2025 discussion thread

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx · Post by **MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx** » 11 Jan 2025, 11:59

And the first firm news of the year is that Spa will be missing from the calendar in 2028 and 2030

Loadsamoney · Post by **Loadsamoney** » 11 Jan 2025, 21:18

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑11 Jan 2025, 11:59 And the first firm news of the year is that Spa will be missing from the calendar in 2028 and 2030

If no Chimay we riot

Post by **mario** » 11 Jan 2025, 21:55

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑11 Jan 2025, 11:59 And the first firm news of the year is that Spa will be missing from the calendar in 2028 and 2030

Spa has been trying to set up that sort of deal for a long time - since at least 2012, and I believe potentially even before that - so it's going to be interesting to see which other circuit has agreed to share races with them.

The speculation is mostly around Imola and Barcelona, which are both out of contract in the near future, as both venues are apparently still keen to hold races in the future. Barcelona does reportedly pay slightly more than Imola, so I can see FOM potentially favouring a deal with that venue, and I believe that Barcelona has explored race sharing deals in the past (it did consider a deal to alternate races with Valencia in the 2010s).

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx · Post by **MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx** » 12 Jan 2025, 15:48

So apparently we won't be having a Lewis Hamilton on the grid this season

Try and get your teeth round that...

Har1MAS1415 · Post by **Har1MAS1415** » 28 Jan 2025, 19:29

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑12 Jan 2025, 15:48 So apparently we won't be having a Lewis Hamilton on the grid this season Try and get your teeth round that...

Reminds me of Senna. He raced with his full name initially in the junior formulas.

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx · Post by **MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx** » 30 Jan 2025, 02:24

And it's tot ziens for the Dutch Grand Prix in 2026 with the final one being a sprint weekend
So that's one more weekend that can be shovelled off to a Middle Eastern country. I loved both incarnations of Zandvoort whether it be racing through the dunes or the constant rollercoaster of the new look...

Post by **mario** » 02 Feb 2025, 10:27

MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx wrote: ↑30 Jan 2025, 02:24 And it's tot ziens for the Dutch Grand Prix in 2026 with the final one being a sprint weekend
So that's one more weekend that can be shovelled off to a Middle Eastern country. I loved both incarnations of Zandvoort whether it be racing through the dunes or the constant rollercoaster of the new look...

It is to Africa and not the Middle East that you should look for potential bidders, as the talk is that Rwanda and South Africa are the countries that are competing to get that slot on the calendar. The Sports Minister for South Africa even recently referred to the announcement that the Dutch GP will be dropping off the calendar as "promising news" for their bid to revive the South African GP, so it's clear that they're eyeing up that slot on the calendar.

Jarvis · Post by **Jarvis** » 02 Feb 2025, 20:38

Valtteri Bottas is back at Mercedes and Toto Wolff has made it clear that the Finn's naked calendars need to stop despite the reserve driver raising funds for charity in the past.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula- ... r-34598154

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 03 Feb 2025, 09:32

Jarvis wrote: ↑02 Feb 2025, 20:38 Valtteri Bottas is back at Mercedes and Toto Wolff has made it clear that the Finn's naked calendars need to stop despite the reserve driver raising funds for charity in the past.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula- ... r-34598154

Nice to know Mercedes has their priorities in order.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 03 Feb 2025, 13:32

Salamander wrote: ↑03 Feb 2025, 09:32
Jarvis wrote: ↑02 Feb 2025, 20:38 Valtteri Bottas is back at Mercedes and Toto Wolff has made it clear that the Finn's naked calendars need to stop despite the reserve driver raising funds for charity in the past.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula- ... r-34598154
Nice to know Mercedes has their priorities in order.

From the photo, it seems that Valtteri has got rid of his 1970s porn star hair cut and moustache...

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 04 Feb 2025, 19:14

Isn't that photo from when Bottas first signed for them in 2017? He looks too young for it to be now!

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 10 Feb 2025, 16:36

There was a handegg match of some import last night where a few of Alpine's celebrity investors got their teeth kicked in.....and they showed a new trailer for the F1 movie.

Well not exactly. It didn't air during the Super Bowl itself, but rather during the pregame show. And.....good lord. This movie looks ABYSMAL.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 10 Feb 2025, 18:17

Wallio wrote: ↑10 Feb 2025, 16:36 There was a handegg match of some import last night where a few of Alpine's celebrity investors got their teeth kicked in.....and they showed a new trailer for the F1 movie.

Well not exactly. It didn't air during the Super Bowl itself, but rather during the pregame show. And.....good lord. This movie looks ABYSMAL.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 19 Feb 2025, 15:35

The big O2 "not actually car launches car launch" thingy was yesterday, and oof, it was pretty cringe. But as Jonathan Noble said, its not for me (or I imagine 90% of us on here). If you watch the bulk of 24 races already, the FIA isn't after you.

That said, the new Sauber livery is very, very nice, and the Minardi/Torros Rosso/Alpha Tauri/VCARB/RB was pretty as well. Ferarri is channelling 1993 again.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 19 Feb 2025, 22:00

My favourite has to be the Alpine. (not just because of accidentally using trans colours)

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 19 Feb 2025, 23:09

Deleted - Wrong thread

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 20 Feb 2025, 07:29

My favourite is definitely the Sauber. Apart from Ferrari going 1993, another nod to the early 90s is the Alpine reminds me of the 1992 Brabham Damon Hill debuted in!

REALLY don't like the team formerly known as Minardi's car (I never know what to call them!), and the rest look just like last year!

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 20 Feb 2025, 12:29

James1978 wrote: ↑20 Feb 2025, 07:29
REALLY don't like the team formerly known as Minardi's car (I never know what to call them!), and the rest look just like last year!

That even seemed to be the gist of their video intro at the live event, what they should be called...

Would have be known at one time on this forum as The Team Formerly Known As Minardi, Toro Rosso, Alfa Tauri, VCARB And Now Known As Racing Bulls, or TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB for short.

Row Man Gross-Gene · Post by **Row Man Gross-Gene** » 20 Feb 2025, 19:52

dr-baker wrote: ↑20 Feb 2025, 12:29
James1978 wrote: ↑20 Feb 2025, 07:29
REALLY don't like the team formerly known as Minardi's car (I never know what to call them!), and the rest look just like last year!
That even seemed to be the gist of their video intro at the live event, what they should be called...

Would have be known at one time on this forum as The Team Formerly Known As Minardi, Toro Rosso, Alfa Tauri, VCARB And Now Known As Racing Bulls, or TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB for short.

I actually like TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB's car this year. And yeah, most of them look like last year. One thing I find disappointing is that Williams has the Gulf logo on their car and isn't doing anything cool and Gulfy with their livery. That's a lost opportunity.

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 20 Feb 2025, 23:11

I gotto say theres no bad liveries this year, all of them score minimum 6/10 for me. Just a lot of them feel 'pretty much the same', so there's not a whole lot to be impressed by. Don't change a livery that works i suppose.

The RB livery eh, Red Bull junior teams have used this a lot so i was a bit underwhelmed as it was very uncreative, they could've done more with the Visa colours on it imo. But it's not bad either. Don't understand why people are so amazed by it though.

But call me weird but the Alpine is so gorgeous, these colours work so well together, and i think they slightly changed the shade of pink (not just the shade of blue) to make it work.

I'm slightly dissapointed in the Ferrari and Aston as they 'could've done more' but but they still look fine.

I

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 21 Feb 2025, 06:34

TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB was my personal favourite. I agree that most of them were at least smart. Only the McLaren and the Haas were a little ugly.

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 21 Feb 2025, 07:29

Now I've looked at it again I think the shade of red on the Ferrari is too dark and don't like it at all. Think my 2nd favourite after the Sauber is the Aston Martin (think the 1991 Jordan gave me a fetish for green cars or something)

Spectoremg · Post by **Spectoremg** » 23 Feb 2025, 02:26

I'm sure there's still time for Ferrari to negotiate with HP about that dismal white stripe.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 23 Feb 2025, 09:36

Spectoremg wrote: ↑23 Feb 2025, 02:26 I'm sure there's still time for Ferrari to negotiate with HP about that dismal white stripe.

Will they need a 7 nation army to achieve that though?

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 23 Feb 2025, 19:28

dr-baker wrote: ↑ or TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB for short.

Googling "carbank" returns some funny results, there's a CARBANK diecast model police car for instance, why couldn't they use that livery for 2025

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 24 Feb 2025, 07:54

Jocke1 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2025, 19:28
dr-baker wrote: ↑ or TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB for short.
Googling "carbank" returns some funny results, there's a CARBANK diecast model police car for instance, why couldn't they use that livery for 2025
.

Yeah, that CARBANK was unintentional, but i did notice it as I was posting it. For some reason, CARBANK also already comes up in my list of suggested words as I type on my mobile, even after typing just CA....

Also within the acronym is RAT, and also CARB and KARB. Which my phone also wants to change to CARBANK for some reason. And I seen to like saying also a lot.

Jocke1 · Post by **Jocke1** » 24 Feb 2025, 18:53

dr-baker wrote: Also within the acronym is RAT, and also CARB and KARB. Which my phone also wants to change to CARBANK for some reason. And I seen to like saying also a lot.

I have it on good authority that the first design drawings of the TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB VCARB 02 happened at a hotel in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Anglesey, Wales.

Further team meetings were held and chassis designs were discussed during the winter at a pub in Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitnatahu, New Zealand and revisions to the designs were later made at a restaurant in Krungthepmahanakornamornratanakosinmahintarayutthayamahadilokphopnopparatrajathaniburiromudomrajaniwesmahasatharnamornphimarnavatarnsathitsakkattiyavisanukamprasit, Thailand.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 24 Feb 2025, 22:23

Jocke1 wrote: ↑24 Feb 2025, 18:53
dr-baker wrote: Also within the acronym is RAT, and also CARB and KARB. Which my phone also wants to change to CARBANK for some reason. And I seen to like saying also a lot.

I have it on good authority that the first design drawings of the TTFKAMTRATVCARBANKARB VCARB 02 happened at a hotel in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Anglesey, Wales.

Further team meetings were held and chassis designs were discussed during the winter at a pub in Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitnatahu, New Zealand and revisions to the designs were later made at a restaurant in Krungthepmahanakornamornratanakosinmahintarayutthayamahadilokphopnopparatrajathaniburiromudomrajaniwesmahasatharnamornphimarnavatarnsathitsakkattiyavisanukamprasit, Thailand.

And when travelling around Europe, they avoid travelling anywhere near Y in France and Å in Norway (the latter of which is straightforward).

Har1MAS1415 · Post by **Har1MAS1415** » 28 Feb 2025, 14:45

James1978 wrote: ↑20 Feb 2025, 07:29 My favourite is definitely the Sauber. Apart from Ferrari going 1993, another nod to the early 90s is the Alpine reminds me of the 1992 Brabham Damon Hill debuted in!

REALLY don't like the team formerly known as Minardi's car (I never know what to call them!), and the rest look just like last year!

I still call them VCARB

Nessafox · Post by **Nessafox** » 01 Mar 2025, 03:08

Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑28 Feb 2025, 14:45
James1978 wrote: ↑20 Feb 2025, 07:29 My favourite is definitely the Sauber. Apart from Ferrari going 1993, another nod to the early 90s is the Alpine reminds me of the 1992 Brabham Damon Hill debuted in!

REALLY don't like the team formerly known as Minardi's car (I never know what to call them!), and the rest look just like last year!
I still call them VCARB

I just call them Rasenballsport.

Har1MAS1415 · Post by **Har1MAS1415** » 01 Mar 2025, 23:45

Nessafox wrote: ↑01 Mar 2025, 03:08
Har1MAS1415 wrote: ↑28 Feb 2025, 14:45
James1978 wrote: ↑20 Feb 2025, 07:29 My favourite is definitely the Sauber. Apart from Ferrari going 1993, another nod to the early 90s is the Alpine reminds me of the 1992 Brabham Damon Hill debuted in!

REALLY don't like the team formerly known as Minardi's car (I never know what to call them!), and the rest look just like last year!
I still call them VCARB
I just call them Rasenballsport.

Or Team Faenza

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 05 Mar 2025, 15:54

FITV has today launched their new "Premium Tier" which includes 4k streaming and the ability to create your own version of a Multiviewer. While they don't say exactly what you can pick from, if it is the way their old "Pit Lane Channel" used to be (one screen is the world feed, one screen is an onboard, and one is varying data like weather, tyres, etc.) then I'm sold. It's $130 a year in the US which comes down to less than $11 a month, and considering testing is in February and the season runs into December, you'll use it 11 months out of the year.

Row Man Gross-Gene · Post by **Row Man Gross-Gene** » 05 Mar 2025, 18:04

Wallio wrote: ↑05 Mar 2025, 15:54 FITV has today launched their new "Premium Tier" which includes 4k streaming and the ability to create your own version of a Multiviewer. While they don't say exactly what you can pick from, if it is the way their old "Pit Lane Channel" used to be (one screen is the world feed, one screen is an onboard, and one is varying data like weather, tyres, etc.) then I'm sold. It's $130 a year in the US which comes down to less than $11 a month, and considering testing is in February and the season runs into December, you'll use it 11 months out of the year.

I've been subscribed to F1TV Pro for the last few years, the pro tier had all of that stuff I believe. I purchased a year in advance, sometime last summer, so I hope I don't lose anything by not being subscribed to "premium". That said, I never use any feature other than the race feed. I just don't have the mental bandwidth to view a bunch of stuff at once. Plus, it's not easy to view it on my TV, so it's all on my iPad anyway. Maybe if they make something for smart tvs I'll try some of the other features on the iPad.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 05 Mar 2025, 18:14

Pro never had a Multiviewer like they are currently advertising, at least not without hacks (they got shamed into it because several teams were actually using outside apps on their pitwall last year.) Native 4k is a bit murkier. Some races had it (Japan most famously), some were shot in 4k and downscaled, but most were just set at 1080, for....reasons.

Of course, you need a TV that can actually display 4k, and a source that streams in 4k, of which right now there are three: Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku. The Roku is the cheapest option at $18.

Row Man Gross-Gene wrote: ↑05 Mar 2025, 18:04 I purchased a year in advance, sometime last summer, so I hope I don't lose anything by not being subscribed to "premium".

They do prorate your current subscription. I got $14 off as I still had until mid May on my "Pro" deal.

Row Man Gross-Gene · Post by **Row Man Gross-Gene** » 05 Mar 2025, 19:41

Wallio wrote: ↑05 Mar 2025, 18:14 Pro never had a Multiviewer like they are currently advertising, at least not without hacks (they got shamed into it because several teams were actually using outside apps on their pitwall last year.) Native 4k is a bit murkier. Some races had it (Japan most famously), some were shot in 4k and downscaled, but most were just set at 1080, for....reasons.

Of course, you need a TV that can actually display 4k, and a source that streams in 4k, of which right now there are three: Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku. The Roku is the cheapest option at $18.

Row Man Gross-Gene wrote: ↑05 Mar 2025, 18:04 I purchased a year in advance, sometime last summer, so I hope I don't lose anything by not being subscribed to "premium".
They do prorate your current subscription. I got $14 off as I still had until mid May on my "Pro" deal.

Fair enough, I thought the multiviewer was just the multiple streams you could choose between. I have appletv and if I get the premium then will I be able to watch the races on appletv on my regular tv? My main one is 4k, so that shouldn't be a problem. If it all works easily enough, it would be an improvement over just watching on my iPad.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 05 Mar 2025, 20:07

Row Man Gross-Gene wrote: ↑05 Mar 2025, 19:41 I have appletv and if I get the premium then will I be able to watch the races on appletv on my regular tv?

From what I am reading, yes. If you log into to your account, an "upgrade" button will pop up in the top corner. It does have lots of "fine print" to read through, but it seems to spell out Apple, Roku and Chromecast as "best".

As for the Multiviewer, it is/was a web browser plug-in that allowed you to run multiple screens. As I said, the FIA is keeping how exactly it will work in app secret for now, but up to 2020 or so, they did support three simultaneous feeds onscreen, so I imagine it's just that again. But three is better than 1 lol.

Post by **mario** » 05 Mar 2025, 22:40

Whilst some things might change, one thing that seems to be the same is Sulayem's propensity to make himself unpopular - although, this time, instead of antagonising the teams in F1 or FOM, it is the member organisations of the FIA itself that are now being more openly critical of him.

Recently, it was announced that Sulayem wanted to force members of the FIA to sign new non-disclosure agreements that were significantly more punitive than the existing ones, and insisted that those NDA's had to be signed at extremely short notice ahead of the next WMSC meeting.

David Richards, as the head of the UK's motorsport body, was one of a group of individuals who rejected the demands, having complained that the terms that the FIA insisted on violated the FIA's own statutes. In retaliation, Richards, as well as others (such as Reid, the Deputy President for Sport) who rejected the NDA were banned from attending the WMSC meeting, despite the FIA's statutes stating they were entitled to attend.

That, it seems, has pushed Richards to breaking point, as he has now escalated the matter by engaging a legal team to question the legitimacy of the terms of the NDA that Sulayem is trying to impose, with the threat of proceeding with legal action against the FIA. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/ar ... 03y7ydee9o

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 06 Mar 2025, 15:11

Restrictive NDAs? Is MBS hanging out with Tony Khan now? (all three other wrestling fans on here will be in hysterics over that one).

It really is crazy how when Max was in charge, one common criticism of him was that it was bad to have a "racing first" (much less an "F1 first") guy as head of such a large organization that handles so many other motoring matters. However, MBS shows us what happens when you hire a guy who walks through a pitlane whistling "Stranger in Paradise".

Row Man Gross-Gene · Post by **Row Man Gross-Gene** » 06 Mar 2025, 16:50

Good grief, Sulayem attempting to turn the FIA into his own little dictatorship is about the lamest thing I think I've ever heard. Dude, just cash the effing checks from FOM and spend it on safety stuff and your other series. It's not that hard. No NDAs needed, no mass firings needed, no stupidity needed.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 07 Mar 2025, 15:31

Since it appears it won't go away, I figured I would weigh in on the whole "booing" debate. Good on you Brits. Boo Max! Boo Lewis! Boo MBS! Boo whomever the hell you want!

Now, I'm an American. We LOVE booing. We spend money to buy tickets to go places just to boo. I'm old enough that I got to experience the whole "Dare-ell! Dare-ell!" Darryl Strawberry phenomenon when it happened, and I live a short trip from Philadelphia where both Santa and the Easter Bunny got booed literally out of the park. We as Americas love to hate the "bad guy" whomever that maybe. Kyle Busch, during his run of dominance in NASCAR used to win, get out of the car and bow to the fans who loudly booed and threw beer cans at him. A bit extreme, but hey? And if you watched any hockey at all last month, you saw that the NHL's lame all-star tournament turned into international news and can't miss viewing all because of booing. (until we choked in the finals....again)

In lower-level pro wrestling event, and comedy clubs (two things I weirdly have a lot of experience at) you are not only welcomed to boo and heckle but are actually sort of encouraged to. If a person can't take it now, he never will if/when he ever gets "big". As long as you don't get racial or bring in family members who aren't part of the show, it's open season. The idea of booing being looked down on in Europe is so weird to me. Do you guys seriously just go to events to cheer? How lame is that?

That said, Red Bull reaction is lame as hell. Be the bad guys! Embrace it! I used to love Horner because he was an arrogant shite-stirrer. Now he just whines. Marko is well.....Marko and Jos is giving Damon Hill a run for his money in the "I can have a second career living off of Max" category. Now Max himself I don't think genuinely cares. He's more than happy to not do press etc, but he never wanted to in the first place. He is perfectly happy playing video games, banging his wife and counting his money, (Wouldn't we all be?) and then flying on his private jet to an island somewhere. This just gives him an excuse to do that, although it does make him look childish when he does, which again, I doubt he cares about.

So yeah, tl:dr, booing is awesome. Keep it up.