RaceFans Round-up: 8th March 2025

Welcome to Saturday’s edition of the RaceFans round-up.

Comment of the day

Almost 30 years since Formula 1 last saw a full, 26-car grid, Cadillac have finally been approved as the 11th team for next year:

Two more teams please.
Philip Roden

Social media and links

‘I still miss F1 every single day’ – Claire Williams on her Drive to Survive role and staying connected to the sport she loves (F1)

'I spent a bit of time trying to negotiate with Carlos to come to the team when I was running it. It’s now 10 years later and he’s finally made it there.'

Ecclestone says his money is still on Max for fifth F1 title (Reuters)

'There's no reason why he shouldn't. If he's got the equipment, obviously there'd be no discussion about him. It would be a definite.'

Cadillac F1 – How the FIA paved the way for an 11th team in Formula 1 (FIA)

'The FIA’s approval of the Cadillac F1 team, and Formula 1’s agreement of commercial terms with the team, means that an F1’s 11th team will be on the FIA Formula One World Championship grid in 2026. This marks a new era for the sport and the first time in a decade that the grid will feature 22 cars or more.'

Nikita Bedrin returns to AIX Racing for Melbourne FIA Formula 3 race (AIX)

'What news! Very unexpected, but super happy to be back. It will be for sure a challenge to get used to everything again, but I will make the best out of it.'

Team Penske clarifies Newgarden's refuelling issue at St. Petersburg (Racer)

'It looks like we simply had a refuelling issue in both our second and third stops and did not get the car full and there wasn’t (a fuel) error shift at all. The new (spec) fuel flow sensors in the car do a good job of being able to see this now opposed to previous years. Unfortunately, if not for this, we (wouldn't have been) overcut by the number 10 and the outcome could have been a little more favourable for us!'

Formula E celebrates International Women's Day with extended Women's Test (Formula E)

'Building on the success of last year’s pioneering all-women’s test, we’re excited to make the event even bigger and more impactful by extending it to a full day of testing involving two lengthy test sessions.'

Rain spices up decider between France and Australia - ROC Nations Cup 2025 Final (Race of Champions via YouTube)

This would have been a daft way for Lewis Hamilton to injure himself and miss his first appearance for Ferrari in a grand prix next week – but he got away with it!

Video: @enricoatti #F1 pic.twitter.com/RqFxQjgkd5

— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) March 7, 2025

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Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Icthyes, Les, Preekel, Rebecca, Stig Semper Fi and Mark Adams!

On this day in motorsport

Born today in 1968: Michael Bartels, who made four unsuccessful attempts to qualify for grands prix with Lotus in 1991

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5 comments on “Round-up: Williams on Sainz, Ecclestone on Verstappen, Bedrin to AIX and more”

An Sionnach
8th March 2025, 0:30

One more team would be good, at least. I wonder at some point will the teams’ reluctance to admit another team be more financially existential? It’s an expensive business. It would be funny if, having just made it in the door, Cadillac objects to another entry. Would be like a cartoon I once saw in a newspaper where a couple declare that they want to buy the first house in a development so they can object to the others being built! Anyway, if we’re to have more teams, the cost will have to go down. Cosworth DFV return confirmed?

Bernie is right, but there are serious questions as to whether Max has the equipment. Since there’s a connection to both himself and Max, Bernie didn’t give Piquet the equipment when he was arguably at the peak of his powers – rated as the most complete driver on the grid by Lauda when he retired.

Nice recovery from Lewis. It bodes well for him not sustaining a season-ending injury from any of this year’s podium celebrations!
Jere (@jerejj)
8th March 2025, 5:15

10 years ago, Carlos was about to start competing in F1, so the negotiation attempts must’ve more realistically concerned the 2018 or 2019 season.

I’m skeptical whether Max will have the right equipment for the championship at any point in the season.

Lewis may have briefly forgotten to watch his step, but at least he landed in a nice & somewhat funny way.
1. dot_com (@dot_com)
  8th March 2025, 12:37
  
  I wondered that too. I’m assuming that she meant during the Martini period, so maybe 6-7 years. They were regularly scoring podiums then and I guess Carlos would have been a Toro Rosso driver?
S
8th March 2025, 8:18

ROC was fun to watch last night. Looking forward to tonight’s driver’s edition.
It’s by no means a completely accurate representation of who is the ‘best’ driver (if there could ever be such a thing) – but far more accurate than F1 will ever be.
Finalist nations teams included no F1 drivers at all, in fact…
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
8th March 2025, 11:56

Zhou got his hopes up for a moment there!