The Official F1 2025 silly season *contains speculation*

[Sandpit Steve]

Presuming Ed said:

Hamilton vs LeClerc will be Fireworks for sure. Charles has an overrated opinion of himself, he's fast but has yet to show he's the future of Ferrari and Hamilton doesn't show to much quarter to his teammates. No way will he want to be qualifying 2/tenths down on Charles from the start. I'd like to be proved wrong but I still don't see what Ferrari are looking to get out of Hamilton they don't get from Sainz.

Sainz has no chance of unequivocally tearing apart the record books in the next couple of years, nor of convincing many millions of fans to buy new hats and shirts.

[Muzzer79]

Presuming Ed said:

I'd like to be proved wrong but I still don't see what Ferrari are looking to get out of Hamilton they don't get from Sainz.

You really don't see why Ferrari would grab hold of (statistically) the most successful F1 driver of all time when they had the opportunity?

Hamilton may or may not be past his peak - if such a thing exists in modern F1 - but it's not hard to see why Ferrari took him over Sainz.

[MartG]

Forester1965 said:

Didn't look too harmonious when they were trading paint and moaning yesterday.

It's been a different dynamic between them once it was announced they were dumping Sainz

[DanielSan]

Muzzer79 said:

You really don't see why Ferrari would grab hold of (statistically) the most successful F1 driver of all time when they had the opportunity?

Hamilton may or may not be past his peak - if such a thing exists in modern F1 - but it's not hard to see why Ferrari took him over Sainz.

It is very modern F1 that the decision is as much commercial as it is about performance.

[Leithen]

If Ferrari thought they could get Verstappen as well, I suspect they’d dump Leclerc quicker than they can change his tyres.

[PhilAsia]

PRO5T said:

PhilAsia said:

PRO5T said:

Actually Gasly and Saintz would be a good pairing. Gasly (as much of a fan as I am of his) needs managing, when he has a team mantle he can get along with or beat he’s a great driver but folds in a pressure cooker.

Saintz has the ability and more importantly the attitude not to get too distracted by his team mates.

It’s the reason I think he’d be so good at red bull but as we know Horny isn’t going to let that happen (though why I’ve no idea as I genuinely believe max would have that extra over him regardless).

I firmly believe that Checo is at RBR to make Max look like an absolute rock star, dominating all those that dare to test. It goes with the Red Bull image.

Of course he is a rock star... but Checo, seriously???

>snip<Andrew Benson was saying this weekend, there’s a theory going around the other teams that Max has about two to three tenths on all the other drivers on the grid-he’s that good.

Two to three tenths over Lewis...? I seriously doubt it, but we will never know I guess.

[vaud]

PhilAsia said:

Two to three tenths over Lewis...? I seriously doubt it, but we will never know I guess.

I think Max, Lando and Charles are all faster than Lewis now over a single lap, I think he has lost a % as we all do as well get older - but he compensates with race craft, better tyre management, etc (like Alonso)

[PhilAsia]

DanielSan said:

>snip<...Also FWIW I think Ferrari have made an error signing Hamilton, not because he won't perform, but they have one of the most competitive and harmonious driver pairings on the grid that have both proven when the car is quick enough they'll win. Taking Sainz out and putting Hamilton into 'Leclerc's team' is a high risk move tbat may well set fire to all that.

Lewis generally keeps it clean and out of trouble compared to most. If he does make an error he holds his hands up and acknowledges it too generally.

I expect calm the majority of the time, not fireworks tbh.

[Muzzer79]

DanielSan said:

Muzzer79 said:

You really don't see why Ferrari would grab hold of (statistically) the most successful F1 driver of all time when they had the opportunity?

Hamilton may or may not be past his peak - if such a thing exists in modern F1 - but it's not hard to see why Ferrari took him over Sainz.

It is very modern F1 that the decision is as much commercial as it is about performance.

'Twas ever thus........

vaud said:

I think Max, Lando and Charles are all faster than Lewis now over a single lap

I think it's impossible to make that claim without them all being in the same car.

[Adrian W]

Muzzer79 said:

DanielSan said:

Muzzer79 said:

You really don't see why Ferrari would grab hold of (statistically) the most successful F1 driver of all time when they had the opportunity?

Hamilton may or may not be past his peak - if such a thing exists in modern F1 - but it's not hard to see why Ferrari took him over Sainz.

It is very modern F1 that the decision is as much commercial as it is about performance.

'Twas ever thus........

vaud said:

I think Max, Lando and Charles are all faster than Lewis now over a single lap

I think it's impossible to make that claim without them all being in the same car.

And it needs to be the Haas

[SmoothCriminal]

PhilAsia said:

Two to three tenths over Lewis...? I seriously doubt it, but we will never know I guess.

Exactly.

I know sky and the paddock love fawning over him especially when he had a car miles quicker than the rest of the paddock lauding him as the best driver ever to live but 2 to 3 tenths in driving skill over the likes of Lewis, Lando and Charles.

Do people actually believe that rubbish, in close battles he just drives his competitors off track or crashes them out and I doubt his lines on one lap pace are 3 tenths better than multi champions in f1 and lower formulas

Yes he is good but I'm sure George, Charles, Sainz, Lando, Lewis and possibly even Piastri would be as good in that car if they had a whole multi winning wcc team at their disposal with a whipping boy sacrificed for you in the 2nd car.

[Stan the Bat]

SmoothCriminal said:

PhilAsia said:

Two to three tenths over Lewis...? I seriously doubt it, but we will never know I guess.

Exactly.

I know sky and the paddock love fawning over him especially when he had a car miles quicker than the rest of the paddock lauding him as the best driver ever to live but 2 to 3 tenths in driving skill over the likes of Lewis, Lando and Charles.

Do people actually believe that rubbish, in close battles he just drives his competitors off track or crashes them out and I doubt his lines on one lap pace are 3 tenths better than multi champions in f1 and lower formulas

Yes he is good but I'm sure George, Charles, Sainz, Lando, Lewis and possibly even Piastri would be as good in that car if they had a whole multi winning wcc team at their disposal with a whipping boy sacrificed for you in the 2nd car.

[hondajack85]

Flava Flav barely got in the door and he's spotted talking to sainz sr.
Why does everyone and their dog wish sainz jr into a williams? Could it be they want the seat at alpine free for their choice?
Personally I see Aunty Nelly at williams for a few years and sainz in the mercedes. I reckon Toto likes spinning stories to wrong foot the press and public.
Otherwise I think sainz would rather land in a works Alpine or Audi to soften the blow of being dropped by Ferrari.

[thegreenhell]

Nobody's been talking about Alpine until now because the car's been dogst until the latest updates and the management has been in chaos. Flavio the Cheat doesn't change the latter point, and it would be a very brave move to think they've settled on a steady course now when they can't even decide whether to build an engine for 2026 or not.

[HTP99]

hondajack85 said:

Flava Flav barely got in the door and he's spotted talking to sainz sr.
Why does everyone and their dog wish sainz jr into a williams? Could it be they want the seat at alpine free for their choice?
Personally I see Aunty Nelly at williams for a few years and sainz in the mercedes. I reckon Toto likes spinning stories to wrong foot the press and public.
Otherwise I think sainz would rather land in a works Alpine or Audi to soften the blow of being dropped by Ferrari.

Who is "Aunty Nelly"?

[Leithen]

thegreenhell said:

Nobody's been talking about Alpine until now because the car's been dogst until the latest updates and the management has been in chaos. Flavio the Cheat doesn't change the latter point, and it would be a very brave move to think they've settled on a steady course now when they can't even decide whether to build an engine for 2026 or not.

Now that Flavio is associated with the team, any number of individuals will be seeing what is possible, including outright purchase of the team. Wouldn't put it past Sainz Snr, with his contacts and possible backers, to be enquiring about the team rather than a seat next year. If Jnr can't find a suitable seat, investigate alternative options....

[HighwayStar]

HTP99 said:

hondajack85 said:

Flava Flav barely got in the door and he's spotted talking to sainz sr.
Why does everyone and their dog wish sainz jr into a williams? Could it be they want the seat at alpine free for their choice?
Personally I see Aunty Nelly at williams for a few years and sainz in the mercedes. I reckon Toto likes spinning stories to wrong foot the press and public.
Otherwise I think sainz would rather land in a works Alpine or Audi to soften the blow of being dropped by Ferrari.

Who is "Aunty Nelly"?

The young highly thought of driver at Mercedes:
Andrea Kimi “Aunt Nelly” Antonelli.

[DanielSan]

Leithen said:

Now that Flavio is associated with the team, any number of individuals will be seeing what is possible, including outright purchase of the team. Wouldn't put it past Sainz Snr, with his contacts and possible backers, to be enquiring about the team rather than a seat next year. If Jnr can't find a suitable seat, investigate alternative options....

That would be an interesting proposition but I don't think Carlos Snr is mad enough to want his own F1 team even with someone else's cash

[nordboy]

DanielSan said:

Leithen said:

Now that Flavio is associated with the team, any number of individuals will be seeing what is possible, including outright purchase of the team. Wouldn't put it past Sainz Snr, with his contacts and possible backers, to be enquiring about the team rather than a seat next year. If Jnr can't find a suitable seat, investigate alternative options....

That would be an interesting proposition but I don't think Carlos Snr is mad enough to want his own F1 team even with someone else's cash

Carlos Snr is nowhere near wealthy enough to buy a F1 team, he'd have to get a huge amount of financial backing. I can't see at his age, why he'd take on a massive task like that? Unless he just became the 'face' of the team

[732NM]

nordboy said:

Carlos Snr is nowhere near wealthy enough to buy a F1 team, he'd have to get a huge amount of financial backing. I can't see at his age, why he'd take on a massive task like that? Unless he just became the 'face' of the team

Carlos Snr has a great life, he is very bright, I'd be very surprised if he put himself in a position to have to deal with that crap.

Jr has plenty of job offers.