Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Luca di Montezemolo saddened by what he’s heard Fred Vasseur say about Ferrari.
Seeing Ferrari’s plight persist saddens former Scuderia chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who has now hit out at Vasseur for issuing bold declarations about title bids without the results to justify his claims. Di Montezemolo even feels Ferrari have “no leadership” under Vasseur.
12 September 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Di Montezemolo told Sky Italia: “The thing that saddens me today is to see a Ferrari [team] that has no leader. There is no leadership and, above all, I see that they lack a strong, determined soul. Announcements are made that often create excessive expectations. First, we get the results and then we make the announcements.”

Di Montezemolo left his role as chairman of Ferrari back in 2014, but he is still yet to see the Scuderia add to the titles they won under his watch from 1974. Vasseur came close to taking the constructors’ title back to Maranello in 2024, but McLaren beat Ferrari by just 14 points. The 2024 season was supposed to act as a springboard for another title bid in 2025, aided by the arrival of Hamilton from Mercedes. But Leclerc scored Ferrari’s only pole position yet in 2025 in Hungary, and they are gaining from Red Bull and Mercedes being one-man teams.

Fighting for second place was not what Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had in mind back after pre-season testing in Bahrain. The 57-year-old stated that both titles would be Ferrari’s objective in the 2025 F1 season, as the Scuderia have two drivers who “can do it” this term. But Vasseur has conceded the 2025 F1 constructors’ title to McLaren, who can win the title in Baku if they leave next week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a 346-point lead over Ferrari. It will continue Ferrari’s wait to add to their last teams’ title in 2008, and drivers’ title in 2007.

‘Bold declarations about title bids without the results to justify his claims’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/luc...about-ferrari/


Ferrari believes Hamilton’s arrival helps Leclerc to his best level yet
10 Sep 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Team principal Frederic Vasseur believes Charles Leclerc has improved in various aspects this season. Vasseur considers today’s Leclerc the best version so far, he explained on the Beyond the Grid podcast, and that can also be attributed to the arrival of Hamilton.

"Probably, yes [this is the best we've seen from Leclerc]. And clearly, I think this (Hamilton's arrival, ed.) helped also a little bit to release some pressure from Charles," he began.
"He did a very good job from the beginning of the season. I think Charles also improved in terms of approach, structure, he's more mature. I don't know if it's a part of the contribution of Lewis, but it's coming from the maturity of Charles."

‘Improved in various aspects this season’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ferra...best-level-yet


Eddie Irvine says Lewis Hamilton hasn’t learned the most important lesson from Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari move
9 September 2025
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has so far not delivered on the hype that was generated throughout the pre-season, with the seven-time world champion yet to finish on the podium. It was a poor start to the second half of the season when Hamilton crashed out of the Dutch Grand Prix, then he was handed a five-place grid penalty for a yellow flag infringement at Ferrari’s home race in Monza.

Discussing why Hamilton has struggled to find his feet at Ferrari in an interview with Sky Sports F1, former driver Eddie Irvine thinks the seven-time world champion has not learned from what Michael Schumacher faced when he made the move in 1996. “There is always a price. Michael gave up a lot, probably two or three world championships to leave Benetton to go to Ferrari. In the first few years, nobody had any idea how bad it was at Ferrari,” said Irvine.

“Michael knew there was no point for him because he was so much better than everyone else, he just decided, ‘I’m going to go there’ and it was amazing. People forget it took him four years. He was always in the vicinity, but he was driving the wheels off the thing to be there. So it was very easy for it not to happen. I would love Verstappen to come to Ferrari, I hope he doesn’t leave it too late like Lewis did.”

‘Not learned from what Michael Schumacher faced when he made the move in 1996’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/edd...-ferrari-move/


How Ferrari mechanics privately felt about Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s results at Monza
8 September 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari mechanics felt Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc produced the ‘maximum’ they could at Monza. Ferrari’s results move them 20 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors’ championship. But the Tifosi did not get to see their heroes stand on the podium as Max Verstappen claimed the win ahead of the McLarens.

But that did not seem to faze the Ferrari mechanics. Journalist Aaron Deckers noted that they felt Hamilton and Leclerc produced the ‘maximum’ they could in the SF-25 and that they could not do anymore. “Well, of course. It all looked a lot better, actually. Also the free practice on Friday, Saturday morning,” said Deckers via RacingNews365. “Only in qualifying they were suddenly, well, maybe a bit exaggerated, but they were actually beaten well by Verstappen and by the McLarens.’

“And in the race pace, they just really came up short. So it was mainly a bit of disappointment, especially from the Ferrari drivers. The team was still quite optimistic actually, as we just spoke with some mechanics and also within the team. There was a bit of feeling of, ‘OK, this was the maximum we could do, and yeah, what more could we do than that?’” Optimism was high in Maranello ahead of their home race as they believed that they could make a step up on home soil. ‘Everyone’ at Ferrari felt they could challenge McLaren at Monza, but no one dared to admit it. Ultimately, they would come up short…

‘Mainly a bit of disappointment’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how...ults-at-monza/


Ferrari Eye Shock Hamilton Replacement With F1 Star on Radar
Lewis Hamilton has had a tough start to life at Ferrari.
10 Sep 2025
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

Ferrari have reportedly identified their top target to replace Lewis Hamilton. At the start of the season, all eyes were fixated on seven-time Formula 1 world champion Hamilton after his high-profile move from Mercedes to Ferrari. However, the 40-year-old has so far struggled to perform at his best as he continues to adapt to his new surroundings. Currently, Hamilton is sixth in the standings with 117 points, 46 behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

As Hamilton's poor form continues, doubts over the Stevenage-born star's future in the sport have grown massively. Recently, it has been reported that Ferrari could look to McLaren when choosing Hamilton's successor. According to Mundo Deportivo journalist Fabio Marchi, the Scuderia are keeping a close eye on McLaren star and championship leader Oscar Piastri. He said on the Cortito y al Pie podcast: "The other day I spoke with an Italian journalist who was certain Ferrari is keeping a close watch on Piastri."

‘Ferrari have reportedly identified their top target’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/ferrar...40842-20250910

[Fortitude]

Rosberg to Hadjar: Reject Red Bull’s Poisoned Chalice Now.
“If I am Isack, I’m saying no,” the 2016 World Champion told Sky F1, stressing that a late-season move next to Verstappen can be a career booby trap. That seat is a benchmark from hell. You step in midstream, barely any setup history, up against a driver who can drive around the car’s quirks and is wired into the team — and you’re judged immediately.
September 14, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
Fastest Lap

It’s a warning born from a long, uncomfortable list. Red Bull’s second seat has dealt out harsh lessons for talented drivers in the Verstappen era. The RB21 is quick in the right window but a narrow one, and Verstappen has built the window around himself. Anyone arriving at short notice will be fighting the car, the clock and the comparisons. Jamie Chadwick, on pundit duty, agreed with the risk assessment — just not the practicality. In her view, if the boss calls, Hadjar can’t really say no.

She’d want to keep learning in the car he knows, especially with unfamiliar tracks like Las Vegas and Singapore still to come, but admits the word “no” carries limited currency in that situation. She also called it what it so often becomes at the wrong time: a poisoned chalice. Here’s the thing: Hadjar doesn’t need the chaos. He’s got momentum, he’s banked a signature result, and he’s earning the kind of trust that makes winter decisions easier, calmer and more deliberate. Racing Bulls have been clear they want the season to run its course.

Red Bull know better than anyone that yanking the wheel mid-season can spook a young driver and muddle the data. There’s also the Yuki question. Tsunoda’s form at the senior team is under the microscope, and that pressure doesn’t ease with every Verstappen win-or-bust weekend. But if Red Bull really want to evaluate options, they’ll get a far cleaner read by waiting for a reset — new parts, new tyres, new baseline, new calendar. Not by throwing a rookie into the hottest seat in the sport with eight races and no testing.

‘That seat is a benchmark from hell’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/rosberg-...d-chalice-now/


Podium To Probation: FIA Warns Hadjar After Monza Shortcut
06 Sep 2025
Alex Albuquerque
Fastest Lap

The glow of Zandvoort didn’t last long. Seven days after banking his first Formula 1 podium, Isack Hadjar’s Italian Grand Prix weekend veered off script with a formal warning from the FIA for failing to follow the race director’s instructions — for the second time in Monza. The flashpoint came in final practice. Hadjar, in the Racing Bulls RB01, missed Turn 4 and cut to the right of the gravel at the second chicane without using the prescribed escape road at Turns 4/5.

That shortcut is one of Monza’s most rigidly policed procedures, spelled out in the race director’s event notes. Stewards called in Car 6, reviewed footage and team radio, and accepted Hadjar’s account that it happened at low speed on an out-lap after a left-front lock-up while he was warming tyres. With no cars nearby and no danger created, the panel opted against a sporting penalty — but they didn’t mince words about the pattern.

“Although this is the driver’s second offence of such nature during the weekend and repeat offences regularly warrant more severe penalties,” the stewards wrote, they would stop short of escalating this time. The sting in the tail: the team and driver were told a similar misstep before the chequered flag would “draw a more severe penalty.”

‘The glow of Zandvoort didn’t last long’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/podium-t...onza-shortcut/


Isack Hadjar slams Carlos Sainz after Monza qualifying clash
The Racing Bulls rookie accused Williams driver Carlos Sainz of disrupting his rhythm and costing him a chance at Q2
7 September 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

The 2025 Italian Grand Prix qualifying session delivered its usual share of drama, but one of the most heated storylines came not at the sharp end of the grid, but in the mid-pack. Isack Hadjar, fresh from his maiden Formula 1 podium at Zandvoort, endured a miserable Saturday at Monza after being eliminated in Q1. The French rookie accused Carlos Sainz of “playing around” on their out-laps, disrupting his tyre preparation and contributing to his early exit.

“We actually were really fast, the car was really good,” Hadjar said, visibly exasperated. “I mean the out-lap was a mess with Carlos, he was just playing around a lot to then let me by. I don’t know why we even went out on track in the first place on new tyres to just cruise around.”

Hadjar admitted he made an error on his flying lap, but was adamant the situation with Sainz had left him unsettled at a critical moment. “It’s my first mistake in quali in a while, so it happens,” Hadjar added. “I was on new tyres, Carlos was on used. He was playing around, trying to make my lap difficult on my out-lap and then not really letting me by properly. I just don’t know what he was doing.”

‘Isack Hadjar slams Carlos Sainz’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...lifying-clash/


Isack Hadjar takes aim at ‘super annoying’ Carlos Sainz after F1 career first
6 Sep 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

The French-Algerian rookie cut a frustrated figure after the session, with Hadjar heard expressing his annoyance over team radio having suffered a wide moment at Lesmo 2 on his final lap. Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com, Hadjar – who confirmed that he is set to take an engine penalty for Sunday’s race – pointed the finger at Sainz for compromising his outlap.

Hadjar told PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher and other publications at Monza: “He was just super annoying on the outlap. He was not going to push anyway. “I don’t know why he was fighting so hard for track position and then just let me by on my lap, so I compromised the outlap for nothing. And later on, I made a mistake. But honestly, all of that doesn’t matter because I’m starting last tomorrow.”

‘Super annoying’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...awson-annoying


What has triggered the latest spat between Racing Bulls and Williams at the F1 Italian GP
07 Sep 2025
Fleur Rogerson
WilliamsF1 Supporters

“Why does Sainz have to be so annoying? Who the hell does an out-lap, a warm-up? I mean, what was he doing?”, Hadjar said on the radio. “He’s just playing around to just let me by like s**t.” The issue ultimately was the run plan that Williams had chosen to use, with Sainz being put through an out-lap and a warm-up lap prior to attempting a timed run.

The peculiar run plan garnered confusion from Hadjar even after the session. “He was just super annoying on the out-lap,” Hadjar told told media including Motorsport Week. “He was not going to push anyway, so I don’t know why he was fighting so hard for track position and to then just let me buy on my lap.So I’m compromised on the out-lap for nothing, and yeah, later on I made a mistake.”

‘The latest spat’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...f1-italian-gp/


Isack Hadjar issues sombre assessment ahead of Azerbaijan GP
13 Sept 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com

Isack Hadjar has weighed in on what to expect ahead of the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls driver has cast a gloomy verdict on his team’s chances at the Baku street race. “I think it’s strong on every layout — it’s just a quick car. But on some surfaces, with weird tarmac or heavy graining, we’ve struggled. In Bahrain and Canada, for example, we were nowhere. So yes, there will be tougher weekends. Baku will be very challenging,” Hadjar said to GPblog.

Speaking with GPblog during the Italian Grand Prix, he stated: “The hardest thing is not to think about it too much. Whether it’s a good result or a bad one, you put it behind you, get back in the car and do your job. It’s actually very easy.”

Hadjar indeed has proven to be a driver with resilience – considering the sort of start he had to his Formula 1 career. The former F2 driver crashed on the formation lap of the season opener in Australia and has since risen from the lows of the incident to claim his first F1 podium finish for the Racing Bulls outfit.

‘Gloomy verdict’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/isack...-azerbaijan-gp

[Fortitude]

‘It’s a complete change’ – Vasseur suggests Ferrari ‘underestimated’ the factors around Hamilton’s move.
Vasseur, though, is not concerned, underlining the various factors Hamilton has been getting used to in an appearance on F1’s Beyond The Grid podcast.
15 Sep 2025
Formula One - Official Site

“I don’t know if we underestimated the importance of the change,” said Vasseur. “Probably, because he spent 10 years at McLaren, then 12 with Mercedes, but it was a kind of continuity – two teams based in the UK with the same engine, same environment.”

“[Joining Ferrari] is a complete change for him, in his life, the culture of the team and everything. To do it in three test days in the winter period is quite difficult – and I think also the expectation was huge. We have to put everything in place, and it’s taking time. We have to also manage expectations and manage the noise around the team.”

“If we are not able to put everything together from the preparation of the weekend, the adaptation to the simulator, blah, blah, blah, until Sunday, you can miss one-tenth there or one-tenth there. This is making a huge difference in terms of pure results.”

“It’s taking time”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...n6DUU0UiBAZaJX


Schumacher’s Stark Warning: Hamilton’s Ferrari Honeymoon Is Over
Alex Albuquerque
September 14, 2025
14 Sep 2025
Fastest Lap

Lewis Hamilton got through Monza without tripping over himself. That’s the good news. The bad news, according to Ralf Schumacher, is that Ferrari’s new signing is still making mistakes that don’t belong on a driver of his experience — and they’re starting to cost. Hamilton arrived in Italy carrying a five-place grid penalty for failing to slow under double yellows on the formation run to the grid at Zandvoort. Zandvoort was where it unravelled. Hamilton twice looped the car and then lost it for good after putting a wheel on the painted white line into Turn 3 in mixed conditions.

Post race, the stewards added that penalty for the Monza weekend. For Schumacher, watching on for Sky Deutschland, that’s a pattern Ferrari can’t afford. “He needs to be a bit more professional,” Schumacher said. “With his experience, that really shouldn’t happen. He has to be careful with things like that so the fans continue to support him — that could also annoy the Tifosi.”

Schumacher’s broader point is hard to argue. Before the summer shut off, Hamilton’s season sagged under two bruising rounds: back to back Q1 eliminations at Spa across sprint qualifying and the main session, followed by a recovery drive to seventh; then Hungary, where he fell in Q2 and ended up a lap down and out of the points after a skirmish and an off while dicing with Max Verstappen. Hamilton didn’t sugarcoat it, calling himself “useless, absolutely useless” and joking “they probably need to change driver” given Ferrari’s one lap form.

‘Honeymoon Is Over’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/schumach...ymoon-is-over/


'Lonely' Vasseur's Ferrari slammed as 'soulless' by Scuderia icon
15 Sep 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Former Ferrari President Luca Di Montezemola believes the Scuderia currently lacks 'soul' and 'stability'. Ferrari's former President, Di Montezemolo, has issued his verdict on the team's current form and believes the lack of sporting achievements is a reflection of the Scuderia's internal state. "Today there is no leadership," he said in an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, "and above all there is a lack of soul.”

"I don't know Vasseur and I don't criticise him but I see a lonely man. Too many changes, we need stability in the team." These comments come after Ferrari's 2024 promise shown by nearly snatching the Constructors' championship from McLaren was unable to be carried over into 2025.

“Lack of soul”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/scude...ulless-ferrari


Ferrari's Leadership Under Fire Amid Winless Season
September 14, 2025
Nelson Espinal Newsweek
The News Tribune, Washington

Former Ferrari leader Luca di Montezemolo called out the current race team's leadership during their winless campaign. Despite entering the season with much hype and anticipation, the Scuderia has failed to deliver a race win.

While the team appears united around Vasseur, Di Montezemolo has expressed concerns about the current decision-makers, given the run of disappointing results. "I saw the beautiful images of the fans and then a team that, despite so many announcements on the eve of the race, has not won a single race to date," he told Sky Italia. "And even if it had won a race, Ferrari after so many years must win the World Championship.”

"I think today's Ferrari has even more responsibility towards them. And even if it had won a race, Ferrari after so many years must win the World Championship. The thing I regret today is seeing a Ferrari that has no leader, there is no leadership and above all I see that it lacks a strong, determined soul. Announcements are made that often create excessive expectations. First, we do the results and then we make the announcements."

“Lacks a strong, determined soul”;

https://www.thenewstribune.com/sport...mainstage_card


'It was a very sad weekend for Ferrari fans", F1 insider claims
15 Sep 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Dutch F1 pundit Robert Doornbos shared his thoughts over Ferrari’s performance in the Monza home race weekend. Analyzing Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s fourth and sixth-place finishes in Italy on The Pit Talk podcast, the former Red Bull driver said: ''There's a lot of pressure on Ferrari. And coming to their home event, they have basically two home races. They have Imola, but Monza is the real one, and they know it, so they have to deliver for the Tifosi.''

''It was a very sad weekend for Ferrari fans. The whole season hasn't been great, to be honest, but I think the Dutch Grand Prix was a definite low, with Lewis Hamilton making a driver error, the seven-time world champion going off on his own and destroying the car. I mean, that's not the Lewis we all like to see, and particularly not Ferrari.' 'Then there was also Charles Leclerc, who crashed out of the race, basically, not to his own mistake, but they just didn't have it.''

''He then added: ''I think coming in Monza, in the Temple of Speed, where they had to show their true pace. They had the set -up, the balance, the speed, and in qualifying it looked reasonably promising with a third place for Charles. Then come the race, they didn't really have the speed anymore.' 'In the opening laps it looks exciting and then they drop back. So fourth and sixth, it's better than crashing out with two cars, for sure. But it's still not where Ferrari wants to be.''

“They have to deliver for the Tifosi'';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-in...r-ferrari-fans


Hamilton convinced Ferrari struggles ‘preparing us for better days’
15/09/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Hamilton conceded that the transition has not gone entirely as planned, citing both technical and cultural hurdles. While he had a year to prepare for his move to Maranello following the bombshell announcement in February 2024, the F1 veteran says there were aspects of the change that caught everyone off guard.

“I don’t remember every single season, to be honest, so I don’t really want to compare it to others, but I'm sure there have been plenty of seasons that have felt difficult,” Hamilton explained in Monza last time out. “I remember 2009 was difficult; I remember 2010, 2011 wasn’t great, and 2012 was a pivotal moment for me, and obviously 2022 and 2023, so there’s been plenty of others that were just different. But I was in a different place in my life.”

“There’s been a lot of adjustment, both from my side and the team’s side. They’ve really moved heaven and earth to accommodate me,” Hamilton said, acknowledging the team’s commitment to his integration. “Obviously, there are cultural differences,” the Briton admitted. “Fred made a comment that perhaps they underestimated me joining the team and the year we’ve been faced with in terms of the problems with the car, so it's a combination of all those things. But honestly, the harder it is, the better it can make you. This year has been tough for everyone in the team, but it has prepared us for better days.”

‘Preparing us for better days’;

https://f1i.com/news/548467-hamilton...tter-days.html

[Fortitude]

Ferrari have now removed photos of one prominent Fred Vasseur critic from their F1 museum.
Ferrari are no longer displaying Luca di Montezemolo photos in their museum. Luca di Montezemolo is one of the most significant figures in Ferrari’s history. Enzo Ferrari invited him to be his assistant and made him the F1 team sporting director.
16 September 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

After overseeing two titles for Niki Lauda in that role (F1 team sporting director), Luca di later became the Ferrari president. Together with Jean Todt, he acquired Michael Schumacher and turned them into a historically dominant force – they won five titles in a row at the start of the century, an unprecedented feat that hasn’t been replicated since.

Di Montezemolo was part of the set-up until 2014, when he was replaced by Sergio Marchionne. But despite his contribution to the team’s success, Gazzetta dello Sport say there are no longer any pictures of him on display at their Maranello museum. The relationship between the 78-year-old and his past employers is described as ‘broken’. When filming a recent documentary about his career, he wasn’t allowed to shoot any footage at the factory.

Asked about the dispute, he said: “I also say it in the film: jealousy of the past is a bad thing.” It’s unclear whether or not Di Montezemolo’s omission has anything to do with his strong criticism of Fred Vasseur. But one suspects it has contributed. In an interview earlier this month, Di Montezemolo said Ferrari had ‘no leader’. He feels they lack a ‘strong, determined soul’. And during the summer, Di Montezemolo ruled out Lewis Hamilton winning the title for the Scuderia. Ferrari will not appreciate their former president dialling up the already-intense pressure.

‘No longer displaying Luca di Montezemolo photos’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...eir-f1-museum/


Ferrari jealous of the past says Montezemolo.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2025
GrandPrix.com

Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has accused the fabled Maranello marque of trying to erase him from its history. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport while promoting a new documentary about his life, the 78-year-old lamented that Ferrari has distanced itself from his ultra-successful era of leadership.

There's something broken that still hasn't been mended between you and Ferrari, the interviewer suggested, noting that Montezemolo was not permitted to film at Maranello and that photographs of him have disappeared from the company museum. I also say it in the film - jealousy of the past is a bad thing, Montezemolo replied.

Today there's no leadership and, above all, there's no soul, he said. "I don't know (Frederic) Vasseur and I don't criticise him, but I see a lonely man. Too many changes - the team needs stability. I remember when Fiat wanted me to fire Todt, but I refused. I said, 'If he leaves, I'll leave too.' Ferrari has not responded to Montezemolo's latest remarks.

‘Tying to erase him from its history’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/ferra...ntezemolo.html


Ferrari lacks leadership, says Montezemolo
14/09/2025
GrandPrix.com

Di Montezemolo was personally appointed sporting director by Enzo Ferrari in 1974, subsequently overseeing Niki Lauda's title wins in 1975 and 1977. Though he headed off to lead various factions of the Fiat empire he returned to Maranello in 1991 as president of Ferrari, which was still seeking to recover following the death of its founder in 1988. As well as putting the road car division back on its feet, Montezemolo gradually put in place the various factors that would lead to the Scuderia's domination of the sport in the early to mid-2000s.

Having led such a full and colourful life it is only natural that, like so many others, a documentary has been put together and it was at the premiere of Luca: Seeing Red, that the 78-year-old expressed his concern for the team that clearly remains one of the loves of his life. "It's sad to see a Ferrari without a leader," he said. "It lacks a strong, determined soul. One of the things I learned at Ferrari, and that I've always tried to apply, is that when you win, you have to work even harder,"

He continued. "Today, when we are not winning, this is even more true. It is crucial to choose the right people," he insisted, "in my day, I had highly valuable collaborators, number ones and number twos." The Italian is particularly concerned at the numerous management changes over the years, believing that stability at all levels is vital. He particularly feels that losing Mattia Binotto - now with Sauber - was a mistake.

"It's sad to see a Ferrari without a leader";

https://www.pitpass.com/81061/Ferrar...ys-Montezemolo


Stop Promising, Start Winning: Montezemolo’s Ferrari Ultimatum
September 14, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
Fastest Lap

Luca di Montezemolo throws down gauntlet: “Ferrari has no leader — results first, announcements later” The banners and smoke flares were back in force. The Tifosi flooded Milan’s “Drive to Monza” and then the Autodromo itself, singing for a team that once made winning feel inevitable. What they got was a fourth for Charles Leclerc, a sixth for Lewis Hamilton, and the unmistakable sound of a Ferrari season drifting off-key.

Luca di Montezemolo, who presided over the most ruthless stretch of Ferrari dominance in modern Formula 1, didn’t dance around it. He called it what he thinks it is — an absence of leadership. “I saw the beautiful images of the fans and then a team that, despite so many announcements on the eve of the race, has not won a single race to date,” he told Sky Italia. “Even if it had won a race, Ferrari after so many years must win the World Championship. Ferrari has not even reached the last race for many years with a driver who can win.”

Di Montezemolo’s words cut because of the history behind them. He was the figurehead when Michael Schumacher rattled off five straight titles from 2000 to 2004. He knows what it looks like when Ferrari is more than fast — when it’s relentless. He’s also lived the flip side, where pressure multiplies and patience evaporates. Because for all the smoke and songs, the Tifosi came for one thing. And the most Ferrari thing of all would be to stop promising it and start doing it.

‘Luca di Montezemolo throws down gauntlet’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/stop-pro...ari-ultimatum/


Di Montezemolo slams Ferrari: ‘Sad to see a team without a leader’
13 Sep 2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Stability lost after Binotto; Montezemolo was particularly critical of Ferrari’s revolving door of leadership, pointing to the departure of former team principal Mattia Binotto as a costly misstep. “If Binotto could have continued, it would have been better,” he argued. “Constant change means losing one of the most important elements: a team’s stability. Every time you change, you have to start from scratch, and there’s a lot of work to do. Announcements are often made that create excessive expectations: you should achieve results first and then communicate them.”

Montezemolo contrasted Ferrari’s pre-race optimism at Monza with the continuing wait for victories and titles, offering a blunt reminder of the Scuderia’s obligations to its passionate fanbase. He concluded with a stark warning for those in charge at Maranello: “For too long, Ferrari hasn’t even been able to fight for the title at the last race with a driver in contention. I hope things change, first and foremost for those who were at Monza and who continue to show unwavering faith. “Ferrari today has even more responsibility towards them.”

Montezemolo’s words carry weight given his history of leading Ferrari back to competitiveness in the 1990s and overseeing the dominant Michael Schumacher era. But for today’s Scuderia, the former president’s message is clear: leadership, stability, and responsibility to the tifosi must once again become non-negotiable values.

‘Di Montezemolo slams Ferrari’;

https://f1i.com/news/548412-di-monte...-a-leader.html

[Fortitude]

How McLaren can win its 10th F1 title in Baku.
Poised with a commanding points lead, McLaren is on the brink of securing the 2025 title in Baku.
September 15th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

McLaren stands on the threshold of securing its 10th constructors’ championship in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this week. Having dominated in most of the first 16 races of the 2025 season, its sensational run — 12 victories and 27 podium finishes — has left it 337 points clear of Ferrari following Monza, and just a small step away from the title.

Clinching the title in Azerbaijan would set a new record for the earliest title win by number of races left — seven. The previous benchmark was set by Red Bull in 2023, when it clinched the championship with six rounds to spare.

‘Commanding points lead’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


Oscar Piastri spies Azerbaijan GP 'advantage' over title rival Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri is seeking back-to-back wins at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend.
16 September 2025
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has suggested he has an “advantage” heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend over title rival Lando Norris. “I’ve got extremely fond memories of Baku last year,” he said.

“I regard that as one of my favourite races ever and it’s always an advantage coming back to a track where you’ve had a big result. My only focus is achieving more of the same this weekend. I am leading the drivers' championship and I am very happy with where my driving is.”

“Street circuits bring a different challenge, and I can't wait to get out there and put myself to the test,” he said. “I’ve been back at MTC [McLaren Technology Centre], working hard to be in the best position to go for another win."

‘Seeking back-to-back wins’;

https://racingnews365.com/oscar-pias...l-lando-norris


Mercedes reveals formula to end drought ahead of Azerbaijan GP: ‘We can fight’
14 Sep 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com

The Mercedes team have not had the best of outings in recent runs of races, but the German team have their sight set on an improved performance in Baku. Trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, has revealed what the team must do to clinch a podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“For a team like ourselves, that’s always the objective. But we have to be mindful that McLaren has been strong the whole year in almost all the conditions. And also recently, Verstappen has been quite strong as well. So it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be difficult. And we’ll have to make sure that we maximise our one lap performance, and operationally we execute at the best without any error. And then we can fight for it.”

Mercedes’ W16 well-suited to Baku? The Mercedes engineering chief also touched on the W16 machinery being well suited to the demands ot the Azerbaijan street track. Showlin referenced the impressive showing the team had with George Russell during the 2024 race, expressing optimism that a repeat could be on the cards. “It's a good question. Last year, it was a good showing from us with George on the podium. Like I said, the competition is very tough at the moment with all the teams. So it could be a good track, but we have to do everything at our best.”

‘We can fight’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/merce...p-we-can-fight


Toto Wolff drops key insight on what could make or break Mercedes in Baku
16 Sep 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com

Toto Wolff has weighed in on Mercedes' chances ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Austrian motorsports chief stressed a few fine details would prove pivotal to his team’s success at the Baku street race.

Wolff, who spoke via the Mercedes team press release ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, detailed how he expects the final stretch of the campaign to be pretty intense. The Mercedes team principal also stressed how his team lost points to their rivals last time out in Monza.
“It will be an intense run to the flag in Abu Dhabi, with three teams in the fight for second in the Constructors' Championship. We lost some ground to our competitors in Monza and know we need to perform better in the closing eight races than we did in Italy if we are to come out on top.”

Wolff: Small margins will make the difference. Toto Wolff further highlighted his belief that the little details could largely make or break his team’s outing in Azerbaijan. The 53-year-old old however, concluded by stating that if his team delivered the way they expect to, they should leave Baku with a positive result. “It is a good test for both the car and the driver. The grid is tight, and once again, small margins will make a big difference. If we deliver in the way we know we can, then we can be hopeful of a strong weekend fighting near the front of the field.”

“Small margins”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/toto-...rcedes-in-baku


Matt Bishop: Alonso & Stroll are about to make mind-boggling F1 history
September 16th 2025
Matt Bishop
Motor Sport Magazine

On one side of the Aston Martin garage is one of F1's most devastatingly effective drivers. On the other is one who's frequently lacklustre. And yet Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are about to hit a historic benchmark

As the late-summer sun glints off the Caspian Sea this coming Sunday, September 21, the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will deliver an arcane, yet oddly evocative, piece of Formula 1 history: the first time that any one team’s two drivers will have driven a combined total of 600 F1 grands prix. Yes, really. Six hundred.

The team is Aston Martin. In Baku this weekend Fernando Alonso will start his 418th F1 grand prix – a magnum opus that is becoming so gargantuan that it is beginning to feel mythological – while Lance Stroll will notch up his 182nd. Pause for a moment. Let those numbers settle in your mind. Six hundred F1 grands prix in one two-driver team.

‘Mind-boggling F1 history’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


Hamilton sees Baku challenge: 'Expecting to start on the back foot'
12 Sep 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

A pessimistic Lewis Hamilton expects that he and Ferrari will be "starting on the back foot" at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Brit has had a challenging start to his Ferrari career after making the move from Mercedes, with the 40-year-old yet to step onto the podium in a Grand Prix.

There have been a couple of bright sparks for Hamilton in his first year with the Scuderia, with a sprint race win at the Chinese Grand Prix and a sprint race podium at the Miami Grand Prix being the best performances of the season. However, there has been some criticism of the seven-time world champion, with former Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine saying the Brit "came [to Ferrari] a bit too old".

Hamilton hoping for more in Baku. At Monza, there was some promise shown from Ferrari, with Hamilton moving up from P10 on the grid to P6 with some lovely moves at the 'Temple of Speed', with the track characteristics at Baku similar. "I think I'm going to go there again, I'll be starting at a track that I've raced with a different car for many years," Hamilton started by saying to GPblog at Monza.

‘Couple of bright sparks for Hamilton’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/pessi...k-foot-in-baku


2025 Azerbaijan GP Schedule and F1 Session Times
Full schedule and session times for the Azerbaijan GP in Baku
17 September 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

2025 Azerbaijan GP Session Times
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend will run on an earlier timetable than many European races, due to the time difference (GMT+4 local time). Below are the key session start times for the race weekend.
Date Session Baku (Local) UK (BST) US (ET) US (PT) Australia (AEST)
Fri, Sept 19 FP1 12:30 – 13:30 09:30 – 10:30 04:30 – 05:30 01:30 – 02:30 18:30 – 19:30
Fri, Sept 19 FP2 16:00 – 17:00 13:00 – 14:00 08:00 – 09:00 05:00 – 06:00 22:00 – 23:00
Sat, Sept 20 FP3 12:30 – 13:30 09:30 – 10:30 04:30 – 05:30 01:30 – 02:30 18:30 – 19:30
Sat, Sept 20 Qualifying 16:00 – 17:00 13:00 – 14:00 08:00 – 09:00 05:00 – 06:00 22:00 – 23:00
Sun, Sept 21

‘Schedule’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...session-times/

[Fortitude]

Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Pierre GASLY (Alpine), Nico HÜLKENBERG (Kick Sauber), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren).
17 Sept 2025
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Oscar, perhaps we could start with you, please. Now this could be a monumental weekend for McLaren. They can clinch the Constructors’ Championship this weekend, which would be with seven races still to go. It’s been a phenomenal season. Just how different has it felt on the inside to last year’s title success?
Oscar PIASTRI: I think very different, because this year has just looked very different to last year. I think, you know, last season went down to the final race, and a pretty eventful final race as well. So I think this year, clearly the car has been a step better, the team has been performing very well. So there’s much more of a sense of inevitability about this year, which is an amazing position to be in. It’s a testament to all the hard work from everyone at the team. And, you know, I’m the lucky guy that gets to drive the car at the end of the day. So, yes. A testament to everyone’s hard work and very, very proud of everyone.

Q: Nico, if we could come to you now, and we'll throw it back to Monza as well, which was a very, very frustrating Sunday for you. Does the team fully understand why you couldn't make the start there?
Nico HÜLKENBERG: Yeah, of course we did. Obviously, pretty frustrating and bad at the time. But it is what it is. We found the root cause and obviously put some measures and things in place so that this should not happen again in the future.
Q: Let's bring it onto this weekend then. Do you think the low-downforce nature of Baku will suit the car, suit the package?
NH: I think in Monza, we were competitive. Obviously here it’s a little bit similar but also different at the same time. But if you look across the last five, six weekends and different tracks, I feel we have a competitive package and car beneath us. Nothing that suggests here should be different. I think we will be competitive within the midfield. It remains very close with tight margins from P10 all the way to the back. You’ve just got to be good and clean in the execution. I feel there are opportunities.

Q: Pierre, coming to you now. The last couple of races really have been quite difficult for the team. What are you expecting from this weekend?
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, I mean, I think we are aware that it hasn't been as good as we would have liked, and the remaining part of the year is probably going to be also pretty difficult for us. So it doesn’t really change our approach into the weekend. Still trying to do the best we can. But for sure, in terms of performance, we seem to be more consistently struggling to make our way into Q2 and getting close to the top 10. So, yeah, we know it's not going to be an easy task, but still we're going to give it our best.

‘Monumental weekend for McLaren?’;

https://www.fia.com/news/azerbaijan-...nce-transcript


Ecclestone warns 'embarrasing' Hamilton: 'People will forget him'
17 Sept 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Bernie Ecclestone, former F1 Supremo, believes Ferrari partnering Lewis Hamilton's most embarrasing aspect is the fact the Briton can't "deliver" what the Italians thought he would. Lewis Hamilton's first year at Ferrari has not been anything to write home about, and Ecclestone even brands the partnership as "embarrasing."

“The most embarrassing thing, in my opinion, for Lewis and Ferrari is that they thought he could do all the things that were necessary,” he told Sport.de. “You must be disappointed that what was supposed to be delivered was not delivered,” he continued, opining from what he believes could be the Scuderia's point of view.

Reaffirming his stance on the matter of Hamilton's future in F1, Ecclestone once against voiced his thought that the seven-time World Champion would do well to call it a day. “He should stop,” the former F1 Supremo stated, issuing a warning to the Ferrari driver that his legacy in the sport might depend on it. “The danger that – if he continues for another year or a year and a half and hasn’t gotten better by then – people will forget him and his achievements.”

“He should stop”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/eccle...ill-forget-him


Hamilton expects Ferrari’s “softer” car will suit Baku better than Mercedes did
18th Sept 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton is hopeful his Ferrari will suit the Baku City Circuit better than Mercedes’ cars did because its ride is softer. “It’s a much different car than I’ve ever driven here before, so I’m excited to see how that feels and what I can get from it,” Hamilton told the official Formula 1 channel. “It’s got more mechanical grip,” Hamilton explained. “It’s a lot softer than the cars I’ve driven in the past.”

Hamilton competed in all eight prior races at Baku when he was at Mercedes. He won the 2018 race and was leading the year before when he was delayed by a pit stop to fix a loose headrest. However he doesn’t expect to challenge for victory again this weekend. “A win is a bit far-fetched considering I’ve been sixth, seventh and eighth for most of the season,” he said.

“I would love to get a podium for the team at some stage. Charles [Leclerc] has had four or five of them. I feel optimistic coming into the weekend. I feel like I’ve found a couple things and now I need to work on extracting them. So I really hope that this weekend can be the start of that.”

‘Lewis Hamilton is hopeful’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/09/18/...-mercedes-did/


Gary Anderson is ‘sure’ Red Bull have made one secret change to give Max Verstappen a McLaren-beater
18 Sept 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Gary Anderson expects Red Bull will replicate Max Verstappen’s Monza set-up in Baku. Verstappen won the Italian GP from pole position, after he denied Lando Norris in qualifying by just 0.077 seconds and utilised the straight-line speed of his Red Bull RB21 to pull away in the race. The Dutchman ultimately won by 19.207s, as McLaren tried an alternative strategy.

Red Bull trimmed downforce off Verstappen’s rear wing at Monza, too, unlike on teammate Yuki Tsunoda’s car, to further improve his straight-line speed advantage. But Gary Anderson expects Red Bull also made changes to Verstappen’s floor to help him beat Norris at Monza. Given F1 teams also use low-downforce set-ups for the city streets of Baku, albeit not to the same extreme levels as for Monza, Anderson expects Red Bull will try to mimic Verstappen’s Italian GP-winning set-up for the Azerbaijan GP. He has previously won once in Baku in 2022.

Anderson told The Race: “I’m sure there were other developments in the underfloor that might mean that the aerodynamic centre of pressure from the actual underfloor moved more rearwards with speed. “If that happens, it will give you more front grip in the lower- and medium-speed corners and more rear grip in the fast corners. This allows you to run a less draggy rear wing, meaning you also get the benefit of increased straight-line speed.”

‘A McLaren-beater’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gar...claren-beater/


Max ahead of Azerbaijan GP: 'Important to have stable weekend.'
18 Sept 2025
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

“Monza was of course an incredible result. It really gave everyone in the team a boost. I’m looking forward to seeing how competitive we’ll be around here, but it’s difficult to predict. We made progress, but this circuit is very different compared to Monza.”

The Dutchman continued: “Every circuit has different demands. Baku has a lot of slow corners and a lot of 90-degree corners; that’s never been our strong point. It’s a challenging track with not much grip. Usually, the track surface is pretty green but improves rapidly through the weekend. Like Monza, we need to have a stable weekend and not go to in wildly different directions set-up wise. We’ll try to achieve the same as in Monza.”

After his win in Italy, Max visited the Red Bull Powertrains facility in Milton Keynes. “It was great to catch up and show my face. The facilities are incredible. All that’s needed for this project is available, it’s impressive”, said the reigning champion. “We know it’s a huge challenge to develop our own power unit, but it’s great to see how everything is coming together for when it starts in about six months. It’s not that far away.”

'Important to have stable weekend';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5946/


Why Red Bull resurgence could be real - What to watch at 2025 Azerbaijan GP
Sept 17th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

From Red Bull's potential resurgence to McLaren's title duel, tyre strategy gambles, Bearman's race-ban threat and renewed scrutiny on driving rules, Baku promises another weekend of intrigue. Formula 1 swaps the high-speed sweeps of Monza for the unforgiving city walls of Baku this weekend, as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix hosts round 17 of the 2025 season.

The championship fight remains finely balanced, and the streets of the Caspian capital have a history of providing unexpected twists. At the top of the agenda is whether Red Bull‘s Monza breakthrough was the start of a genuine revival or just a one-off flash of form.

‘Why Red Bull resurgence could be real’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Azerbaijan GP: Norris leads McLaren 1-2 in disrupted first practice.
Norris dominated the early stages of practice, outpacing on Pirelli’s soft compound Mercedes’ George Russell, Leclerc, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
19/09/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

With only 21 minutes left after the restart, teams scrambled for data. Verstappen briefly closed the gap to Norris, clocking a time just 0.043s shy. But Norris responded emphatically, shaving a second off his earlier best to secure top spot.

Piastri, on new softs, climbed to second with a 1m43.014s, three tenths behind Norris, while Leclerc took third, half a second off the pace. Russell and Williams’ Alex Albon rounded out the top five, with Albon impressing on the rapidly improving track.

Yuki Tsunoda shone for Racing Bulls, finishing sixth, narrowly ahead of Verstappen, who abandoned his final run after a mistake at Turn 14. Carlos Sainz took eighth for Williams, followed by Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar. Lewis Hamilton narrowly escaped disaster, grazing the Turn 5 wall but avoiding significant damage to his Ferrari.

‘Norris leads McLaren 1-2’;

https://f1i.com/news/548665-azerbaij...-practice.html


2025 F1 Azerbaijan GP – Free Practice 1 Results
Lando Norris leads Oscar Piastri as McLaren dominate FP1 in Baku, while Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes face mixed fortunes
19 September 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 Azerbaijan GP 2025 FP1 results
Check out the full Azerbaijan GP 2025 Free Practice 1 results from the first session in Baku below.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:42.704
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.310
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.552
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.553
5 Alexander Albon Williams +0.859
6 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull +1.034
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull +1.086
8 Carlos Sainz Williams +1.155
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1.199
10 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +1.271

‘FP1 results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-1-results/


Lando Norris On Top Ahead Of Oscar Piastri In Opening Baku F1 Practice
An in-form Lando Norris set the pace ahead of McLaren team-mate, title rival and championship leader Oscar Piastri in Friday's eventful and red flag-punctuated opening practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
September 19, 2025
Agence France-Presse
NDTV.com

An in-form Lando Norris set the pace ahead of McLaren team-mate, title rival and championship leader Oscar Piastri in Friday's eventful and red flag-punctuated opening practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Briton, who trails by 31 points in the drivers' title race, clocked a best lap in one minute and 42.704 to top the times, beating his 24-year-old Australian rival by 0.310 seconds. A similar 1-2 outcome in Sunday's race would clinch a second consecutive constructors' championship success for McLaren and leave the duo to fight for the individual title without the spectre of team orders.

‘Lando Norris On Top’;

https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/la...actice-9306672


Azerbaijan GP: Norris sets the pace in FP1 as Piastri is momentarily sidelined with PU issues
19 Sep 2025
Michelle Foster
F1i.com

Lando Norris topped the timesheet in the opening practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix while his teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri was momentarily sidelined with an engine issue. The upside for Piastri, the bulk of his time in the garage coincided with a red flag as track marshals set about fixing the Turn 16 kerb that had been lifted.

After a 10-minute delay, Race Control green-lighted the session only to throw the yellow flag as it turned out to be a bigger issue than expected. The good news for Piastri, McLaren were able to work on his MCL39 without him losing track time compared to his rivals. The team revealed: “We’d identified a PU issue, which we believe we’ve rectified. Now planning to get Oscar back out when we get going again.”

Back on track with 20 minutes remaining in the session, a busy track and traffic had Isack Hadjar complaining about one of the Williams drivers, Verstappen went second behind Norris only for the McLaren driver to up his pace and put a second between himself and the Red Bull driver. Piastri was up to third.

‘Norris sets the pace’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/azerba...025-fp1-report


Lewis Hamilton escapes with minor damage after Azerbaijan GP scare
Lewis Hamilton suffered a minor scare in the first practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
19 September 2025
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton suffered a minor scare during Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice, breaking his Ferrari front-wing against a wall. With the session heavily delayed due to a separate incident involving a loose kerb at Turn 16, it resumed after a delay of nearly 30 minutes, leaving the field just over 20 minutes of running.

Rounding the left-hander at Turn 5, Hamilton clipped the inside wall, breaking off the left-hand endplate of his car as he crawled back to the pits. Fortunately, the car was otherwise undamaged as he made his way back to the pits for a new front-wing, rejoining to finish 13th overall in the session, with team-mate Charles Leclerc third, behind a Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri one-two for McLaren.

‘Minor scare’;

https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...aijan-gp-scare


George Russell still unwell after ‘sounding terrible’ in Azerbaijan GP FP1
A difficult weekend ahead for George Russell at the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
19 Sep 2025
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

George Russell continues to battle illness after he “sounded terrible” over team radio in first practice for the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver was ruled out of Thursday’s media day in Baku due to feeling unwell.

Mercedes said in a statement: “George is unwell so unfortunately won’t be at the track today, as he’s resting up ahead of tomorrow’s track action.” Russell returned to action on Friday as first practice got underway. It was a fairly encouraging session for the British driver, setting the fourth-fastest time of the day.

Russell was just over 0.6s off Lando Norris’ impressive pace for McLaren. Russell also reported a “serious amount of bottoming” on the long straight in Baku. “There’s a serious amount of bottoming on the straight,” Russell said over team radio in FP1. Russell’s radio message was difficult to hear and it was clear he was struggling.

‘Sounding terrible’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108202...ijan-gp-f1-fp1


Norris quickest in interrupted FP1 - 2025 Azerbaijan GP practice results
September 19th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Norris leads McLaren 1-2 at Baku as a red flag cost drivers plenty of track time. Lando Norris went quickest in opening practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a session interrupted by lengthy repairs to a kerb.

McLaren driver Norris posted a best time of 1:42.704sec to top FP1 by over three tenths from team-mate Oscar Piastri, second fastest. Piastri’s weekend started off poorly after having to return to the pits slowly before managing to complete a lap.

‘Piastri’s weekend started off poorly’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton sends message to Ferrari after topping Azerbaijan GP practice.
Put to him that it looked like a positive day out there, Hamilton replied: “It really has, yeah, thank the Lord”.
19 Sep 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton thanked his Ferrari team for their “patience” and continued efforts after he set the pace on Friday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While Hamilton was keen to keep a lid on talk of just how significant that result was, Hamilton said the “progress” being made by he and Ferrari has really started to “come through”, as he headed a one-two result.

Hamilton’s 1:41.293 was enough for him to end Friday practice at the Baku City Circuit on top. He was 0.074s up on team-mate Charles Leclerc, with Mercedes’ George Russell in third almost half a second off the ultimate pace.

That performance marks a continuation of the positive trend which Hamilton has been on since returning from the summer break. With a fresh breakthrough in Baku, Hamilton feels that progress is now being displayed clearly.

“It really has, yeah, thank the Lord”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...ogress-showing


2025 F1 Azerbaijan GP – Free Practice 2 Results
Hamilton sets the pace in Baku as Norris crashes and Ferrari dominate FP2
19 September 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 Azerbaijan GP 2025 FP2 results
Check out the full Azerbaijan GP 2025 Free Practice 2 results from the second session in Baku below.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:41.293
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.074
3 George Russell Mercedes +0.477
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.486
5 Oliver Bearman Haas +0.598
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.609
7 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.696
8 Esteban Ocon Haas +0.874
9 Alexander Albon Williams +0.884
10 Lando Norris McLaren +0.906

‘Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/202...ice-2-results/


Hamilton tops FP2 as McLarens hit the wall - 2025 Azerbaijan GP practice results
September 19th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Hamilton tops second practice from Leclerc as Piastri and Norris finish down the order. Lewis Hamilton led a Ferrari 1-2 in second practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as McLaren‘s drivers failed to set a competitive time.

Hamilton used the softest compound to outpace team-mate Charles Leclerc, who has been on pole at Baku for the past three years, by less than a tenth of a second. Hamilton stayed on top of the times for most of the session thanks to a medium-tyre run before Leclerc beat it late on with the soft tyres.

‘Hamilton tops FP2’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


Blow for Lando Norris as both McLarens crash in second Baku practice
19 Sep 2025
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris suffers setback with crash in Azerbaijan Grand Prix second practice. Lando Norris has suffered an early blow to his Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend with a crash in second practice. The Briton, who is 31 points behind McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri arriving in Baku, touched the wall at Turn 4 after losing the rear of his car while on a flying lap on soft tyres.

“What an eventful day we’ve had here in Baku, with Oscar Piastri starting with an engine problem. That was fixed quite quickly,” Sky Sports F1’s pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz said. “By contrast, I’m not sure the broken suspension at the back of Lando Norris’s car is going to be fixed before the end of the season. Never say never, the fact that it’s on stands doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”

“But I can see the car being taken apart in various other ways that they would normally do between practice two and practice three. The effect of not having the long runs, we saw it with Kimi Antonelli at Monza, how much will it effect Lando? A more experienced driver but in with a chance of the title.”

‘Blow for Lando Norris’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108204...-prix-practice


Jolyon Palmer ‘can’t believe’ what he heard Oscar Piastri say about McLaren team orders at Azerbaijan Grand Prix
19 September 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Oscar Piastri should have said he was willing to give up Monza win to Lando Norris? Early in the presser, host Tom Clarkson asked Piastri whether he would have given the place back had he been leading. There’s a seven-point difference between first and second, but only three between second and third.

Piastri, who still has a comfortable 31-point lead, replied: “But it wasn’t, Tom, so, I don’t know. I wasn’t in that scenario. Would it have made it a bit more difficult? Probably, yes. But I don’t know if the outcome would have been different. I’m not planning on finding myself in that position.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chequered Flag podcast, Jolyon Palmer questioned why Piastri was so hesitant. It was an opportunity to score some points with the McLaren management, without making any firm commitment. After hearing the aforementioned clip, Palmer said: “I can’t believe he didn’t just say, ‘Of course I’d have given the place back, of course I would have done’. Don’t even try and make it tricky! It’s not a case that’s come up. I don’t think I would have given up a Grand Prix win for that.’

‘Can’t believe’;

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


Marko makes Red Bull prediction in Max Verstappen Baku boost
19 Sep 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen was forced to settle for sixth at the end of Friday practice, but has no reason to fear, as per Helmut Marko. Red Bull’s senior advisor believes a top three grid slot will be secured, which will put Verstappen in the hunt for back-to-back victories. However, Marko does not see such an alarming gap in need of addressing for qualifying. “The long runs, we are promising,” he began.

“I think we are in a position to fight on the front. On the qualifying lap, we must find one tenth, one tenth and a half. But that’s possible with fine-tuning.” Clarifying that “roughly half a tenth” of the deficit can be explained by the engine mode which Verstappen was using, Marko added: “So that means also in qualifying we are not so far off.”

‘Verstappen Baku boost’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...rbaijan-gp-win


Brakes Fixed, Beast Unleashed: Hamilton Leads Ferrari’s Baku Blitz
September 19, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
Fastest Lap

Lewis Hamilton’s 1:41.293 put him at the head of the sheet after FP2, 0.074s clear of Charles Leclerc, with George Russell half a second back in the Mercedes. It wasn’t just the headline; it was the way it came together. Ferrari found something between sessions, and Hamilton—still learning the SF-25 at new circuits—clicked with it.

“It really has [been positive], thank the Lord,” he said. “It started out, it wasn’t so positive. FP1 was a bit of a mess. And this is a circuit where you have to have mega confidence in the brakes. I had some problems with the brakes.” Baku punishes hesitation. It’s all long stops and razor-edged walls, the kind of place where if your middle pedal isn’t perfect, your lap isn’t either. Ferrari addressed it between sessions, and Hamilton felt the car come to him.

“We made some changes going into P2 and the brakes finally were working perfect,” he added. “I was able to really make some quick big advantage in terms of gaining on the brakes. So really happy to see the progress.” There’s been a gentle but noticeable reset since the summer break. The rhythm, the feel, the confidence—call it what you like—has crept back into Hamilton’s weekends. And in Baku, with Ferrari showing clean, repeatable speed across both cars, he let the gratitude flow.

‘The rhythm, the feel, the confidence’;

https://fastestlap.com/news/brakes-f...is-baku-blitz/