The Official F1 2025 silly season *contains speculation*

[Mark-C]

UKsandman said:

Mark-C said:

Same reason they put a Monégasque in the car? That's a big market for the brand as well ...

I might be due a whoosh parrot by why is that a big market for the brand? It’s one of the smallest countries in the world.

I was hinting at the smallness of the market for one of their main drivers ... although Monaco possibly has a high Ferrari ownership per capita.

Zhou is a reserve driver for more reasons than his nationality - Ferrari don't need to worry about things like that.

[LM240]

Mark-C said:

UKsandman said:

Mark-C said:

Same reason they put a Monégasque in the car? That's a big market for the brand as well ...

I might be due a whoosh parrot by why is that a big market for the brand? It’s one of the smallest countries in the world.

I was hinting at the smallness of the market for one of their main drivers ... although Monaco possibly has a high Ferrari ownership per capita.

Zhou is a reserve driver for more reasons than his nationality - Ferrari don't need to worry about things like that.

They will always be concerned about market position, especially in a the Chinese market. In some markets, some models are not going so well apparently.

I just don’t think Guanyu falls into the category of doing anything particularly amazing to be hunted by a big team for his race or championship winning potential.

[Muzzer79]

LM240 said:

Mark-C said:

UKsandman said:

Mark-C said:

Same reason they put a Monégasque in the car? That's a big market for the brand as well ...

I might be due a whoosh parrot by why is that a big market for the brand? It’s one of the smallest countries in the world.

I was hinting at the smallness of the market for one of their main drivers ... although Monaco possibly has a high Ferrari ownership per capita.

Zhou is a reserve driver for more reasons than his nationality - Ferrari don't need to worry about things like that.

They will always be concerned about market position, especially in a the Chinese market. In some markets, some models are not going so well apparently.

I just don’t think Guanyu falls into the category of doing anything particularly amazing to be hunted by a big team for his race or championship winning potential.

Ferrari's 2024 EBITDA was up 12% on the previous year at over EUR 2.5bn.

They are in a position to be able to tell their customers what car they can have and when. Demand outstrips production.

They are not concerned about market position.

[carinaman]

Mark-C said:

Same reason they put a Monégasque in the car? That's a big market for the brand as well ...

I am wondering how many times during the commentaries we'll hear "The team mate of the Monégasque driver" this year.

"Lewis over takes his Monégasque team mate".

It's almost like they're playing BS bingo.

[ajprice]

Williams has a title sponsor: Atlassian

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/williams-f1-tea...

Edited by ajprice on Tuesday 11th February 15:41

[Mark-C]

ajprice said:

Williams has a title sponsor: Atlassian

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/williams-f1-tea...

Probably won't make much difference this year (maybe more cash for in-year upgrades?) but hopefully some financial stability in support of long term driver positive change.

I'm working on the principle that the biggest benefit to their budget in 2025 is not having to constantly repair a crashed car!

[vaud]

Good sponsor though - well backed in the market and not dodgy.

[thegreenhell]

And they've announced Jacques Villeneuve as Williams brand ambassador or something, so I guess he's no longer banned from their team hospitality at races.

[vaud]

thegreenhell said:

And they've announced Jacques Villeneuve as Williams brand ambassador or something, so I guess he's no longer banned from their team hospitality at races.

That surprised me. It's quite an achievement to get banned as a WDC from your former team.

[paulguitar]

vaud said:

thegreenhell said:

And they've announced Jacques Villeneuve as Williams brand ambassador or something, so I guess he's no longer banned from their team hospitality at races.

That surprised me. It's quite an achievement to get banned as a WDC from your former team.

It really is. What did he do?

[thegreenhell]

paulguitar said:

It really is. What did he do?

Apparently he said some mean but true things about Lance Stroll when he was a Williams driver.

[vaud]

thegreenhell said:

paulguitar said:

It really is. What did he do?

Apparently he said some mean but true things about Lance Stroll when he was a Williams driver.

https://f1i.com/news/274022-williams-allegedly-ban...

I guess you can be a pundit or an ambassador, not both....

[paulguitar]

vaud said:

thegreenhell said:

paulguitar said:

It really is. What did he do?

Apparently he said some mean but true things about Lance Stroll when he was a Williams driver.

https://f1i.com/news/274022-williams-allegedly-ban...

I guess you can be a pundit or an ambassador, not both....

Thanks both.

[TopspeedPT]

Zak Brown: Lando Norris can win the F1 championship! | Ti podcast 250

[TheDeuce]

TopspeedPT said:

Zak Brown: Lando Norris can win the F1 championship! | Ti podcast 250

But only if he can start races without getting dicked off the line and then driving off the track trying to catch up

Joking aside I hope he comes back from the winter break with those demons banished!!

[Sandpit Steve]

vaud said:

https://f1i.com/news/274022-williams-allegedly-ban...

I guess you can be a pundit or an ambassador, not both....

In the same way as you can be a pundit or a steward, but not both.

The sport really needs more unfiltered voices like Villeneuve and Rosberg though, people who have achieved at the highest levels, and have enough money that they don’t need to care too much about who they upset.

[Mark-C]

Sandpit Steve said:

vaud said:

https://f1i.com/news/274022-williams-allegedly-ban...

I guess you can be a pundit or an ambassador, not both....

In the same way as you can be a pundit or a steward, but not both.

The sport really needs more unfiltered voices like Villeneuve and Rosberg though, people who have achieved at the highest levels, and have enough money that they don’t need to care too much about who they upset.

That's fine ... but not neccesarily what you want from a Brand Ambassador

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

TheDeuce said:

But only if he can start races without getting dicked off the line and then driving off the track trying to catch up

Joking aside I hope he comes back from the winter break with those demons banished!!

It's almost inevitable now isn't it. Gets pole in qualifying then overtaken by Verstappen on the first corner who makes a better start, goes off trying to keep up with him and loses another place or two.

[vaud]

Mark-C said:

That's fine ... but not neccesarily what you want from a Brand Ambassador

You need someone to wheel out to guests at GPs and other events who can tell the odd funny anecdote but be corporate.

[Westyn]

ajprice said:

Williams has a title sponsor: Atlassian

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/williams-f1-tea...

Edited by ajprice on Tuesday 11th February 15:41

Good transition from excel sheets to agile workflows. Looking forward to see new Williams livery this year!