Just now, Purple88 said:

Absolutely!  I think towards the end of 2025 you are going to see some really BAD cars on the track.  And those will be teams that have thrown in the towel on the old regs and are full steam ahead for the new regs.  And who knows, a current mid-pack team could jump to the front.  Wouldn't that be something!

Makes for great future racing IMO and keeps it new and developing!

When you're already excited for 2 seasons out then you are doing something right!

That is the truth and like you said in the post before, F1 is so fun to follow, NASCAR doesn't compare.

Major Red Bull RB21 boost with F1 2025 rules reset

This is the time of year where you long for a good F1 race weekend with the threat of Wintry Weather here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  In leu of that, I offer the attached article, which focuses on F1's continued pursuit of great competition (which is what we the viewers want to see!).

The article goes into detail regarding how wind tunnel time and aerodynamic research time are divided up on a sliding scale for all F1 teams.  Wind tunnel time and aerodynamic research time are critical for teams to test, observe, modify, retest, observe, etc. for key components of their cars with the goal of making a more competitive car. 

If you are in the front Title Winning Team, you receive the least wind tunnel time to start the new year.  If you are dead last, you receive the most wind tunnel and aerodynamic research time allotted. F1 resets this sliding scale 2 times a year.  First is right now in the new year with the scale according to the way the Constructors list ended for the 2024 season.  Since McLaren won the constructors title, they get the least time.  And Sauber, finished dead last and will get the most time.  Second, is the mid-way point of the season around July 1, which is near the Australian Grand Prix.

This can make a difference!

Haas, the American team, had a tough way to go for the past couple seasons prior to 2024.  They switched Managing Directors and several other key people, and they started to get some traction and in 2024, had multiple double points weekends (double points weekends are when both team cars place in the Top 10 of the race and receive World Championship points for that.  It's a big deal for them and creates great momentum for the team.)).  I feel more wind tunnel and aero-research time really benefited Haas

A few other things:

1.  Today is the first workday for drivers with their new teams.  A lot of movement around the grid, but this is likely healthy IMO.  

2.  For the first time ever, ALL 10 teams will participate in a 2025 Season launch event in London on February 18th.  I'm not totally sure what this will include, but it's kind of a kickoff to the season that will be at that time roughly 1 month away.

3.  There will be a key 3-day test scheduled in Bahrain for February 26 to 28.  This will be the first time many of the new drivers will suit up in their new threads and drive their new cars.  Will be interesting!

 

From F1 INSIDER on Facebook.

2025 SUPER LICENSE FEES ??

Drivers need a valid FIA Super Licence to race in Formula 1 and each year, a driver must pay a flat rate plus a fee per point scored in the latest championship to get their Super Licence for the new campaign.

Every driver has to pay a $12,097 flat fee plus an additional $2,443 for every World Championship point they scored in the 2024 season. Here’s how much each driver will pay for 2025 ?

From This is Formula 1 on Facebook.

About a month to go until the first F1 Grand Prix in Australia!

Was a bit of good news I briefly saw:

Monaco Grand Prix set for drastic new rule to ‘promote better racing’ at famous F1 circuit

They are likely to up the required pit stops for all drivers at this years Monaco Grand Prix.

The long historical Crown Jewel race for F1 has been recently a Snooze Fest as "rarely" does more than 1 or 2 passes take place any more.  The cars have become too big and only 1 DRS Zone makes it near impossible to safely pass.  So instead you have pent up anger at this and mostly causes wrecks and Red Flags.  I'm good with making them do 2 or 3 pit stops for the race.  They really need to look at adding to the race course.  I saw some time ago an idea to extend the race course down the coast which would extend the DRS Zone and make a real point to pass on the course.  But it was voted down by traditionalists who don't want anything to change.  Better to change and have it than to be passed over sometime down the road.

It's going to be a Great F1 Season!

You can't out "HYPE" F1!

Yesterday in London, they had their F1 75 Live Event.  It is an event for F1's 75th Anniversary.  It was a gathering of all 10 teams, their principals where they unveil their 2025 liveries (what their new cars look like) and driver line-ups.  It had the feel of an academy awards evening.  Fans attend and it major hype!

Here is a link to some of the video available:  well, I tried to, but Big Brother didn't let me.  But you can just google it to see some of the festivities.  About a month out from the Australian Grand Prix!

 

Just give us the link 88, even if it won't embed. 

I like Lewis Hamilton and his move to Ferrari is one of the biggest stories of the 2025 season. 

@theguru the link to the whole F1 75 Live shebang is here:  (About 2 Hours)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw1r6DwYy-g

See if you can get to that.  If not let me know and I'll retry.

Also here is one for a shorter taste of it: (about 13 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0NJ3KqMjKY

I edited it to show the links which is allowed.  This is just one of those cases where we have to share the link as a link only and it works. 

F1 ended their Bahrain Pre-season Testing today.  It is the end of a 3-day event, where teams are allowed to test their new cars and tweak them to try to make critical adjustments ahead of the first race upcoming in Australia in about 2 weeks now!!!

George Russell (Mercedes) will leave Bahrain at the top of the leaderboard having ticked off Max Verstappen (Red Bull) on nearly the last lap to top the speed charts.  Alex Albon with Williams was third, which was impressive. Here's a good graphic for this:

 

Going to be a GREAT Season!  One thing for folks not really old F1 junkies is that certain cars are better at certain tracks.  Which makes it more competitive.  Some cars excel in slow corners (where you really have hairpin curves and must break) vs tracks that have more rounded corners.  So, you "typically" don't see one car winning every race, which is what most of us want.  

Max Verstappen with Red Bull is the reigning 4-time World Champ and he is one of the favorites again this season, BUT he does not have a lot of help up front IMO.  Meaning his brand new teammate Liam Lawson will be making a HUGE step-up IMO.  Meaning I just don't see him consistently with the lead pack at the front, which means teams with 2 cars at the top of the grid (Ferrari, McLaren and maybe Mercedes) can use multiple strategies during the race to outpace the lead Red Bull.  Makes for fascinating entertainment, I think.

Only a few weeks now till the land down under!  Going to be really fun!!!  Hope more will join in here!

 

You nailed it 88 and that chart already says a lot, even though it is the first test and only on one track.  In other words, it looks like 2025 has the potential to be the most competitive F1 season in years. 

The article link below confirms Cadillac joins the F1 grid in 2026 as the 11th team!  WOW!

 Cadillac Confirmed As F1's 11th Team; Will Join Grid for 2026 Season

 

It also says Mario Andretti will serve as a "director on the teams board".  Very good move for the American Fan Base, I think!

And in a really "all-in" type move, Cadillac has indicted they intend to be a "full works" team by the end of this decade.  Meaning they intend to not only produce their own cars, they intend to produce their own power units as well!   WOW!  They will run Ferrari power units initially until they get up and running.  Exciting news!

They even mentioned the possibility of signing drivers like Sergio Perez (the Mexican recently with Red Bull) and Daniel Riccardo (the Australian recently with several teams including Red Bull and McLaren).  So exciting times for American fans regarding F1 excitement!!!

The Australian Grand Prix is one week away!  Let's Go!!!