustainable.”

‘Costs are mostly down to the environmental impact of production’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ng-fuel-costs/


Concerning ‘information’ from Colapinto’s Alpine private test claimed by F1 pundit
9 May 2025
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Karun Chandhok has claimed that new Alpine driver Franco Colapinto had “a shunt” during testing as he prepares to take over Jack Doohan’s seat. “The information I was given to understand is that they tested at Qatar and Monza and I think he had a shunt or he had an off in those as well,” Chandhok told Sky Sports.

“Look, I think Colapinto is a good driver, but we only saw a small snapshot of it, and really, it’s hard to judge in that small window.” PlanetF1.com understands the incident at Monza was a minor off through the gravel.

The driver himself said he was excited to begin, saying he wants to deliver the best results alongside Pierre Gasly. “Firstly, I want to thank the team for giving me the opportunity to drive competitively for the next five races,” he said. “I will work hard with the team to prepare for the next race in Imola and the upcoming triple-header, which will no doubt be intense and a big challenge for everyone.”

‘Concerning information’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/concer...test-f1-pundit


Alpine 'open talks' with F1 star as Franco Colapinto replacement plan emerges
Alpine are already considering their options for the 2026 season.
May 9, 2025
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Alpine have reportedly held talks with Sergio Perez, giving them an experienced alternative to Franco Colapinto for the 2026 season. The Mexican racer has been on the sidelines this year after he was unceremoniously dumped by Red Bull, but is targeting a return to F1 after his short hiatus. Over the course of his 13-year F1 career, Perez developed a reputation as one of the midfield’s finest talents.

In a similar vein to Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly, his speed didn’t transfer well to life beside Max Verstappen at Red Bull, but there are no doubts within the paddock that he remains a capable hand behind the wheel of less-competitive machinery. Due to the late nature of his Red Bull exit in December, Perez was forced into a one-year sabbatical, but the six-time Grand Prix winner has been very active in the driver market as teams prepare for the new technical regulations in 2026.

‘Replacement plan emerges’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...to-Jack-Doohan


Sergio Perez linked to F1 return with surprise team - report
Sergio Perez is understood to be mulling over a return to the F1 grid, with a fresh option now emerging for the Mexican driver.
9 May 2925
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez has held talks with the Alpine F1 team over a race seat at the team for the 2026 season. He has spent the time away from the sport in his home country with his family while also mulling over the possibility of returning to the grid in 2026 when fresh regulations come into play.

Alpine will undergo a significant change next year as it drops its own power unit project in favour of Mercedes engines, which have been rumoured to be pick of the bunch as it stands amid a series of drastic changes to the build. The driver line-up at Alpine has also been a topic of discussion this week as Jack Doohan has been dropped for Franco Colapinto.

The Argentine has been given five races before a re-evaluation ahead of the British Grand Prix. Only Pierre Gasly is locked in at Alpine next year, with Perez now seemingly sitting as a fresh option for the French manufacturer.

‘Mulling over a return to the F1 grid’;

https://racingnews365.com/sergio-per...se-team-report

[Fortitude]

Thermal cameras and ‘tire water’ as Red Bull ‘unravel’ McLaren mystery.
According to initial reports, concerns were raised at the 2024 Singapore when moisture was spotted inside the wheel rims after the tyres were stripped from the cars after the race.
3 May 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Last season, as the RB20 fell behind the McLaren MCL38 as the car to beat and Red Bull reportedly suspected McLaren were filling their tyres with water in order to better cool them. “I cannot see anything strange from the data we have,” Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing, said. “I don’t have any evidence. I am not aware of any issue,” he added.

Red Bull reportedly want to know how McLaren are able to keep their Pirelli tyres in the ‘magic window so reliably – no matter what the tarmac temperature, no matter what the track’. According to AMuS, the team has turned to thermal imaging cameras to capture the temperature of the tyre cooling ducts on the MCL39 when the drivers come in for their pit stops with the focus primarily on the rear tyres as they generally overheat more quickly than the fronts.

The German publication claims Red Bull have noted ‘many blue areas around the brake vents on the McLaren tyres, while all the other cars showed a lot of orange and red’ with the team coming to the conclusion that it is ‘impossible’ to cool the tyres that well with just air alone.

‘Thermal imaging cameras to capture the temperature of the tyre cooling ducts on the MCL39’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/therma...claren-mystery


Andrea Stella hails McLaren mastering ‘black art’ of tyre management
6 May 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“I think we have seen before, we have talked about this a few times now, that whenever the conditions are challenging for the tyres in terms of overheating in particular, then the car seems to be doing a good job on keeping the tyres in a very good window and the car is gentle on the tyres,” McLaren chief Andrea Stella told select media including Motorsport Week.

“There’s very good engineering behind this, we have looked holistically at all the characteristics that you can have in a car that influence the behaviour of the tyres and I just want to take the opportunity to praise the work that has been done by the engineers at McLaren in terms of identifying these factors, designing these factors in a way that is practical to actually cash in this kind of benefit and then master one of the matters that still in F1 looks like it’s a little bit of a black art, which is dealing with tyres.”

“So, very proud of the team, very proud of our drivers that have been part of this process and I would say especially when it’s hot, there’s another characteristic which I think works very well with our car, which is the cooling system,” he added. “I think when it’s hot, our car, you can see that it’s relatively closed from a bodywork point of view because there’s been also great engineering gone into the cooling system, car layout.”

‘Mastering ‘black art’ of tyre management’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...re-management/


Red Bull investigating mysterious McLaren tyre-cooling secret - report
Red Bull is rumoured to be going to extreme measures to unearth the secrets behind McLaren's superior tyre management and dominant tyre performance in F1 this season.
3 May 2025
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Red Bull is taking matters into its own hands when it comes to establishing whether McLaren is employing illegal tyre-cooling methods in F1 this season, according to Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS). AMuS claims Red Bull's investigation shows McLaren's tyre temperature advantage to be even more extreme in warm climates. At hot races, such as in Bahrain and at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, it states the Christian Horner-led team found McLaren's brake drums to show many blue (cool) areas, whilst other teams' glowed orange or red through the camera.

The German publication also reports that the six-time constructors' champions have concluded it is impossible for McLaren to achieve the level of tyre cooling it is with air alone. This theory ties directly into recent - and seemingly persistent - speculation that the papaya outfit has been using water to cool its tyres, a rumour Zak Brown dismissed.

McLaren claims the advantage is derived from a combination of downforce, balance and other innovations. This could indicate advanced air conduction in the brake cooling system, special materials for temperature regulation, or other ingenious solutions. Suspicious first arose towards the end of last season, but Motorsport.com reported at the time the FIA had investigated the issue and found no evidence of impropriety.

‘Mysterious McLaren tyre-cooling secret’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-i...ecret---report


Thermal secrets and tyre tricks: Why Red Bull are scrambling to catch McLaren in F1 2025
After a crushing defeat in Miami, Red Bull are racing to uncover McLaren’s tyre management secrets as overheating issues persist into 2025
9 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Two high-degradation races, Bahrain and Miami, have underlined McLaren’s superiority. Verstappen was over 30 seconds behind in Sakhir and trailed again in Miami — even after Red Bull brought a new floor upgrade. Helmut Marko called the gap “depressing,” estimating McLaren’s advantage at nearly a second per lap in the heat. Red Bull’s frustration was compounded in Miami by post-race rumours surrounding thermal imagery.

According to reports, images revealed unusually cold areas in McLaren’s brake drum assembly, suggesting they’ve developed a way to keep brake heat from transferring into the tyres — preserving tyre life for longer. The theory gained traction after Verstappen told the Dutch media: “If you see what McLaren does with the tyres, then we are all doing something wrong.”

‘Thermal secrets and tyre tricks’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/red...-wear-f1-2025/


McLaren insists ‘fundamentals’ behind F1 tyre trickery applicable for 2026
10 May 2025
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

McLaren boss Andrea Stella believes the “fundamentals” behind the team’s superior tyre management will still be applicable under Formula 1‘s new 2026 regulations. “I think there are some fundamentals that you can carry over,” Stella told media including Motorsport Week.

“There are some other aspects which are somehow constant evolution and improvement of a platform, like the platform of our car in the current regulations, that we now know very well. But I think some fundamentals in terms of understanding you can carry over into next year’s car. Some other aspects we will have to understand how do we transfer them from this car to next year’s car.”

“For instance, if we consider the aerodynamic aspects which do influence the behaviour of the tyres, obviously the aerodynamic level of downforce next year and the shape of the map will be completely different,” he expanded. “So we will have to think how do we transfer this knowledge that we have accumulated on this kind of regulations onto a set of regulations and aerodynamic levels and maps which will be completely different. So, some more work to do and I foresee that we will be with the new regulations another process of continued improvements like we have seen for us with the current regulations.”

‘The team’s superior tyre management will still be applicable under Formula 1‘s new 2026 regulations’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...able-for-2026/

[Fortitude]

'They are worse' - Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda handed major Sergio Perez criticism.
Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have been judged as being "worse" than Sergio Perez, by two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
9 May 2025
Gerd Jansen & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Based on the performances at Red Bull by Lawson and Tsunoda, Fittipaldi has come to a simple conclusion. "Checo Perez was a great representative of us [as Latin Americans] and he was not understood [by Red Bull]," Fittipaldi told AS.

"We see this year the test of drivers driving alongside Max Verstappen, but in my opinion they are worse than Checo. Perez won in Monaco and in Baku, which are very difficult street circuits and he is very fast. We see the difficulties: Red Bull changes drivers to see who is closer to Verstappen, but Checo was better."

'They are worse';

https://racingnews365.com/they-are-w...erez-criticism


Helmut Marko fires brutal dig at Liam Lawson and calls out Yuki Tsunoda in astonishing statement
The Red Bull senior advisor has spoken out about Tsunoda's form since replacing Lawson.
9 May 2025
Ben McCrum
SPORTbible

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has taken shots at Liam Lawson in his assessment of Yuki Tsunoda's progress since taking over.

"Yuki is getting better and better," Marko told German outlet oe24. "He is the first team-mate of Verstappen who can actually match the level of Max.” Since his promotion to the Red Bull Racing team in 2016, Verstappen has had seven different teammates, with five of them remaining active on the grid.

The likes of Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo enjoyed success while driving alongside the Dutchman, with both men winning several Grand Prix. However, drives like Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and, most recently, Lawson all struggled to keep up with Verstappen's blistering pace during their time at Red Bull.

‘Max Verstappen has had seven different teammates’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/helmut...27487-20250509


VCARB work to bring “confidence” back to Liam Lawson
May 12, 2025
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

In a bid to help Lawson’s form, the Racing Bulls are working closely to accelerate his adaptation to the VCARB 02. Laurent Mekies has shed some light on this process: “The first thing is, obviously, to put him back into being comfortable in the car,” he told PlanetF1.

“That’s what we are focusing on. He had lost that confidence in these two very difficult races, and what we are focusing on is that he is comfortable in the car and that he feels comfortable enough to push. If we tick these two boxes, we know the talent has not disappeared. The speed is going to come back.”

“So it’s only been [three] races with us. We’ve seen already a clear step forward between Japan and Bahrain. You may not have seen it on the timesheet but, for us, from a data perspective, what he does with the car and the way he’s pushing the car, it’s clearly a step forward. So we expect him to keep ramping up.”

‘Bring “confidence” back’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...o-liam-lawson/


Liam Lawson’s ‘pretty shocking’ admission amid F1 2025 sack warning
12 May 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Juan Pablo Montoya predicts a mid-season change with Lawson out and prodigy Arvid Lindblad lining up alongside Isack Hadjar. “I’ll tell you the truth,” he told AS. “If Liam doesn’t improve any further, I wouldn’t be surprised if they put Lindblad in at some point. Not at all. I wouldn’t be a little surprised.”

“Honestly, Liam has been given the green light last year and has proven that he has what it takes to do a good job. They gave him the Red Bull seat, and he won it. The Red Bull situation was complicated and I think it took a very strong blow to his liver, and he needs a lot of psychological treatment after that.”

“If he doesn’t recover soon,” he continued, “I’m sure Red Bull will start looking elsewhere because that’s how they work.” But while Lawson admits his results with the Racing Bulls team have not been up to scratch, he is adamant there’s more in play than just his performance – he and the team need to put in a “full race together” before they can be judged.

‘Juan Pablo Montoya predicts a mid-season change with Lawson out’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/liam-l...25-axe-rumours


Hulkenberg brands Miami Grand Prix ‘definitely one of the better ones this year’
4 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg finished 14th for Kick Sauber in Miami – but insisted he had “decent pace” and is hoping upgrades coming in Spain will help push the team into the points.

‘One of the better ones’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hu...28556197056121


Bortoleto reveals an issue ‘related to the power unit’ forced him to retire from the Miami GP
4 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Gabriel Bortoleto was running in P13 when his Kick Sauber car developed a problem and he was unable to even make it back to the pits.

‘Forced to retire’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bo...27189621556309

[Fortitude]

Red Bull taking ‘leap of faith’ to give Max Verstappen unproven upgrade after what they’ve seen on McLaren’s car.
That is according to The Race, which reports Red Bull have carefully examined how McLaren have designed their brakes and have upgrades coming for the RB21 inspired by those on the MCL39. There will only be marginal differences, but Red Bull think it can make a vital impact.
13 May 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Engineers in Milton Keynes suspect McLaren are controlling their tyre temperatures through the brake drums and the inner sidewall of the tyres. So, Red Bull have designed a new brake bell configuration and revised cooling ducts of their own to see if they can mimic that effect. Red Bull have suffered severely with thermal tyre degradation so far this season, which has caused Verstappen to fall away from Piastri and Lando Norris in many of the races owing to the superiority that McLaren have established in keeping the life in their tyres for far longer.

But it is not the only issue Verstappen has taken issue with this year. So, Red Bull’s McLaren-inspired brake upgrade may not be enough to keep them in the title race against the Woking crew. One of Verstappen’s biggest problems with the RB21 may also remain there all season. Chief engineer Paul Monaghan admits that Red Bull may ‘never’ remove the through-corner balance problem Verstappen hates with the RB21. The car can lurch from having a light rear end under braking to having understeer as Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda approach the apex.

‘Leap of faith’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...-mclarens-car/


Villeneuve: ‘Golden child’ Piastri has an edge with F1 stewards
13/05/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

According to 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, went a step further in his analysis, claiming Piastri’s current golden-boy status is shielding him from the harsher penalties handed to others — namely Verstappen. “Piastri is loved. He’s like the golden child right now,” he added. “If something happens, he won’t be given penalties as easily as Max Verstappen is, for instance. That’s also a big help in fighting for a Championship.”

He compared the situation to past title duels: “It reminds me of when we had Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fighting for the championship. If they made the same move, Nico would get a penalty. In the following race, if Lewis made the same move, he wouldn’t be penalised. There is this slight unbalance which is human and Piastri is on the right side of the balance.”

‘Golden child’;

https://f1i.com/news/538240-villeneu...-stewards.html


A digital detox? Lewis Hamilton unfollows everyone on Instagram
13 May 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has unfollowed everyone on Instagram, even Ferrari and his dog, Roscoe. Hamilton has the biggest following of any Formula 1 driver on social media, the Briton’s Instagram account boasting 39.5m million while he has 8.5m on X.

However, eagle-eyed fans noticed this week that the seven-time World Champion had unfollowed everyone on Instagram. Even Ferrari and Roscoe weren’t exempt from the cull.

His downbeat interviews, coupled with testy radio messages, have led to a barrage of criticism on social media as fans question whether Hamilton’s best days are behind him. It is something he tries to avoid reading. “I don’t really read the news and I go for long, long periods of time without social media,” he said earlier this year. “So I’m not being bombarded with all the stuff on social media, so I’m kind of living in my own little bubble in my head.”

‘A digital detox?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...ferrari-roscoe


'It's not easy' - Fred Vasseur understands Lewis Hamilton frustration with Ferrari
Fred Vasseur can "perfectly understand" why Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated behind the wheel of his Ferrari at the recent Miami Grand Prix.
13 May 2025
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes

The Ferrari team principal explained he spoke with the British driver after the chequered flag at the Miami International Autodrome, with the seven-time F1 drivers' champion claiming he told his boss to "calm down" during that discussion.

The exchange followed tensions spilling over on team radio during the 57-lap race, with Hamilton stating his remarks of "tea breaks" and asking if he should intentionally let Carlos Sainz past were nothing more than sarcasm.

Not alone in playing down the episode, the 40-year-old was joined by Vasseur who maintained the Italian team "did a good job" in Florida, despite widespread criticism of the Scuderia. "I had a discussion with Lewis, and I can perfectly understand the frustration," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365.

"Tea breaks";

https://racingnews365.com/its-not-ea...n-with-ferrari


Why Is Monza So Famous?
May 13, 2025
Jack Renn
F1 Chronicle

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza, often referred to simply as Monza, is one of the most famous and iconic racetracks in the world. Its reputation is built upon a rich history, unparalleled speed, and an atmosphere that embodies the passion and spirit of motorsport. Monza’s fame is deeply rooted in its role as a cornerstone of Formula 1, hosting the Italian Grand Prix since 1949, as well as its status as the oldest purpose-built racetrack in mainland Europe, dating back to 1922.

‘Role as a cornerstone’;

https://f1chronicle.com/why-is-monza.../?nowprocket=1