The Official F1 2025 silly season *contains speculation*

[HTP99]

Likes Fast Cars said:

PRO5T said:

It looks like Doohan is doomed to failure before the season even starts, the fanfare around Franco, only a day or so after Flav was telling anyone who’ll listen that doohan will be gone if he doesn’t perform doesn’t look good.

I’ve always found Briatore to be a distasteful and seedy person. Alpine scraping the bottom of the barrel and bringing back this bottom-feeding POS was yet another fk up by the disorganised French.
I hope Jack comes out with some big results early in the season.

Those words about Doohan are nothing that Marko wouldn't say, however yes Briatore just comes across as a complete slimeball and someone who just cannot be trusted, his history is proof of that anyway, must admit was shocked and perplexed when Alpine took him on, why would any big name want to be associated with an person like him.

[Leithen]

HTP99 said:

Likes Fast Cars said:

PRO5T said:

It looks like Doohan is doomed to failure before the season even starts, the fanfare around Franco, only a day or so after Flav was telling anyone who’ll listen that doohan will be gone if he doesn’t perform doesn’t look good.

I’ve always found Briatore to be a distasteful and seedy person. Alpine scraping the bottom of the barrel and bringing back this bottom-feeding POS was yet another fk up by the disorganised French.
I hope Jack comes out with some big results early in the season.

Those words about Doohan are nothing that Marko wouldn't say, however yes Briatore just comes across as a complete slimeball and someone who just cannot be trusted, his history is proof of that anyway, must admit was shocked and perplexed when Alpine took him on, why would any big name want to be associated with an person like him.

He does however appear to have put various rockets up various arses in the team and finally got them performing a bit better.

[Sandpit Steve]

HTP99 said:

Likes Fast Cars said:

PRO5T said:

It looks like Doohan is doomed to failure before the season even starts, the fanfare around Franco, only a day or so after Flav was telling anyone who’ll listen that doohan will be gone if he doesn’t perform doesn’t look good.

I’ve always found Briatore to be a distasteful and seedy person. Alpine scraping the bottom of the barrel and bringing back this bottom-feeding POS was yet another fk up by the disorganised French.
I hope Jack comes out with some big results early in the season.

Those words about Doohan are nothing that Marko wouldn't say, however yes Briatore just comes across as a complete slimeball and someone who just cannot be trusted, his history is proof of that anyway, must admit was shocked and perplexed when Alpine took him on, why would any big name want to be associated with an person like him.

Ah yes, that explains things. I was wondering why Alpine were doing their best to emulate Red Bull by signing five average drivers for two seats - but then I remembered that the tt Briatore was back, the original version of Marko.

His lifetime ban should really have been upheld, there’s no place in the sport for people who order a driver to crash deliberately.

[Still Mulling]

Leithen said:

He does however appear to have put various rockets up various arses in the team and finally got them performing a bit better.

Correlation does not mean causation.

I suspect that one or two engineers who were working for hours on end to regain performance before he arrived would focus in on the word "appear" in your statement!

[ajprice]

Alpine knew Ocon went to the Williams factory before the British GP in July because he went in the Alpine company car which had a GPS tracker in it (all the Alpine company cars have trackers, Ocon didn't know this). They already knew they weren't renewing his contract so they weren't bothered but thought it was funny, he was at Williams for 5 hours.

https://www.grandprix.com/news/how-alpine-tracked-...

[Sandpit Steve]

ajprice said:

Alpine knew Ocon went to the Williams factory before the British GP in July because he went in the Alpine company car which had a GPS tracker in it (all the Alpine company cars have trackers, Ocon didn't know this). They already knew they weren't renewing his contract so they weren't bothered but thought it was funny, he was at Williams for 5 hours.

https://www.grandprix.com/news/how-alpine-tracked-...

Ooh that’s a schoolboy error from Ocon, of course loan cars and press fleet are going to have trackers and people paying attention to them. Should have asked WIlliams to send a car or jumped in a taxi. The other drivers will be taking note though, if they didn’t know already.

[Leithen]

Sandpit Steve said:

Ooh that’s a schoolboy error from Ocon, of course loan cars and press fleet are going to have trackers and people paying attention to them. Should have asked WIlliams to send a car or jumped in a taxi. The other drivers will be taking note though, if they didn’t know already.

Given Alpine had already announced that he wasn’t driving for them in ‘25, fair play. He should have done a road trip to Maranello!

[Sandpit Steve]

Leithen said:

Given Alpine had already announced that he wasn’t driving for them in ‘25, fair play. He should have done a road trip to Maranello!

Ha yes, if they know they’re being tracked then go on a Grand Tour around the rivals, just to catch up with some old friends you see…

[ajprice]

Oliver Turvey to Williams as test and development driver now that Colapinto is at Alpine. https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-sign-mclare...

[Mark-C]

ajprice said:

Oliver Turvey to Williams as test and development driver now that Colapinto is at Alpine. https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-sign-mclare...

Does that include being the reserve driver for races? He hasn't raced for a few years ...

[ajprice]

Mark-C said:

ajprice said:

Oliver Turvey to Williams as test and development driver now that Colapinto is at Alpine. https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-sign-mclare...

Does that include being the reserve driver for races? He hasn't raced for a few years ...

As of 13th January, a lot of reserve drivers aren't confirmed. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/all-the...

[ajprice]

Herbert dropped as FIA race steward. https://www.racefans.net/2025/01/29/fia-drops-herb...

[vaud]

ajprice said:

Herbert dropped as FIA race steward. https://www.racefans.net/2025/01/29/fia-drops-herb...

I think the FIA have a point in this case. Unpaid steward or pundit, it’s a choice?

[Adrian W]

vaud said:

ajprice said:

Herbert dropped as FIA race steward. https://www.racefans.net/2025/01/29/fia-drops-herb...

I think the FIA have a point in this case. Unpaid steward or pundit, it’s a choice?

The FIA were happy with it before the Verstappen camp started complaining, maybe the FIA will offer Jos the job, that will make them happy

[Milkyway]

Adrian W said:

vaud said:

ajprice said:

Herbert dropped as FIA race steward. https://www.racefans.net/2025/01/29/fia-drops-herb...

I think the FIA have a point in this case. Unpaid steward or pundit, it’s a choice?

The FIA were happy with it before the Verstappen camp started complaining, maybe the FIA will offer Jos the job, that will make them happy

JH has got a new job already... Appointed as Brand Ambassador for Lola.
(A case of, It's not what you know...)

[skwdenyer]

vaud said:

ajprice said:

Herbert dropped as FIA race steward. https://www.racefans.net/2025/01/29/fia-drops-herb...

I think the FIA have a point in this case. Unpaid steward or pundit, it’s a choice?

It wasn’t his punditry; it was his commercial relationship with an online betting platform, apparently. Which does make sense.

[TheDeuce]

skwdenyer said:

vaud said:

ajprice said:

Herbert dropped as FIA race steward. https://www.racefans.net/2025/01/29/fia-drops-herb...

I think the FIA have a point in this case. Unpaid steward or pundit, it’s a choice?

It wasn’t his punditry; it was his commercial relationship with an online betting platform, apparently. Which does make sense.

It does make sense - but a lot of things in F1 and surrounding the FIA are questionable but are allowed to continue if it suits them.

Herbert spoke out and also took a strong stance as a steward, they've identified him as an 'undesirable' so he's gone. That's the long and short of it. The fact there is technically a conflict of interests to point at is just convenient...

[Otispunkmeyer]

Might be the wrong thread but I just saw something purported to be the race schedule for this season and Japan is 3rd race? I thought it was later?

Anyway quite a few instances of crossing the pond to the US only to come back over again a week later basically to country next door.

If they want to harp on about sustainability they really need to sort the schedule out for minimal distance travelled. Can't be going Bahrain to Miami then coming back over to Italy and then later going Europe, Canada, Europe. Stupid.

Oh but they put fully synthetic fuel in the cars. Right. Because that part is the so called problem and not hauling tons of kit on trucks and airplanes all over the place.

[vaud]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Might be the wrong thread but I just saw something purported to be the race schedule for this season and Japan is 3rd race? I thought it was later?

Anyway quite a few instances of crossing the pond to the US only to come back over again a week later basically to country next door.

If they want to harp on about sustainability they really need to sort the schedule out for minimal distance travelled. Can't be going Bahrain to Miami then coming back over to Italy and then later going Europe, Canada, Europe. Stupid.

Oh but they put fully synthetic fuel in the cars. Right. Because that part is the so called problem and not hauling tons of kit on trucks and airplanes all over the place.

They are slowly trying to make it more regional through the year but there are complications with Indy 500, Le Mans, other world sporting events, etc. Plus they need to balance saturation of too many events in too few weeks in regions.

[Sandpit Steve]

Updated event timings for next year. The big change is that Las Vegas now starts two hours earlier, which is good if you’re in New York and bad if you’re in Europe.

Somewhat annoyingly, there’s no time zone refences on the chart and all times are local track times. GMT would be useful!

Source: https://x.com/williamssupport/status/1886561795575... credited to FIA