The Official F1 2025 silly season *contains speculation*

[vaud]

Gad-Westy said:

I think I'd agree with that. Though pretty hard to know on McLaren vs. Ferrari drivers with neither mclaren driver having driven any other F1 car. They certainly look strong though.

Pedant alert.

Piastri drove the Alpine A521 in the post-season young drivers' test prior to signing for McLaren, but yes not in a race.

[SpudLink]

ajprice said:

Mercedes, RB and Sauber to go.

As expected, Antonelli confirmed at Mercedes.

[ajprice]

SpudLink said:

ajprice said:

Mercedes, RB and Sauber to go.

As expected, Antonelli confirmed at Mercedes.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

With Kevin Magnuseen banned for the next race I assume Oliver Bearman will be driving for Haas in Azerbaijan. As Bearman has no chance of winning the F2 championship now I would be tempted to tell Magnussen to start his retirement early and let Bearman drive for the rest of the season.

[andburg]

The FIA are utterly spineless

I fully expect them to rescind the ban

[vaud]

andburg said:

The FIA are utterly spineless

I fully expect them to rescind the ban

If it was any of the potential WDCs then maybe

[Maxdecel]

Audi F1 an extravagance ? - https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/...

[Still Mulling]

Maxdecel said:

Audi F1 an extravagance ? - https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/...

It’s never matched the brand, for me. No history in the sport. I would not be surprised by a u-turn. (That’s not to say I’m expecting one.)

[MustangGT]

vaud said:

andburg said:

The FIA are utterly spineless

I fully expect them to rescind the ban

If it was any of the potential WDCs then maybe

Would not be needed, they just would not issue the points in the first place.

[PRO5T]

MustangGT said:

vaud said:

andburg said:

The FIA are utterly spineless

I fully expect them to rescind the ban

If it was any of the potential WDCs then maybe

Would not be needed, they just would not issue the points in the first place.

K-Mag certainly has a point in that they were not deserved and even Gasly said he'd be happy to speak to the stewards on his behalf that it didn't warrant punishment (not sure what Flav would make of that though!).

[andburg]

point is it's not about a single incident, it's a pattern

just like losing your license for 36 in a 30 five times, each incident may not be massively dangerous but it says the driver is either careless or has little regard for the rules.

[MartG]

Still Mulling said:

No history in the sport.

Really ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Union_racing_ca...

[Still Mulling]

MartG said:

Really ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Union_racing_ca...

Yes.

Granted, they (or at least one the companies that became Audi) have raced in pre-war Grand Prix, but not in Formula 1. I would expect a quick poll of motorsport fans (never mind Joe Public) to associate Audi's experience with Rallying and le Mans ahead of F1.

[Leithen]

The problem will be the sunk cost.

They would be able to sell the team and recoup a lot of their investment, but how much have they spent on the engine? Would they be prepared to sell it (design, IP, etc)? Would anyone want to buy what they have given that it is unproven?

[hondajack85]

PRO5T said:

MustangGT said:

vaud said:

andburg said:

The FIA are utterly spineless

I fully expect them to rescind the ban

If it was any of the potential WDCs then maybe

Would not be needed, they just would not issue the points in the first place.

K-Mag certainly has a point in that they were not deserved and even Gasly said he'd be happy to speak to the stewards on his behalf that it didn't warrant punishment (not sure what Flav would make of that though!).

Get a letter from your boss to say it will effect your ability to do your job lol.
Dont think there is any chance of crying about it working. Its just the result of reaching the magic number of points.
They should bring back the driver through penatly to get these difficult drivers out of the way. How many other drivers races has he ruined the last couple of years.

[FourWheelDrift]

Sauber/Audi should promote Theo Pourchaire, he's their reserve driver, F2 Champion and proven to adapt in other racing (Indycar). Same with Aston Martin getting Felipe Drugovich in one of their cars.

What is the point of F2 if it doesn't get you an F1 drive. Current Champions in F1 are 2017 champ Charles LeClerc, George Russell from 2018 and Oscar Piastri from 2021. And the 2019 and 2020 Champs had drives (De Vries and Schumacher).

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Tuesday 3rd September 13:45

[andburg]

FourWheelDrift said:

Sauber/Audi should promote Theo Pourchaire, he's their reserve driver, F2 Champion and proven to adapt in other racing (Indycar). Same with Aston Martin getting Felipe Drugovich in one of their cars.

What is the point of F2 if it doesn't get you an F1 drive. Current Champions in F1 are 2017 champ Charles LeClerc, George Russell from 2018 and Oscar Piastri from 2021. And the 2019 and 2020 Champs had drives (De Vries and Schumacher).

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Tuesday 3rd September 13:45

problem is not all years in F2 are equal

the recent F2 champs have all been there multiple years, needed too much to adapt or were beaten by somebody who is properly special and far more deserving.

2018 - Russell beat Norris both in first year (not counting Norris's 2 in 2017), Albon and De Vries both in 2nd year
2019 - De Vries wins, Mick Schumacher finishes mid table
2020 - Mick wins second go, Drugovich came mid table
2021 - Piastri wins in his first year, Drugovich came mid table, Pourchaire 5th
2022 - Probably the weakest field on record, Drugovich wins, Pourchaire second, Logan Sargeant 4th
2023 - Pourchaire wins

Since Piastri nobody from F2 has shown themselves really capable of success in F1

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

FourWheelDrift said:

Sauber/Audi should promote Theo Pourchaire, he's their reserve driver, F2 Champion and proven to adapt in other racing (Indycar). Same with Aston Martin getting Felipe Drugovich in one of their cars.

What is the point of F2 if it doesn't get you an F1 drive. Current Champions in F1 are 2017 champ Charles LeClerc, George Russell from 2018 and Oscar Piastri from 2021. And the 2019 and 2020 Champs had drives (De Vries and Schumacher).

Agree, but the theory seems to be that if you win F2 on your first attempt then you are an amazing talent and you are straight into F1. The more attempts it takes, the less likely you are to cut it and Theo Pourchaire did three and a half seasons of F2. That is getting on for Jolyon Palmer levels of time spent in F2.

Felipe Drugovich did three seasons of F2 before he won it.

So there are just two seats up for grabs now, the Sauber and RB seats. Liam Lawson has been promised a drive in F1, but I believe his contract with Red Bull ends on the 15th and after then he is a free agent. Shame the only other seat left will be the Sauber seat by then.

So Sauber I think have three possible options, Bottas, Pourchaire and maybe Liam Lawson if he is let go by Red Bull.

RB, who knows I would not be surprised if Ricciardo somehow hangs on to the seat for another year.

[Muzzer79]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

With Kevin Magnuseen banned for the next race I assume Oliver Bearman will be driving for Haas in Azerbaijan. As Bearman has no chance of winning the F2 championship now I would be tempted to tell Magnussen to start his retirement early and let Bearman drive for the rest of the season.

You don't believe in honouring a contract?

In treating a guy who you invited back to drive for your team in 2022 correctly and letting him see out this season?

Also, from a business perspective, it seems an odd decision to pay someone not to drive and another to actually drive, unless the former is failing massively or you've got bottom-less coffers.

[ajprice]

Muzzer79 said:

Also, from a business perspective, it seems an odd decision to pay someone not to drive and another to actually drive, unless the former is failing massively or you've got bottom-less coffers.

That's Lawson to Red Bull then