Adrian Newey Starts First Day at New Post With Aston Martin

Adrian Newey has officially started work at his new post with Aston Martin F1. Newey has been a staple in the design of Formula 1 cars for years and Lawrence Stroll seized the opportunity to bring him in to assist with Aston Martin’s goals of achieving a championship in Formula 1. Although the move has been known for quite some time. It is yet to be determined how big of an impact he will have on the Aston Martin program. The team has shown glimpses of brilliance but there hasn’t been sustained success since the team’s inception.

Newey bring over 20 years of car designing experience to Aston Martin. The team will needed it after a poor outing during teh Bahrain test which the team logged the second lowest about of testing time out of all of the teams this past weekend. The lowest was Newey’s former post Red Bull who are navigating multiple issues on their front to reproduce another championship winning car. The clock is ticking until the season opener and then and only then will we have a true read out of where the new AM25 stands against the competition.

After three days of testing the Formula 1 Bahrain test has come to an end. As the season opener in Australia approaches the Bahrain test was the first opportunity to see how the cars stacked up against one another in 2025. The 2024 F1 champion Max Verstappen struggle to find balance in his RB21 until the later stages of the weekend. Red Bull saw a severe drop in performance compared to the McLarens in the second half of the 2024 season. As a result Sergio Perez was replaced by Liam Lawson. A change that many felt was controversial. Lawson set good lap times but the Red Bulls covered the least distance of any team on the weekend which raises questions as to whether they made the most of this test.

Ferrari Shows Signs of Positivity

Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari over the off season was met with excitement and promise. Although his first outing in the SF-25 didn’t go smoothly. In Bahrain Hamilton appeared to be himself reborn. The Ferrari looked to go tit for tat with the McLarens which points to the performance at the top of the constructors table to be brewing for a heated battle all season. “Overall, it’s been a great few days and we’ve made some strong progress as a team,” said Hamilton. “We had to finish a little earlier than planned today, and the weather has been hard to predict all week, but that’s how testing works sometimes, and we’ve managed to gather a lot of good information to build on before the season starts.

The whole team has done an incredible job, and I’m so excited to get to the first race in Melbourne. I can’t wait to go racing with them.”

McLaren Picks Up Where They Left Off

McLaren show signs of improvement despite not setting the fastest times on day three of testing. Andrea Stella commented, “The end of three productive days here in Bahrain. We completed our aero tests this morning, before giving both Lando and Oscar a chance for some runs to allow them to gain insight into the capabilities of the car before we head to Australia. We also took the opportunity to make some further set-up changes as we continue to learn about the characteristics of the MCL39. The team here and in Woking have done a great job of bringing our new car to the track and allowing us to maximise all of the time available to us this week. We have plenty to analyze and work on before the first race of the season in two weeks’ time.”

Of note George Russell ran the fastest on day 3 of testing. Williams also seems to have found some of the magic with Alex Albon running third fastest. The F1 rookies Jack Doohan, Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman all showed signs of promise as they get up to speed with the pace of Formula 1 cars.

The opening round of the Formula 1 season kicks off March 13-16 in Australia.

After early concerns from fans at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton’s recent outing in his new Ferrari SF-25 during the Bahrain pre-test was a stark contrast to the last Formula 1 test. Hamilton appeared to be more please with the results of this test which is in line with him having more time learning the new car and controls. Testing is always exciting,” said Hamilton. “It’s the first time you get to see what everyone has been developing and can start to get a feel for your own car and the year ahead. Being here with Scuderia Ferrari HP and in the SF-25 for the first time is an incredible feeling.

Our focus right now is on experimenting with different things, gathering as much data as possible and getting familiar with the car, and we’ve already learned a lot. It’s too early to really understand performance, but everything feels good and as a team we’re working on the best way to optimize each run. There’s more to do over the next few days to get through our program and understand the car to the best of our ability, but right now I’m looking forward to getting out there again tomorrow.”

Hamilton ran 13th fastest on day one of testing.

Charles Leclerc Ahead of Hamilton

Charles Leclerc finished day 1 fourth fastest which was to be expected. Leclerc has emerged as the lead driver thus far and its clear he doesn’t want to make concessions to Hamilton without earning it on the track. It feels good to be back on track. The whole team put a lot of effort into the SF-25 project over the winter break, so it’s exciting to finally get down to work with it.

It’s always a positive to have a smooth session without anything unexpected happening in terms of your run plan, although of course, it’s still too early to come to any conclusions about our performance. We’re going to analyze our data from today and make use of what we learn tonight when we start work again tomorrow”

The Formula one paddock is back in action this week with formal testing underway in Bahrain. Lando Norris set the pace on day 1, however it was very clear that the cars were in experimentation mode so the true pace of the cars this year is yet to be determined. Norris however saw it as a positive direction for this McLaren. “It’s nice to be back in the car,” Norris said. “A big shout-out to the team for getting everything ready and prepared for today. It was a good, fun day on track, and we progressed through a lot of the tests that we wanted to do. I’m looking forward to pushing the car a bit more over the next couple of days.”

Day 1 Results from the Bahrain Pre Test

Lewis Hamilton has official made his move to Ferrari and has opened his season duties with pre season testing. Ferrari’s testing event at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was private test to help get the drivers get acclimated withe each other and the team. While a crash in the session was not ideal Ferrari do not appear to be concerned that they’ve made a mistake with signing Hamilton for what will likely be his last post in Formula 1. Team principal Fred Vasseur said, “I’m not worried at all. He’s coming with experience of this. He did almost 20 seasons in F1 – and he will manage perfectly this period.”

Hamilton’s next opportunity for testing will come when Ferrari participates in their Pirelli tire test. The testing event will be a two day evet and will start next week.

This week Red Bull F1 Team announced the conclusion of an era with Sergio Perez as their number 2 driver. Perez has been with the Red Bull side from 2021 to the end of the F1 season this year. However, after diminishing performance in 2024 which cost Red Bull the constructors champion Perez met his imminent fate. However, identifying his replacement was no straight forward feat. Red Bull is known for investing in their young talent and with a satellite team (RB) on the grid many pointed to Daniel Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda to take the seat when Perez was to exit. However, inconsistency in performance on the track plagued Ricciardo which eventually cost him his seat.

Liam Lawson Gets Red Bull Seat Over Tsunoda

Despite a very short stent in the car for 2024, former reserve driver and now Red Bull driver Liam Lawson wowed the Milton Keynes leadership with his race craft and situational decision making that ultimately allows him to vault ahead of Yuki Tsunoda on numerous occasions despite Yuki having more experience in Formula 1. Despite finishing behind Tsunoda in the drivers championship Red Bull have sent a clear message that Lawson is the best man for the job with their announcement today.

Lawson said, “To be announced as an Oracle Red Bull Racing Driver is a lifelong dream for me, this is something I’ve wanted and worked towards since I was eight years old. It’s been an incredible journey so far. I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at VCARB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step. I also want to thank, Christian, Helmut and the whole Red Bull family for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I am super excited to work alongside Max and learn from a World Champion, I have no doubt I will learn from his expertise. I can’t wait to get going!”

Red Bull Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner Offered His Comments on the Decision

Horner said, “I’m delighted to announce that Liam Lawson will join the Team in 2025. Liam’s performances over the course of his two stints with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls have demonstrated that he’s not only capable of delivering strong results but that he’s also a real racer, not afraid to mix it with the best and come out on top. His arrival continues the Team’s long history of promoting from within the Red Bull Junior Programme and he follows in the footsteps of championship and race-winning drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and of course, Max Verstappen. There’s no doubt that racing alongside Max, a four-time champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers ever seen in F1, is a daunting task, but I’m sure Liam can rise to that challenge and deliver some outstanding results for us next year.”

Despite not finishing atop the constructors championship in 2024 Red Bull dominated the field early in the season which allowed Max Verstappen to create a large enough lead to hold on to the drivers championship despite no longer having the fastest car on grid. Now for the first time Liam Lawson will receive the opportunity he has been waiting for for years. With Lawson’s promotion Red Bull look to rebuild around their traditional mantra of investing in young talent that has been invested in their organization.

Sergio Perez Says Farwell

Sergio Perez had the following word regarding his departure. “I’m incredibly grateful for the past four years with Oracle Red Bull Racing and for the opportunity to race with such an amazing Team. Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together. We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way.

A big thank you to every person in the Team from the management, engineers and mechanics, catering, hospitality, kitchen, marketing and communications, as well as everyone at Milton Keynes, I wish you all the best for the future. It has also been an honor to race alongside Max as a teammate all these years and to share in our success. A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember…Never give up.”

McLaren has dethroned the Red Bulls in 2024 with a win from Lando Norris in the 2024 Formula 1 season finale at Yas Marina for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. McLaren rose like a phoenix in 2024 after a disappointing 2023 season that saw them finish outside of the big three in P4. The battle with Red Bull was over before the final round of the season. Given Sergio Perez’s lack of form for the majority of the 2024 season. It was a battle between Ferrari and McLaren heading into the final race of the season. McLaren came into the weekend with a 21 point advantage and Ferrari needed to make some magic happen in order to have a chance at the constructors title.

Ultimately Ferrari fell short by 14 points. McLaren’s Norris elated by the accomplishment said “It feels incredible, not for myself but for the whole team. The team have done an amazing job this year to come from where we were at the beginning. I’m so proud of everyone – it’s been a lovely journey, and to end the season like this is perfect, so just a congrats and big thank you to everyone in McLaren, everyone in papaya, everyone who supported us this year because it’s been a tough one. For us to win a constructors’ after 26 years is pretty special.”

Charles Leclerc Comments on Ferrari Shortcoming

Leclerc said, “Even though the race itself was incredible, we fell short of our main objective of winning the constructors’ title, so the disappointment is there today. 

The first lap was really strong, I managed to make up 11 positions going from P19 to P8. The whole first stint was good, but it was a bit tricky to overtake because there was a train of DRS ahead. We managed to make it through and preserved our tires well, so I am very happy with the way we manage our race. There was nothing we could have done better.

Speaking about Carlos, it has been incredible to share team with him for four seasons. We pushed each other to new heights and moved the team positively, always keeping respect for each other. That we are here today, missing our on the world title by 14 points, is also thanks to his contribution. I wish him all the best and look forward to seeing what he will do in the future.

Looking at next year, I hope that we can start the season off with a really strong car. This is probably where we missed our this year, coming back strong in the second half of the season which is where we made a big impact thanks to the incredible work of everyone back in our factory who created the upgrades which let us perform the way we have. This gives me confidence for the future and I really look forward to being back on track in 2025. A big thank you to the whole team that has made this season possible.”

While not an official concession, Leclerc is clearly disappointed with the team’s finish. next year he will line up along side Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari shifts its focus to their 2025 program.

Esteban Ocon has been removed from the Alpine side effective immediately. Ocon who did no finish the grand prix in Qatar has had a rocky season in 2024 with some triumphs and mostly disappointing finishes. Sunday was another one of those disappointing outcomes for Ocon after starting 20th and not finishing one lap. Ocon said, “Unfortunately it was a disappointing weekend and a short race for me today in Qatar. I had a good start to the race and had passed Franco [Colapinto]; I was on the left side of Nico [Hülkenberg] but I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It got very narrow and unfortunately, I was already on the outside when the collision occurred and our race was then over. It was a race incident and not something that we wanted today.”

Ocon will be racing for Haas in 2025 and it has not yet been confirmed if he will race for the American side in the 2024 season finale or if those activities will be reserved for 2025 when the move is official. Jack Doohan son of legendary MotoGP rider Mick Doohan will race for Alpine in Ocon’s place for the season finale.

Despite receiving a one place grid penalty for impeding George Russell after securing pole position in qualifying. Max Verstappen found the pace that no one else could match on Sunday after he won. In response to the grid penalty Verstappen said, “I couldn’t believe that I got it. But in a way, I was also like, yeah, I’m not surprised anymore in the world that I live in. You’re not happy with it, but at one point also you have to just turn the page. But, yeah, it wasn’t very enjoyable to see that happen, because I think that’s the first time that in a slow lap someone has been penalized, while, actually, I just tried to be nice, so maybe I shouldn’t be nice.”

“But the thing is that, because at the end of the season, everything is more or less decided, for me especially, I didn’t want to screw anyone over to prepare their lap. And by doing that, being nice, basically you get a penalty. That’s what I tried to explain as well, but I just felt like I was talking to a brick wall, so there’s not much that was possible for whatever reason.”

Verstappen Spoke on a More Positive Note After the Grand Prix

Yeah, it was a very good race, said Verstappen. “Of course, already yesterday in qualifying, the car was a lot better. And, yeah, today, that first stint was very, very fast. Lando and I were just within 1.8 seconds of each other the whole time, pushing each other. And honestly, it was a lot of fun out there. This track has a lot of grip. And this year, the tires were really holding on. So that was honestly a lot of fun to be really pushing the tire. And yeah, we went really long in that first stint. After that, of course, there were a few Safety Car moments that you had to take care. But very happy. It’s been a while in the dry to be this competitive and very proud of everyone within the team to turn it around within a day. So they definitely also deserve this victory.

Norris Faced Difficult Punishment

Lando Norris was handed a 10 second stop/go penalty which dropped him to the back of the grid for failing to slow under a double waving yellow. Norris had gained 6 tenths on Verstappen in sector 1 where the flags were flown. “Honestly I don’t know what I’ve done wrong at the minute, said Norris. “Apparently I didn’t slow under the yellow. I’m not an idiot – if I knew there was a yellow I would have slowed down. I don’t know if I’ve missed it or just been dumb. But, yeah, the rule is if you don’t slow down under a yellow that’s the penalty, so it’s a fair penalty.”

With the driver’s championship decided already the battle at the front lies between Ferrari and McLaren as the season finale approaches in Abu Dhabi. McLaren currently holds a 21 point lead over the Ferrari side and can seal the constructors championship win by scoring a minimum of 24 points in the final race of the season.

Qatar Grand Prix Results

McLaren moved one step closer to securing the constructors championship today after gained a valuable points advantage on Ferrari and Mercedes. Lando Norris started the sprint race from pole and held it until the final 50 feet of the race where he gave the win to his teammate Oscar Piastri to assist in the points race. McLaren still finished 1-2 and took home maximum points in the sprint.

Pisatri said “It was about defense for the whole race to be honest. I had a good start and a good Turn 1 obviously, and then just didn’t quite have the pace. I think I killed the front a little bit early on and then I was struggling a bit for the rest of the Sprint. Some great teamwork, I think without that help it would have been a much more difficult Sprint. Nice to have a McLaren one-two.”

Unfortunately for Mercedes and Ferrari the points loss to McLaren only further extended McLarens lead in the constructors championship race. It was a frustrating race for George Russell. The McLarens kept him at bay and nothing seemed to word to get by the pair to improve his position.

Next up is the qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix.

Qatar Sprint Race Results