2025 Formula 1 Drivers threadFormula 1

[Saidur_Ali]

That's a lot of track time for Aron. Colapinto should be worried.

Bottas might get his seat...

 

[Imbissbrunto]

I think if they remove everything except for the driver they might save money and perform equally.

That‘s probably true, especially concerning the team‘s management.

 

[McLaren]

I‘m willing to bet he‘ll get axed after Silverstone. Whether a new driver will improve things at Alpine‘s is a different question, however.

TMU of a rule someone brought up recently, the other driver would have to finish out the season & that team is suffering from Red Bull's current syndrome. The car isn't there, regardless of who you put in it.

 

[Imbissbrunto]

TMU of a rule someone brought up recently, the other driver would have to finish out the season & that team is suffering from Red Bull's current syndrome. The car isn't there, regardless of who you put in it.

100%! I think both teams‘ current problems are due to bad decisions by their respective managements.

 

[Liquid]

TMU of a rule someone brought up recently, the other driver would have to finish out the season & that team is suffering from Red Bull's current syndrome. The car isn't there, regardless of who you put in it.

Gasly's seat is pretty safe. It's not good but it's safe. Bottas for Colapinto seems to be gathering momentum.

 

[McLaren]

From Sky Italy.

Another Italian outlet tmu, is reporting that Toto is waiting on the board to start negotiations. Some folks on the main Reddit thread also shared a couple stories that Max will stay, but wants Horner to be let go. That coincides with an article I read last month that the Thai backer in Horner's corner is not happy with the team heading backward after such success in recent years & is presumably, open to changes.

 

[Blitz24]

From Sky Italy.

Another Italian outlet tmu, is reporting that Toto is waiting on the board to start negotiations. Some folks on the main Reddit thread also shared a couple stories that Max will stay, but wants Horner to be let go. That coincides with an article I read last month that the Thai backer in Horner's corner is not happy with the team heading backward after such success in recent years & is presumably, open to changes.

I mean, letting go of Max WILL force them to change the car. The issue is they don't seem to know how to make a good car other than for Max.

 

[EngieDiesel]

From Sky Italy.

Another Italian outlet tmu, is reporting that Toto is waiting on the board to start negotiations. Some folks on the main Reddit thread also shared a couple stories that Max will stay, but wants Horner to be let go. That coincides with an article I read last month that the Thai backer in Horner's corner is not happy with the team heading backward after such success in recent years & is presumably, open to changes.

Not to hard to think that with Ford coming in next year as well, they'll want reassurance that they're not tethering themselves to a sinking ship too. Some kind of a major shakeup for next season seems like it's pretty much inevitable at this point.

 

[Fezzik]

The whole saga has gotten really boring at this point. Max should just say screw it to both teams and go be a streamer & GT3 driver, that's clearly where his interest lies.

 

[Dennisch]

Max should do the most hilarious thing and take Lewis' seat at Ferrari and make them champions again.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Max should do the most hilarious thing and take Lewis' seat at Ferrari and make them champions again.

The first part is the hilarious thing, the second is hilarious that you think anyone can make Ferrari champions

 

[Imbissbrunto]

The first part is the hilarious thing, the second is hilarious that you think anyone can make Ferrari champions

Ferrari‘s year is always next year!

 

[Famine]

Max should do the most hilarious thing and take Lewis' seat at Ferrari and make them champions again.

Horner appears to detest Mercedes more than any other team, so that move would hurt his soul more than any move elsewhere.

 

[Dennisch]

The first part is the hilarious thing, the second is hilarious that you think anyone can make Ferrari champions

Taking over Schumacher style. 2-3 years to collect actual knowledgeable people and build the team without the Italians having too much power. Lewis doesn't have that time anymore. Charles, to me, doesn't have that mentality to take the team by the hand and move them forward.

 

[GlamFM]

George potentially getting screwed is the part I don't like.

Top 3 driver this season IMO.

I don't see a reason why the RB should be good next year. If anything it will probably be even worse.

So Aston? Maybe Newey did it again? Posh British boy and Aston would be a good fit.

 

[Fezzik]

So Aston? Maybe Newey did it again? Posh British boy and Aston would be a good fit.

Alonso is under contract for 2026 and Stroll isn't leaving.

 

[GlamFM]

Alonso is under contract for 2026 and Stroll isn't leaving.

Much like Max potentially leaving early there are always ways around contracts. Alonso is kind of an expert in that regard.

Lance won't win Aston a WDC and to be honest same goes for Fernando who is still good, but way past his prime.

Who knows when (if) another driver of George's caliber will hit the market again.

 

[MagpieRacer]

The Merc/Max rumours do seem to be starting to gather more momentum, no smoke without fire. If Mercedes have the strongest PU for the new regs as is expected and RBR are struggling to develop a competitive car then I can see Max doing it.

Where it leaves George I don't know, I cannot see him staying around and Mercedes haven't put Kimi in the team to just demote him immediately. Aston Martin have to be a possibility, who he replaces there I don't know but it has to be a possibility. Alpine taking on Mercedes power next season's tells me that they are a possibility too, their lineup is up in the air and George will be on their radar. I can't see Red Bull or Cadillac being realistic options and Audi are locked in and I don't see George taking that risk at the level he's currently operating at.

 

[GlamFM]

The Merc/Max rumours do seem to be starting to gather more momentum, no smoke without fire. If Mercedes have the strongest PU for the new regs as is expected and RBR are struggling to develop a competitive car then I can see Max doing it.

Where it leaves George I don't know, I cannot see him staying around and Mercedes haven't put Kimi in the team to just demote him immediately. Aston Martin have to be a possibility, who he replaces there I don't know but it has to be a possibility. Alpine taking on Mercedes power next season's tells me that they are a possibility too, their lineup is up in the air and George will be on their radar. I can't see Red Bull or Cadillac being realistic options and Audi are locked in and I don't see George taking that risk at the level he's currently operating at.

Alpine just seems like such a toxic hellhole - even before Briatore joined.

Aston probably also has deeper pockets.

Here's a weird idea:

 

[MagpieRacer]

Alpine just seems like such a toxic hellhole - even before Briatore joined.

Aston probably also has deeper pockets.

Here's a weird idea:

View attachment 1462176

Not impossible, not impossible at all.

But also;

 

[Fezzik]

Not impossible, not impossible at all.

But also;

Not crazy enough, but maybe this

win in that pink s***box and he truly is the goat

 

[Blitz24]

Not crazy enough, but maybe this

win in that pink s***box and he truly is the goat

Someone should drag up a LRT and see if anyone can win in that. That would be the ultimate test.

 

[RACECAR]

Alpine just seems like such a toxic hellhole - even before Briatore joined.

Aston probably also has deeper pockets.

Here's a weird idea:

View attachment 1462176

This just brings up the rather confounding realization that Flavio, while being both Doohan AND Colapinto's manager, is STILL the Manager of Fernando, who himself is the Manager of Bortoleto...that he also shares the track with.

 

[Earth]

The best American driver prospect in many years, Connor Zilisch, is going to spend the next 20 years driving NASCAR. Sad, because he is so talented at road courses

This is why America can't produce any F1 drivers. Why go to a place as cut throat as F1, when you can ride around in NASCAR for 20 years and make a fortune

 

[EngieDiesel]

The best American driver prospect in many years, Connor Zilisch, is going to spend the next 20 years driving NASCAR. Sad, because he is so talented at road courses

This is why America can't produce any F1 drivers. Why go to a place as cut throat as F1, when you can ride around in NASCAR for 20 years and make a fortune

Also a matter of why enter a series that requires relocating to Europe and traveling around the world nonstop for most of the year, when you can enter one that stays close enough to home and family that you could actually go there once in a while if you want. I'd wager that seems more attractive to most American prospects too.

 

[hakhan]

Not impossible, not impossible at all.

But also;

This won't be happening. Russell will always be with one of the top teams, even he doesn't remain part of Mercedes.

 

[MagpieRacer]

This won't be happening. Russell will always be with one of the top teams, even he doesn't remain part of Mercedes.

Define top team. He's not going to Ferrari, he's not going to Red Bull, he'd be out of Mercedes there's no room for him at McLaren, so now you're at the 5th best team of the current cycle. Unlikely he'd go back to Williams, Audi are locked in, Racing Bulls are out of the equation, can't see it being Haas or Cadillac, leaves Aston and Alpine. Aston possibly, contracts are locked in for now though and no one will willingly leave before they get their hands on a Newey car and Alpine are taking on Mercedes power from next season which is rumoured to be comfortably ahead of the other power units in the new reg cycle and they aren't locked in by any means.

 

[Earth]

Also a matter of why enter a series that requires relocating to Europe and traveling around the world nonstop for most of the year, when you can enter one that stays close enough to home and family that you could actually go there once in a while if you want. I'd wager that seems more attractive to most American prospects too.

Well, he just came out and said he would like to pursue F1 first

Van Gisbergen’s NASCAR teammate eyes F1 chance

Zilisch, 19, beat van Gisbergen in a thrilling Xfinity Series race at Sonoma as part of his full-time schedule in

speedcafe.com

Would love to see Cadillac put him in a F3 seat next year, F2 the year after that, then F1

 

[Fezzik]

Well, he just came out and said he would like to pursue F1 first

Van Gisbergen’s NASCAR teammate eyes F1 chance

Zilisch, 19, beat van Gisbergen in a thrilling Xfinity Series race at Sonoma as part of his full-time schedule in

speedcafe.com

Would love to see Cadillac put him in a F3 seat next year, F2 the year after that, then F1

No he didn't

Zilisch stressed such a switch would require a multi-year commitment and that he wants to establish himself in NASCAR first.


“If it were to happen, I’d have to go over there for at least a year, two years probably to even get enough Super Licence points to qualify,” he said.


“I’d run F3… I’d just run a bunch of ‘BS’ series to get Super Licence points. Middle East F3, random things that you can do to get the points.


“That’s why it would be such a big commitment. I’d want to get settled in here first and know that if I go over there for two years I could come back and still have a job.”

 

[Blitz24]

If he chooses to, Zilisch could probably try this in 2 years or so. He'd probably need to have a win or 2 on the Cup circuit or at least consistency to run near the front.