Author: quyen1

MERCEDES have dropped a major hint that teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli could be set to replace Lewis Hamilton.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton, 39, is leaving the Silver Arrows for Ferrari in 2025 as he seeks a record-breaking eighth title.

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Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025Credit: Getty

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli is being linked as Hamilton’s replacement at MercedesCredit: Getty
It leaves a vacancy alongside George Russell, with a host of names being linked to the seat.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, ex-Haas driver Mick Schumacher, and Williams’ Alex Albon have all been mooted as possible options.

But Italian Antonelli, 17, is now set to be given the opportunity to prove himself as the best suitor when he gets behind the wheel of the Mercedes W12.

He will spend two days driving Mercedes’ 2021 constructors’ championship-winning car at the Austria’s Red Bull Ring on April 16 and 17.

According to The Mirror, it will be the first of several auditions for Antonelli to prove he has the ability to succeed Hamilton.

After impressing in F4 last year, Antonelli has been promoted straight to F2 for the 2024 season.

He also has a personal relationship with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff as his family are close to the Austrian businessman.

An impressive debut year in F2 could convince Mercedes to take a chance on him in 2025.

He is racing for Prema this year alongside Oliver Bearman – who finished seventh at the Saudi Grand Prix after he replaced the absent Carlos Sainz.

Antonelli is down in ninth in the F2 standings after three races, but did finish fourth in Melbourne last month.
Ultimate F1 team principal’s rich list including Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
Speaking previously about Antonelli, Mercedes boss Wolff said: “We got Kimi under the wings in 2012 and he was a great kid already then.

“You could see the character [and] he was strong. We had him in the garage and there was a lot of confidence.

“In go-karting his track record was immense and then you put him in the junior formulas and he wins every single season in his rookie year.

“But we’ve got to be careful because there’s a lot of hype around him.

“Putting him into F2 is a big step because those cars are heavier and much more powerful.

“If we give him his time and don’t expect him to be killing it in his first season, I think he can be a really great one in this sport.

“He’s 17 – this is so young.”

Credits: IMAGO ABACAPRESS

The latest reports reveal that star aerodynamicist Adrian Newey is all set to leave Red Bull after leading the team to 13 championships (six Constructors, seven Drivers’ titles) in the past two decades. The Briton will leave the team due to the reported power struggle in the side that has been going on for the past two months.

According to AMuS, Newey will leave Red Bull after the 2024 season concludes. However, his destination is still set to be revealed. Several experts have suggested that Newey could join Ferrari from 2025 onwards. If the 65-year-old were to join the legendary Italian outfit, he will fulfill two of his regrets so far.

Newey previously revealed that he always desired to work with Ferrari. And secondly, he revealed that he also always wanted to work with Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso. Since Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025, Newey could perhaps have sensed an opportunity to fulfill his regrets.

The report from AMuS added that speculations began about Newey’s future ever since it was reported that Red Bull GmbH were investigating Christian Horner for alleged “inappropriate behavior” towards a female employee. Soon after this news became public, Jos Verstappen urged Red Bull to sack Horner from his role as team principal.

Verstappen blamed Horner for creating a divide in the team and explained how Red Bull were damaging their own reputation by not taking action against the British boss. Once the tensions seemingly calmed down, Red Bull tried to protect their image by releasing a statement on their social media handles.

They explained how the team was now more united than ever. Since the situation seemingly turned ugly at Red Bull, reports claimed that Adrian Newey began to feel isolated.

Adrian Newey reportedly set to leave Red Bull after feeling isolated

German reporter Michael Schmidt recently provided some shocking details about the atmosphere at Red Bull after he recently visited their motorhome. While speaking on his YouTube channel, Schmidt said,

“I spoke to him (Newey) a while ago. He is suffering enormously from this situation, from this power struggle there, because the atmosphere is just, I would say, a bit cold”.

Schmidt then further added how Adrian Newey feels broken because of the power struggle at Red Bull. “That (Team politics) breaks Newey because he is a person who really only wants to concentrate on his cars,” explained Schmidt.

There is reportedly a power struggle at Red Bull, with Christian Horner on one side, and Helmut Marko and the Verstappens on the other. Since tensions are reportedly high at Milton Keynes, Newey seems desperate to leave. So, will Newey leave Red Bull and join Ferrari as several experts predict?

Credits: IMAGO HochZwei

Ferrari announced a blockbuster deal on April 24 as they confirmed that they had signed tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) to become the team’s title sponsor. F1 expert Will Buxton revealed that this deal itself will help the Prancing Horse cover almost two-thirds of their team’s budget cap. Although Ferrari announced such a huge $90 million deal, F1 fans are far from happy.

Many of them such as Mari took to social media and explained how a team as big as Ferrari does not need a title sponsor. They believe that having one will just “ruin” the Italian outfit’s “legacy name”. This is because the team will now be known as Scuderia Ferrari HP from the Miami Grand Prix onwards.

Meanwhile, other fans such as Lexi believe that Ferrari‘s new title sponsor’s logo will just “ruin” the team’s pictures.

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Then, there were also some fans such as Kaz who mocked Ferrari for getting the wrong “HP”. They state that when fans urged Ferrari for more HP, they meant “horsepower” and not Hewlett-Packard as a title sponsor.

And then there were fans such as Morg who creatively attempted to find “what HP actually stands for”.

Considering the frustrations of several F1 fans, it seems fair to say that many have not appreciated Ferrari’s signing of HP as the team’s title sponsor.

Before Ferrari, experts mocked RB’s title sponsor

Racing Bulls (previously AlphaTauri) made headlines at the start of this season not for their results on track but because of the title sponsors the company had signed. Since RB signed Visa and Cash App, the team’s full name is now Visa Cash App RB (V-CARB).

Among the experts, it was Sky Sports’ Craig Slater who enjoyed himself in mocking V-CARB’s name. To take a dig at the Faenza-based outfit, he came up with several creative puns.

As quoted by Planet F1, Slater said, “What about the Visas? And I’ve been thinking about this because just think about this, if they gain or lose places off the line, they’d be either Visa debit or credit”.

After stating the same, he also came up with another pun as he added, “If they get really fast and hit top speed on the streets, they would hit the Visa limit”. However, Slater’s puns just did not end there. He revealed that if either Yuki Tsunoda or Daniel Ricciardo fail to crash over the course of the 2024 season, then they would be “Visa contactless”.

Considering how many puns Slater came up with, RB indeed did become the laughing stock of the F1 paddock. Ferrari will now hope that they can avoid the same.

Credits: IMAGO / Xinhua

Since the 2022 regulatory changes, no one has come close to challenging Max Verstappen. The Dutchman is driving in a league of his own. With no signs of any team challenging him even for a race win let alone the championship, who does he think can dethrone him? When posed with the question the reigning champion picked two names – Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.

The two are exceptional drivers and have proved their capabilities on the biggest stage on multiple occasions. Despite that, Leclerc failed to capitalize on the momentum he started the 2022 season with. On the other hand, Norris has yet to win a Grand Prix in the circus. So, what needs to change? According to Verstappen, they both possess the championship-winning potential but lack the tools.

As seen on X, posted by user @formuLau16, Verstappen said, “Both of them are incredible. If you give them the same car both of them can win the championship, if they have the fastest car.”

Currently, Norris and Leclerc don’t have a car capable of challenging the three-time champion for wins consistently. The car makes a huge difference even if the drivers collect all the accolades. It’s been made evident again with Max Verstappen and Red Bull‘s dominant run since the start of 2022.

However, performance in a car can be unlocked in a relatively short period. Aston Martin proved that with their astonishing start to 2023. In the same season, McLaren put its stamp on the claim as well with the mid-season upgrades. These upgrades helped Norris claim seven podiums in just the second half of the season.

Even in 2024, the Woking team has carried some momentum that helped the Briton get two podiums already so far. However, he expects and believes that they will do better than P2 this year.

Lando Norris is confident of securing his first race win in 2024

The McLaren man has never been this close to winning his first race as he has been in recent times. Since the 2023 mid-season upgrades, the Woking outfit is on a roll. Their performance in China, albeit a bit surprising for Norris, was in line with their recent trajectory. Based on the Shanghai result and how the team is progressing, the Brit believes he will break his duck of wins.

Speaking to the media after the Chinese GP, as quoted by RacingNews365, Norris expressed his confidence. He said, “I have to be happy with the job I am doing. And one day – I think it’s coming. I think this year. I’m not overconfident in saying it, I think we can get a win this year, but it’s going to be difficult. We have a lot of work to do, but we’re working hard.”

Still 24, the McLaren star has competed in 109 races so far but is yet to register his first race. However, in his sixth year in the sport, the #4 driver believes he will do it. The way things are progressing back in Woking, he might be right on the money. Norris would hope to not squander any opportunity that comes his way in this season.

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

It is no secret Max Verstappen had a tough childhood and a strict upbringing. The Dutchman was more than privileged, as his father Jos Verstappen was an F1 driver. The former Benetton driver taught his son everything he knew and more with an iron fist. However, as the three-time champion comes of age himself, will he employ the same tactics? Will he use the same tried and tested method on his children?

Well, the simple answer is no. Verstappen wants to give his children a lot of freedom, especially when it comes to their careers. He revealed that while answering the question of whether he would train his son just like his father Jos trained him. As seen on X posted by user @SCUDERIAFEMBOY, he said, “I would advise him not to be a driver. Less stressful.”.

“Of course, if he or she wants to race and I see the potential, then I would go for it just like how my dad did with me. I would never actively push. You shouldn’t push your children into something you like. They need to come to you to ask them what they want to do. Otherwise, it’s never going to work,” Verstappen added.

An extremely mature reply from the 26-year-old who has experienced firsthand what it feels like to be pushed to the limit by his father. That’s exactly how he spent most of his childhood, being trained by Jos Verstappen.

Some even find some of the instances Max shares from his childhood troubling. However, in the end, the Dutchman himself does not have a problem with how he was raised. On top of that, he credits his father for his success.

Max Verstappen puts faith in his father’s questionable parenting methods

Max Verstappen has revealed many stories from his childhood. The most famous among them was the time when Jos Verstappen left him at the gas station. He did so after young Max did not perform to his father’s liking in a race. On a quiet ride home, when the youngster started defending himself, Jos lost his cool and asked him to get out and left him at a gas station somewhere in Italy.

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However, instances like these shaped his career and made him the formidable driver he is today. That’s at least his belief. These harsh lessons as admitted by Max Verstappen and quoted by Planet F1, prepared him for everything the racing world had to throw at him.

He said, “He taught me from his own experience, so my preparation and testing was very professional. Plus, he already knew what was needed for Formula 1, so I was able to learn the basics as a child. That helped me a lot! Of course, sometimes I did question why he had to be so serious and strict all the time. But now I am grateful for it.”

And the rest is history. So, even though these methods won’t work on everyone, Max Verstappen is truly appreciative of them and are clearly working in his favor.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Since 2022, Mercedes has had a terrible time in F1 with its failure to fight for the championship. With just one race win under their belt, the eight-time constructors’ champions are currently experiencing some of their worst seasons in F1. Given the same, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has recently advised Toto Wolff to turn things around, or George Russell could also follow Lewis Hamilton out of the exit door.

Currently, Mercedes has one seat open for 2025, and as things stand, they have another potential opening in 2026, given Russell’s contract expires at the end of 2025. Hence, Horner claimed that Wolff needs to improve the Mercedes car to ensure Russell stays in Brackley, especially given the constant movement in the driver market. 

“Is Toto [Wolff] talking about Max [Verstappen] to avoid talking about his car and his team’s current performance? I don’t know if you’ve heard that George Russell’s contract ends at the end of 2025, so you know he might not be so interested in staying for 2026. The driver market continues to move.”, said Horner, as per SoyMotor.

The Mercedes-Red Bull rivalry has been an exciting arc for the fans. Given the tense exchanges between the two team bosses, the off-track rivalry continues to grow despite there being no competition between the two on the tracks. Things could perhaps blow even more out of proportion between both sides should Wolff continue in his pursuit of Max Verstappen. 

Christian Horner advises Toto Wolff to stop focusing on Verstappen

Ever since Wolff came to know of Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes, he has been looking around for the perfect replacement. Amid a long list of names, the Austrian landed on the name of Max Verstappen as the best alternative for the seven-time world champion. However, Christian Horner isn’t too happy with the choice and wants Wolff to focus on his team’s shortcomings rather than look to paoch an “unavailable” Verstappen. 

Horner claimed that if one were to speak to Verstappen, they would understand things aren’t only about a contract for the Dutchman. It is about his interpersonal relationships within the team and his performance.

Furthermore, Horner questioned Wolff’s interest by claiming something other than the drivers was his problem. “I don’t think Toto’s problems are his drivers. I think he’s probably got other elements that he needs to be focusing on.”

Driver loyalties have always been a key part of F1, especially given the amount of knowledge they have of the operations of one team. Should a driver leave one team to join their biggest rivals on the grid, they may spill all of their past employer’s secrets.

The same could lead to one team benefitting a lot in their rivalry arc. Should Verstappen somehow become a Mercedes driver, it could well give way to Mercedes and Red Bull engaging in an even more fierce battle than the one they currently are in.

Credits: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

One of the key features of an active F1 season is the grueling work schedule of the sport. Drivers and teams hop from one country to another in a matter of days for the upcoming race. In such scenarios, it becomes difficult for drivers, in particular, to keep up with their personal matters. However, it did not stop Lando Norris from making the birthday of a 12-year-old memorable with a heartwarming gesture. 

Race commentator and avid gamer Luke Crane was recently on a live stream with Max Verstappen when he recalled Norris’ gesture for his son’s birthday. In the video clip uploaded on X by user @ln4norris, Crane detailed how he had to cover an event on his son’s birthday. With Crane away, Norris stepped in via a video call to wish the 12-year-old boy a happy birthday. 

The McLaren driver stayed on call for nearly 15 minutes, talking about video games with the young boy. With Norris being an avid gamer himself, he had no problems connecting with Crane’s son as they exchanged their views. Referring to the same, Crane claimed Norris was a “lovely lad,“ and he would never hear anything bad against the British driver. 

“I will never have a bad word said about him because he made my kid’s day that day. And I’ve worked with him a few times, and he’s a lovely lad.”, he said.

Lando Norris has become a popular figure in F1 thanks to his compassionate nature. The Briton often comes up with gestures that melt the hearts of fans and earn their praise. However, the same compassion goes out the window whenever it comes to Norris judging himself.

Nico Rosberg is not happy with the way Lando Norris treats himself

While Lando Norris is one of the kindest souls when dealing with others, he acts as one of his harshest critics. The 24-year-old has often been extremely self-critical, which Nico Rosberg isn’t a fan of.

He even questioned the McLaren driver’s attitude by referring to him as a “glass-half-empty guy.” Hence, the former world champion believes Norris needs to adopt a more positive approach.

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Keeping in line with the same, Rosberg revealed that he even offered to help the #4 driver with his mindset. Despite not being a fan of Norris’s self-critical tendencies, the German remains a fan of his driving skills. Following the race in Shanghai, Rosberg credited Norris with being the driver of the day alongside Max Verstappen, thanks to his tire management skills. 

Nonetheless, self-compassion and positivity towards himself remain the key for the McLaren star to ensure the best personal and professional growth. Still chasing his first-ever F1 win, Norris needs to appreciate himself more rather than beating himself up. If he were to crack the same, he could put his entire focus on trying to fight for a race win.

Caption: IMAGO

In 2018, 32-year-old Nico Rosberg made it clear to everyone that he would never want his daughters to go down the racing path. Supported in this decision by his wife, Rosberg claimed his daughters going racing would be his biggest nightmare. Six years later, it seems that the former F1 world champion has had a change of heart. The German former driver took to LinkedIn to post a special photo of him and his daughter karting together. 

Not only did Rosberg take his daughter out for karting, but he is also growing more comfortable allowing his daughters to take risks. Continuously aspiring to advocate for equality at home, Rosberg is also in favor of encouraging them to enter the racing realm if they want. Despite having boundless aspirations for his daughters, the now 38-year-old remains conscious of the challenges they might face in a male-dominant industry. 

“I cherish this time that I spent karting with my daughter – not just for the joy it brought us both but for the deeper message it conveyed about pursuing her dreams without limitations.”

To battle with the same, Rosberg has his team ‘Rosberg X Racing,’ which fields a gender-diverse team in the Extreme E series. Moreover, Rosberg highlighted his support for the F1 Academy, which provides a platform for talented young women to hone their racing skills and “challenge the status quo.” Ending his post, Rosberg asked his fellow parents what do they resort to encourage their daughters to follow their passions and dreams.

Girl dad Nico Rosberg hoping to level the playing field

A father to two daughters, Alaia and Naila, Nico Rosberg has always been proud of both of them. Knowing the racing industry well enough, Rosberg understands the lack of equality better than most people. Given the same, Rosberg wants to do everything in his power to ensure his daughters get the same opportunities as he did when he was a young boy. “For me, it’s unthinkable that my daughters might not have the same opportunities to realize their dreams as I had as a young boy.”

Ever since his daughters were born, Rosberg wanted to champion them into becoming everything that they wanted to be and perhaps even more. The German former driver believes one should be given equal opportunities, irrespective of who they are and where they come from. Speaking to females all across the globe, Rosberg asked them to never let anyone tell them they can’t do something. Sending them a powerful message, Rosberg said, “If you have a dream, then you’ve got to do everything you can to protect it.”

Credits: IMAGO/Xinhua

It is no secret Sauber, soon-to-be Audi, has made Carlos Sainz their top priority for 2025. The Spaniard has proved himself to be a reliable and smart race winner. So before Audi takes shape as an F1 team, they want Sainz at the helm to become one with the team. Moreover, Audi is in a rush to lock their driver lineup. On the other hand, no other team is in a hurry as they want to wait till at least the summer break to make their decision. This is precisely where Sainz’s dilemma lies.

Red Bull, one of Sainz’s potential destinations, has openly admitted the team won’t be deciding before the summer. The bosses are satisfied with the current lineup and their output. The wait within the Red Bull camp is to see if Sergio Perez can maintain this level well into the lengthy season.

Adding more uncertainty to the mix, the Austrian team has revealed that they cannot match Audi’s lucrative offer in terms of longevity, as reported by Formu1a.uno. The Spaniard will surely appreciate some security after being surprised by Ferrari and racing with one —or two-year contracts for most of his career.

This sense of security might also inspire loyalty. Because even if the Audi project is ambitious, it does not guarantee success, at least not from the get-go. Although keeping Audi’s past in mind, the German outfit has been competitive in every racing series they’ve taken part in. Sainz doesn’t even have to look far for proof, as his father won the recent Dakar Rally with the German team. So now Sainz must choose whether to wait for Red Bull or put his faith in Audi’s project. Regardless, he has to stay because of the complexities of the driver market.

Carlos Sainz is still playing the waiting game

Carlos Sainz is playing the waiting game, even though he’s being rushed into locking a seat for himself. According to multiple rumors, the doors of all top teams are closing. Mercedes are keen on their Italian prodigy, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Red Bull might keep their team as is for 2025 and beyond. The Aston Martin door is already shut. But this hasn’t made the Spaniard’s entourage panic, at least according to his manager Carlos Oñoro.

Speaking on F1 nation podcasts, as quoted by Planet F1, they’re patient. Sainz and Co. are still juggling a lot of options, but there won’t be any announcements shortly. He said, “There will be no big news, at least coming from us, for sure not. We’re still playing the game, so we’ll see.”

Sainz wants a timely resolution of his future but is patient, given the complex nature of the 2025 silly season. So, the Spaniard is keeping his head down and focusing on racing. As he continues to perform at the highest level, he is confident it will play out when the time is right. His future won’t be resolved before Miami, but his manager is sure it will be confirmed soon.

Credits: IMAGO/ Michael Potts

With Sergio Perez’s future in F1 still up for debate, his father, Antonio Perez Garibay, has made an enormous claim to drive his son’s value in the market. According to a Mexican politician, his son is presently the most sought-after driver in F1. Even the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen pale compared to Perez, per the words of the 64-year-old, quoted by RacingNews 365. 

Despite a solid start to the season, Perez has not yet signed a contract for 2025. He has earned four podiums in five races this season, comfortably sitting in P2 in the drivers’ standings. But that isn’t enough to earn him a contract extension as Red Bull continues to play the waiting game. Meanwhile, Garibay is busy advocating for his son and the marketability prospect that he brings with him. 

“He (Sergio Perez) has many options and is the most sought-after driver in F1 today, above all, he is the one with the most sponsors, more than Max [Verstappen] and Hamilton combined. Companies all over the world turn to him the best promoter of anything in the world is Sergio Perez.”

Perez Sr. added that his son’s merchandise is the quickest to sell, and his fans can’t always get their hands on it. Given the same, there is no doubt that Perez holds a high value in the drivers’ market. With fans lining up to buy Perez’s merchandise, the Mexican driver could become a marquee signing for any team, given that many F1 fans continue to support him. Nonetheless, younger drivers are still a threat, and Perez needs to outdrive them.

Sergio Perez focusing on outlasting the younger drivers in F1

Perez has finished the first four of the five races on the podium. He missed out on just one podium finish, which also happened on a weekend when the entire Red Bull team struggled. Hence, he has done everything right so far, allowing him to score 85 points in the season. Perez has also shown great pace in the Qualifying sessions this season, which was somewhat of an Achilles Heel for him last year. 

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Given his current competition, Sergio Perez would be thrilled with his performance improvement. Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson, Carlos Sainz, and Yuki Tsunoda are all in contention for the job. With Ricciardo and Tsunoda taking turns and struggling this season, Perez must focus on consistent performances. The Mexican believes that if he continues with his on-track excellence, the off-track developments will take shape, preferably in his favor.