Further credence to this hypothesis was given by the layout of the Baku circuit, with a straight stretch of over two kilometres - the longest in the entire championship - and lower temperatures than in previous editions. All these factors combined would have led to a drop in front tyre temperature of around 40 degrees, a pitfall that risked creating considerable difficulties on the approach to turn 1, the first in a series of 90-degree braking points that are taken with the wheels straight.

The first signs in free practice

The scenario described above took shape on Friday: the teams chose to use the most familiar compound; among the four top teams, only Lewis Hamilton used one of the three sets of yellow tyres available, while the others opted for one more red tyre than usual.

The same thing happened again this morning in FP3, with the use of C5 reduced to zero, making it clear that the intention was to save all three sets (with the exception of the British Ferrari driver) for the afternoon session.

Confirmation in qualifying

It was enough to watch the cars leaving the pit-lane to confirm the teams' strategy from the first run in Q1, when McLaren and Red Bull made their attempt with C5 compound tyres. However, the situation changed during the second push, with all drivers lining up (except Lando Norris, who opted for new soft tyres), but having to complete two preparation laps, as the yellow tyres were - as expected - losing temperature on the straight.

In the end it was the C6 that prevailed, giving Max Verstappen pole position with 1:41.117, although - not counting the time set by number 4, which was affected by a mistake at turn 15 - the C5 compound also made its mark in the top eight positions. Despite the soft tyre pack in the last attempt, the only two drivers to have chosen the yellow tyres, Sainz and Antonelli, still finished in the top four, with the Italian finishing just ten thousandths of a second behind Liam Lawson's red tyre.

Read also: Sainz second in Baku: «The speed is there, now I want the podium»

Read also: Carlos Sainz and the rain dance

A joke with his engineer, but perhaps, deep down, also a small hope. Because finding yourself at the top with a Williams doesn’t happen every day. And when it does, you truly hope that the dance of the rain can give you a gift. But it was just the beginning of the session, with a thousand possibilities still ahead.

Yet, for a moment, luck seems to really turn. The rain dance seems to have an effect. First, Leclerc triggers a red flag, and then Piastri crashes into the wall, forcing Verstappen to abort a lap that would surely have earned him another pole.

For most of Q3, destiny seems to favor Carlos Sainz and Williams.

There is that precious feeling among fans that this could be another one of those special days. One of those unpredictable days capable of giving unique moments to those who truly love this sport. The underdog claims pole, the team that usually struggles, but today, finally, can celebrate in an unexpected way.

The final Q3 lap is to be lived breath by breath. Because the last word is never spoken, and perhaps the rain dance can work again. In the end, pole goes to Max Verstappen, but at Williams, the celebration is perhaps even bigger. Carlos Sainz is second, ahead of most of the big names. And so, yes, the rain dance perhaps worked a little. Or, more simply, it is the result of the work of a driver and a team who, despite all difficulties, never gave up.

Read also: Sainz second in Baku: «The speed is there, now I want the podium»

Main cover photo cdn.williamsf1.tech

Inside photo x.com

“Thank you very much for the support, I’m very happy with this qualifying. We nailed everything, always on the right tyre at the right moment, and put together some really good laps,” Sainz said right after the session. “Probably, whenever a top car puts everything together, we’re always half a second behind, as usual. Today only Max managed that, and it’s no surprise. But I beat all the others, and that’s very good news.”

The Spaniard stressed that single-lap pace has never been an issue for him this season: “Actually, I’ve always done well in qualifying this year, it’s never been a weak point. Today I showed once again that the speed is there and that we can deliver when it counts. Unfortunately, in the races, for one reason or another, things don’t go our way. But the pace is there, and the points and strong races will come.”

With Verstappen ahead and the rest of the top contenders further back than usual, Sainz looks at tomorrow’s race with realism but also a touch of ambition: “The plan is to fight for the podium, and I’ll give everything I have.”

For Sainz and Williams, Baku is therefore a valuable opportunity: to turn an excellent qualifying into a strong result and further prove the team’s progress.

Read also: Azerbaijan GP, FP1: red flag interrupts session. McLaren one-two, Leclerc third.

Main cover photo cdn.williamsf1.tech

Franco Colapinto and Nico Hulkenberg kick things off, but within five minutes all the drivers are already on the track, except for Aston Martin. Immediately, there is a first twist, with Bortoleto going off track in the run-off. No problem for the Brazilian, though, who immediately returns to the track without any damage.

Less than 10 minutes in, Russell is already complaining of a strange burning smell, probably coming from the brakes. Meanwhile, Alexander Albon experiences a strange incident when his left-hand mirror comes off.

Lando Norris immediately sets a time of 1:44.274, followed by Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari driver has had an unfortunate history on this track, having taken pole position four times without ever winning.

Session stopped due to a red flag

After 15 minutes, the session is stopped due to a piece of rubber, used to secure the kerb to the asphalt, which has come loose from the track at turn 16. The problem is more serious than expected. The marshals must ensure that there are no issues with the kerb, as it could be dangerous for the drivers.

There are 30 minutes left until the end of the session and we still have no news. Meanwhile, there are problems with Oscar Piastri's car, which appear to concern the Power Unit.

Green flag is finally out

With 20 minutes to go, the session finally restarts. Norris takes the lead again, improving with a time of 1:42.704, followed by Verstappen and Piastri, but the Australian is on used tyres.

Hamilton moves into eighth position but hits the wall, damaging his front wing and puncturing his front left tyre. Meanwhile, his teammate moves up to second position, half a second behind the British McLaren driver.

With less than five minutes to go, Verstappen causes a yellow flag by going wide into a run-off to avoid contact with the barriers. Fortunately, there are no consequences for him either.

Oscar Piastri does not want to give up his position to the Monegasque driver, so he moves into second place, just behind Norris. The first free practice session ends in this way: a McLaren one-two followed by Leclerc. Russell seems to be stuck in fourth place, while it is not a great start for Alpine, with both cars at the bottom of the standings.

Read also: When the World Championship was still exciting: 2017 Baku Grand Prix

Read also: Italian GP - Verstappen dominates as controversy arises at McLaren

Main cover photo pbs.twimg.com

Azerbaijan GP 2025 Practice 1 result

It is not the first time, however, that the Azerbaijan circuit has faced such problems. Back in 2016, during its Formula 1 debut, then-Race Director Charlie Whiting personally inspected the curbs after several tyres were damaged in FP1, sparking debates and concerns over the safety of the Baku layout.

Today’s incident confirms the treacherous nature of the track, a unique blend of endless straights and extremely narrow sections between the walls. In such a context, where precision is crucial, the curbs play a decisive role in performance but also pose a tangible risk to car stability and tyre integrity.

The organizers quickly intervened to restore track conditions and allow the session to resume. Still, the debate remains: to what extent can Baku’s curbs truly balance spectacle and safety?

Read also: Azerbaijan GP, FP1: red flag interrupts session. McLaren one-two, Leclerc third.

Main cover photo x.com

A thrilling head-to-head 

The Baku stage was one of the high points of this rivalry. Vettel and Hamilton each have three wins to their name and are aiming for their fourth victory on the Azerbaijan circuit. We are halfway through the race, under the Safety Car, with Hamilton in the lead followed by the German. While under the SC, the Englishman suddenly slowed down, forcing Vettel to brake sharply (which he himself described as a “brake test”). This incident resulted in damage to the front wing. Sebastian's reaction was very exuberant, with the German sensationally deciding to pull up alongside Hamilton's Mercedes and bump into it.

This reaction immediately prompted a radio response from Hamilton, who insisted that his team impose a penalty on the Ferrari driver. The incident was investigated by the Federation, with Vettel being penalized with a ten-second Stop and Go. 

The final result

The checkered flag saw a smiling Daniel Ricciardo take the win, followed by Bottas and Stroll (then a Williams driver). Vettel finished fourth, managing to finish ahead of Hamilton in fifth. 

This week we return to Baku, where, as we have just seen, there has never been a shortage of battles. We just have to wait and see if this edition will also bring us lots of surprises.

Read also: When consistency pays off: Alex Albon shines even without the spotlight

Main cover photo sport.sky.it

However, once this situation was overcome, Verstappen dominated in Italy. His Red Bull RB21, thanks also to the updates made to the Brianza track (including some new features in the lower part, as well as improvements to the front wing to better adapt to the layout), was the fastest car on the track.

Much of the credit definitely goes to the Dutchman. Its qualities are absolutely not discussed, but Red Bull RB21 is not a poor car, as someone describe. Formula 1 is a sport in which the vehicle matters much more than the qualities of the driver. No one is able to turn a classic road car into a racing car just because of their driving skills, either Verstappen. Max puts that extra something into it, but it certainly doesn't work miracles. The gap with Tsunoda is too high to be true.

Red Bull had the potential to easily become the second force in 2025

The potential of the RB21 does not lie in Yuki's performance nor in that resulting from Verstappen's car. But what is certain is that this Red Bull is absolutely not poor. Helmut Marko, the team's consultant, also appeared strangely positive after the race. The updates worked and the car grew in competitive terms. McLaren is a whole different story, the Austrian said, but the technicians managed to put a high-level car in Max's hands (they also met his demands by removing part of the rear wing during FP3 to give him more speed).

To say that the RB21 is a poor car, based on Tsunoda's results and some GPs where Verstappen didn't shine, gives us a distorted image of this Formula 1. Max achieved three victories, four second places and also first position in the Belgian GP Sprint. Such results do not come by chance. Considering that Red Bull is fourth in the standings, 41 points behind Ferrari, essentially based on the results collected by the Dutch champion, if only it had managed to put Tsunoda in the position of being a little’ more competitive, or had had a driver capable of arrive, at least, constantly in the points, now in all likelihood it would be the second force in the world championship, almost alone.

Verstappen doesn't need to join the Racing Bulls to win GPs. He already has a top-level car in his hand, certainly better than the VCARB 02.

Read in the original language (Italian): Verstappen e il 'bidone' Red Bull: l'immagine falsata della Formula 1

Photo: Red Bull

Norris and Piastri fell behind Verstappen in second and third position respectively for most of the race. Six seconds behind Lando, before the Dutchman's stop, the papaya-colored team thought they hoped for an outside factor to win the GP. He therefore decided to extend the period as much as possible on mediums, hoping for a Safety Car, which however did not arrive. On lap 45° Oscar stops the delay by fitting the Softs for the last nine laps, while Lando makes the same move, but with a lap delay.

Unfortunately Norris' pit stop goes wrong, a few precious seconds are lost by screwing in the front left part and Lando finds himself returning to the track in third position behind Piastri. And it is at this moment that all enthusiasts found themselves attending an event for which it is difficult to find a yardstick. The team made a mistake, they admit it. They apologizes to Lando and asks Piastri, the world championship leader (who could have gained three more points over his rival), to let his teammate overtake him due to the mistake he made.

In Monza we witnessed a unique moment of its kind

The thing that struck us most was that the Australian didn't have to say it twice. Without tinkering too much, he slows down almost suddenly (he had a margin of 2’’) until overtaken by Lando. The duo loses a lot of time to Verstappen. Fixing the gap is no longer possible, but the two don't even go into battle with each other. Norris regains his position and Piastri finishes the race in tow as if not saying a word. No criticism, no bad mood. No misunderstanding.

If McLaren had done so by reversing roles, it could have been said that the choice had been wrong, but telling the world leader to give up the position to his main opponent was a one-of-a-kind moment.

Many things can be criticized about this decision (especially: could it or could it not have been done?) but we want to focus on the positive aspects. McLaren was exemplary. In a world that wants everything, that teaches us to have to take advantage of the moments favorable to us and try with all of us to assert ourselves without worrying too much about those around us, the house in Woking has decided to give us the opposite example.

No matter how much is at stake, no matter how people think of you. On that occasion the team made a mistake, admitted it, apologized and remedied it. What really matters is ‘family’, team, people. Andrea Stella based his victories, the rebirth of the McLaren team, on a very solid basis: trust. To the point that now the ‘values’ are its true strength.

Beating or reaching the level of a team founded on these values will not be easy for anyone.

Read in the original language (Italian): McLaren esemplare, nessuno mai era arrivato a tanto

Photo: McLaren

The team had arrived in the paddock with an aerodynamic package designed specifically for the Temple of Speed. No one else had such extreme wings on the track. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for the Maranello team. McLaren's competitiveness and a newfound Red Bull made all the difference.

Leclerc still chases victory: three tracks are coming where the SF-25 will be more competitive

One of the main problems of the season for Ferrari is that it has not yet managed to win a race. There are only eight appointments left and as the 2026 pre-season tests approach, with the first session to be held in January due to the numerous changes that will occur following the introduction of the new technical regulations, no more help will arrive from the factory, no improvement. Team leader Vasseur recalled this at the end of the Italian GP. The racing team will have to rely on what they already have available.

Fortunately there are some paths where you can still hope for a good result. The first is the next, in Baku. Leclerc after racing in Monza said he was very confident for the Azerbaijan qualifications. However, since the long straight is present, a bit’ as happened in Italy, the race pace will play an important role in the chances of success. So, barring any surprises, Ferrari will still be third behind McLaren and Red Bull.

The other, which will arrive soon after, is Singapore. In the past, Charles also recalls, it was a track that brought joy to Ferrari. Qualifying well is extremely important and in the race it is not so easy to overtake. Leclerc knows that if he manages to take pole on Saturday, he would have a real chance on Sunday. Realistically, the Marina Bay track could be the only real opportunity, beyond Baku (but in this case with assumptions), in which Ferrari can really aim for victory.

In his statements Charles also mentions Las Vegas, but as far as we are concerned we think it is a rather’ too bold vision. The American track is city-wide. We know how Leclerc exalts himself in this type of circuit, but there are limits that must be taken into account. First of all, it still boasts the presence of a very long straight, then secondly, but no less importantly, it is cold. Maybe it's raced in the lowest temperatures of the entire world championship and that's a feature you never know if it will favor or paddle against you until the cars start to move on the track. Last year Ferrari managed to beat McLaren and Red Bull, but had to join Mercedes who dominated the scene with a beautiful one-two.

Ferrari still has possibilities, but perhaps Leclerc's thinking is all too optimistic.

Read in the original language (Italian): La Ferrari manca la vittoria a Monza, ma Leclerc non ha perso la speranza

Photo: Fabio Vegetti

Never underperforming, except for a few minor issues

Albon got off to a good start in Melbourne, where he finished fifth. Since then, only a few technical problems have prevented him from consistently finishing in the points. Out of sixteen races, he has only failed to score points in five. This is a more than positive result, considering the disappointing season of his teammate, Carlos Sainz (who has only scored points in six out of 16 races and has always finished below fifth place).

Williams is currently fifth in the constructors' standings with 86 points. In the drivers' standings, Albon has scored 70 points. These figures leave no room for doubt: without the Thai driver, the Grove-based team would find itself at the back of the pack. 

A sparkling return to the track

After the summer break, Formula 1 made stops in the Netherlands and Italy. On both occasions, Albon proved to be fast and competitive: Saturday at Monza was not brilliant, with both Williams cars out of Q3. But in the race, the Thai driver always manages to impress, quickly recovering positions. Whether it's thanks to the right strategies or his clearly visible feeling with the car, Albon proves to be solid and reliable.

"We had a fantastic strategy and great pace in the car. I would say it was one of the most balanced Sundays I've had all year. In many parts of the race, we were as fast as the leading teams, so it was a great comeback after a tough qualifying session" Albon admitted after the Monza race.

A certainty at the heart of the grid

Without fanfare, Albon is having a starring season. You don't have to be on the podium every Sunday to make your mark: sometimes tenacity and perseverance are praised even if you are far from the top. The Thai driver embodies all this - and that is precisely why Williams can dream big today. 

Read the original version (italiano): https://www.formula1.it/news/26735/1/quando-la-solidita-paga-alex-albon-brilla-anche-senza-riflettori?a=1

Inside photo x.com

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Read also: Antonelli impresses once again: now he needs a clean race

Here are his words at the end of the race: "A great day for us. We had some bad luck at the start [with Norris' attack], but then the car was flying".

"I managed to control the pace right from the first stint and then we came in at the right time to fit the hard tyres. Fantastic performance by the team throughout the weekend".

"Can we win more races this year? We will certainly try. We will take it step by step, race by race. This has undoubtedly been an incredible weekend", concluded Verstappen.

Read also: Italian GP - Verstappen dominates as controversy arises at McLaren

Read also: At Monza you can do it without slipstream (sceptics should ask Max)

Race recap

At the start, Norris was able to take the lead briefly, as Verstappen had to give him back the position after running off track at turn 2. Leclerc was able to overtake Piastri twice in the first lap, but in the end the championship leader took the place after a couple of laps.

After that, the race did not offer much entertainment: Hamilton made his way up into the top 6, Alonso retired because of a suspension failure, Oliver Bearman and Carlos Sainz collided at turn 4 (with the young Britt getting a 10-second penalty) and Antonelli forced Albon off the track at turn 3, which gave the home talent a 5-second penalty.

Then, both McLarens pitted and Piastri benefitted from a slow pit stop for Norris to take P2. Soon after, though, the team asked him to gave the place back, which the Aussie did without many complaints. This instance was also laughed at by Verstappen in a team radio whilst the dutchman was on his way to a dominant win.

In the end, the Red Bull driver won by almost 20 seconds, as Norris and Piastri took the other two podium places. Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Albon, Bortoleto, Antonelli and Hadjar completed the points-paying positions.

Read also: At Monza you can do it without slipstream (sceptics should ask Max)

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To make concrete

Despite losing kilometres in FP2 following an error on the approach to the second Lesmo corner, Antonelli showed progressive improvement as qualifying progressed, finishing Q2 in second place just over a tenth behind Verstappen, which allowed him to regain access to Q3, which he had been missing since Silverstone.

The Bolognese driver is therefore managing to turn the weekend around despite Friday's setback: this makes his position just a few thousandths behind Russell even more valuable, not only because the Briton drives the same car - and is therefore the best possible reference point - but also and above all because the former Williams driver is proving to be one of the best on the entire grid.

What remains to be done now is to capitalise on the result at the end of the 53 laps in Monza, earning valuable points not only in terms of the Constructors' Championship, but above all for confidence. A clean race, without mistakes. Come on, Kimi.

Read also: At Monza you can do it without slipstream (sceptics should ask Max)

Read also: Verstappen shocks Monza by snatching pole position from both McLarens

That first shot at the start of Q3 was facilitated above all by the slipstream provided by Yuki Tsunoda, which allowed Verstappen to put himself in a position of (relative) strength ahead of the final shot. The four-time World Champion then outsmarted Norris in the final stages, completing the job without the aid of a slipstream and thus nipping in the bud the classic "he got pole thanks to the slipstream" comments that critics were already ready to make.

A meticulously constructed pole

Today's result is not only down to Max's great driving, but was also a real team effort; the team worked obsessively during the last free practice session, with the mechanics "trimming" the top of the rear wing in order to gain a few more kilometres per hour on the straights. It was a risky move, as Red Bull did not have another wing with the same level of downforce (although they would certainly not have had any problem using Tsunoda's one).

It may be a risky choice, but the Milton Keynes team knows it can afford to take it, having a driver who can perfectly manage the reduction in downforce and the resulting instability when cornering at Lesmo and Ascari. After all, this is what champions do: implement alternative strategies that would be unthinkable with "normal" drivers. Just ask Leclerc, who triumphed at Monza a year ago after being the only driver to make a single pit-stop.

Read also: Verstappen is the only driver capable of doing THAT: telemetry data analysis Italian GP

Read also: Red Bull, Verstappen on pole position at Monza: «A great moment. The race? We'll see»

Well, today's pole position at the Italian Grand Prix happens to fall into that category of brilliant moments: let's try to explain it together using telemetry data.

The decisive moment

First things first: in the third free practice session, Red Bull decided to trim the rear wing on the four-time reigning World Champion's car.

"Why did they do that?", you might be wondering. To reduce drag and achieve a higher top speed on the straights that characterise the Monza track.

However, in Formula 1, no choice comes without a compromise. For the Milton Keynes team in particular, that set-up change could only mean one thing: less downforce and, consequently, a more difficult car to drive in the corners. But this had little or no impact on Max Verstappen.

Verstappen vs Norris

As we can see from the graph below, Red Bull's compromise paid off: Verstappen had in fact a much higher top speed than his rivals (blue circles).

Graphical comparison between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris showing speed in km/h

Despite an overall performance that was not up to par with his rivals in the middle sector (orange circles), the Dutchman limited the damage in the corners and took pole position by 77 thousandths of a second.

Not only that: Verstappen's superb performance meant that his lap set a new record for the historic Italian track, as well as the best average speed in F1 history (264.681 km/h).

Tomorrow, on paper, the Red Bull driver will struggle to keep up with the two McLarens and is likely to suffer higher tyre wear over a long distance stint, which could lead him to choose a two-stop strategy.

Regardless of how the race turns out, one thing is certain: only an alien like Max Verstappen can deliver special moments like this afternoon's to the fans.

Any other driver, pushing their car to the limit like that, would have made a mistake. He didn't. And that's what makes him special.

Read also: Verstappen shocks Monza by snatching pole position from both McLarens

Main cover photo www.redbullcontentpool.com

Inside photo www.f1-tempo.com

Here are the Red Bull driver's comments after qualifying: "Around here, with such low downforce, it's difficult to put together a good lap. It's easy to make mistakes under braking".

"I felt good in Q3, I'm happy with my laps. Being on pole here is really fantastic. The car has worked well all weekend and fighting for pole makes me very happy".

"After free practice we were close, we made some last-minute changes that allowed me to push harder. They were exactly what we needed in qualifying, it's a great moment for us".

"Beat the two McLaren in the race too? We'll see, historically this season the races have been more complicated for us. We'll give it everything we've got, it's the only thing we can do", concluded Verstappen.

Read also: Verstappen shocks Monza by snatching pole position from both McLarens

Read also: The Hamilton-Verstappen rivalry erupts as Ricciardo triumphs one last time: Monza 2021

The two Ferraris could only manage fourth and fifth place, with Leclerc out-qualifying Hamilton once again. Don't forget: the Britain has a 5-place-grid penalty from Zandvoort, so he will start the race in P10.

Russell, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Alonso and Tsunoda completed the top-10 in Q3. Bearman, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Albon and Ocon were eliminated in Q2 as Hadjar, Stroll, Colapinto, Gasly and Lawson round off tomorrow's starting grid.

Read also: The Hamilton-Verstappen rivalry erupts as Ricciardo triumphs one last time: Monza 2021

Main cover photo www.redbullcontentpool.com

Carlos Sainz proved to be particularly comfortable, finishing third in qualifying simulation just 96 thousandths of a second behind the fastest driver of the day, Lando Norris, with a time of 1:19.974. The performance of Alexander Albon, seventh just over two tenths behind his teammate, also confirmed the strength of the Grove car on high-speed circuits.

If two clues make a proof...

Williams arrived in Monza with an intermediate level of downforce, not as extreme as Ferrari and McLaren but more similar to Red Bull's approach. This still allows the British car to show off its potential since, analysing the telemetry, it is clear that Sainz is able to exploit its aerodynamic efficiency, so much so that he arrives at the Parabolica with a tenth of a second advantage over the MCL39.

Not just time attack, the idea that James Vowles' team could challenge the frontrunners in the race is not as utopian as one might automatically think. The data from Sainz's 10 laps stint on C4 tyres was quite promising, with an average of 23 high (the Spaniard crossed the finish line several times matching Oscar Piastri's chronos).

However, it should not be overlooked that on Fridays, the British team usually runs with a more powerful engine configuration than its competitors, a factor that could prevent the Grove-based team from making a step forward on a par with the competition. Despite having less room for improvement than the others, Sainz and Williams are still contenders for an excellent performance over the Italian weekend.

Read also: The lost Matador: Sainz and the price of change

Read also: The most outrageous penalty of 2025: the FIA need to start from scratch

Monza therefore represents an important opportunity for the Dutchman to increase his lead and try to consolidate his position, but also a chance for the then Mercedes driver to regain the lead and increase the pressure on his rival. Spoiler alert: neither scenario will actually happen.

The report of a breathtaking weekend

The weekend will feature a Sprint format: qualifying on Friday, a short 100 km race on Saturday and a classic Grand Prix on Sunday.

Valtteri Bottas takes pole position but, regardless of the Sprint result, will be forced to start Sunday's race from the back of the grid for fitting new power unit elements, exceeding the number allowed by the regulations. Hamilton beats Verstappen and takes second place, ahead of the Dutchman and the two McLarens of Norris and Ricciardo.

However, Saturday's result comes in handy for the Dutchman: Max crosses the finish line in second place, behind Bottas. This means 2 points in the World Championship standings and pole position for the Grand Prix the following day. Hamilton, on the other hand, is only fifth - behind the two McLarens as well - and will start fourth on Sunday.

When the lights go out, Ricciardo overtakes Verstappen before turn 1 and takes the lead. Hamilton, after initially overtaking Norris, attacks the Red Bull driver on the outside at the Variante della Roggia. However, the Dutchman pushes him off the track, causing him to lose the position he had gained at the start: therefore, the seven-time World Champion stayed in fourth place.

The first part of the race proceeds without any surprises, but what happens on lap 23 changed everything: Max Verstappen suffered a very slow pit stop by his mechanics' crew. At the same time, Hamilton overtakes Norris. In 30 seconds, the World Championship race is turned upside down: Lewis now has a great chance of finishing ahead of his rival at the finish line.

Two laps later, the Mercedes driver comes into the pits for a tyre change, completely unaware of what would happen only a few moments later. The number 44 leaves the pit lane just ahead of the Dutchman, who does not want to give up the place that easily. As a matter of fact, he probably goes over the limit: Verstappen attacks Hamilton at the outside of turn 1, which becomes the inside for turn 2. However, his Red Bull bounces violently onto the kerb and ends up on top of his opponent's car. The outcome? Both championship contenders end up in the gravel.

From then on, Ricciardo flies completely on his own towards what would be the last victory of his Formula 1 career. A victory that will also go down in history for McLaren, who had not won since 2012. After a difficult first part of the season, the Aussie celebrated his comeback in his own way, with a scream full of relief and an emotional team radio message: "Thank you, boys and girls. [Race, ed.] F**king dominated. Thank you for having my back. And to anyone who thought I left: I never left, just moved aside for a while."

Lando Norris made the day even better for the Woking team with his second place. Bottas, with a great comeback (also helped by the Safety Car coming onto the track due to the Verstappen-Hamilton incident), completed the podium.

In short, the 2021 Italian Grand Prix was one of the most dramatic and iconic races in a championship that has - rightfully so - become part of F1's history books. Ferrari fans, fresh from last year's victory, will be hoping for another red weekend at their home race in 2025.

Read also: No Stefano, the problem isn’t the length of the Grand Prix

Main cover photo x.com

An idea that inevitably sparks debate. Because questioning the duration of a Grand Prix means challenging one of the pillars on which Formula 1 has stood for decades. But perhaps the real problem isn’t the stopwatch.

It’s not time that kills passion. It never has been, whether it’s the 300 kilometers of a race or the hour and a half — less than a tennis final and almost the length of a football match — spent in front of the TV. Because when the track comes alive and your heart starts racing, no one notices the passing minutes.

Last weekend, a single overtake by Leclerc reminded us of this. A daring move at the limit, the kind that makes you jump off the couch. Like in 2021, when Hamilton and Verstappen gave fans a season-long duel. Or like in the 2022 Bahrain GP, with Leclerc and Verstappen exchanging the lead lap after lap in a battle that seemed far too short.
The truth is, in those moments the duration of the GP doesn’t matter: only the adrenaline coursing through your veins and the sense that anything could still happen.

The real issue isn’t that Grand Prix are too long for young fans (in some cases, maybe it is, but that’s the minority). The issue is that too often they feel too predictable. Too often the true nature of Formula 1 seems trapped: meticulous rules, millimeter-precise penalties, and strategies designed more by computers than by instinct. And so the races lose their essence: unpredictability, risk and the freedom for drivers to really drive.

Highlights are certainly popular—same as in football. Yet no one would want to reduce a match to just five minutes, because the build-up, the tension and the crescendo to the decisive moment are all part of the show. Without them, the “climactic moment” loses its value.

Perhaps the future of Formula 1 isn’t in shortening the Grand Prix, but in restoring their intensity. Giving drivers more freedom, less instruction over the radio. Encouraging duels, not just the use of DRS. Allowing mistakes, surprises and pure talent to change the course of a race.

Because the audience, young or not, isn’t looking for a shorter race: they want a real race, one that makes the heart beat. And when Formula 1 remembers it can do that, the length no longer matters.

Read also: The most outrageous penalty of 2025: the FIA need to start from scratch

Main cover photo x.com

Inside photo x.com

In the first instance, during the race, caught up in the euphoria of the moment, mainly due to the fact that it is difficult in this modern Formula 1 to find drivers ready to take such an initiative, we had rejoiced like madmen at the great and amazing maneuver made by the Monegasque. The heart had already established that an action like that would be destined to be seen and reviewed over the years as one of the most beautiful overtaking in history.

Unfortunately, however, seeing the images better at the end of the race, we grasped an irrefutable fact. Leclerc was magnificent, it's a shame that overtaking was only possible because he went with all four wheels over the white line. Off the track. The FIA probably judged the episode to be regular only because Charles then had to withdraw following the contact with Antonelli, but this was a rather risky move on the part of the stewards: overtaking like this is to be penalised. They are not regular.

The comparison with Rossi and Marquez at Laguna Seca

Seeing Leclerc overtake Russell on the gravel brought to mind another battle, like the one we feced, in 2008 when Rossi overtook Stoner at Laguna Seca. On this occasion we firmly believed that Valentino should be penalized, despite the FIM having said the opposite. Public opinion, especially Italian opinion, thought differently. But then everyone changed their minds when Rossi was involved in the same situation with the roles reversed, and Marquez overcame him by performing the same maneuver five years later (it was 2013).

This is to tell you how important, even if made in good faith, the considerations made by the stewards can be for the current season, but also future ones.

Leclerc's overtaking was erratic and had to be judged as such

Leclerc made a great maneuver. For the heart, the courage to dare, an overtaking at that point and in those ways should be framed and put in plain sight at the most prominent point in the showcase. But then the head intervenes... Charles' maneuver had to be sanctioned.

We stay here, every year, especially more on certain tracks than on others, to speak on the track limits, but then we let an overtaking like the one made by Leclerc pass without any measure. It is incorrect and not healthy for the sport.

Russell's anger is understandable. George had closed the door in front of Leclerc and instead found himself overtaking and having a damaged car to take to the finish line. The layout has been designed in a certain way and must be respected. Otherwise why force pilots to follow the limits dictated by the white line. Think about what else could come out in a track like Paul Ricard.

Read in the original language (Italian): Emozioni, memorie e conflitti interiori generati dal sorpasso di Leclerc

Cover photo: X,  Christian Nimmervoll;  Internal photo: X, Desacelerando F1

A smoke screen that could change everything

Let's start with the undisputed winner, Oscar Piastri. A big 10 out of 10 for the Australian, who did not look like the favourite at all on the eve of the race. A massive pole position, as well as the race, where he gave Lando no chance to attack, forcing him to park his smoke-filled car (7). A retirement that weighs heavily, with his teammate extending his lead in the standings by a full 34 points.  Who knows if we have witnessed a key move in the world championship challenge. 

High burns 

The return to the track for Leclerc and Hamilton (8 and 4) was rather painful: a double retirement not seen since the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, bringing disappointment and discouragement. The Monegasque's face on that hill overlooking Zandvoort is a painting on canvas that perfectly represents Ferrari's season - made up of more poles than glorious successes. In the endless wait for a car within his reach, Leclerc's overtaking of Russell remains in our minds. A masterstroke for a driver who is increasingly wasted on the streets of Maranello. 

The five-place penalty imposed on Hamilton at Monza only adds to the disappointment of a weekend that, even before it begins, promises to be more complicated than exciting. Will beautiful Italy and the Ferrari fans be able to work a miracle for the Rosso duo? 

When you least expect it

And then, suddenly, something extraordinary happens: Isack Hadjar (10) amazes his rivals and clinches his first Formula 1 podium. There is nothing the outsiders can do, as they are unable to even attempt to overtake the Frenchman, who has been on another level all weekend. The right strategy from his pit wall - and Norris' retirement - put him in the right place at the right time, earning him an unexpected podium finish. 

In his first season in F1, a podium finish is a great calling card. Who knows, maybe the Red Bull bosses are already considering a move to Milton Keynes. 

A successful gift

Max Verstappen licked his wounds and took home second place in front of his home crowd (8). A crazy overtaking manoeuvre at the start gave viewers and fans at Zandvoort goosebumps. Although his pace was not enough to fight with the Papaya duo, the Dutchman gave his all to be the best of the rest. 

Between great performances and costly mistakes

After Hadjar, the applause was all for Oliver Bearman (9): the Ferrari star took a superb sixth place after starting from the pit lane. Great pace and masterful work from his pit wall, which made some spot-on calls, allowed him to climb back into the top 10. The same fate befell Ocon (8), who finished tenth to give Haas the double points it had been missing for some time.

Another honourable mention goes to Albon (8): after a difficult qualifying session, the Thai driver once again showed his great feeling with the FW47, climbing up to fifth place and once again marginalising Carlos Sainz (4), who was unlucky and penalised for what happened with Lawson (4).

We conclude with Lance Stroll, who, after mistakes in FP2 and qualifying, brought his Aston Martin back into the points after the British Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso also did well, thus completing a double haul for the British team. Precious points also for Tsunoda (7), back in the long-awaited top 10.

And Mercedes?

George Russell limited the damage by returning to his “safe place” in fourth position (7), albeit grumbling about Leclerc's overtaking manoeuvre. Kimi Antonelli (3) fared badly, being too impulsive - and naive - in his attempted overtaking manoeuvre on the Monegasque driver, which forced him to end his race. The Italian needs a clean and satisfying weekend: will the home crowd give him that and more?

The GP of the others 

We close with Alpine and Sauber, both out of the points: too much fighting in the middle of the pack for the top 10 and too little pace (and luck) to really compete. But the Circus doesn't stop: there's another race this weekend, heading to Monza, the kingdom of the Rossa fans: will we be writing more colourful and exciting pages? We'll just have to wait and see.

See you soon, my friends. 

Read the original version (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/26585/1/la-rompipaddock-colline-sconsolate-nei-pressi-di-zandvoort?a=1

Read also: The rompipaddock - Horses in disarray

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From favorite to DNF. The shots that knocked out Norris

Having gone into the summer-break just 9 points behind leader Piastri, the Briton had started the Dutch weekend with every intention of winning and reducing the gap even further. Norris dominates free practice and reaches Q1 as the favorite for pole. He was the fastest both in the first session and in Q2, but just at the crucial moment Piastri worked magic and beat him by just 12 thousandths, taking away pole position. Norris cashed in the first hit. A strong shot and precise blow. 12 thousandths is nothing and it is precisely that trifle that makes everything even more painful.

In the race, he is forced to receive another set of hits. One for each stint. At the start Piastri maintains P1 and starts controlling the race as if nothing had happened, while Lando gets off to a bad start, loses position on Verstappen and is forced to make up for it. Lando will soon get rid of Max, but not being able to reach his teammate and not enter the battle, not even for a second, hurts. Especially after being considered the favorite of the weekend on Friday evening. Series of shots.

The blow that momentarily knocks him out is dealt to him by the power unit, which betrays him with a few laps to go. Norris is down. He sees his teammate win, increasingly world leader, now with a 34 point advantage.

Lando is in pain, but gets up. He's taken a lot of hits, but he can still do it. There are already those who say that Zandvoort can be considered the decisive stage of the 2025 World Cup. In our opinion, no, the decisive event will be next. Norris took many hits, got up, but now he too must be able to respond to the series of attacks he received.

We need an answer to Rocky Balboa

From Lando we need an answer to Rocky Balboa. The well-known boxer, who kept us all stuck on the screens, has never won a match as an absolute dominator. Rocky was a boxer who knew how to cash in, and took some. How many did he take before landing the decisive blows and winning the matches. Norris has collected in this first part of the season and in Zandvoort he has taken a lot, perhaps more than he took in the first part of the world championship.

Now the time has come to also launch some well-placed hooks to continue believing in the world championship, Monza will have to mark the GP of rebirth, the one in which Lando will enter the ring, and will be unstoppable, like Rocky Balboa.

Read in the original language (Italian): Zandvoort mette Norris al tappeto, a Monza serve una risposta degna di Rocky Balboa

Photo: X, Formula1, Internal photo: X, Formula1

What we want to analyze is the period of difficulty that the young Mercedes is going through. The Italian, born in 2006, had an overall good and fairly linear start to the season. He took fourth place on his debut and then achieved sixth place four times in the five stages that followed. Three zeros came in Imola, Monaco and Barcelona, but Kimi had shown that he was on track by taking his first career podium in Canada, finishing third behind Russell and Verstappen.

It all started at the Red Bull Ring

Up to this point (Canadian GP) his season was positive. Very positive for a rookie. According to the writer, the castle that Kimi built in his head in Montreal, however, lasted for a very little period. Indeed, it immediately collapsed in Austria. The Italian comes to Spielberg very confident. He talks about the last races in which he failed to collect points, and about Canada as if it were the light at the end of the tunnel, the GP that would have made him turn the season around. Antonelli will claim that he has often limited himself to carrying out the homework up to that point and now that the podium had arrived, he could have attempted another approach to the weekend. A grittier, more experimental approach.

It is here, according to the writer, that the problems arose. At the Red Bull Ring, right where he had made such a strong statement, he had to retire following his mistake: he blocked the wheels in turn-3 and collided, also throwing out the four-time world champion Max Verstappen. At Silverstone he then suffered another retirement, this time innocent, put out by Hadjar who hit him due to poor visibility.

Too much protection makes worse situation

This was followed by a zero in Belgium, tenth place (just one point) in Hungary and yesterday's zero again in Netherlands. A negative trail that we have hypothesized began with an excess of euphoria and which can only end after a careful analysis, not so much by Kimi, but also by the Mercedes team. Too overprotective.

There may be a line of wanting to protect Antonelli by raising a wall to help him isolate himself and only think about running, especially after what happened in Monza last year. But even by acting in this way it is not certain that any good will be done to him. It is clear that there is something wrong with these performances. However, it seems as if Kimi's problems have become a sort of Taboo for Mercedes. The team doesn't talk about it, Andrea doesn't talk about it accordingly and everything gets complicated.

Managing a 19 year old driver is not easy. He finds himself in Formula 1 coming to terms with the greats, with the icons of sport, and in his debut season he has already had the chance to fight and ‘clash’ (in the true sense of the word) with two of the most important figures within the paddock: Verstappen and Leclerc.

The problems must be addressed and avoiding talking about it and/or hiding Antonelli inside a bubble will certainly not help him. In fact, it will only complicate the situation.

Read in the original language (Italian): Antonelli soffre una Mercedes iperprotettiva

Photo: Mercedes

The incident

Carlos Sainz received a 10-second penalty – and 2 points on his driver's licence – at the Dutch Grand Prix.

An outrageous punishment when compared to what happened: in an attempt to overtake, the Spaniard pulled alongside Liam Lawson on the outside of turn 1. Following a slight oversteer by the VCARB driver, due to the lack temperature of the tyres (still cold at the time of the restart from a Safety Car), the two cars made contact.

Both drivers ended up with punctures, which ruined their chances of achieving a good result.

However, the effect of the contact should not overshadow the FIA's decision. In an official document, the race stewards explained their reasons as follows: "Car number 30 [Lawson's, ed.] had the right of way [as it was ahead of the apex, ed.], so car number 55 [Sainz's, ed.] is wholly or predominantly responsible for the collision."

The new guidelines...

Ahead of the 2025 season, the stewards have introduced new guidelines on overtaking manoeuvres. And this is the result.

In the specific case of the Zandvoort race, Lawson had left enough space for Sainz, but the question must be asked: how could the Williams driver have expected his rival to correct his oversteer?

The former Ferrari driver calculated his move correctly. The event that led to the contact was unforeseen and unforseable, really.

As per this exact reasoning, the Sainz-Lawson incident should have been classified as a racing incident, just like the one between Leclerc and Russell at turn 12.

Let's be open and honest: if Antonelli received a 10-second penalty for completely misjudging an overtaking manoeuvre on Leclerc, then Sainz can not be penalised in the same way for a mistake that Lawson made.

The appeal to the FIA, therefore, arises spontaneously: they need to start from scratch with the regulations, otherwise there is a serious risk of seeing more crazy decisions like yesterday's.

Read also: Dutch GP - Piastri wins as Hadjar gets maiden podium, Norris and both Ferraris out

Photos x.com -  x.com

His tears at the last Mexican Grand Prix will remain etched in the hearts of Ferrari fans: with that victory, his last in red, Carlos wanted to pay tribute to his years at Ferrari, the entire team and his supporters. 

New horizons

His departure from Maranello was painful, but it did not dampen the tenacity of the “Matador”. From this season, Carlos has embraced a new project: that of Williams. It is an important change, full of challenges and expectations.

The start has not been easy, with difficult moments and tough weekends, such as the last Dutch Grand Prix. But if there is one thing Carlos has always demonstrated, it is that he never gives up. He works hard, believes in the project and faces every difficulty with the determination of the greats. His journey in Formula 1 is far from over; in fact, it is still to be written.

Happy birthday Matador: rediscover your light and show, once again, the potential you possess.
The best is yet to come.

Read the original version (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/26583/1/buon-compleanno-matador-tra-ricordi-indelebili-e-nuove-sfide-all-orizzonte

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Inside photo www.ferrari.com

Main cover photo www.williamsf1.com

Read also: Isack Hadjar: All heart at Zandvoort

Read also: Charles you're pure emotion

"It's not a track I particularly love, but the important thing is to give it my all, be fast and try to score points"

From the first free practice sessions, Isack proved to be competitive. In qualifying, he pulled off a textbook lap, which earned him a spot on the second row, alongside a certain Max Verstappen. It was an unexpected but well-deserved fourth place. The young Racing Bulls talent knew that keeping up with Ferrari and Mercedes for 72 laps would be tough. The podium was not even in his thoughts. 

Everything can change

However, the race was unpredictable and full of twists and turns. Hadjar was a constant: fast, clear-headed, consistent, never overdoing it. He raced with the maturity of a veteran. While chaos took shape around him - with unexpected retirements and frequent Safety Cars - he never lost the rhythm or concentration that had distinguished him from the start.

The chequered flag marked many emotions: his first podium in Formula 1 in his debut season, as well as the return of Racing Bulls among the greats, an absence that had lasted for four seasons:

"It feels surreal. The thing that surprised me the most was being able to hold on to fourth place for the whole race. What a fantastic day. I'm so happy for my guys"

In a chaotic Dutch Grand Prix, Hadjar shone brighter than ever. When talent meets determination, dreams can become reality. And if this was his debut... The best is yet to come.

Read the original version (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/26564/1/isack-hadjar-tutto-cuore-a-zandvoort?a=1

Read also: Dutch GP - Piastri wins as Hadjar gets maiden podium, Norris and both Ferraris out

Today, for a brief moment, Charles broke free from the cage with an overtake that recalled the wheel-to-wheel duels of the past, when talent truly made the difference. When overtaking was an art, not the result of countless data and strategies.

It was just a moment, but it was enough to remind everyone that this sport, if left in the right hands, can still excite. Too many rules, limits, or endless calculations sometimes take away the joy and beauty of racing. One move was enough to awaken the fans, to bring back the feeling that anything can still happen.

And perhaps that’s why Leclerc continues to embody a hope different from many others on the grid. Because beyond the results, he manages, at times, to bring back the Formula 1 we always want to see. One that puts the heart in the car as well as the mind. One that risks, that believes even when things seem impossible.
Like overtaking at Rascasse in Monaco or Copse at Silverstone. Holding off Hamilton and taking victory at your first Monza in red, or finishing a Grand Prix with a single pit stop when a double stop seemed mandatory. Like overtaking into the gravel, ignoring curbs or track limits.

Regardless of how this story ends, whether there’s a penalty or not, today Charles gave fans a moment of pure magic. He reminded everyone that we can still dare and bring back the Formula 1 we dream of: one that believes in the impossible, that makes the heart race, and delivers new emotions every time.

Read also: You're mistaken, Charles: YOU deserve better

Read also: Dutch GP - Piastri wins as Hadjar gets maiden podium, Norris and both Ferraris out

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He held that same position for the entire race, until Lando Norris (who was in the second place) had a problem with his car, and was forced to retire. 

“Wasn't easy - gave it everything at the start to move forward and had a little moment in Turn 2", said the 4 time World Champion. 

“But in general to be on the podium here is a great result.”

To make this podium even more special, Verstappen was able to celebrate with Isack Hadjar, the Racing Bulls driver who delivered a great performance to secure his first ever Formula 1 podium. 

Read also: Hadjar «made no mistakes» on the way to his first F1 podium

Read also: Dutch GP - Piastri wins as Hadjar gets maiden podium, Norris and both Ferraris out

Read also: Mighty Hadjar at Zandvoort: second row alongside Verstappen

Hadjar started the race from fourth place, and defended it fiercely against George Russell and Charles Leclerc. During the final laps, Lando Norris, who was running second behind his teammate, suffered car problems and was forced to retire. This promoted both Verstappen and Hadjar up one position, allowing them to join Piastri on the podium.

“It feels a bit unreal. What was most surprising to me was keeping the fourth place for the race. Unfortunate for Lando, we took advantage of his [DNF]”, said the driver.

“I maximised what I had and made no mistakes. This was the target since I was a kid, this is the first step and hopefully more to come."

A well-deserved podium for the 2004-born driver after an excellent race, hopefully the first of many more to come. 

Read also: Dutch GP - Piastri wins as Hadjar gets maiden podium, Norris and both Ferraris out

Read also: Mighty Hadjar at Zandvoort: second row alongside Verstappen

Piastri highlighted the progress he has made compared to previous seasons, emphasizing the importance of consistency and hard work: “I tried to improve wherever possible. At the start of the weekend it seemed difficult, but I managed to put everything together in qualifying, and I was very happy with the pace today. I was glad there were Safety Cars that added a bit of spice. Then we managed to bring everything together”.

He also expressed gratitude to the team, a key part of today’s success and his growth: “It wasn’t just me improving; it was also the team around me helping me get here. Without them, this wouldn’t have been possible. It was a real team effort".

Piastri now looks to the future with determination but also caution: “Restarting at the top is positive, but we take one thing at a time”. In short, the road ahead is still long, but the restart has been in the right direction.

Read also: Dutch GP - Piastri wins as Hadjar gets maiden podium, Norris and both Ferraris out

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Lando Norris, after running second for most of the race, DNF'ed on lap 65 because of an engine failure. Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar brilliantly completed the podium.

Lewis Hamilton made a mistake at turn 3 on lap 23, which saw him end his race into the barrier. His teammate Charles Leclerc got taken out of the race by Kimi Antonelli - penalised twice from the FIA stewards, for both the incident with the number 16 and for speeding in the pit lane - in the same corner on lap 53.

Russell was P4, with Albon (P5), Bearman (P6), Stroll (P7), Alonso (P8), Tsunoda (P9) and Ocon (P10) completed the points-paying positions.

Read also: You're mistaken, Charles: YOU deserve better

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According to Frédéric Vasseur, Ferrari's team principal, the Monegasque driver could have got fourth place on the grid if he had completed a perfect lap. And this should give the team plenty to think about...

Leclerc is the one who deserves better, not the other way around.

Now in his seventh year in red, Leclerc has proven on multiple occasions that he has become (through an extensive growth process) World Championship material.

Yet he has never had the chance to fight for the World Championship. He has never had a car and a team that were up to the task.

Let's be clear: all human beings make mistakes. No one is perfect, not even Leclerc. But it is the way one reacts to his mistakes that makes the difference.

It is not morally fair for a driver to beat himself up over a less than perfect lap in qualifying when, just a month ago, he lost the chance to win a Grand Prix solely because of an unknown drop in performance. Even today, the Tifosi don't know what happened to his car in Hungary.

Morover, frankly, what difference does it make to line up fourth on the grid - rather than sixth - in the eyes of the most successful team in history?

Ferrari have to win. If they haven't done so since 2008, when the Monegasque was barely a teenager, it is certainly not the fault of a driver who always gives 110% for the Prancing Horse he so much loves.

That driver is Charles Leclerc: a talent who deserves much more than he has received in his last seven seasons at Maranello. Someone had to set the record straight.

Read also: How Piastri turned the script upside down by getting pole position at Zandvoort

Main cover photo www.ferrari.com

Promotion in the air, but first...

It was a real coup for the rookie from Paris, who skilfully put together his best laps at the decisive moment of qualifying. Isack managed to leave behind not only the Mercedes of one of the fittest drivers of 2025 - namely George Russell - but also the two Ferraris. He was almost three tenths of a second ahead of an excellent Liam Lawson, who drove the other VCARB02 to 8th place.

A stunning lap deserves a special celebration 😍

Brilliant job, Isack 💪#F1 #DutchGP @visacashapprb pic.twitter.com/ZFHkBMxomI

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 30, 2025

Tomorrow's race – as Hadjar himself affirmed – will be a completely different story, but in the meantime, it's time to enjoy a result that confirms what appears to be a newfound solidity. If we add to this the fact that he'll be racing alongside what is likely to be his next teammate, well... then today's result takes on an even sweeter flavour.

Read also: Dutch GP Qualifying: Piastri on pole, Hadjar impresses in P4

Read also: Mind games

Getting inside opponent's head

What is truly astonishing (only for those who are yet to realise Oscar's qualities) is not so much the track record - 1:08.662 - set by #81, but rather his ability to make the decisive move when it really counts.

99% of the paddock identified Norris as today's polesitter; it couldn't be otherwise, given that from the very first lap on Friday, Lando had confirmed his great feeling with the Dutch track, perhaps even more than Red Bull Ring. After all, we still have the 2024 edition fresh in our minds, when the Brit was the absolute dominator: fastest lap by 5 tenths of a second ahead of his teammate and victory by over 20 seconds ahead of home hero Max Verstappen.

Let's be clear though: it would be absurd to “blame” a driver for missing pole position by a hair's breadth (literally) of thousandths of a second. Knowing the Bristol native's emotional nature, however, this could turn into a minor psychological setback. Yes, because the bar is set high. The closer we get to the end, the more the tension is bound to increase, by inertia. Piastri understood this and perhaps started to play a little today, delivering the decisive blow when his rival thought he was safe.

This is something that number 4 should perhaps also consider. There is no need to do anything dramatic, but mind games are still part of Formula 1: history tells that. Just ask Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, two drivers who had no qualms about “falsifying” their telemetry in order to turn what were actually strengths into apparent weaknesses.

Sending signals from the other side of the box – like it or not – is necessary. Oscar has understood this and Lando had better start doing the same as soon as possible. Because, at the end of the day, sometimes distorting yourself is not a sign of weakness but - on the other hand - of great, tremendous strength.

Main cover photo pbs.twimg.com

Inside photo pbs.twimg.com

Inside photo pbs.twimg.com

Read also: Piastri «peaks at the right time» and beats Norris to Dutch GP pole in «tricky weekend»

Read also: How Piastri turned the script upside down by getting pole position at Zandvoort

After an entire weekend in which he had been inferior to Lando Norris, championship leader Oscar Piastri secured pole position at Zandvoort.

The tiny little gap between the two - just 12 thousandths of a second - makes all the difference, given that overtaking is difficult on Max Verstappen's home soil.

Let's analyse together, using telemetry data, how Piastri managed to overturn a script that was already written: one that saw Lando ahead of him.

Piastri vs Norris

The graph below shows just how close the pace was between the two drivers: Norris carries more speed in turns 1 and 10, Piastri in turns 3 and 11.

Difference between Piastri and Norris in km/h during the decisive lap for pole position

Yet the difference in the Australian's approach - difficult to measure in km/h - lies in his use of the accelerator: the number 81 has more confidence in his car in turns 7 and 8, accelerating before his direct competitor even in the final section of turns 13 and 14.

That extra confidence, when the gap is only 12 thousandths in the end, becomes hugely valuable for whoever comes out on top between the two. It become even more valuable if the winner, Piastri in this case, had struggled to get the better of his teammate throughout the whole weekend.

After all, whether one might like it or not, it is in the decisive moments that one sees who has what it takes to be a World Champion and who does not. Norris appears to be potentially the fastest out of the McLaren pair, but - at least so far - he has not shown the same killer instinct that Oscar has.

And who knows, looking at the World Championship standings at the end of the year, moments like today's pole position may prove to be the ones that decided the season altogether...

Read also: Piastri takes pole at Zandvoort as McLaren lock out the front row

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Inside photo www.f1-tempo.com

“That was the definition of peaking at the right time. I'm super happy to come out with this result, but obviously the points are tomorrow. It was looking like a little bit of a tricky weekend so far, so happy with that”, said the australian driver. 

“You just keep chipping away. Still some things to try and work on, but overall very happy. We are both trying to beat each other every weekend.”

The battle between Piastri and Norris is getting more and more interesting with every race. This pole position is very important for Oscar, as he will have an advantage for tomorrow’s race. But anything is possible with the two papayas, so let's just enjoy the show.

Read also: Dutch GP Qualifying: Piastri on pole, Hadjar impresses in P4

Main cover photo pbs.twimg.com

Strong effort from Hadjar, who will line up fourth next to home hero Max Verstappen. Ferrari, on the other hand, could only secure sixth and seventh place.

Big disappointments for Tsunoda and Antonelli, both knocked out in Q2.

Here is the starting grid for tomorrow’s Grand Prix:

Read also: The Orange That Endures

The incident

At the end of a timed lap, arrived on the main straight, the Spaniard had to swerve to avoid the number 63 Mercedes, which was entering the pit lane.

The two-time world champion managed to avoid contact with his opponent, but, in doing so, very nearly risked damaging his Aston Martin against the barrier.

The FIA's verdict

After analysing what happened, the FIA stewards decided to fine Mercedes €7,500 and issue a warning to Russell.

This decision was explained by the following statement: "The team did not warn the driver appropriately. [...] It would have been more prudent for Car 63 to have kept more to the right of the track to leave space for faster cars coming around that corner".

Here's the official document.

Read also: Piastri avoids penalty for pit lane incident with Russell

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This year, however, the Dutch Grand Prix will be different for Max. He is no longer the one who dominates on track. The four-time world champion arrives at his home GP knowing already that, by the end of the season, he will have to give up the number one. One of the Papaya cars will take it.

A color that to many might look similar, but to those who know Formula 1 is something entirely different. Two worlds, two reigns, two seasons. And while in almost every other round of the championship Orange has turned into Papaya, here it hasn’t. Here, Orange does not yield, does not fade, does not bow to the fate of a championship that has already taken on another shade. Because if it’s true that sporting cycles come to an end and Formula 1 always rushes toward the future without waiting for anyone, when it comes to home there’s something different.

And for Verstappen, this track is home. These corners, these grandstands, this crowd that saw him grow and become a champion.

Much has changed this year, but on this circuit it feels as though time has stood still. That young boy, often criticized yet praised, has become a champion who has left an indelible mark on the history of Formula 1. A story that, despite the direction the championship has taken, has not yet written the word “end”. Because if there is one thing Max Verstappen has taught the world over these years, it is that he will fight until his very last breath.

And even if Papaya is ruling the world, here it is Orange that fills the grandstands and sets the air on fire. One color, one voice, a single chant. Two words, one name.

Read also: Why Max Verstappen is bigger than Formula 1

The verdict

The stewards decided that a fine of €5,000 for McLaren was the most appropriate penalty for the incident.

"The team admitted that the driver was not warned [that he had to pass the first row of mechanics in the fast lane, ed.]. The team should have handled the situation better," the statement reads.

The official document follows.

Read also: EXCLUSIVE - Interview with Francesco Cigarini: a life of «Essere Ferrari»

Main cover photo x.com

At the age of 25, after many gruelling sacrifices, his dream came true. For over two decades, Cigarini wore the most coveted suit in motorsport, the red one.

Working for the Scuderia, he had the opportunity to meet many drivers: from Schumacher to Leclerc, with Barrichello, Raikkonen, Massa, Alonso, Vettel and Sainz amongst them. Even today, he still has kind words to say about each of them.

In 2018, a serious injury proved to be the biggest obstacle of his life. Yet Francesco never gave up, and he returned to the track stronger than ever, showing the whole world what it means to “Essere Ferrari”.

The interview

FP: "Hello Francesco, thank you for being here with us. Let's start with your career, what you did to get to Ferrari and an explanation of the role of mechatronics engineer."

FC: "My pleasure. So, I started studying with the aim of understanding the technology behind a car, because I realised right away that I loved cars: that was what drove me, along with my passion for Formula 1. After studying, I started going to dealerships and workshops in the area to work and learn the trade, insisting on taking courses because at the time – we're talking about the 1990s – there was no YouTube... Information was not as easy to find as it is now, so in order to increase your knowledge, you had to have specific knowledge. Since I frequented Volkswagen and Audi dealerships a lot, and they are very knowledgeable in this area, I was able to take these courses. I also took a course with a BMW instructor, and from there I realised that, more than the mechanics itself, I liked understanding what the sensors, actuators, and control unit did... From there, I developed more of a desire to learn about mechatronics, which at the time was not called mechatronics, but later took on this name.

"Until, at a certain point in my career, I saw [the TV programme, ed.] 'Porta a Porta', where they presented the car: the famous episode where you can still see the videos of Montezemolo talking to Michael [Schumacher, ed.] on the radio and Michael joining the broadcast. That was the turning point, because I heard the interview; they interviewed my future colleagues and asked them how to get into Ferrari. They said, 'just send your CV', and that opened up a whole new world for me, because I said, 'ok, this could be an opportunity'. I said to myself, 'when I'm 40, I won't regret never having written to Ferrari'. So I sent my CV and they replied within 8/9 days. We had interviews, or rather, I had medical examinations, psycho-aptitude tests and then an interview about gearbox hydraulics, during which they told me I could decide [whether to join the team, ed.], and I said no, because I had been told that with gearbox hydraulics I would never get on the track. I said, 'I can't join Ferrari and give up my ambition to work on the track'.

"After a few months, they called me in for an interview about electronics and wiring... They confirmed my position, and on my 25th birthday – which was 29 July 1999 – I signed my contract to join Ferrari. A nice birthday present, that. Then from there you start trying to understand by getting to know the wiring, how it is used in motorsport, what the very precise procedures are to follow, the type of materials, knowledge of the electrical system, who does what, which actuator does this or that... Then you get a general idea of what the car is, and from there there are other things that are part of the car, but not really part of the electrical system, to discover, as well as working with colleagues and all those dynamics. I remember that I used to stay there a lot [at the factory, ed.], because I didn't have a family there, so I preferred to spend my time understanding what everything was, so I had to stay at the factory and at the time we stayed there until the bitter end. I could use these hours to learn more, at a more leisurely pace... In the evening, there were also fewer people in some cases, so you could see things more calmly."

FP: "You mentioned the importance of understanding every sensor in minute detail. I won't ask you to explain them, but I will ask you this: how much pressure did you feel working for Ferrari? You know, knowing that every little thing you do can have an impact on the car, especially when things on the track don't live up to expectations... We know that Ferrari is always seen as the best team and when it doesn't win, there's always a mountain of criticism. How did you deal with that psychologically?"

FC: "Psychologically, I knew this, but I was driven by a great passion and desire to do well. I told myself, 'Do the best you can in the moment, because life is full of ups and downs, so you won't regret not giving it your all. There was pressure, of course, but we put it on ourselves, the lads of that time. Everyone knew they had to give their best to make the whole mechanism work.

"[The pressure, ed.] I felt it most when I had to work with Michael [Schumacher, ed.] for the first time. I knew he had 360-degree vision and saw everything. As a newcomer, I wanted to be worthy of “Being Ferrari” [which has become the team's slogan in recent years, ed.] and of working with a world champion. A negative judgement from him would have brought the whole house of cards crashing down. That's when I felt the pressure more. Then, getting to know him, while always maintaining high concentration, you manage the pressure when you realise that he knows you are part of the team, that you have become part of the mechanism. At the beginning, it's always a bit tough because, in addition to wanting to be accepted by engineers and colleagues - as a capable person, someone who can give something extra in terms of work on the track - you also had to be accepted by Michael, Rubens [Barrichello, ed.], and Badoer. I had this thing with Michael because he was world champion, but the concentration was high in all cases, because they made you keep it high. You could never let your guard down."

FP: "You mentioned Schumacher in particular, but you have worked with many top drivers at Ferrari. What is one characteristic that stood out to you about each of them?"

FC: "Well, Rubens [Barrichello, ed.] was a great driver and much more cheerful and sociable than he appeared on the outside, but always a consummate professional. He had a Brazilian spirit and was very playful.

"Michael [Schumacher, ed.] was the consummate professional and champion who looked at every detail with 360-degree vision; he was a role model.

"Then I can say that Felipe [Massa, ed.] was a driver who, in order to give his best, had to be “pampered”. During Felipe's time, I learned to pay attention to every detail and also to do everything possible to put him in the right conditions to drive, both with the set-up of the steering wheel and everything else. He needed to feel part of a team, and Felipe's team was very close-knit and supportive, especially during the period when Fernando [Alonso, ed.] was there, from whom he felt pressure.

"Fernando was a divisive figure in the pits at the time, in the sense that he was a superstar. But it wasn't that he didn't know who I was because I didn't always work directly on his car. People in the team bond, they know who you are, so I would say he was a huge focal point, but a great champion, a real cannibal. A cannibal to the nth degree.

"Then let's talk about Sebastian [Vettel, ed.], who had many of Michael's characteristics. We're talking about two different periods. Michael also had a marked humanity, but with Sebastian this humanity came out in an explosive way, partly because he always wanted to exchange a few words with us, he knew everyone's names and sometimes stopped to chat more than he should have. When he was testing the car, during the first few days of the shakedown [at the start of the season, ed.], I tried to find 30 seconds to look him in the face and ask him, “How's the car?”. From there, I knew how it was, for better or worse, because he clearly gave me a lot of his impressions.

"Then we have Charles [Leclerc, ed]: a huge talent, a huge one. I knew him when he was little and I loved him right away, partly because he was what we had been missing with Jules Bianchi [a driver who grew up in the Ferrari Driver Academy and died in 2015 due to a tragic accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, ed]. Unfortunately, we suddenly lost a friend, a leading driver, and then we found him [Leclerc, ed.], who could rekindle this hope. I won't deny that we saw a lot of Jules in Charles: he is a huge talent, also an explosive talent that needed to be tamed over the years, because you have the talent but you have to work hard on the team, on letting them know what you want, on being able to work and make the tyres work. These are all aspects that you find over time, by working.

"Carlos Sainz is a very complete driver because he has a wealth of experience with many teams and is very intelligent in understanding and making himself available to the team. Williams made a great move in signing him because he is someone who, even if he is being beaten on the track by Albon, gives the team something extra in terms of knowledge and vision.

"Kimi [Raikkonen, ed.] is a big-hearted person, but he is fundamentally distrustful, so you have to treat him well, you have to know how to handle him. Let me say, he's like an animal, very instinctive: he sniffs you out, he hates “political games”, especially at the racing level. He wants to compete, these forms of politics bother him a lot and in fact, throughout his career, he has been bothered by these things. Now, while visiting Lake Garda, I happened to see him outside a bar with his family and I said hello. We hugged, we talked about what he was doing, about his son, so he's really a very nice person. If you meet him, it's clear that he's out of the competition now, he's a different person, maybe more relaxed, but basically he's an animal who sniffs out who he's dealing with, and he's someone who hates politics, or all these people who hang around them like parasites, not that he hates them, but he wants to chase them away. He doesn't find comfort in all this, so he's always a bit prejudiced against people, so you always have to find the right way [to interact with him, ed.]."

FP: "You also had an unpleasant incident with Kimi, breaking your leg during a pit stop at the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix. Can you tell us what happened and how you recovered from it?"

FC: "First of all, I saw some comments on a few videos, and I want to make it clear that it wasn't my fault: I had been in that position for 10 years, so I trusted the mechanism, the system [of the pit stop, ed.]. A system that was implemented with something that probably didn't work as it should have at that moment, so it allowed the rear jack to be released from the driver and he unknowingly released the clutch.

"I remember seeing the car go down, the wheel turn, and I tried to get out... But as soon as I saw the car go down, everything went dark. I got up and saw my broken leg. It was a shock. Then I took off my helmet and earphones because everything around me was disturbing, and from there a new challenge began: I had to recover.

"I accepted the injury without really knowing what the consequences might be, because during my recovery, the doctor said to me at one point, 'from now on, we've averted the danger of leg amputation'. I didn't know that, so I said, 'What?' She explained that in cases like this, the body often stops recognising the leg as an extension and stops supplying it with nutrients, effectively giving up on it. Hearing that was a shock, but it was good that she told me after [the risk of amputation had been averted, ed.].

"The challenge was to try to get back on track, because I didn't want my last image with Ferrari to be lying down. I also wanted to show what Ferrari's values are and how hard you have to work to be worthy of being a Ferrari man. My goal was to show both the people within Ferrari - my colleagues and my bosses - and my family that I had accepted the challenge and that I had to be as ambitious as possible in order to make a full recovery. That was the goal.

"I have to be proud of myself and I have to show that I was a Ferrari man, a man who accepts challenges. During my recovery, in the second or third month, I remember the doctor who was treating me telling me that my tibia wasn't healing, but my fibula was. He had to operate to fix this, so I went back, I “regressed” in my rehabilitation, and so it took me even longer."

FP: "But in hindsight, it was worth coming back to fight and coming out on top... Would you do everything you did in the same way?

FC: "Absolutely."

FP: "We talked about Charles [Leclerc, ed.], you told us many nice things about him. I wonder if, after his seventh year at Ferrari, he is gradually coming to the conclusion that he might not win in red: could the day come when he says 'I tried, I'm moving to another team'?"

FC: "It's possible, but in my opinion, his thinking is, 'What if I change teams and in a year or two Ferrari puts the car I need to win the World Championship on the track? Then you have to see what alternatives you have and how certain you are about those alternatives.

"I asked myself the same question when I decided to leave: 'What if the next one is the right one and we start winning again? But at a certain point, I made my choice, so he could make the choice [to leave, ed.]. I don't see it as feasible for now, but I'll tell you that in my opinion, the question you have to ask yourself is: 'What if I finally leave everything I want from the car and it comes the following year?

FP: "Are you saying that his regret at not winning with Ferrari could be much greater than his regret at not winning a World Championship in his career?"

FC: "Yes, but it depends on how he feels within Ferrari, because if, for example, he realises that the feeling he once had is no longer there, at some point he will have to leave, but I don't think that's the case at this point. He has the lofty ambition of bringing the title to Ferrari and he is doing it for himself, because it's a path he wanted to take and he has embraced it completely."

FP: "On the other side of the pit, Hamilton is certainly not having an easy time of it. Do you think next year's new rules could also be a mental reset for him in terms of competitiveness?"

FC: "Every rule change is an opportunity for someone who hasn't been able to seize it before. His experience and understanding of the new way of driving could help in some way, but he needs to have an efficient car. He is used to a car that behaves in a certain way, thanks to both him and the technical team. A car that gives him confidence, not as extreme as today's Ferrari. A more solid car, more “honest” in its behaviour.

"He has a champion in house [Leclerc, ed.] who has a lot of experience, so I think it could be a mental reset for him, but I don't know how ambitious [Hamilton, ed.] is in imposing his way of being at Ferrari and how well or accurately he is received, I don't know that. From the statements he makes from time to time, it's as if he's sounding the alarm bell."

FP: "If you were part of the team today, what would you think as a member of Ferrari about Hamilton's statements?"

FC: "If you're inside the team, you know the dynamics that might help you understand better why he says that. From the outside, I can say that he demands a lot from himself and from those around him. I posted something [on Instagram, ed.] a little while ago because I was thinking about this situation and it occurred to me that one thing that worked very well for Hamilton [at Mercedes, ed.] – and which doesn't exist at Ferrari – is someone like Niki Lauda: someone who acts as a link between the team and the driver, conveying what Hamilton wants in a slightly less blunt manner. Someone who acts as a spokesperson and acts as a glue between the whole team and the driver: that was what Lauda could do well and what was good for Hamilton."

FP: "I know that your favourite driver was Gilles Villeneuve. Having worked at Ferrari, how much would you have liked to meet him? If you had had the opportunity, what would you have said to him?"

FC: "First of all, I would have told him that everything [my relationship with Ferrari, ed.] started with him and Enzo Ferrari, with those two. I recently saw a photo of Gilles Villeneuve eating with some people, and three of those people worked with me, but at least two of them have passed away.

"My regret was not sitting down to talk about those times in depth; when I saw the photo and saw that they were there, I said to myself, 'Damn, with all the work, work, work, I didn't take the time to get to know better who was close to him at that time and who he [Villeneuve, ed.] was.

"Then I also met Jonathan Giacobazzi, who is the son of the family that sponsored and welcomed Gilles, so they told me something. They know that I have this myth that ignited my passion: he was the spark that started it all."

FP: "This year, you have been a guest on Sky's “Race Anatomy” programme several times. In an episode in which you were not present, the commentators were asked who would win the World Championship between Piastri and Norris, and above all why. So I'll ask you the same question."

FC: "I'm not sure that the one I say will win, but that's the one I hope will win, and Norris. He's a driver who basically thinks outside the box because he's a cheerful guy, and I really like people like that, a bit like Ricciardo.

"Then [Norris, ed.] is a driver who has shown his vulnerability. He said, 'I have these weaknesses, I'm not a superhero, this is who I am, I'm a person who demands a lot from himself. I make mistakes, but this is who I am'. But what happens? If you show your vulnerability, you give someone like Piastri the chance to attack you two laps from the end by kamikaze-ing [as happened in Hungary, ed.], thinking “he's afraid of physical contact, he'll move over and I'll get in”. It's like bleeding in the middle of a tank of sharks. It's nice of him to say “okay, look, I'm bleeding”, but you're facing sharks that have a [cannibalistic, ed.] instinct."

FP: "Last question: what would you say to a young person who dreams of working at Ferrari? What advice would you give them?"

FC: "First of all, they must have passion and they must know that when a dream comes true – like working at Ferrari – there is sacrifice involved, so it's not all roses and sunshine. To make your dream come true, in any field, you have to sacrifice a lot of other things: time, friendships, lots of things you'd like to do; also because you travel, you have to deal with time zones...

"One of the things I can say is that when your dream comes true, it's not like the Mulino Bianco family: you have to work hard, you have to be focused, capable and keep the pressure on even when you don't want to. When your car breaks down between PL3 and qualifying, you're under a lot of pressure... These things happen, and it's a lot of pressure because you say, “if I fail, we'll miss qualifying”. I remember very well that once it happened to us with Vettel [at the 2019 German Grand Prix, ed.], who didn't qualify because we weren't able to solve a problem.

"You have to be determined and accept many things that, when you're in the thick of it and all eyes are on you, always fill you with passion. And they require a lot of sacrifice."

FP: "I am speechless, Francesco. Thank you very much for your time and for everything you've shared with us."

FC: "Thank you."

P.N. We would like to thank Francesco Cigarini for his kindness and willingness to participate in this interview. Partial reproduction of this exclusive interview is permitted provided that the author (Fabrizio Parascandolo) and the source FormulaWebMagazine.com are cited with a link to the original content.

Read also: EXCLUSIVE - Interview with the founders of Racetrack Dynamics: the best course for future F1 engineers

Main cover photo www.instagram.com

It is clear that with 10 races remaining until the end of the 2025 championship, Ferrari's move to slightly modify the geometry of the rear suspension and fix the tie rod is aimed more at the 2026 season than at the current one.

McLaren are 299 points clear in the constructors' championship, too many to make up for in the ten remaining GPs. Nonetheless, the introduction of the update regarding the new rear suspension, also according to ‘Funoanalisitecnica.com’, is not only an upgrade aimed at improving performance immediately, but an upgrade made to test future performance.

The pull-rod suspension will also be present in 2026

In 2026, the car noses will still be considered low. In addition, there will also be active aerodynamics. All this should facilitate the use of pull-rod suspension. Ferrari therefore may have wanted to introduce a more extreme solution than the previous one to evaluate its effects and carry out studies in view of next season. Nothing is taken for granted.

The 2026 car is no longer in its embryonic stage. It is now almost defined and needs to grow in the best possible way to arrive prepared for the January tests. Ferrari knows it only has 4-5 months of development to be able to attack the 2026 regulations. Nothing will be left to chance.

Read in the original language (Italian): Ferrari, la nuova sospensione posteriore potrebbe essere un test per il 2026

Photo: Ferrari

Andretti-Cadillac will join the paddock as a customer team and will have the brand new Ferrari power unit (designed to be consistent with the regulations present in the next technical regulation with partner General Motors who could take over later) to push it towards important goals. Obviously, however, to increase the chances of achieving excellent results and developing the car in the best possible way, Mario Andretti (one of the key figures of the project) had made some considerations on the new line-up which could also be assimilated to important promises in some ways (read here).

For a new team, getting points is the most important thing. An essential must. So clearly, Andretti has never hidden his desire to choose an expert in order to have some sort of guarantees on his side. The name that circulated most in the paddock at the beginning of the year was that of Sergio Perez, immediately taken for granted in some cases. However, the other seat should have gone to a young man, probably an American, the entrepreneur and former F1 driver had always said.

Perez-Bottas for greater solidity, but there is disappointment

Unfortunately, the official announcement in the past few hours was an iced shower for the many talents in the cadet categories, including IndyCar. Apparently no young person will be paired with Sergio Perez, much less Valtteri Bottas, in charge of bringing Cadillac cars to the track next year.

An afterthought that brings with it a bit’ of disappointment. In addition to the many talents, also for the fans. Having two more seats on the grid left open hope in seeing the nursery of drivers capable of performing at the highest levels of motorsport grow.

However, this is confirmation of the difficulties that managers have in trusting drivers with little experience. F1 is not for everyone and another test comes with Red Bull, which after various attempts then chose to keep Tsunoda within the team, despite managing to collect only 7 points since he became his teammate of Max Verstappen.

Read in the original language (the article in Italian was written before the official announcement, it has been revised for the English version): Cadillac, Andretti aveva fatto altre promesse. Primi ripensamenti e delusioni

Photo: Red Bull Racing

2019: When Charles took Vettel by surprise

Charles Leclerc made his Ferrari debut in 2019, replacing Kimi Raikkonen and joining Sebastian Vettel, the Prancing Horse's top driver. The German was coming off a very dramatic season, with a world championship that slipped away due to a few mistakes (which later proved fatal) and several unfortunate incidents. Added to this was the loss of Sergio Marchionne, which affected him deeply.

That championship was supposed to be the year of rebirth, but it turned out to be anything but: Leclerc's arrival and his immediate speed surprised Vettel, who expected to have to mentor the young Monegasque driver at least for the first part of the championship. Instead, Charles quickly integrated into the Ferrari environment.

While Vettel managed to finish ahead of Leclerc in Australia (4th and 5th at the finish line), the Bahrain Grand Prix told a different story: the Monegasque was on the verge of victory, but an engine problem in the final stages ruined all hope. He finished third, with Vettel fifth, more than 30 seconds behind.

The two remained very close throughout the season, with Leclerc managing to secure two consecutive victories in Belgium and Monza, bringing Ferrari back to victory after nine years on its home circuit.  In contrast, Vettel only managed one win in Singapore and a series of podium finishes. The final standings rewarded Leclerc, who finished with 264 points, twenty-four more than the German, who ended up with 240.

2020: Everything falls apart 

The pandemic brought the whole world to a standstill, including Formula 1. The engines were silenced until July, when a “halved championship” kicked off with the Austrian Grand Prix. Only 16 races are held, in a context in which Ferrari appears to be in great difficulty. Despite everything, Leclerc once again manages to stay ahead of Vettel, who leaves Ferrari that very season. 

This marks the end of the marriage between the German and the Prancing Horse: a union that has provided many thrills but has failed to achieve the biggest goal, the championship title. The 2018 German Grand Prix changed Vettel's fortunes at Ferrari, but many believe that Leclerc's arrival also influenced the German's decision, as he was overshadowed by the young talent on too many occasions. 

As the years go by, Leclerc continues to iron out his mistakes, establishing himself as the team's leading man. Despite having no championship titles under his belt, he delivers brilliant performances and heart-stopping successes. This brings us to the current season, where Leclerc finds himself saying goodbye to Sainz and welcoming Sir Lewis Hamilton as his new teammate.

2025: King vs Prince

Hamilton's arrival generates great anticipation: fans, media professionals and even rival teams can't wait to see him behind the wheel of a Ferrari. There is already a lot of excitement from the first laps at Fiorano, as well as at the double presentation of the SF-25 in London and Milan. Expectations are sky high. Everyone is wondering: will Leclerc be able to keep up with him? Or will it be a heated battle between the two right from the start?

However, World Championship dreams quickly fade, thanks to an inconsistent car that is significantly less competitive than the McLaren, which is cruising towards winning both titles. Complicating matters is Hamilton's performance, who, unexpectedly, is struggling to settle into the Ferrari environment. The experts had predicted it: adaptation takes time - but the adaptation proves to be longer than expected. 

After fourteen races, the results speak for themselves: Hamilton finishes 11 times behind Leclerc, with zero podiums (except for the victory in the Sprint Race in China and the podium in Miami, also in the Sprint). The Monegasque, on the other hand, has achieved five.

‘Maybe it's time to change drivers.’ These are the words Hamilton uttered at the end of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Leclerc took pole position. Strong words, revealing all the frustration and tension the champion is facing.

Leclerc is one of his concerns. Despite the disappointment of an uncompetitive car, the Monegasque continues to show solidity, talent and leadership. He is the team man, without a doubt. Different years, different drivers, but the same script. And at this point, the question arises:

What makes him unbeatable?

For many, his supremacy in Red is the result of his long tenure with the team, while for others it is simply a matter of pure talent. Over time, Leclerc has refined his driving, learning to manage his tyres better and seize every opportunity on the track. He is among the best in the flying lap and, when the car allows it, he proves to be a tough opponent in close combat. 

But what really sets him apart from his teammates is his extraordinary ability to adapt to the constant technical changes in the car. He has been forced to revise his driving style several times: a far from easy task, but one he has always tackled with speed and precision, leading to concrete (and consistent) results in a short time. It is precisely this responsiveness that makes him one of the most complete and feared drivers on the grid.

With the summer break coming to an end, we can only wait and see what the second half of the season will bring for the Ferrari duo and whether Lewis Hamilton will manage to close the gap on Charles Leclerc.

I would like to thank Marco Sassara for his valuable and always welcome contribution.

Read the original version (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/26302/1/charles-leclerc-l-ammazza-campioni-in-rosso

Inside photo www.ferrari.com

Main cover photo www.ferrari.com

Inside photo www.ferrari.com

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But what could be its future? A high-level manager like Horner could decide to do and go wherever he wants. From taking care of something else, to returning to F1 or creating a team of his own, or picking up someone's legacy and then trying to bring another team, not Red Bull, back to victory.

Only Mercedes, McLaren and the best team of 2026 would deny his access out of hand

In the scenario in which the British manager decided to embrace the cause of some already existing team, in our opinion, only three teams would deny his access out of hand, without even the need to make assessments.

The first is Mercedes. To get Horner into Stuttgart through the front door, as team principal, would have required a global cataclysm. An earthquake should be even stronger and more serious than the one involving Christian Horner himself in Red Bull. Toto Wolff is a very powerful figure within the team. Owning a third is even co-owner. So we would still exclude Mercedes from the equation.

Then there is McLaren. The Woking team comes from a period of strong growth. After winning the constructors' championship in 2024, in 2025 we can take his victory in the team championship almost for granted and the conquest of the drivers with one between Norris and Piastri is very likely. It wouldn't be easy for the British team to put aside a winning manager like Andrea Stella to make way for Horner. Unless he wants to take over in another role, but we doubt it.

The other team that would certainly not open its doors to one of the most successful managers in Formula 1 will be the one that will appear on the starting blocks of the new 2026 technical regulations with the best single-seater on the grid. At the moment it is difficult to say who it will be, but even in this case the same considerations made for McLaren apply.

Considering Red Bull and Racing Bulls excluded from the list, for obvious reasons, Christian Horner could potentially be on the list of seven teams: Ferrari, Aston Martin, Alpine, Audi (Sauber), Cadillac, Haas and Williams. Much will depend on how these teams present themselves at the start of next season, but Horner is in no hurry. He would have had to wait anyway. He has plenty of time to wait and evaluate every kind of opportunity.

Read in the original language (italian): Horner attende e valuta, solo tre squadre lo respingerebbero a priori

Photo: Red Bull Racing

Also read: The wet set-up no longer exists

Also read: Mercedes, the strength to make mistakes

Also read: The SF-25 annihilates Hamilton, a communication disaster in Budapest

Expecting rain for the race, with bad weather bringing water to the track from the early hours of the morning, as many as four teams had decided to change the mechanical set-up (suspension, anti-roll bar, ground clearance) of their cars: we had the Williams that intervened on Sainz's car, the Ferrari on Hamilton's SF-25, Mercedes in Antonelli's car and Aston Martin in Alonso's AMR-25.

Disregardful differences between dry and wet. So why change?

Unfortunately, however, we are here to underline a very important thing. The mechanics who took care of these cars did not intervene on the set-up to adapt them to wet conditions. The wet set-up no longer exists. The set-up differences between rain and dry conditions were already negligible in the time before the introduction of the 2022 regulations. With the advent of ground effect cars, these differences have been reduced more. The only thing that can be done in the wet direction is to prefer using the more loaded wings over those used in qualifying, but nothing more.

Why change then? Simple. Once Q3 is finished, the car enters a parc fermé regime. Consequently, the performance that the cars manage to offer between Saturday and Sunday is a compromise between being able to have a single-seater that is competitive both in the fastest lap, with an exhaust tank, and in the race pace with a lot of fuel on board.

When someone decides to start from the pit lane it is because, having failed to maximize performance on Saturday, they choose to at least set the car only on the race so as to have a better chance of recovering than their opponents. A practice that, if you pay attention, can also be found on some weekends when dry weather and zero rainfall are expected.

Read in the original language: L’assetto da bagnato non esiste più

Photo: Ferrari

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After just two races, Lawson was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda. This decision shook the New Zealander, who admitted in a recent interview that his lack of knowledge of the car - as well as the Melbourne and Shanghai circuits - played a key role: 

"If you look at how other teams have approached the idea of bringing in a young driver and consider the test days, the time spent in the car, the amount of testing that, for example, Kimi [Antonelli] did in the past before competing this year, we did none of that" he said.

"It was two weekends on two tracks I had never raced on before, one of which was a sprint weekend. They weren't easy weekends. We had reliability issues in testing in Bahrain, and also in Melbourne. In China, we took a gamble with the organisation to try and learn something. For me, it was as if it was helping me grow for the future, to have a better understanding of the car. So I was happy to drive with that kind of set-up. That performance was then used to demote me from the team, basically," he added. 

A joint fault

Although everything was so early, Lawson took some of the responsibility for this failure, pointing out how he could have performed better:  "There were some unforeseen circumstances at that time that made things difficult"  he admitted. "They weren't clean weekends. And by my standards, they weren't good enough. Obviously, I was trying my best and trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible."

"Looking back, I know there are many things I could have handled and dealt with differently. If I had known I had little time available, maybe I would have been different. But at the time, I didn't. Maybe I was a little naive, but I thought I would grow and have plenty of time to learn," he concluded. 

Irony of fate 

At the halfway point of the season, Lawson had scored 20 points, ten more than Yuki Tsunoda (current Red Bull driver). The RB21 shows signs of weakness even when driven by Max Verstappen. Seeing the satellite team perform better than the main team gives pause for thought. In recent months, Lawson has managed to settle back in at Faenza, finding a good feeling with the car and his new teammate Isack Hadjar, creating a solid and competitive team. 

With Formula 1 on holiday, we just have to wait and see what the second half of the season has in store for Liam Lawson and Racing Bulls, who are battling Haas, Sauber and Aston Martin for sixth place in the constructors' standings. 

Read the original version (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/26323/1/lawson-senza-freni-red-bull-non-mi-ha-consentito-di-crescere

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The world championship battle with Oscar Piastri highlighted the highs and lows of the Englishman, who faced a very difficult period from a psychological point of view. It was precisely on this aspect that Sainz defended his colleague and friend, considering him one of the most genuine drivers on the grid: 

‘He opens up to the media and people more than any other driver on the grid, and people use that against him,’ he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "What you see on TV is what he's like as a human being. He's very good at showing himself. Sometimes I find it a bit ironic and a bit frustrating. He's probably the only one who is 100% sincere in his feelings and his way of thinking, but then people turn against him," he added.

Norris or Piastri? Sainz has no doubts

The first part of the season ended with Norris in much better shape, managing to close the gap to Piastri to just nine points. The second half promises to be a battle, with Sainz admitting that #4 has what it takes to win the championship: 

‘If I base my decision on speed and talent, I am 100% sure that he has everything it takes to win a world championship.  But F1 also requires a bit of luck, mental resilience, and knowing how to feel comfortable with a car at the right moments,’ he emphasised
‘It doesn't matter if he doesn't win this year, he'll have another chance. He has 10-15 years in F1. He has potential, talent and speed. If he succeeds this year, fantastic, I'll be happy for him. Otherwise, he may have his chance later on,’ he concluded. 

Who knows if Carlos Sainz's analysis is correct and if Lando Norris will indeed be the new World Champion in the 2025 season.

Read in the original version (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/26361/1/sainz-difende-norris-e-uno-dei-piu-veri-in-griglia

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Main cover photo www.williamsf1.com

Inside photo www.williamsf1.com

Great hype not lived up to?

Let's start with the most talked-about man, Lewis Hamilton. After the announcement of his move to Ferrari, there was much speculation about what he would be able to achieve, a sign of the great excitement surrounding F1 fans - and the media - who were eager to see the seven-time world champion dressed in red.

January 2025: the first photos begin to circulate and are already a success, as are his first laps in a Ferrari. At the presentation of the cars, Hamilton is moved: he feels ready for this new adventure and, together with the whole team, uses important words in view of the season. But the reality will prove to be anything but triumphant. The Prancing Horse finds itself still chasing, with fluctuating performances. While Charles Leclerc manages to squeeze the most out of the car, Hamilton struggles, partly due to his lack of knowledge of the Ferrari world and all those technical aspects that are so different from those used at Mercedes. The gap with his teammate is evident: if we look at the last Grand Prix, the Englishman leaves Budapest with mixed emotions.

Emotional, impulsive. Those who know Lewis Hamilton know that his words are often not dictated by objective truth. These three weeks of break will serve to raise that ‘Still I Rise’ that is so lacking at the wheel of the Ferrari #44.

Full throttle

Nico Hulkenberg has settled in well at Sauber. The German driver was chosen by Mattia Binotto to help the team climb back up the standings. After a difficult start, developments on the C45 allowed the German and rookie Bortoleto to put together some important races. The British Grand Prix was unforgettable, with Hulkenberg managing to climb onto the podium.

Sauber ends the first part of the season in seventh place, battling with Aston Martin for sixth. With Bortoleto in good form and Hulkenberg solid, the future of the Swiss team (which, remember, will become Audi in 2026) looks very promising.

It never rains but it pours

Carlos Sainz is going through a difficult period: in his first season at Williams, he has scored only sixteen points in fourteen races. This is a worrying statistic considering that his teammate, Alex Albon, has 54 points. The Thai driver's great performances have allowed the British team to take fifth place in the constructors' championship. Without Albon, Williams would be last.

The Spaniard's difficulties are more than evident, and many are wondering where the determination and, above all, the consistency that characterises #55 has gone, as he grapples with the darkest period of his career. After his excellent performances at Ferrari, everyone expects Sainz to build a glorious path at Grove, which at the moment is only full of potholes.

The light at the end of the tunnel

The one who has surprised everyone positively is Esteban Ocon, who ended his relationship with Alpine well in advance (not competing in the last race of the 2024 world championship), arriving at Haas in December. It is a new adventure for the French driver, who strongly believes in the project revolving around the American team. His immediate rapport with the whole team has led him to achieve important results, with Haas currently in ninth place in the constructors' standings, battling with Racing Bulls and Sauber for seventh place.

The inconsistency of the VF-25 has prevented Ocon and Bearman from regularly finishing in the points. However, of the 35 points scored, 27 were obtained by the French driver. The numbers speak for themselves: Ocon has been able to adapt quickly to the Haas environment, thanks in part to his work with Laura Muller, his new track engineer. The Alpine chapter is now closed for the Frenchman, who is moving swiftly towards new horizons.

Two victims of the system 

We close the circle with Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, both Red Bull men. The New Zealander partnered Max Verstappen in the first races of the championship. But his results proved disappointing, with too big a gap between him and the Dutchman. At Suzuka, he was replaced by Tsunoda, who gave way to Lawson, who returned to Racing Bulls.

The road ahead will not be without pitfalls for the Japanese driver either: since his debut with Red Bull, he has scored only four points. Without Max Verstappen, the Austrian team would find itself at the back of the constructors' standings. The arrival of Mekies and the new updates should give the young Tsunoda the confidence he clearly lacks at the wheel of his RB21, which is also causing Max Verstappen major problems.

In Faenza, on the other hand, Lawson is starting to regain his feeling lap after lap, forming a solid and profitable partnership with Hadjar, with several points scored. RacingBulls aims to build a season full of solid races and, with a similar line-up, has everything it takes to do so. 

A look at what's to come

The new line-ups have shaken up the grid. For some, changing teams has been synonymous with rebirth, while for others, it has been a hard blow. The second half of the Championship is just around the corner, with ten stages still to go. The possibility of changing scenarios is still very high.

Read in the original language (italian): https://www.formula1.it/news/25882/1/cambio-di-casacca-chi-ha-vinto-la-scommessa-a-meta-stagione

Main cover photo as.com

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