Welcome to Sunday’s edition of the RaceFans round-up.
Comment of the day
Valtteri Bottas is seeking a return to Formula 1 but has his time passed?
I get that the money is good, and the cars are without equal. But Bottas will already have more money than he can ever spend, and other series aren’t that far off in terms of pace.
The idea that he could come back into F1 when he’s been out of the game, languished at a backmarker team for years, and isn’t getting any younger just seems rather pointless. Especially with how good rookies like Hadjar and Antonelli are doing, Bottas seemingly had little to offer. MichaelN
'It’s not that I want to get back to F1! I just wanted to understand how is the current F1 car, and how we can deliver more opportunities for Toyota young drivers who are racing in Europe.'
'Who are the three? Two we can identify with confidence are Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, the team principal and technical director during Schumacher’s all-conquering years at Ferrari. Gerhard Berger, who went from being the German’s fierce adversary to a close friend – and who, by eerie coincidence, broke his arm skiing off-piste just 10 weeks after that fateful Meribel morning – is understood to be the third.'
'Being the first Portuguese driver to win an FIA F3 race – it’s something that will stay in my mind, stay in my heart forever. I loved how it felt to cross the line in P1, and I also loved the to hear the Portuguese anthem, on the first step of the podium, and to see the all the emotions, not only from me, but from my team, my personal team - my family, my friends.'
COTD: He’ll have been out of the game only for a season by the next-season opener, so no more than Perez, Zhou, etc., & while Perez has been in a top team more recently, I don’t think that really has any relevance, not to mention Bottas has vast F1 racing experience, after all, & that Hulkenberg was away from full-time F1 racing for more than a single season without ever having driven in a top team.
Reuters: Audi can very well become a championship contender eventually, but when is another matter, & I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case in 2030 at the earliest.
Sportscar 365: Nor could he even realistically return after being away for over ten seasons.
Yeah, I think the only real question is whether Bottas feels the urge to drive fast. If he does, he can easily be an improvement at AM compared to Lance stroll, for example.
Nor could he even realistically return after being away for over ten seasons.
But:
been in a top team more recently, I don’t think that really has any relevance, not to mention .. has vast F1 racing experience, after all, & that Hulkenberg was away from full-time F1 racing for more than a single season without ever having driven in a top team.
Yeah, right.
Sure, Bottas is a nice guy, I like him too, but that’s no argument and let’s be realistic: He’s well past his ‘consume before’ date now.
And actually, they basically lowered the bar of engine formula just to get these teams in. (But won’t ever admit it.)
I’m not even in favour of this hybrid formula, but as a principle, to me, that means you’re degrading the sports just to let in teams that were otherwise unwilling to and can’t expect to meet the bar anyway.
As dr. Mario Theissen said on Beyond the Grid, BMW was on a long term program. Podiums in 2008, wins in 2009, etc. They got their first win in 2008, and Kubica was in sort of ‘dark horse’ WDC contention for a good while, partly thanks to Hamilton, Räikkönen and Massa all having a rather error and misfortune-filled title campaign. But unfortunately for them, BMW got new leadership in 2009 that wasn’t interested in F1 and they scrapped the program.
Whatever the case, BMW and Sauber became race winners in just three years. Which is pretty good.
Derek Edwards
8th June 2025, 0:20
Goodness me. Ferrari going large on two podiums in three races – it’s like 1986 all over again,
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
8th June 2025, 4:35
Hmmm, Audi winning championships. I’ll still be surprised if they even turn up on the grid as a works team.
PacificPR (@streydt)
8th June 2025, 9:53
Indeed I would be very surprised if they actually make it to the grid at all.
mc4ren (@mc4ren)
8th June 2025, 6:33
I miss the “Kobayahsi on Haas F1 test” news, Mr. Collantine :)
pez2k (@pez2k)
8th June 2025, 12:06
It’s the second link, the Sportscar 365 article quote.
mc4ren (@mc4ren)
9th June 2025, 5:18
Ups, my fault, my apologies!
Jere (@jerejj)
8th June 2025, 6:48
COTD: He’ll have been out of the game only for a season by the next-season opener, so no more than Perez, Zhou, etc., & while Perez has been in a top team more recently, I don’t think that really has any relevance, not to mention Bottas has vast F1 racing experience, after all, & that Hulkenberg was away from full-time F1 racing for more than a single season without ever having driven in a top team.
Reuters: Audi can very well become a championship contender eventually, but when is another matter, & I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case in 2030 at the earliest.
Sportscar 365: Nor could he even realistically return after being away for over ten seasons.
BasCB (@bascb)
8th June 2025, 18:01
Yeah, I think the only real question is whether Bottas feels the urge to drive fast. If he does, he can easily be an improvement at AM compared to Lance stroll, for example.
Coventry Climax
8th June 2025, 19:33
But:
Yeah, right.
Sure, Bottas is a nice guy, I like him too, but that’s no argument and let’s be realistic: He’s well past his ‘consume before’ date now.
MarkWebber (@markwebber)
8th June 2025, 17:10
Sauber won’t suddenly become championship contenders just because they’ve been given a blank check, BMW can testify to that.
Jere (@jerejj)
8th June 2025, 18:01
As well as Toyota, or perhaps even more so.
Coventry Climax
8th June 2025, 19:41
Right.
And actually, they basically lowered the bar of engine formula just to get these teams in. (But won’t ever admit it.)
I’m not even in favour of this hybrid formula, but as a principle, to me, that means you’re degrading the sports just to let in teams that were otherwise unwilling to and can’t expect to meet the bar anyway.
MichaelN
8th June 2025, 19:53
Depends on how suddenly you’re talking.
As dr. Mario Theissen said on Beyond the Grid, BMW was on a long term program. Podiums in 2008, wins in 2009, etc. They got their first win in 2008, and Kubica was in sort of ‘dark horse’ WDC contention for a good while, partly thanks to Hamilton, Räikkönen and Massa all having a rather error and misfortune-filled title campaign. But unfortunately for them, BMW got new leadership in 2009 that wasn’t interested in F1 and they scrapped the program.
Whatever the case, BMW and Sauber became race winners in just three years. Which is pretty good.