AUTOSPORT

Anticipation for the 2025 Formula 1 campaign has been building since it became clear in the second half of last season that the hitherto dominant Red Bull team was beatable – by McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes. Or perhaps even earlier, when Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was confirmed at the start of 2024. Now we’ve had some on-track action that indicates those storylines do indeed have plenty of mileage. As Alex Kalinauckas shows in our in-depth Bahrain testing analysis on page 24, McLaren probably does have a small advantage, but Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari aren’t far behind, which is encouraging as teams head to Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this week. As in many close championship battles, the results could well be dictated by individual track characteristics, in-season…

Class of 2025 assemble The life of a Formula 1 driver? This is what it’s all about… The class of 2025 look suitably enthusiastic as they prepare to assume their positions for the official start-of-term snap ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain. Fernando Alonso, taking the weight off as he chats to Lando Norris, appears particularly thrilled by the occasion ahead of what will be his 22nd full season racing in F1. The specially built set and carefully choreographed poses are a far cry from the traditional school photo set-up on a start/finish line that used to be considered sufficient for such occasions. This is F1 in 2025. Photographer Sam Bagnall/Getty Images Where Sakhir, Bahrain When Wednesday 26 February 2025 Details Nikon Z9, 70-200mm lens, 1/100th @ F9 View through the fence Lewis Hamilton peers through a…

The Monaco Grand Prix will feature a minimum of two pitstops for each driver, after the FIA World Motor Sport Council introduced a brand new rule exclusive to the race in a bid to inject some unpredictability to a notoriously processional event. The additional stops were first mooted at the latest F1 Commission meeting, and the rule stands regardless of weather conditions. “The FIA World Motor Sport Council reviewed a proposal regarding the implementation of a mandatory two-stop strategy (in both wet and dry conditions) for the Monaco GP, with the primary intent of improving the sporting spectacle of this race given the notable difficulty in overtaking at this circuit,” a statement read. “Following recent discussions in the F1 Commission, a specific requirement for the Monaco GP has been approved mandating the use…

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has suggested that Formula 1 should be open to a switch back to V10 engines, running on sustainable fuels. F1 is adopting fully synthetic fuel from next year as part of its change in engine formula, which will feature a near-50/50 split between output from the V6 internal combustion engine and a more powerful MGU-K electric motor, increasing the reliance on electric energy. As part of its goals to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030, F1’s switch to sustainable fuels should reduce carbon emissions from its on-track product – and in light of that, many would like to see F1 return to screaming V10 engines, last used by the entire grid in 2005. Ben Sulayem believes it should be looked into when the governing body…

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, his star driver Max Verstappen and the FIA were subjected to booing from some sections of the crowd in attendance at F1’s 75 Live event at the O2 Arena in London, which the governing body felt was a “tribalist” reaction from the mostly British crowd in attendance. The boos towards the FIA, presumably due to president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s divisive leadership, emerged when the organisation’s logo was shown during the launch. Horner and Verstappen then received their own boos during Red Bull’s launch of its 2025 livery. “Great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport have contributed to making it such an exciting experience for fans,” an FIA spokesperson said. “But what underpins sport at all levels is a culture of respect. As such, it was…

Cadillac board director Mario Andretti says that F1’s planned 11th team will be ready for its 2026 entry into the series, although concedes it will have to take some risks to take its place on the grid. The Andretti effort to enter Formula 1 finally succeeded after a protracted saga – and struggle between the FIA and FOM – when the team secured a deal with F1 around last November’s Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend. That followed Michael Andretti stepping back from the team, now rebranded Cadillac with full works backing from General Motors and new headquarters in Silverstone. The team is now owned by TWG Global, a group owned by financial services entrepreneur Mark Walter and run by CEO Dan Towriss, who will oversee its fortunes. Despite having its initial entry…