Welcome to Tuesday’s edition of the RaceFans round-up.
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F1's new era and regulation changes explained (Aston Martin)
Executive director Bob Bell: 'We're returning to something more akin to the pre-2022 regulations, with a flat underside of the car and a straight kick-up at the back. There’s more to it than that, of course, but that’s the main difference, ending the era of these fully contoured ground-effect cars.'
Former F1 star Magnussen takes aim at current regs (Express)
'These new cars with the ground effect and stiff suspension you have to treat it more sort of freestyle and one step (at) a time kind of thing, You’re not as free in your driving style.'
Red-Bull-Beben! Christian Horner vor dem Aus (OE 24 - German)
'According to several media outlets, team boss Christian Horner is reportedly on the verge of being fired.'
Horner 'on the verge of being sacked by Red Bull', report claims - but sources say he's not at risk (Daily Mail)
'However, despite the reports, sources close to Red (Bull) have informed Mail Sport that Horner's job is not at risk.'
Cadillac F1 makes its entrance as official team at Miami Grand Prix as questions swirl about line-up (AP)
'You probably would have seen over the last few days, we did earnings on the early part of the week, and then we came back and did the earnings review and guidance. In that second one, there’s about $5 billion of impact for us. But it’s not going to affect this (F1) project.'
Silverstone 1950: The first grand prix for the world championship (source)
'When Fangio's turn came George VI asked a question to which Juan responded with a 'No spik English, spik Italian, spik Spanish,' answer that led to an embarrassing pause in the proceedings. To retrieve the awkward situation, Juan turned to the interpreter and told him to tell His Majesty that he didn't have to speak to be able to drive fast.'
Hauger learned key details about Indy Nxt by spending a race in the pack (Formula Scout)
'Being for the first time in these cars in dirty air, actually having to use the push-to-pass strategically. Coming from the back, going up, was definitely a good experience.'
The competition between Sky and Channel 4 is fierce.
#F1
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— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine.bsky.social) 12 May 2025 at 10:34
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Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
13th May 2025, 0:22
That FIA car would get booed all the way round.
MichaelN
13th May 2025, 6:57
Not really, the FIA is not without flaws but F1 and F2 are very well run series.
Alan Dove
13th May 2025, 8:49
Most of the top KZ drivers (best karters on the planet) just boycotted a race. half didn’t take the grid, and most of everyone else pulled in.
The FIA have serious problems. Ex-staff openly display dismay on forums too if you know where to look.
S
13th May 2025, 9:44
Ex-staff of every organisation do the same.
Quite often a person who leaves the organisation was the problem.
Alan Dove
13th May 2025, 11:21
I can say pretty confidently, they weren’t the problem. that’s self evident by the fact drivers have just boycotted a major race, and the reigning European champion isn’t racing at this weekend’s opening European championship round.
S
13th May 2025, 12:17
All that means is that the competitors disagree with the organisers. Again, no different to any other organisation.
Competitors aren’t always right, by any stretch of the imagination. If they aren’t willing to accept that the organisers have all the authority, then it’s much better that they don’t participate.
Alan Dove
13th May 2025, 18:03
When drivers don’t participate there’s nothing to ‘organise’
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2025, 9:39
S, even if your statement is taken at face value, it has to be considered that the FIA has, in proportion to its size, a lot of recent leavers…
MichaelN
13th May 2025, 10:13
Yes, over tyre problems for which the FIA shares blame but it is also not like they contracted a budget supplier from China.
It’s undoubtedly true that karting hasn’t been given much priority, and that funding and exposure are a struggle. That’s not just an FIA issue though. It’s a problem faced by many series who can’t get a big TV, online or even trackside audience. Even Indycar, DTM and ELMS often have awkwardly empty stands.
Alan Dove
13th May 2025, 11:19
“The FIA, at every event where I’ve been awarded as a driver, keeps emphasizing the value of karting as a stepping stone to Formula and GT racing — and for them, evidently, that’s all karting is” Lorenzo Travisanutto. Reigning FIA KZ European Champion and 2x FIA World Karting Champion.
That’s a big statement form one of the sport’s biggest stars. That’s very much an FIA thing.
S
13th May 2025, 12:24
No, it’s not just an FIA thing.
Only a certain kind of karting enthusiast has a problem with this – and even they are still free to make a living only from karting if they so wish.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2025, 9:44
Bear in mind that ultimately, every four-wheeled non-karting series in Europe derives its regulations from the FIA (in whole or in part). Thus, the issues of DTM and ELMS’ audiences could potentially be down to the FIA as well. (I don’t know what’s causing the DTM’s issue, but I know that ELMS’ issue is partly down to the FIA’s insistence on hoovering up as much sportscar money as possible for WEC, and only permitting ELMS the leavings).
anon
13th May 2025, 19:57
MichaelN, it’s interesting that you’re talking up the management of the FIA on the same day that we’ve had more information released about Sulayem making further moves to consolidate power for himself and measures that are designed to target any potential rival that could emerge.
Biggsy
13th May 2025, 6:31
I don’t understand why are they getting rid of the car concept that was supposed to mitigate the effect of the dirty air, at least to some extent.
People running the F1 and FiA have no clue which direction they wanna go.
They can’t decide whether they are a sport, a technology proving ground, or an entertainment.
MichaelN
13th May 2025, 6:56
Well, because it has failed.
It started quite well, then became severely compromised on behalf of Mercedes and what was essentially their technical directive in the summer of 2022.
Then it just got worse as teams found more performance and the Liberty folks, who made this concept, reneged on their promise to keep tweaking it to keep the same positive effects.
Mal Ross (@malross)
13th May 2025, 9:49
I wonder how much of the original concept was Ross Brawn’s influence and how much his departure hurt FOM’s ability to keep tweaking it.
Craig
13th May 2025, 14:03
I think they also didn’t want to admit they let a team openly cheat their way to an unassailable advantage
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2025, 9:47
MichaelN, it wasn’t just Mercedes, and in fact safety was the biggest reason.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
13th May 2025, 17:06
The ground effects era was really,… lets see how long it takes Mercedes to stop playing around and losing so a different guy can the position of the prime driver.
If you look at how racing series like MotoGP profited greatly, it’s because they pick a ‘goat’ (judas goat) to run around in circles for the fans to admire, and this appears to be the best way to run their for-profit-religeons which just happen to be posted Sundays, like most people happen to go to church or what ever.
If anything the ‘era’ was a move to favor red bull so Max could start winning, and everyone in the media could blame Lewis for braking too hard because he doesn’t know how to go slow in fast out, because according to the media Lewis can’t think that or behave any different. Despite the fact that this guy can win in the wet, and win or be faster when people have less time to setup their cars.
It’s just a narrative device used to push a marketing campaign. Because F1 is fake. It’s run by the same people who run the normal media, whom big finance own and operate for their own agenda. Same behaviors, incentives, everything. It’s just fake. Many people however don’t want to believe they like being lied to consistently, so this kind of fact will not be well received, and denial, of course, the principal psychological operator being used to ‘control’ the individual from adding up 2 and 2.
I don’t hate the drivers, and some I like a lot and cheer for, because they are trapped just like a lot of other people, stuck in a cycle, going over and over and over again. And I would never want to have to live like that though.
Don’t hate the players, although I do dislike people who do not respect boundaries/civility. Hate the game. And I do. And it shouldn’t pretend to be anything it used to be in the past, it should have no rights over those who have died, or risked it all, when it’s just lame finance guys pretending to be honest or having ingenuity, when all they are do is rigging rules in their favor.
David BR (@david-br)
13th May 2025, 18:07
@pcxmac Some truth to the fact that FIA/Liberty had to end the Mercedes-Hamilton dominance and tried various ways until they finally neutered both. Hopefully the end of ground effects favours both Hamilton and Ferrari, whatever the rumours about a new era of Mercedes engine dominance.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2025, 9:45
Biggsy, it worked but at a cost of dangerous levels of porpoising. While some drivers were willing to take that risk, the series had a responsibility to its drivers to not follow suit. After the mid-2022 technical directive, the problem was back in more or less full force – even before the upgrades teams made reduced things still further.
Jere (@jerejj)
13th May 2025, 6:36
Magnussen’s point about the current-generation machinery is interesting.
I haven’t bought into these fresh Horner sack claims one bit.
I like the commentatorballs section. Good picks.
SteveP
13th May 2025, 7:10
I find the country of origin more significant than the report content – sounds like purposeful ‘leaks’ at Red Bull HQ Austria.
Jere (@jerejj)
13th May 2025, 16:18
Good point
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2025, 9:49
In this case, the facts that the source is the Daily Fail and the “report” it’s citing is from a fellow British tabloid, everyone can safely dismiss this as pathetic points-scoring between newspapers trying to attract readers with artificial tribalism.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
13th May 2025, 17:24
The horner crud is just narrative building.
A. Horner is only leaving if Porsche come in and HAVE a mercedes killing platform. And he agrees through some sort of settlement. Horner is doing just fine considering Merc have tuned their engines back up for the last year of the V6 era. And all the noise about parity were lies, Merc always had a better engine, that never changed, it might have gotten a lot closer, but it’s still much better, just not 1.5 seconds a lap slower, closer to 4/10s probably.
B. The news is most likely coming from sources related to Mercedes in order to keep the media asking Max stupid questions about when hes going to Mercedes.
The whole Cheating allegations about McLaren are just a red herring so that people don’t ask why Pirelli are making tires that seem to suite their car so much better than anyone else. This game is old and long in the tooth. And it’s clear that the fortunes of McLaren changed because it was VERY IMPORTANT to keep that property valuation high through it’s purchase by Mumtalakat / CYVN. Doing this they have also signaled to other teams that if they are bought, or in transition that they will probably look at performance enhancements as well. So expect teams like Alpine to fair better for share holder benefit, especially during negotiations / sale, to keep F1 as a whole much better off. Because if the teams start slipping in value, and because they are so heavily over valued, this could cause severe economic consequences.
Thus not only is Ben Sulayem interested in his own Emirate buddies getting a good deal, but guys like Toto Wolff can’t afford for things to go south, especially if the market slips in the near future, despite the current manipulation by the US clown tariff policies.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
13th May 2025, 7:11
“It’s a little blimp” David Coulthard. Obviously that is a faux pas, but the way he speaks generally I’ve always found a little jarring. He uses phrases like ‘overspeed’ and other things which you never hear anyone else say. It’s not a criticism, just that if he was a guitar I’d try and retune him.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
14th May 2025, 9:50
@bernasaurus He used some of these terms when he was a driver as well. I have wondered whether it says more about his being a turn-of-the-millenium McLaren driver than anything else (other McLaren drivers of that era haven’t become English-language commentators in order for me to do the comparison).
Asanator
14th May 2025, 19:41
100% This. I thought I was alone!
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
13th May 2025, 8:18
I have some reservations but I can’t help be excited by the new regs. Sure it will be wild at first as things bed in. Dump the 50% electric power and all the weight and batteries that go with it and give them more PU HP instead and I’d be really excited. It’s never been an issue with DRS but I do worry about the eventuality of someone’s active aero not closing in a turn.
Do we know how the push to pass system will work, will it be like DRS where you can use it within a second of following a driver or more like Indy style of an allocation for the race?
S Arkazam
13th May 2025, 8:53
All the weight (and more) will need to come straight back in through more petrol and bigger fuel tanks, unless you are willing to settle for much less power and a slower F1.
S
13th May 2025, 9:52
I am.
They are too fast now, and the way they make that speed is the primary reason F1 usually has such poor on-track racing.
Refuelling is a great strategic element as it results in cars being lighter for much of the middle of the races rather than only at the finish, which has obvious benefits for teams’ approach to tyre saving and risk management.
Given how far off potential pace F1 runs these days, taking an extra stop would very regularly be a better option.
S Arkazam
13th May 2025, 11:19
Enjoy the lower series :P
PS why have a racing car stationary to refuel if all that energy is already available but just gets wasted through heat (exhaust and braking) and some noise?
I would support air-to-car refuelling though
S
13th May 2025, 12:37
I do that too. The racing is way more interesting most of the time.
Why not have (stationary) refuelling? We have stationary tyre changes.
Certainly the fuel should be updated to match the times, but F1 remains sporting entertainment regardless. It is intended in every way to create sales to mass audience, and as such needs to be interesting and entertaining.
PS – not all the energy is available if the car is moving. They’ll always consume much more energy than they can recapture.
Why not make it a positive strategic element rather than a negative one as is the case currently. Allow them enough energy to go full pace the entire race if they choose – all they need to do is pit for it. Batteries currently don’t allow for that, nor does F1’s tiny allocation of liquid fuel.
anon
13th May 2025, 17:42
S, the removal of pit lane refuelling resulted in a significant reduction in the serious accident rate for mechanics, and was one of the motivations behind the FIA reintroducing the ban on refuelling. The attitude of the sport was that any potential “entertainment” value that it might add was not worth the increased hazards that it created for those working in the pit lane.
S
13th May 2025, 23:54
Yeah, I remember that ‘justification’ being used, along with the supposed increase in on-track overtaking that would occur.
Both bogus, as proven by the fact that both refuelling and overtaking are fine in other series – including one of the FIA’s own other World Championships.
Keith Campbell (@keithedin)
14th May 2025, 9:09
@S Comparing overtaking stats to other series isn’t a good comparison. Obviously there are other factors which affect overtaking in F1, namely the speed and size of the cars, and the amounts of dirty air they generate and the degree to which their aerodynamics are affected by it. The truth is that when refuelling was banned, the number of on-track overtakes increased dramatically, even before the introduction of designed to degrade tyres and DRS.
S
14th May 2025, 10:09
I agree 100%, which is why I didn’t.
However, we can compare both (objective) racing ability/competitive depth and (subjective) satisfaction gained from different series’ philosophies in regard to their approaches to racing.
F1 is the almost solitary outsider in that it allows participants to actively ruin the racing product as much as they possibly can within the poorly designed rules – and often outside of them too, without substantial penalty (and often without any penalty at all).
And then just as dramatically decreased again over the following years – leading to half-baked band-aid solutions such as those you mentioned, among others.
Wings were being clipped and tyres controlled long before refuelling disappeared, in a bid to address the lack of racing quality.
baasbas
13th May 2025, 11:42
@S:
Don’t forget to mention they could do with less braking. Of course predictable, but just less stopping power. It would lengthen braking zones
S
13th May 2025, 12:43
That’s mainly a result of downforce – less aero means longer braking zones.
I’m all for it.
Side benefit – less aero makes every other aspect of racing better too.
Coventry Climax
13th May 2025, 19:10
That’s not entirely true.
The main reason the current cars are consuming less, is because the fuel flow is restricted. That’s a prerequisite of a turbo being ‘efficient’: don’t run it full power all the time, or pay the (fuel) price.
S Arkazam
14th May 2025, 9:36
That’s why the MGU-H is such a marvel, use the heat also when the PU doesn’t need it.
MichaelN
13th May 2025, 10:18
It will be like DRS. The driver will need to be within on second to use the override, that is, they will be able to keep using the full 350 kW whereas the driver ahead will have the speed related limitations on the electric output.
Now there’s an obvious problem with this, namely, it will drain the battery of the chasing car faster. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, given that both cars will have moveable aero and the override won’t matter until about 300 km/h.
gDog (@gdog)
13th May 2025, 14:16
I’m ok with that conceptually. It seems like a reasonable trade off to me, the chasing car get’s an arguably unfair temporary advantage which is then offset by having reduced energy available to them later. Better than DRS for which there is no offset.
Biggsy
13th May 2025, 14:17
Ridiculously complicated concept.
Which should tell you right away, it’s not a good concept.
I’m not talking about technical complexity. They can push the technology to the limit, I have no problem with that, as it is done in pursuit of performance.
But these rules about overtaking just smell of committee compromises, and uncreative people getting too excited to be creating something.
Coventry Climax
13th May 2025, 22:45
Yeah, geneally when people ‘create’ something like that, they make sure the little room is locked from the inside and noone gets to see it.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
15th May 2025, 6:19
I didn’t realise it had been renamed (I was an avid Colemanballs fan). A quick search suggests sometime on or before 2011 ?!?!