I agree 100%, but I’m not sure Helmut would be the one to chat to anyone about replacing him…
Ya, maybe Seb would be replacing Horner. Definitely would bring better PR considering the cloud of controversy over the current team principal
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This!!!
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2025 Austrian Grand Prix 
Red Bull Ring • Spielberg • Austria
27-29 June • Round 11
After a quick visit to Canada, Formula 1 is back in Europe for a four-race over six weeks stretch leading into the summer break starting this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Unlike the past three years, this year’s event is a standard Grand Prix format, not a Sprint weekend.
Last year’s winner, George Russell, claimed victory here under dramatic circumstances after leaders Lando Norris and Max Verstappen collided at Turn 3 near the race’s end. While Mercedes will hope to replicate their double podium from the last race in Canada, it will be a tough challenge.
Max Verstappen remains a race favorite. With six previous GP wins in Austria (five GPs and a Sprint) and the insanely passionate support of the “Orange Army” making the trip from the Netherlands, he’s always a threat. However, Verstappen faces added pressure this weekend: he is still just one penalty point away from a one-race ban. Two of his 11 penalty points will expire after this race. He will still have to navigate the next eight Grands Prix after Austria cleanly to avoid suspension, but he’ll have at least have the slight respite of 3 points avaialble to him through until the end of October.
McLaren enters the weekend with a dominant 175-point Constructors’ lead, bolstered by front suspension upgrades and the strong pairing of Norris and Piastri. Ferrari has also arrived in the Styrian hills with major upgrades focused on the floor of the SF-25, aiming to close their performance gap.
Verstappen will be without his long-time race engineer Gianpiero “GP” Lambiase, who’s missing the weekend due to “personal reasons”. Stepping in is experienced Red Bull engineer Simon Rennie, who has previously worked with Albon, Ricciardo, and Webber.
The Vital Stats
- First Grand Prix – 1964 (Zeltweg)
- Track Length – 4.326km
- Lap record – 1m 05.619s, Carlos Sainz, McLaren, 2020
- Most pole positions –Max Verstappen (4)
- Most wins – Max Verstappen (4)
- Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 233 metres
- Overtakes completed in 2024 – 85
- Safety Car probability – 38%
- Virtual Safety Car probability – 50%
- Pit stop time loss – 20.3 seconds (includes 2.5s stop)
- Trivia: Austria’s Red Bull Ring has the fewest corners on the F1 calendar, with just 10 turns making up the layout
Last five Austrian GP polesitters
- 2024 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2022 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2021 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2020 – Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
Last five Austrian GP winners
- 2024 – George Russell (Mercedes)
- 2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2022 – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- 2021 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2020 – Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
The Schedule
Austrians are not only super clever and handsome, they are hugely considerate. They use the same time as we do here, the legends!
The Circuit
When was the track built?
The fearsome, original Osterreichring was originated in 1969 as a replacement for the Zeltweg airfield circuit. The track known today as the Red Bull Ring was more or less created over the winter of 1995-6, when Hermann Tilke was engaged to turn the Osterreichring into a shorter, more modern race track.
When was its first Grand Prix?
The A1-Ring, as it was then called, was opened in 1996, with Formula 1 arriving at the circuit a year later. Jacques Villeneuve won the race, while Jean Alesi had a spectacular crash when his Benetton climbed up the Ferrari of Eddie Irvine. Alesi’s team mate Gerhard Berger, meanwhile, used his home Grand Prix to announce his F1 retirement.
What’s the circuit like?
It’s only wee, bless it, but the Red Bull Ring packs a lot into a short lap. The first half rewards power, as the cars blast along three straights separated by a pair of uphill right-handers. But then as the drivers work their way downhill, the circuit becomes a regular toboggan ride, as the cars canyon through a series of quick corners, including the exhilarating Rindt right-hander, named for Austria’s first F1 champion.
Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver:
Austria is a picturesque circuit, really undulating, which makes it nice to drive and characterful.
You’ve got to be careful with the kerbs as it’s very easy to get straddling or to get over some more abrasive kerbs, which can inflict a bit of damage to your car. But beyond that, it’s a short and relatively simple circuit with some hidden technicalities.
Turn 1 is always quicker than you think it’s going to be, but braking is the order of the day for the first sector. Turn 4, a downhill braking zone, is the easiest one to mess up – so many drivers end up in the gravel there on the exit.
There’s overtaking aplenty in Turns 3 and 4, and then the flow through the second half of the lap is really good as it just comes around so quickly. It’s one of the fastest on the calendar and it really feels it at the wheel. You barely get a breath through this Grand Prix.
The Weather
The weather is looking a sunny, if a little unsettled this weekend. There is some rain about (but it should be dry on race day) and a fair bit of cloud between all the sun which may keep things cooler than perhaps some of the teams were expecting.
Friday – FP1 and FP2
- Mix between clouds and large sunny spells in the morning. Slight chance of few drops in the early morning. Arrival of high level clouds in the afternoon with a decreasing chance of rain. Light westerly wind with gusts up to 30 kph in the afternoon.
- FP1: 28°C // FP2: 28°C
- Chance of rain: 20%
Saturday – FP3 and QUALIFYING
- Low level clouds at dawn. Then improvement in the morning with a mainly sunny weather. Dry day expected. Light northwesterly wind.
- FP3: 28°C // Q: 29°C
- Chance of rain: 0%
Sunday – RACE
- Sunny at first. Developing cumulus clouds in the afternoon but likely dry. Very slight chance of one light shower in the late afternoon. Light easterly wind.
- Race start: 30°C
- Chance of rain: <20%
The Tyres
The choice of compounds the teams can use is the same as last year’s, namely C3 as hard, C4 as medium, and C5 as soft. The track surface at the Red Bull Ring is rather old and is highly abrasive, but wear is not a key factor.
With very few corners, the track is not very severe in terms of the lateral forces exerted on the tyres, while degradation is mainly thermal in origin, which is down to the track layout with several hard braking and acceleration points.
Managing tyre overheating, particularly on the rear axle, is a significant challenge. Furthermore, air and track temperatures can be quite high at this time of year.
In terms of strategy, last year’s race was very linear, at least over the first two thirds of the race. As expected, the most effective strategy was a two-stop: those who did three or more – Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso and Logan Sargeant – did so for unforeseen circumstances, not by choice. All the drivers lined up on the grid on medium tyres while, starting from pit lane, Zhou Guanyu went with the hard.
The C4 and the C3 were the undoubted protagonists of this race, with the C5 only putting in an appearance at the end, used by Verstappen for the last seven laps after his enforced stop and by Alonso, who was trying for the race fastest lap, which he did indeed set.
The Digital Programme
We’re back in Europe which means the digital promgramme is back too!
View now at Official F1® Digital Race Programme - Austria
The Standings
Lass uns Rennen fahren!
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2026 Testing dates have been confirmed. And like the last time there was a major change in the Formula 1 car and engine regs, 2026 will start with a Private Test Session in Barcelona at the end of January.
Teams will be allowed to test on only three of the five days in the Test 1 period. The five day Barcelona session will not be broadcast and no media will be allowed at all.
The two Bahrain test sessions will be public and will be broadcast as usual.
That gives teams less than two months to wrap up their 2025 campaigns in Abu Dhabi on 7 December, run the annual Young Driver Test days immediately after that, take some time off for Christmas and New Years, and then get at least one brand new engine and chassis, and a bunch of testing parts, ready for Test 1 by 26 January.
There’s also a small adjustment to the 2026 calendar announced today - the Azerbaijan GP moves one day earlier to accommodate a national holiday (the National Memorial Day - for honouring and mourning military personnel who have died while serving in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces) which happens on 27 September. The entire Race Weekend will move one day earlier, with practice sessions starting on the Thursday and the race taking place on Saturday.
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Formula 1 and Motorsport Network unveil 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey
Key findings
Modern F1 fandom is emotional, participatory, and always-on
F1 fans aren’t just watching — they’re investing, interacting, and engaging with the sport frequently. Among surveyed fans, 90% say they’re emotionally invested in race outcomes and 61% engage with F1 content daily. Across platforms and time zones, surveyed fans are shaping a continuous connection to the championship — one that reflects a more dynamic, always-on relationship with Formula 1.Culture is the new entry point and emotional driver for engagement
Many newer and younger fans are discovering Formula 1 through social media, streaming series, and shared content — entry points that now shape how fans connect with F1. They are more likely to form identity-based connections with Formula 1, citing driver personalities and narrative drama as key drivers of engagement. 70% of Gen Z respondents feel that Formula 1 represents a status or image that appeals to them.The thrill unites
Across all audience segments, speed and performance remain the most powerful motivators, with 90% of respondents saying they’re emotionally invested in race outcomes.Fans are committed and intend to stay
Among surveyed fans, commitment runs deep. 94% say they intend to follow Formula 1 five years from now, and 86% watch 16 or more races per season.Sponsorship drives consideration
76% of respondents believe sponsors enhance the F1 experience. One in three are more likely to purchase from F1 partners, with favourability rising to 40% among Gen Z respondents.Live experiences deepen connection
Intent to attend in-person events is rising: 41% of surveyed fans who haven’t attended an F1 fan experience plan to do so in the future. From grands prix to pop-ups, brand activations, exhibitions, and arcade-style venues, fans are increasingly seeking immersive ways to engage with the series live.F1 Academy signals a new kind of growth
23% of surveyed fans say they follow F1 Academy and among women, that rises to 42%, making it the second-most-followed series after Formula 1 itself. The all-female racing platform is gaining momentum among newer audiences too, with 37% of Gen Z and 36% of newer respondents engaging underscoring the demand for inclusive storytelling and representation on the grid.US Fans: A growth market to watch
The United States accounted for the largest country share of survey respondents, offering a lens into one of Formula 1’s most dynamic national markets. While Europe remains the largest region overall, the US stands out for accelerating fan growth, especially among younger, digital-first audiences.
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Sky Italia are sounding absolutely convinced that the rumoured Max to Merc deal is done.
Until I see it confirmed with a F1 Breaking News image, I remain somewhat on the “is he really?” side of things…
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It’s going to be interesting to see how things shake out with the new cars in 2026. Merc was certainly the worse off for this era of cars after having been so dominant in the past. But they are probably a safer bet than Red Bull.
I just think the F1 pundits are aiming high with a Newey designed Audi or whatever they will be called next year
Pretty cool insight into the safety and medical cars for F1
2025 British Grand Prix 
Silverstone Circuit • Silverstone • Northamptonshire • England
04-06 July • Round 12
It’s the mid-point of the season, and off to jolly old England we go and a return to the place and the race that started it all 75 years ago… the British Grand Prix and Silverstone.
Sir Lewis Hamilton has won his home Grand Prix a record nine times, while his current team, Ferrari, is the leading team with 18 wins. Hamilton also heads the list for most poles with seven and podium finishes (14) while fellow-countryman Nigel Mansell holds the record for fastest race laps (7). Of the teams, Ferrari heads the field for poles (16), podium finishes (59) and fastest race laps (21).
Great Britain is the most winningest of all F1 nations. Team GB has provided more Formula 1 drivers (179) than any other nation. 1120 races have had at least one British driver on the grid. The Union Jack flag has been waved for 10 world champions a total of 20 times, and for 319 wins, as well as 308 pole positions, 787 podium finishes, and 282 fastest race laps.
And in the current field, more drivers and teams call the British GP their home race than any other nation. Norris, Russel, Hamilton, and Bearman, together with Aston Martin, McLaren, and Williams all fly the Union Jack. Additionally, Alpine, Haas, Mercedes, and Red Bull Racing all are based in the UK or have facilities in the UK.
VCARB (
) and McLaren (
) will have custom liveries for the weekend.
The Vitals
- First Grand Prix – 1950
- Track Length – 5.891km
- Lap record – 1m 27.097s, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 2020
- Most pole positions – Lewis Hamilton (7)
- Most wins – Lewis Hamilton (9)
- Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 239 metres
- Overtakes completed in 2024 – 55
- Safety Car probability – 88%
- Virtual Safety Car probability – 13%
- Pit stop time loss – 19.9 seconds (includes 2.5s stop)
- Trivia – Silverstone hosted the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship round some 75 years ago on May 13, 1950
Last five British GP polesitters
- 2024 – George Russell (Mercedes)
- 2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2022 – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- 2021 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2020 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Last five British GP winners
- 2024 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2023 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- 2022 – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- 2021 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2020 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
The Schedule
PST (Pommie Summer Time) is an hour behind us, so GP weekend things happen at fairly sensible times.
In between all the F1 action there’s also Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula 4 racing going on as well. This will be the first time in history that all 4 FIA Formula levels compete at the same event. If only they’d could somehow have managed to find a little time to also include a F1 Academy event too… 
In addition to the big boys, F2 and F3 get full F1TV coverage too this weekend. Here’s the F1TV broadcast schedule times:
The Circuit
Silverstone has hosted 59 Grands Prix, more World Championship events than any other circuit with the exception of Monza (74). Its layout has remained more or less unchanged throughout the years. At 5.861 kilometres, it is one of the longest tracks on the calendar, with 18 corners, (10 to the right and 8 to the left). Some of them, such as the Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel complex, involve rapid and high speed changes of direction, which generate very high lateral forces, similar to those at Spa-Francorchamps and Suzuka.
When was the track built?
Little did those laying the perimeter road to the RAF Silverstone airfield in 1942 know that they were setting down what would become one of the world’s greatest race tracks. But, well, they were! The Silverstone circuit was first used for a proper motor race in 1947 – although sadly, a local sheep lost its life during the proceedings…
When was its first Grand Prix?
Silverstone was the first Grand Prix, hosting the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship round on May 13 1950. Old campaigner Giuseppe Farina, who’d take that year’s title, won the race in his Alfa Romeo 158.
What’s the circuit like?
At the 2018 British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton compared a flat-out lap around Silverstone to flying a fighter jet, which should tell you all you need to know about the Northamptonshire circuit. Despite numerous layout changes over the years, Silverstone has always maintained its essential character as one of the fastest tracks on the F1 calendar, while historic corners like Maggotts, Becketts and Abbey provide some of the biggest challenges for racing drivers anywhere in the world.
The driver’s verdict
Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver:Silverstone is another drivers’ favourite with fast, flowing sequences and some of the best corners in the world. Copse, Maggots and Becketts are where you feel g-force on your body that is pretty rare in Formula 1.
Copse is a big challenge even though there’s run-off – you go so quick that if anything goes wrong there, you’ll be lucky if you get off lightly. And then the change of direction through Maggots and Becketts is a lot of fun.
Slowing it down through the final part of that is the key to make sure you get the exit onto the Hangar Straight as well – it’s about finding a rhythm through those sweeping parts. All of this puts a lot of strain on the front-left tyre and we’ve seen some issues here in the past.
Abbey is the one that is flat-out, but if you’re tucked in behind someone in race conditions it can be on the edge. Overtaking is also very possible with the new loop that’s not very new anymore – Turn 3 if you fancy a lunge, Turn 6 as well.
Maybe the hardest corner on the circuit is Brooklands, a big braking zone where it’s easy to just trail a bit of brake into the apex and snatch a wheel there. It’s so good as an overtaking area but also an easy area to make a little mistake.
The Weather
It’s England, in Summer, in the middle of a regional heatwave. It’s fair to say that the weather forecast will be unpredictable and varied. As things stand, it looks like mixed conditions could be on the cards across the three days of action, with sunshine early on making way for potential showers as the weekend progresses.
The probability for some rain on both Saturday and Sunday remains high at around 60% currently. How much of it will impact Qualifying and the Race remains to be seen.
Friday: FP1 and FP2
- Sunny start then clouds building up but dry afternoon expected. Gentle west-south-westerly breeze.
- FP1: 24°C // FP2: 25°C
- Chance of rain: <20%
Saturday: FP3 and QUALIFYING
- Cloudy but dry at first before a rainy weather front crossing England from late afternoon. Timing and intensity tbc (2-5mm max). Moderate southwesterly wind with gust up to 55kph.
- FP3: 19°C // Q: 20°C
- Chance of rain: 60%
Sunday: RACE
- Behind the front, unsettled with showers sometimes moderate (up to 5mm through the day) driven by a constant westerly wind.
- Race start: 19°C
- Chance of rain: 60%
The Tyres
This year Pirelli have gone one step softer in their range, bringing the C2 as the hard tyre, the C3 as the medium and the C4 as the soft.
Drivers will get two sets of the hard tyre (marked white), three sets of the medium tyre (marked yellow), and eight sets of the soft tyre (marked red), as well as access to the green intermediate tyre and the blue full wets, should they be required.
An extra set of softs is reserved for those who reach Q3 in Qualifying, while all drivers must use at least two different slick compounds during the race, providing the track is dry.
In 2024, when the C3 was the soft, it was used by just a few drivers in the closing stages of the race following the rain. This year, as the medium, it is bound to play an important role, probably in several phases of the race.
For those aiming for a one-stop race, the stints will have to be managed very carefully, while accepting a longer total race time. Also a consideration in this equation is the fact that the time taken for a tyre change is not very long (around 20.5 seconds) and while challenging, overtaking is possible.
The circuit is in almost year-round use with four and two-wheeled racing categories and so it provides good grip right from Friday’s first free practice session, aided by the fact the surface is rated medium-low in terms of abrasiveness.
Despite taking place at the height of summer, the English weather can often be unpredictable with very changeable temperatures and wind and rain suddenly putting in an appearance, turning the tables during the race, as was the case last year.
The Programme
Check out the all-new digital race programme for the Formula 1 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix 2025, with everything you need to know about the GP weekend, whether you are attending in person or tuning in from afar.
Plus the lowdown on all 20 drivers and their teams, and in-depth features – including a behind the scenes look at F1’s Downing Street reception and 10 fascinating facts about the very first Formula 1 World Championship race - held at Silverstone in back in 1950.
View now at: Official F1® Digital Race Programme - Great Britain
The Standings
Race on!!
What a race
I watched it late (I have a belief that if I watch it live I am the Lando curse and when not watching live he does well…)
Sorry but not sorry for Pastry, he made a dangerous move under very unsafe conditions. He can say what he wants, he should have started dropping back from the safety car way before that corner.
We know the safety car is not fast enough under dry conditions, then by now they should realise they would need to drop speed even more under wet conditions.
So very happy for Lando’s home win, but Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulk!
He finally got it. Took forever, but he always drove the wheels off each crappy car he was in and he has the pace and know how to keep even Lewis behind him. That was my podium of the day.
When are we replacing Yuki and with who? he has talent but cannot survive the redbull team much longer
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He should have said something at the time like George. However, my understanding is that the light just went out and was part of why he was braking to give himself a larger gap. As the lights went out late
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Hulkenberg’s Podium is the ray of sunshine is my crappy Ferrari day, at least Hammy got 4th.
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There is lots of data out there that shows he did the same thing at the first safety car, I suspect it was more the impact that even Hulk tried to explain to him, for me the visibilaty was a lot lower at the second restart, I dont think he realised how close he was to the safety car, and his late braking caused a train wreck almost of all the cars behind him.
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Oh my word! Silly season is kicking off with some serious intent today!
Those two pieces of news came out 30 minutes apart. No idea if they’re connected - as in, Max telling Red Bull that if Horner stays he is going to Merc?
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For completeness, because who can resist an F1 Breaking News graphic?!
Now just waiting for the “F1 Breaking - Max Verstappen to Mercedes in 2026” one to complete the set…
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Hier kom kak
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jislaik this is hectic stuff 
if Max goes to Merc, obviously they won’t kick Kimi… right? Where does George go?
Also imagine having two golden boys and having to kick one. gonna cause more scars.
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