Jordan's Track Talk

Author: jordanlhaynes

  • F3 – Monza – Day 2 & 3

    Day 2

    It was a great start from P2 for Stenshorne as he got ahead of pole-sitter Laurens van Hoepen on the run to Turn 1. The ART Grand Prix driver was keen to retake the position but ran too deep into the Turn 4 chicane, allowing his Hitech TGR rival to keep the place.

    The Safety Car was then deployed following an incident on the opening lap that caused Ivan Domingues to crash into the barrier at Turn 1.

    As the Van Amersfoort Racing car was being cleared away, AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides was given a 10 second time penalty for causing a collision, as he had hit the rear of Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak’s car at the Ascari chicane.

    Racing resumed on Lap 5 of 18 and Tramnitz immediately went side by side with Van Hoepen through the first sector, with the MP Motorsport driver taking P2 at the entry of Turn 4.

    Behind them, Maria’s Zagazeta was showing some good form, as he overtook Tuukka Taponen for fourth place on the run down to Turn 1.

    The ART driver’s struggles continued on Lap 6, as he lost out to Alessandro Giusti, Bilinski and Ugo Ugochukwu, dropping the Finn to P8.

    Bilinski’s charged continued as he overtook both Giusti and Zagazeta to get up to fourth down the main straight on Lap 8.

    Tramnitz then took the lead from Stenshorne as they went wheel-to-wheel, with the German getting ahead at Turn 1. Bilinski did the same just behind, this time overtaking Van Hoepen to put him in P3.

    Zagazeta’s P5 was then coming under pressure from the PREMA Racing pair of Ugochukwu and Neol Leon on Lap 10, but the DAMS Lucas Oil driver held them off.

    Leon then used the DRS and slip stream to get ahead of Ugochukwu into Turn 1 on Lap 12, while up the road, Bilinski and Stenshorne had gone side by side into the same corner.

    The HiTech driver did however go to deep into the corner and by doing so, he kept the place, with his team then coming onto the radio to tell him to give the position back to his rival.

    Behind them, in trying to avoid hitting the rear of his teammate, Ugochukwu took to the grass and then the Turn 1 run off, dropping him to 12th.

    Onto lap 15 of 18, and Tramnitz had pulled out a 2.8s gap out in front, as Bilinski and Stenshorne continued to battle for position.

    However the MP driver’s lead was taken away as the Saftey Car was needed for a collision between Leon, Brando Badoer and Charlie Wurz.

    The Safety Car came in on the penultimate lap, giving us one racing lap. However Tramnitz had an excellent restart and kept the lead into Turn 1.

    The MP driver then pulled off into the distance as he went on to win the Monza Sprint Race for the second consecutive year. Bilinski wound up in P2 after holding off Stenshorne across the line.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Tramnitz, P2: Bilinski, P3: Stenshorne, P4: Van Hoepen, P5: Zagazeta, P6: Boya, P7: Giusti, P8: Tsolov, P9: Leon and P10: Stromsted.

    However, after the race Tramnitz was given a 10 second time penalty for not engaging the start procedure setup correctly, meaning he loses the race win and Bilinski is promoted to P1.

    Day 3

    It was an even start at the front for pole sitter Brad Benavides and front row starter Ugo Ugochukwu, as they maintained their positions, while Leon and Inthraphuvasak went side-by-side into Turn 4 for P3.

    The Campos driver took P3, but while they were battling for position, TRIDENT’s title hopes took a massive hit, as Charlie Wurz stopped on track with damage.

    This brought out the Safety Car, but racing resumed on Lap 3 of 22, with Tsolov the next Campos to get past Leon, this time for P4 and into Turn 1.

    Up ahead, Ugochukwu was right on the back of Benavides and the pair went wheel to wheel into Turn 4. The AIX driver ran wide at the corner though, and while he maintained the position, he was told to give his American counterpart the place.

    Benavides did so heading into the final corner, which allowed him to get the run on Ugochukwu down the main straight. He used this to retake the lead into Turn 1, as Inthraphuvasak followed him through.

    However, onto lap 4 and Ugochukwu went around the outside of his Campos rival for P2 at Turn 4, putting him back up to second.

    The Safety Car was back out to recover Fernando Barrichello’s car from the Ascari chicane. The Green Flag was waved to kick off racing on Lap 7, Inthraphuvasak was struggling and dropped to third behind Tsolov and Leon.

    Benavides was resisting each one of Ugochukwu’s attempts to overtake, both into Turn 1 and Turn 4. However, the PREMA driver’s race soon ended at the Ascari chicane, as a slight touch with the gravel sent him into a spin and knocked him out of the running, bringing out the Safety Car.

    Back to racing on Lap 11 and Benavides once again had a good restart, as Tsolov came under pressure from Leon.

    The Bulgarian quickly turned to defence to attack though and was right on the back of Benavides heading into the final corner and took the lead into Turn 1.

    However, the AIX driver was refusing to give up on a maiden win and went around the outside of Tsolov at Turn 4 to take back P1.

    Inthraphuvasak was on the charge and got ahead of Leon for third at the start of Lap 14. However, TRIDENT was now back in play for the title, as Noah Stromsted climbed up to sixth while Rafael Camara was 10th, having started last.

    That was aided by Matias Zagazeta stopping on track with front wing damage. The DAMS Lucas Oil driver collided with Martinius Stenshorne and the Tukka Taponen, which sent him off at Ascari and forced him to spot at the final corner.

    Inthraphuvasak though clearly had eyes on a third win of the season as he dived to the inside of his teammate for P2 as the Ascari chicane, although the Bulgarian took it back at Turn 1 on Lap 16.

    Behind them, Camara charged up to sixth, despite going on the grass briefly on the run down to the final corner, as he got past Taponen, Giusti and Stromsted.

    At the start of Lap 17, Tsolov was having a look at Benavides but then came Inthraphuvasak, who rounded them both into Turn 1 to take the lead.

    Benavides was keen to get the place back but ran too deep into Turn 1 on the following lap, and while he came out in front, he gave the positions back.

    Behind them, Camara was well within DRS range of the top five, and as Lap 19 of 22 got underway the Champion dived to the inside of Roman Bilinski at Turn 4, and after running wide at the corner, the Rodin Motorsport driver let Camara through a few corners later.

    Onto the penultimate lap and after biding his time, Tsolov looked to make a move on Inthraphuvasak. The race leader shut the door, but this gave Benavides the run on the P2 driver, although he ran slightly off-line into Turn 4, allowing Leon through for third.

    Their squabbling for P3 allowed the Campos duo to go clear as Inthraphuvasak led Tsolov home in a one-two for the team, giving the Spanish outfit for the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Teams’ Champiosnhip.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Inthraphuvasak, P2: Tsolov, P3: Leon, P4: Benavides, P5: Camara, P6: Stromsted, P7: Bilinski, P8: Giusti, P9: Boya and P10: Tramnitz.

  • R16 – Italy

    Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory during Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, leading home McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after a dramatic start and end to proceedings at Monza.

    Verstappen and Norris went wheel to wheel almost immediately when the lights went out, getting close to each other down the start/finish straight before the Dutchman skipped the first chicane to keep the lead.

    Although Verstappen gave up the position to Norris at the start of the second lap to avoid a potential penalty, he was soon back on his rival’s tail and took only a couple more tours to reclaim P1 and surge clear.

    From there, Verstappen appeared to have everything under control, managing the gap back to both McLarens across their opening stints, pitting earlier than Norris and Piastri to strengthen that advantage and then cruising to the chequered flag.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Piastri, P4: Leclerc, P5: Russell, P6: Hamilton, P7: Albon, P8: Bortoleto, P9: Antonelli and P10: Hadjar.

    What a result for Max Verstappen, a lovely weekend for the Dutchman, pole and the race win plus the Red Bull had some pace this weekend, which makes up for a disappointing home race.

    Good result for McLaren, P2 for Norris and P3 for Piastri, unfortunate that they didn’t have the pace to battle Max, but also, the battle between themselves over the radio, I believe tensions are high now between the two drivers, which is not good at all.

    P4 for Leclerc and P6 for Hamilton, a decent day for the Ferrari team on home soil, a shame they couldn’t get on the podium, but a good result for Hamilton, as he managed to get higher up than what he started.

    P5 for Russell, nothing major from the Brit, but still a good amount of points in the bag, which is good as the team currently sits third in the Teams’ standings, and only 20 points away from Ferrari.

    A good result from Albon, he started P14 and finished P7, a great day for him as his weekend wasn’t the best but he made up for it.

    An unfortunate day for Nico Hulkenberg, he did not start, as he pilled into the pitlane on the formation lap as his car had a suspected hydraulic leak, big shame for him, he will be looking towards Baku.

    Now we have a little break before the next round, which is Azerbaijan on the 19th to 21st September!

  • F3 – Monza – Day 1

    Practice-

    Ugo Ugochukwu was the one to beat in the final Practice session of the season, the PREMA Racing driver’s last lap of the session putting him on top of the timesheets.

    The American’s 1:38.473 was quickest of all, over a tenth clear of Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov and PREMA teammate Noel Leon.

    The session got underway with Theophile Nael setting a 1:41.780, putting him over a tenth ahead of home favourite Brando Badoer.
    But then came the Italian’s teammate Ugochukwu and Leon, with the former going to P1 on a 1:40.455, while the latter settled for second, 0.229s behind.

    Nael then took P1 back with a 1:40.084, eclipsing Leon’s improved time by 0.116s as MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti rounded out the top three.

    However, with nearly 20 minutes gone in the session and after setting the fastest first sector, Roman Bilinski spun into the barrier at the Ascari chicane, bringing out the Red Flags.

    Running resumed with 16 minutes to go and there were several changes near the top of the field as Rafael Camara went fastest on a 1:39.346, with Martinius Stenshorne following him across the line to end up 0.242s off the 2025 Champion.

    The Hitech TGR driver then improved to a 1:39.189 on his next lap to go fastest.
    But just as he did that, many of the teams opted to bring their drivers into the pitlane to swap the carry-over Medium tyres to the Softs.

    On the first runs it was Callum Voisin that went fastest on a 1:38.721, with Nael and Nikola Tsolov in second and third all within a tenth of the Rodin Motorsport driver.

    But they were able to push on for another lap on the Softs and this time it was Ugochukwu that took P1 on a 1:38.473, beating Tsolov by 0.128 with his teammate Leon in third.

    Qualifying-

    Group A

    Nikita Johnson and Roman Bilinski were the first ones out of the pitlane at the green light, with the rest of the field joining them out on track with over five minutes to go.

    Rafael Camara’s only lap put him P1 with a 1:38.520, just 0.093s clear of Ugo Ugochukwu, with Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak in third.

    Alessandro Giusti, Tim Tramnitz and Callum Voisin, having been at the front of the field, were the only ones able to continue on for a second lap. But just as they did that, Camara’s time was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 5.

    Giusti then completed his lap to go P4 ahead of his MP Motorsport teammate, while Voisin wound up 10th in the group.

    This let Ugochukwu on top of the group and on provisional pole with a 1:38.613. Inthraphuvasak was 0.013s behind in second, with Bilinski third.

    Group B

    The next set of 15 made their way out on track immediately at the green light with 1:38.613 the time to beat for pole.

    Noah Stromsted was quickest after the first set of laps on a 1:38.647, just 0.014s ahead of PREMA’s Noel Leon with Theophile Nael in P3.

    Mari Boya then went to P1 but was quickly beaten by Charlie Wurz and then Tuukka Taponen, who was on provisional pole with a 1:38.502s, as Martinius Stenshorne went 0.058s behind in P2.

    The Hitech TGR driver was the only member of the field not able to push on for a third lap and there were several improvements, before Benavides took a second pole of the season with a 1:38.120s.

    Leon was second in the group ahead of Nikola Tsolov, and Matias Zagazeta, as Taponen and Stenshorne slipped to fifth and sixth respectively.

  • R16 – Tyre Selection

    The Monza event is always special but this year, it is even more so. It will be the 75th time that the Autodromo has hosted a Formula 1 World Championship race, more than any other circuit in the history of motor racing’s blue riband category.

    The Monza track holds the record for the highest average race speed, courtesy of Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari with a figure of 247.586 km/h in 2003, as well as the fastest average speed of 264.362 km/h for a qualifying lap, set by Lewis Hamilton at the wheel of a Mercedes in 2020.

    Last year pole went to Lando Norris with an average speed of 263 km/h. Easy to understand therefore why the venue is universally known as the Temple of Speed.

    The 5.793 kilometre track has 11 corners and drivers spend 80% of the lap at full throttle, the cars running the lowest aero downforce level of the season with the aim of reducing drag to a minimum.
    In this context, stability under braking and traction out of the corners is key, especially at the chicanes such as the Prima Variante and the Variante Ascari, where the drivers need to scrub off speed very rapidly.
    Lateral forces come into play at the fastest corners, such as Biassono and the legendary Parabolica, now renamed in honour of Michele Alboreto.

    After the track was completely resurfaced in 2024, this year Monza has concentrated on improvements to the public areas.

    There is no change in compounds compared to last year, when the track had just been resurfaced for the Italian Grand Pri at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
    The C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    Twelve months on, inevitably the surface will have aged, but it is unlikely to have any significant effect on the range of possible strategies at this circuit, where cars run in the lowest aerodynamic downforce configuration of the season.

    It is likely that the most popular choices for the race itself will be the Hard and Medium. One can assume that the level of graining will be lower than last year as the track will now be bedded in.

    It is difficult to overtake at Monza, primarily because of the reduced effectiveness of the DRS, with the cars running minimum aero downforce levels. This too tends to swing the balance in favour of a one-stop strategy.

  • Alex Dunne to take part in FP1

    Ireland’s Alex Dunne will return to drive for McLaren in first practice at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on Friday.

    Dunne, 19, starred in his debut practice outing earlier this year in Austria when he was fourth in the session and within one tenth of Oscar Piastri in equal machinery.

    The teenager was the first Irish driver to compete in an F1 weekend in 22 years and will also continue his Formula 2 campaign in Monza, where he is fifth in the standings.

    All 10 Formula 1 teams must run a rookie in at least four practice sessions this season.
    McLaren have already announced IndyCar star Pato O’Ward will get an outing at his home event in Mexico City in October and are likely to complete the rookie requirements in Abu Dhabi with a driver yet to be confirmed.

  • Ferrari reveal livery for Monza

    Ferrari have revealed the special livery that Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s SF-25s will wear at this year’s Italian Grand Prix – the first race at Monza for the seven-time World Champion Hamilton since joining the Scuderia.

    Featuring a more prominent white on the engine covers, alongside retro numbers and wheel covers, the car pays homage to the colourway of the Ferrari 312T that Niki Lauda took to the 1975 Drivers’ Championship, and which earned the team the Constructors’ title in the same year.

    At the time, a third place finish had been enough for the 26 year old Austrian to be crowned with one grand prix remaining, such was his advantage over McLaren’s Emerson Fittipaldi and Brabham’s Carlos Reutemann.
    Ferrari team-mate Clay Regazzoni gave the tifosi another reason to celebrate with victory on their turf.

    Ferrari head to Monza off the back of a tough outing at the Dutch Grand Prix, with both Hamilton and Leclerc retiring after crashes – although the drivers had been buoyed by the improved pace of their car as the weekend progressed.

  • Cadillac pick 2026 drivers

    Cadillac have signed Grand Prix winners Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas to be their drivers when the team joins the Formula 1 grid for the first time in 2026.

    The American team, who are backed by General Motors and will be led by former Marussia Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon, will become the sport’s 11th team next season.

    Cadillac have opted for experience with their line-up, signing Checo Perez and Mercedes reserve Bottas – who boast 527 Grand Prix starts and 16 Grand Prix wins between them – on multi year deals.

    It marks a remarkable return for the veteran duo, both 35, after they lost their respective F1 race seats at the end of last season.

    Perez took some time out consider his future goals and spend time with his family after leaving Red Bull, while Bottas stayed in the paddock as reserve for Mercedes following his Sauber exit.

    Mexican Perez brings immense F1 experience, having competed for Sauber, McLaren and Force Indian/Racing Point before moving to Red Bull, where he helped the team win the Teams’ Championship in 2022 and 2023.

    Finland’s Bottas enjoyed incredible success at Mercedes, playing a key role in the Silver Arrows winning the Teams’ Championship every year from 2017 to 2021.

    Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent. They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1. But more importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team. Their leadership, feedback, race-hardened instincts and of course their speed will be invaluable as we bring this team to life. A big thank you to the team at Mercedes for their co-operation and understanding.
    Lowdon on the news.

    Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career. From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project. It’s an honor to be part of building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front. Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport, and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility, one I’m confident of taking on. I’m proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I’m really pleased to be part of such a dynamic line-up, and together I believe we can help shape this team into a real contender, the team of the Americas. We’re counting on support from across the continent – and we want to make everyone proud.
    Perez on the news.

    From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded. This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision. It’s not every day that you get a chance to be part of something being built from the ground up and helping shape it into something that truly belongs on the F1 grid. I’ve had the honor of working with some of the best teams in the world, and I can already see the same professionalism and hunger here. This is an iconic brand with a big legacy in American motorsport, and to be a part of the story as it enters the world stage of F1 is incredibly special for me. I’m looking forward to representing the American spirit of racing on the greatest circuits in the world. I’d also like to thank Mercedes for their unwavering support and sportsmanship in facilitating such an exciting step.
    Bottas on the news.

    Bottas and Checo bring the perfect balance of talent, maturity, and drive. They’re not just accomplished racers, they’re builders, collaborators, and professionals who will help define what the Cadillac Formula 1 Team stands for. This moment marks more than just a line-up announcement. It’s the beginning of a bold new chapter in American motorsport.
    CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team & TWG Motorsport, Dam Towriss.

  • Colnaghi moves up to F3

    MP Motorsport have confirmed that Mattia Colnaghi will race with the team in FIA Formula 3 next season.

    The Italian driver will also be joining the Red Bull Junior Team programme as he moves up to F3 in 2026.

    Currently, the 17 year old is leading the Eurocup-3 Championship, with four race wins so far in 2025 along with a further two podium finishes.

    Prior to this season, the future MP F3 driver debuted in single-seaters in the Formula winter Series in 2024, winning the Spanish F4 Championship later in the year and finishing runner up in the Eurocup-3 Spanish Winter Championship earlier this year.

    Speaking on his promotion to F3, Colnaghi said he was very excited at the prospect and him joining Red Bull.

    I’m super excited about the opportunity handed to me by MP Motorsport and the Red Bull Junior Team. Joining the Grand Prix weekends as a Formula 3 driver is a dream come true, and I’m looking to forward to building on the amazing working relationship that MP and I have developed in the past two seasons. I’m truly grateful to Helmut Marko and Red Bull for allowing me to demonstrate my racing skills in FIA F3, while staying with MP is the obvious choice. They have become my family in the past two years and have helped me grow as a driver. I believe that working with them in Formula 3 will be just as enjoyable and successful.
    Colnaghi on the news.

    Moving up to FIA F3 with Mattia is a proud moment for us as a team. We immediately recognised his talent when he joined us as a young teenager in the winter of 2023-’24, and it was a joy to see that talent truly accelerate in Spanish F4, resulting in title-winning glory in his first year out of karts. This year, he has been outstanding again, also proving his qualities as a sportsman when the going got tough. We will continue to work hard for our Eurocup-3 title contenders this year, including Mattia, before we head towards the 2026 season with the confidence that his immediate future is now firmly set in stone.
    MP Team Principal, Sander Dorsman.

  • R15 – Zandvoort

    Oscar Piastri has taken a victory in a hugely dramatic Dutch Grand Prix that saw McLaren teammate Lando Norris retire from the race due to a mechanical failure in the closing stages, marking a potentially seismic moment in the championship battle.

    Piastri had made a good start from pole when the race got underway, the Australian going on to build a lead from Max Verstappen after the Red Bull had overtaken Norris early on in Lap 1. Norris, however, went on to retake the position and the pair settled into a 1-2 formation.

    The race then faced a potential turn when the Safety Car was deployed after Lewis Hamilton hit the barriers on Lap 23, leading to a flurry of action in the pits. McLaren double-stacked their drivers and despite a slight delay for Norris, both cars maintained position.

    Norris continued his chase of his team mate from there and – despite a second Safety Car after a collision between Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli that put the Ferrari out of the race – the fight looked to still be open as the race entered into its final stages.

    However, everything changed when smoke started to emerge from Norris’ McLaren with just a few laps to go, forcing him to retire at the side of the track.
    A Safety Car phase played out which saw Piastri hold onto P1 from Verstappen in P2, and rounding out the top three is a first time podium sitter, Isack Hadjar!

    The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Verstappen, P3: Hadjar, P4: Russell, P5: Albon, P6: Bearman, P7: Stroll, P8: Alonso, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Ocon.

    What a result for Piastri! His first grand slam aswell and he done it in a mighty fashion! This is exactly how he would want his second half of the season to start!
    As for Norris, very gutting as he was edging closer to catching Piastri, he will be wanting to move onto the next race weekend.

    A good result for Verstappen! P2 at his home Grand Prix, I think that was the best he was going to get, but he will be happy with that result.
    As for Tsunoda, he managed to get in the points in P9, so a semi decent result.

    Now the star of the show, Isack Hadjar, he started P4 and finished P3, the Frenchmans very first podium in his rookie season! Thoroughly deserved, if I do say so myself. He should be very proud of how far his come this season already.

    A good result for Russell, P4 for him, not a bad result, shame he couldn’t get on the podium, but still a very good result. As for Antonelli it was a race to forget after he tangled with Leclerc and his race was basically over from there as he finished 16th.

    P5 for Albon! A great result for Williams, a good chunk of points for the team which was needed as the mid-field battle is heating up!

    Double points for Haas! P6 for Bearman which is his career best finish and Ocon finished in P10, a great result for the team.

    Double points for Aston Martin too! P7 for Stroll, and P8 for Alonso, quite a good weekend for the team, they’ve had some good pace this weekend will be interesting to see if they can carry it on.

    A weekend to forget for Ferrari, a double DNF which is unfortunate as they looked like they had pace this weekend too, they will be looking forward to the weekend as its their home Grand Prix.

  • R15 – Tyre Selection

    This weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix marks a milestone in Pirelli’s time in Formula 1, as this race will be the five hundredth world championship round of motorsport’s blue riband category in which the Italian marque has had an official presence.

    A lap of Zandvoort track is 4.259 kilometres in length, running through the dunes on the North Sea coast, just under 40 kilometres from the capital of the Netherlands.

    It boasts 14 low to medium speed corners – four to the left and ten to the right – of which the third and last are banked at angles of 19 and 18 degrees respectively, must steeper than the turns at Indianapolis.
    These corners generate very high vertical and lateral loads on the tyres, which requires the teams to pay close attention to set-up and management of the car-tyre package.

    The aerodynamic downforce level required is very high, similar to that seen in Budapest. The track usually offers low levels of grip and this can be greatly exacerbated by sand blown onto the surface by the coastal winds.

    For the race in the Netherlands, Pirelli has gone a step softer in terms of compounds than last year. The teams will have a choice of the C2 (Hard), C3 (Medium), C4 (Soft).

    The decision, taken in conjunction with the FIA, has the aim of increasing the likelihood of a strategy based on two stops, rather than just the one-stop, which has been the predominant choice since this race returned to the calendar in 2022.

    In 2024, 16 drivers lined up on the gird on the Medium tyre, while three drivers went for the Soft tyre, with one driver starting from the pit lane on the Hard tyre.
    Three quarter of the field made just one stop during the race, taking on the Hard tyre as the second set.

  • Kosterman as Wild Card entry in Zandvoort

    F1 Academy has announced Esmee Kosterman as the Wild Card entry for Round 5 of the season at Circuit Zandvoort, representing TeamViewer, the global leader in remote connectivity and digital workplace solutions.

    The 20 year old Dutch driver will debut with F1 Academy in a special edition livery that highlights innovators and changemakers driving progress – on and off track.

    Hailing for Wijk bij Duurstede in the Netherlands, Kosterman stepped up into car racing in 2021, cmpeting in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux.
    Two years later, she became the first woman to win in the series before going on to finish second in the Junior Cup and third in the overall standings.

    Kosterman continued to broaden her racecraft in the Dutch Supercar Challenge, BMW M2 Cup and the Lamera Cup.
    After scoring points on her Indian F4 debut last year, this season has seen her race in British F4 with appearances at Silverstone, Snetterton and Zandvoort.

    Our sport has the power to inspire change, and we are incredibly proud to be championing women both on and off track. We know that creating female role models in motorsport is already helping to improve participation at the junior level of racing, and working with TeamViewer, we are excited to take this further and inspire the next generation of women in STEM. Together our mission is to empower the next generation of female leaders and send a clear message: your presence matters, you are driving change.
    Karin Fink, Head of Commercial Operations, F1 Academy.

    It is our ambition to drive meaningful change both on and off the track. The opportunity to support Esmee in her F1 ACADEMY debut while driving a car featuring role models is the next step in achieving this. Our research found that not being able to see someone like you in a senior role made it harder to see a career in your chosen field. This is why it was so important to showcase so many role models on the car. Working with the F1 ACADEMY to see this come to life has been a highlight of the partnership so far. We look forward to supporting Esmee in person at her home race.
    Faith Wheller, VP of Brand, Integrated Marketing and Sports Partnerships, Teamviewer.

  • Robin Frijns to leave Envision

    Envision Racing and Robin Frijns have announced that they’re set to part ways after their most recent two-season spell together.

    Frijns rejoined the outfit at the start of Season 10 after a campaign with ABT CUPRA. The Dutchman had spent four successful seasons with Envision prior to that where he tallied two wins and 10 podiums.
    Since the end of his first Envision spell, though, Frijns has found results hard to come by, with just three second places in 2024 with the Jagaur-powered Envision.

    The two-time race winner is not expected to find a seat elsewhere in Formula E and looks set to concentrate on his BMW factory drive in the World Endurance Championship.

    Envision will confirm a replacement for Frijns next month alongside Sebastien Buemi, who is set to get a fourth season with the team after finishing 12th overall – a campaign that included a first Formula E victory in almost six years in Monaco and two other podiums, in Jakarta and London.

    Throughout Robin’s six seasons with Envision Racing, he has delivered excellent results and cracking drives, and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with such a talented driver. His two victories and numerous podiums stand-out, but also his raw speed and ability to deliver a lap when it mattered. He’s been a fierce competitor and a valued part of our team. Formula E is an ever-evolving championship, and for us, the time has come for an exciting new change. We look forward to announcing our Season 12 line-up shortly.
    Team Principal, Sylvain Fillipi.

    Robin has been an integral part of our success here at Envision Racing, going back to Season 5 when he first joined the team. He has achieved a lot of brilliant results, and we thank him for his commitment to our team over the six seasons. We wish him well in his future endeavours.
    Franz Jung, CEO & Chairman of the Board of Envision Racing.

  • AIX Racing sign Yevan David for 2026 campaign

    Yevan David has become the first driver to be confirmed for the 2026 FIA Formula 3 season, with AIX Racing announcing his signing for next season.

    David is currently competing in the Euroformula Open Championship where he was taken four race victories so far this season and a further five podium results.
    He also achieved a top 10 finish in GB3 at the beginning of August.

    Prior to that, David competed in the Eurocup-3, Spanish F4 and UAE F4 Championships last year, in what was his first full season of single-seater racing after graduating from karts.

    He is now set to become the first driver from Sri Lanka to compete in FIA F3.
    Speaking about his signing with AIX, the 18 year old said he was proud to become the first driver from his country to compete in the championship and very grateful for the opportunity.

    Very thankful to have this opportunity to be racing as the first Sri Lankan driver in Formula 3, and with AIX racing. They’ve proved themselves and I’m excited to achieve great milestones with them for the season ahead.
    David on the news.

  • Nissan confirm Rowland & Nato for 2025/26

    Nissan have confirmed champion Oliver Rowland will return alongside Norman Nato for the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    Following a strong season 11 which saw Nissan Formula E Team take third in the Teams’ World Championship, its best result since the Japanese automaker took on full ownership of the operation after partnering with e.dams, the outfit is looking to continue its trajectory next season, with consistency and stability earmarked as a key to push further.

    Formula E World Champion, Oliver Rowland will continue with the team for a sixth season as part of a multi year deal and after a superb campaign, which saw him secure the Drivers’ World Championship with three pole positions, seven podiums, including four vicotries.

    The British driver made his full time series debut with the Japanese team in season 5, which was also Nissan’s first in Formula E, and raced with the team for three years.
    Returning ahead of Season 10, Rowland hit the ground running with a strong campaign, before earning his maiden world title in Season 11.

    Norman Nato, who tackles his third season with Nissan, will continue to race alongside Rowland.
    A race winner in the series, the French driver first joined the squad in Season 9, where he was a regular points scorer, also taking the team’s first podium under full Nissan ownership in Rome.

    He returned after a year away to team up with Rowland, showing consistent speed on track claiming pole position in Miami.

    I’m thrilled to sign with Nissan Formula E Team on a multi-year deal, in what will be my sixth season with the squad. What we’ve managed to achieve following my return in 2023/24 has been remarkable. Since I came to Formula E, the team has felt like my home, and I have a high level of trust with them as well as plenty of support. The aim for Season 12 is to replicate and improve on what we did last campaign, but we know how hard we need to work in the off-season to achieve the best results possible.
    Rowland on the news.

    I’m delighted to continue with Nissan Formula E Team for another season as it was always the target to extend my stay here. It’ll be my third campaign with the team and my second consecutive one, which gives me a lot of confidence moving forward.
    Nato on the news. I still have plenty of areas to improve on, but I’m not starting from scratch this year so I can use factors I’ve learned in Season 11 to help me in the future. I’m sure Oli will perform at a very high level again and I’m positive that together we can fight for the Teams’ World Championship.

    Following a very successful season, we’ve decided to maintain our driver line-up for Season 12. We’re keen to consolidate our operations as we look to further improve on the work carried out both on and off-track since we took full control of our operations in the sport. I am sure that the stability and consistency that we’ve built with both Oli and Norman will help us continue our remarkable progression and fight for all three championships again next season.
    Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director & Team Principal.

  • Ferrari give Vasseur new multi-year contract

    Ferrari have handed their Team Principal Fred Vasseur a multi-year contract, which the team say “reflects Ferrari’s determination to build on the foundation laid so far”.

    Vasseur joined the Italian team ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 season and under his watch, the team challenged McLaren for the 2024 Teams’ Championship until the last race before finishing just 14 points behind the champions.

    While they trail the McLaren by a mammoth 299 points as we are in the summer break, Ferrari have managed to hold on to P2 in the Teams’ Championship, fending off rivals Mercedes and Red Bull.

    One of Vasseur’s key strengths is his ability to shield and protect his team from external factors.
    Despite the uncertainty and speculation, he’s managed to do just that with the team keeping their heads down.

    The new deal will kelp restore a greater sense of calm among the team and allow them to focus on trying to take advantage of sweeping new chassis and power unit regulations for 2026.
    But now that Vasseur’s immediate future has been secured, Ferrari senior management will expect him to lead the team to respond well to those rule changes and challenge for both championships next year.

  • FIA & Formula E sign extension to power series till 2048

    Formula E and the FIA have agreed a 10 year extension to the continued promotion and exclusivity of the all-electric single-seater category.

    The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) the global governing body for motorsport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has announced a significant multi-year extension to its agreement with Formula E Holdings Limited (majority owned by Liberty Global) for the continued promotion of the FIA Formula E World Championship within the all-electric single-seater category.

    The agreement solidifies Formula E’s bright future at the forefront of International motorsport. It provides a powerful platform to accelerate the Championship’s growth trajectory, attract further investment, scale its global impact and pave the way for sustainable innovation in the wider automotive sector,

    Under current plans, Formula E is set to continue its ambitious and phased development strategy for its racing cars, delivering faster top speeds, greater acceleration, enhanced aerodynamics and improved tyre performance to continue producing some of the closest and most competitive racing in the world motor sport.

    The extension of the agreement governing the FIA Formula E World Championship is a fantastic outcome for the sport and a clear reflection of our ongoing strategy at the FIA to foster long-term stability, innovation, and growth across all areas of motorsport. This milestone reaffirms our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and technological progress, which are all central to the Championship’s unique identity and purpose. It also aligns with our broader goal of increasing global participation and driving more accessible motorsport for all. We are delighted to be continuing this journey with Formula E, and I look forward to seeing it grow even further, both on and off the track, in the years to come.
    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of FIA.

    We’ve believed in Formula E since day one, and this extension reaffirms our confidence in where it’s headed. This is the motorsport of the future – a championship that combines the very latest technology, close-combat racing, and a mission that really matters. With the FIA’s continued backing, we can now take the next big steps – scaling the sport, growing its global fanbase, and continuing to push the boundaries of what electric racing can achieve. With this new agreement in place, Formula E is now positioned better than ever to define the future of motorsport – more innovative, more inclusive, more sustainable – and to inspire the next generation of fans, drivers, and partners around the world.
    Mike Fries, CEO at Liberty Global.

    Formula E’s growth since its inception has been nothing short of extraordinary, with hundreds of millions of fans and world-class teams and drivers deciding to choose highly competitive electric racing. This long-term extension of the partnership enables us to continue building the brand, investing in the product and delivering some of the most captivating racing that has made us famous. With this long-term extension, the opportunity that Formula E now has to impact world motorsport will be truly transformational.
    Jeff Dodds, CEO at Formula E.

  • AIX Racing confirm Emerson Fittipaldi JR for 2026

    AIX Racing have become the first team to confirm part of their plans for 2026 with the signing of Emerson Fittipaldi Jr for next season.

    The Brazilian, son of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, will be making his Formula 2 debut next season.

    Fittipaldi Jr has been racing in the Eurocup-3 Championship in 2025 and is currently 13th in the standings.

    In 2021 he took part in the F4 Danish Championship where he finished 3rd overall with 2 wins, and 8 podiums to his name.

    Last year he took part in the Eurocup-3 where he finished 5th overall with 4 podiums to his campaign.

    Speaking about his confirmation for 2026, Fittipaldi Jr said that it was a huge opportunity, and that he was looking forward to working with AIX team.

    I am very much looking forward to this opportunity. Racing in the FIA Formula 2 is going to be a big learning curve for me. I will be competing against the best drivers in the world, so it will be an honour to be racing against all of them on the race track. My expectations are that I will be learning a lot, every single day and every single week.
    Emerson Fittipaldi Jr on the news.

  • Cassidy to leave Jaguar TCS Racing

    Jaguar TCS Racing have confirmed that Nick Cassidy will leave the team at the end of the 2024/2025 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship by mutual agreement.

    Cassidy’s Season 10 total of 176 points – including two wins, six podiums, five fastest laps and a pole position – were instrumental in Jaguar TCS Racing winning the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E Teams’ World Championship, Jaguar’s first World Championship as a manufacturer since 1991.

    Cassidy has scored six wins, a further seven podiums, seven fastest laps and two poles in Jaguar colours, totalling 278 points this season.

    The team thanked Cassidy for “his incredible work ethic, relentless determination to win and of course, his outright speed”.

    It has not been confirmed where Cassidy will be heading for next season, but has confirmed he will be on the grid!

    Nick is an exceptional racing driver and a very astute competitor as the world can see from his performances. He has impressed everyone in the team with his unwavering dedication to win and I’m proud of the role he’s played in our team success. On behalf of the whole team, I’d like to thank Nick and wish him all the best for a successful future – starting of course with the final race weekend of the 2024/2025 Season in London, where together we’ll still be fighting as hard as ever for points, podiums and wins.
    James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.

    The decision to leave Jaguar TCS Racing has not been an easy one, but ultimately it is the right one for me personally. I’d like to thank everyone at the team for their support since I joined at the beginning of Season 10. We have fought hard and had some great success together. I particularly want to thank the engineers and mechanics on the #37 side of the garage – we’ve made some amazing memories!
    Cassidy on the news.

  • Who could Cadillac pick for 2026?

    With having Cadillac joining the grid next year, there are two new spots which need to be filled but who is going to fill them?

    As you’d expect the American squad have been inundated with calls from drivers and managers enquiring about a job and that led to the team compiling a long-list that ran to 15 names at one point.

    That list, has slimmed down to just a handful, and while the team aren’t in a rush to confirm their line-up, they are starting to zero in on what they want, so whose in the running?

    Valtteri Bottas

    Bottas is a driver who could bring a wealth of experience to the Graeme Lowdon-led team from 2026 onwards.
    The Finnish driver made his F1 debut in 2013 with Williams after serving as the test and reserve driver for the Grove outfit since 2010.

    He moved to Mercedes in 2017 for a successful five-year stint with the Brackley squad, driving alongside seven-time champion, Lewis Hamilton.
    2021 saw Bottas join Alfa Romeo / Sauber where he stayed for three seasons.

    He currently serves as Mercedes reserve driver, with Team Principal Toto Wolff sharing his support for Bottas to return to a full-time racing seat.

    Sergio Perez

    The Mexican driver was replaced at Red Bull at the end of 2024 by Liam Lawson, who stepped into the RB21 seat alongside Max Verstappen for 2025 but was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda after two race weekends.

    In addition to his four-year stint with Milton Keynes team, Perez has previously driven for Sauber, McLaren and Force India after making his debut in 2011.

    The 35 year old has been keen to return to the championship after his Red Bull exit, albeit only “for the right project”. Over his 14 year career in F1, he collected six grand prix wins, three pole positions, 39 podium finishes and 12 fastest laps.

    Mich Schumacher

    Schumacher has also been linked to the Cadillac team. The German driver previously drove for Haas in 2021 and 2022 before moving to Mercedes to serve as the reserve driver in 2023 and 2024.
    He now races in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine.

    Alex Dunne

    Most recently, Dunne has been linked to one of the Cadillac seats too. With the McLaren junior taking part in FP1 back in Austria where he ended up fourth fastest and within a tenth of Piastri.

    He is quickly becoming one of the brightest talents outside of F1 currently, and with both Piastri and Norris locked in for long-term contracts, McLaren must be looking else where for the junior.

    The Irish driver is currently competing in Formula 2 where he is 5th in the championship with 4 rounds left and 30 points between him and the championship leader…
    Dunne has also took part in Formula E as he has been McLaren’s reserve driver since January 2025 and taking part in the rookie practice at the Jeddah E-Prix and then the Berlin Rookie Test in July.

    Jak Crawford

    If Cadillac want to sign an American driver, it would be 20 year old Jak Crawford, who is enjoying his best Formula 2 campaign where he currently sits second in the championship!

    Hopefully it won’t be too long until we have at least one driver announced for the new team.

  • Horner exits Red Bull with immediate effect

    Red Bull Racing CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner is to exit the squad with immediate effect, with Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies taking over.

    Horner has held the role for some 20 years – the Briton leading Red Bull through their first F1 season back in 2005 and playing a key role in turning them from points scorers into World Champions.

    Christian has overseen two periods of dominance by Red Bull, with Sebastian Vettel and the team winning four consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ championships from 2010 – 2013 and then with Max Verstappen winning the last four drivers’ championships from 2021 – 2024. With Red Bull being constructors’ champions in 2022 and 2023.

    Horner’s last race in charge was Sunday’s British GP at Silverstone where Verstappen started on pole position but finished fifth after a spin in the wet.

    Red Bull are currently fourth in the constructors’ standings, 365 points away from leaders McLaren, with Ferrari and Mercedes also ahead of them in the standings.

    Verstappen has scored 187 of Red Bull’s 194 points this season.
    Rookie Liam Lawson was dropped as the Dutchman’s team-mate after just two races while Yuki Tsunoda has also struggled in the second Red Bull car.

    Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today (Wednesday 9 July 2025) and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing. Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO Corporate Projects and Investments thanked Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.
    A Red Bull spokesperson.

    We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years. With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.
    Added Mintzlaff.

    As part of the managerial reshuffle, current Racing Bulls Racing Director Alan Permane will be promoted to Team Principal at the sister outfit.

    The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter [Bayer, Racing Bulls CEO]. It has been an amazing adventure to contribute to the birth of Racing Bulls together with all our talented people. The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning. Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes.
    Mekies on the news.

    I feel very honoured to take on the role as Team Principal and would like to thank Oliver and Helmut [Marko, Red Bull advisor] for the trust they have shown in me. I am looking forward to working with Peter to continue the good work that both him and Laurent have done in taking this team forward. This is a new challenge for me, but I know that I can count on the support of everyone within them.
    Permane on the news.

  • F3 – Hungary – Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    Inthraphuvasak immediately moved to cover off James Hedley at lights out and he retained the lead into the first corner, while Brando Badoer moved ahead of Alessandro Giusti to take P4.

    Hedley tried a move at Turn 10 to take the lead, but that allowed James Wharton a chance at second though the AIX Racing driver retained P2 as they entered the final sector.

    Just behind them and entering the penultimate corner, Giusti had contact with Ugochukwu which damaged his suspension and left him heading into the barriers, bringing out the Safety Car.

    The Safety Car was in at the end of Lap 3 with Inthraphuvasak leading Hedley, Wharton, Badoer and Ugochukwu in the top five.

    The American was able to find a pass on his teammate at Turn 13 to take fourth on Lap 5 and he was immediately harrying Wharton for third position.

    With DRS on Lap 7, the PREMA driver set up a switchback out of Turn 1 to move up to third place, and by Lap 8 he was onto the back of Hedley, as the Briton remained within half a second of the race leader.

    A wide moment at Turn 4 for Hedley on Lap 11 opened the door to the McLaren Development Driver, Ugochukwu moved up to second and set about closing the one-second gap to Inthraphuvasak.
    Lap 14 and he had closed in on the leader and was into DRS range of the Campos driver.

    In the fight for the final podium spot, Hedley had fallen five seconds away and had Wharton glued to his gearbox, but an opportunistic pass by Wurz at Turn 3 gave the Trident driver P4.

    Moments later, Noel Leon and Theophile Nael ran off at Turn 4 as they fought for position and made contact as they rejoined, leaving the PREMA driver out of the running and bringing out the Safety Car.

    It was withdrawn with a lap to go, leaving Inthraphuvasak to fend off Ugochukwu for the victory in a one-lap shootout.

    Wurz was on the move behind them as he dived down the inside of Hedley to take third position at Turn 1.
    Inthraphuvasak held on though, earning his second Sprint Race victory of the year ahead of Ugochukwu and Wurz.

    Day 3-

    The race got underway with a rolling start and Camara retained the lead comfortably from pole ahead of Boya and Taponen in second and third places.

    Tim Tramnitz’s slender hopes of remaining in title contention took a blow early on as he spun at Turn 7 to fall down the order having started P16.

    Ugo Ugochukwu was making quick progress having gone from seventh on the grid, and he claimed P5 on Lap 2 with a pass around the outside of Theophile Nael at the second corner.

    While the conditions remained damp, DRS was enabled on Lap 3 and Boya remained within a second of the race leader and his title rival, as the top two began to pull away from the rest of the pack.

    The Campos driver piled the pressure on with the fastest lap of the race, and he attempted a move into Turn 2 but couldn’t find the traction to make it stick.

    The Safety Car was deployed on Lap 4 with AIX Racing driver Brad Benavides in the tyre wall at the exit of Turn 13 following contact with Rodin Motorsport’s Roman Bilinksi.

    Racing got underway entering Lap 7, and Camara retained the advantage out in front while teammate Charlie Wurz moved himself up to P6 at Turn 1 pass on Nael.

    Ugochukwu looked set to complete an overtake on Gerrard Xie for P4 at Turn 5 but was tagged into a spin by the Hitech TGR driver. It brought out the Safety Car once again with both suffering race-ending damage and stopping on track.

    The Safety Car was in at the end of Lap 10, and once again Camara got a clean restart to head the field.

    Nikola Tsolov was on a charge, going from P13 to P10 on the first racing lap back to green. He got the switchback out of Turn 1 on Noah Stromsted to improve to P9 on Lap 12, and then passed James Wharton to take eighth position.

    The Australian then slipped back to 10th on Lap 13, as a wide moment aat Turn 13 allowed teammate Laurens van Hoepen by.

    Up ahead, Tsolov was on the move once again and he improved to P7 into Turn 1 with a pass on Alessandro Giusti. Before the end of the lap, he passed Brando Badoer at Turn 14 to secure P6.

    The Bulgarian closed the gap down to Nael ahead and by Lap 20, he was within a second of the Van Amersfoort Racing driver in the fight for P5.

    They soon caught up to the podium battle as they joined Wurz in harrying Taponen for third position, as the clock ticked into two minutes remaining of the Feature Race following the earlier Safety Car periods.

    In front of them though, nobody could prevent Camara taking a crowning victory and the 2025 Drivers’ Championship with it.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Camara, P2: Boya, P3: Taponen, P4: Wurz, P5: Nael, P6: Tsolov, P7: Badoer, P8: Van Hoepen, P9: Giusti and P10: Inthraphuvasak.

  • R14 – Hungary

    Lando Norris won the Hungarian Grand Prix after holding off a thrilling late-race challenge for the lead from McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri, the Briton having made an alternative strategy work in his favour to take the victory.

    Polesitter Charles Leclerc had made a strong start to hold P1 when the race got underway, allowing the Ferrari driver to build up a steady lead over Piastri in P2 during the opening stages of the race – a position he maintained amid the first round of pit stops, despite Piastri’s attempt to undercut his rival.

    However, the picture started to evolve as different strategies played out amongst the frontrunners, with Leclerc and Piastri – both on two-stop plans – finding themselves behind the one-stopping Norris in the final phase of the race.

    While Leclerc’s pace fell away in the latter stages, a fast Piastri set about chasing down Norris for the lead – leading to a gripping conclusion as the Australian was hot on the tail of his team mate in the final laps.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Norris, P2: Piastri, P3: Russell, P4: Leclerc, P5: Alonso, P6: Bortoleto, P7: Stroll, P8: Lawson, P9: Verstappen and P10: Antonelli.

    What a result for Norris, he would’ve set out to achieve this, but him taking a charge of his strategy with the one-stop effectively won him the race which resulted in a lovely race for the Brit.
    A good result for Piastri, I think he was annoyed a bit by Norris’ strategy as it worked out perfectly for the Brit. The gap between teammates is now down to 9 points as we head into the summer break.

    A lovely result for Russell, P3 for the Mercedes driver, a good result for him, after a few bad weekends they had a good result and back on the podium since Canada.

    A decent result for Leclerc, unfortunate he didn’t get a podium but Ferrari sometime’s doesn’t have the best strategy in the races… However, still a really positive weekend for Leclerc.
    A weekend to forget for Lewis Hamilton, out in Q2 for Qualifying and then finished 12th in the race. Hopefully the summer break will give him some to recover and get back to the Lewis we know!

    A lovely result for Alonso, P5 for the Spanish driver, a really good weekend for Aston Martin overall as Lance Stroll finished P7. A good points haul for the team, they will be wanting to continue on this form back from the summer break.

    P6 for Bortoleto, another good result for the Brazilian, his been lapping up the good results lately and he gets rewarded with decent points.

    A race to forget for Verstappen too, he finished P9. Definitely not the result he would’ve wanted at all.

    Now we are into the summer break officially, the next race is Round 15 and it is the Dutch Grand Prix on the 29th – 31st August!

  • F2 – Hungary – Day 1

    Practice-

    Luke Browning made a quick start to his Budapest weekend, as the Hitech TGR driver topped the timesheets of Friday’s morning’s Free Practice session.

    With his final lap of the 45 minute outing, the Williams Racing Driver Academy member completed a 1:30.609 to go to P1 at the chequered flag, with Oliver Goethe and Alexander Dunne rounding out the top three.

    The red flags were waving early on in the session following a stoppage for ART Grand Prix driver Ritomo Miyata’s at the exit of Turn 1.

    Running resumed with just under 35 minutes to go, and it was AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen that set the pace on a 1:32.879.

    However, that time was beaten by several drivers, as the fastest lap changed hands on several occasions. But it was Goethe that led Richard Verschoor, in an MP Motorsport 1-2 with a 1:31.139.

    The MP pairing continued to set the pace as Goethe improved to a 1:30.753, while Verschoor stayed in P2, 0.291s off his teammate.

    Victor Martins and Dino Beganovic then went to second and third respectively, but both finished laps that were over two and a half tenths off Goethe, the German having just lowered the time to beat to a 1:30.742.

    As the session entered into its final 10 minutes, Invicta Racing’s Roman Stanek went up to second, cutting the gap to P1 to 0.176s.

    But the Czech driver was quickly pushed down to P4 as Dunne and then Browning went up to second. However, the Hitech driver was still 0.131s off Goethe’s leading time.

    As the session entered into its final moments, several drivers were still improving, one of those being Browning, who completed a 1:30.609 to snatch P1 away from Goethe.

    Qualifying-

    Roman Stanek took his maiden Aramco Pole Position Award with a superb performance in Budapest, beating his Invicta Racing teammate Leonardo Fornaroli to the top spot.

    The Czech driver completed a 1:28.779 to go P1 but had to watch on front the pit lane as Fornaroli finished his final attempt. However, the Italian missed out on pole by 0.146s, as DAMS Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford sealed P3.

    Arvid Lindblad was the first driver to set a lap and completed a 1:30.319 to set the early benchmark. But there were several improvements behind him, as Oliver Goethe continued his form from Free Practice to go top on a 1:29.308.

    Then, Stanek eclipsed the MP Motorsport driver’s time by 0.141s to take P1 after the first lap.

    The drivers were able to push on for a second lap on their soft tyres, and Stanek extended his advantage out in front with a 1:29.107, putting 0.181s between he and Goethe.

    Stanek’s teammate Fornaroli had made the decision to come out of the pitlane later than the rest of his rivals, giving him the chance to do his push laps on an empty track.

    The Championship leader briefly went P1 but his time was deleted for exceeding track limits. He continued for another attempt, ending up P4 just as the field returned for their final laps.

    With a new set of soft tyres, Stanek lowered the benchmark time to a 1:28.779, with Crawford going up to second, 0.173s off the pace, as Luke Browning went up to P3.

    Fornaroli the returned to the track with just over four minutes left in the session, having fallen outside the top 10, as his rivals finished came back into the pitlane.

    With the chequered flag waving the Invicta driver went to P2, 0.146s off Stanek, who took his maiden Formula 2 Pole Position.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Stanek, P2: Fornaroli, P3: Crawford, P4: Browning, P5: Duerksen, P6: Goethe, P7: Martins, P8: Lindblad, P9: Dunne and P10: Marti.

  • F3 – Hungary – Day 1

    Practice-

    Rafael Camara kicked off the weekend in which he could clinch the title in the perfect way, topping Free Practice for Trident with a 1:33.888.

    Brad Benavides and Roman Bilinski were two late improvers to wind up second and third quickest, before a late Red Flag for title contender Nikola Tsolov, who came to a halt in his Campos Racing car, ending the session.

    After waiting for improved track conditions, the majority of cars took to the track with 10 minutes gone and it was Gerrard Xie that led the way on a 1:36.476 for Hitech TGR.

    Tim Tramnitz lowered the benchmark to a 1:34.619 for MP Motorsport with under half an hour to go, as Mari Boya settled into second 0.2s down on that.

    Camara then leapt to the top of the times on a 1:34.138 to go 0.481s clear of anybody with his first flying lap of the day, before title rival Tsolov moved up to second, cutting the gap to 0.3s.

    Ugo Ugochukwu lifted PREMA Racing up to third with just over 20 minutes to go, slotting in behind Tsolov. Charlie Wurz was the next to break into the top five, putting TRIDENT 1-2 as he went within 0.263s of his teammate.

    The next set of improvements came with 10 minutes left on the clock, with Camara lowering the time to beat to a 1:33.888. Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak went to P2 in his Campos, 0.4s off the Brazilian’s P1 time, with Noah Stromsted third a further 0.015s down.

    Into the final six minutes and Bilinski cut the deficit to Camara to 0.2s, before Benavides went to P2 for AIX Racing, just 0.064s off the top spot.

    The Red Flags were then deployed after Tsolov came to a halt ahead of Turn 12. With three minutes left of practice, the session was not resumed.

    Qualifying-

    Rafael Camara took a big step towards the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, taking his fifth Aramco Pole Position Award of the season.

    Under pressure heading into the final attempts of the day, the Trident driver delivered a 1:32.510 to go less than a hundredth clear of his Campos Racing rival Mari Boya in second. Tuukka Taponen finished third for ART Grand Prix after a late improvement of his own.

    Ugo Ugochukwu laid down the time to beat early on, setting a 1:33.436 on his first attempt for PREMA Racing. Noah Stromsted beat that shortly after to go quicker on a 1:33.054, with Laurens van Hoepen going up to second for ART, 0.055s down on the TRIDENT driver’s time.

    Camara had been P5 after his first laptime of the session, but his time was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 4. He immediately returned to the pitlane complaining of too much understeer around the entirety of the lap.

    Campos opted to hold their drivers back to run in the gap on an empty track. It looked to pay off them in their first runs, with Boya going to the top of the times on a 1:33.013. Teammates Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak followed by going P2, 0.3s down, while Nikola Tsolov went to fourth after their first laps.

    The trio returned to the pit lane while the rest of the field headed back out for their second set of attempts with half the session remaining.

    Brando Badoer put PREMA to the top and teammate Noel Leon followed to go P2 momentarily. MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti then posted a time to go quickest, until Charlie Wurz restored TRIDENT top of the pile on a 1:32.737. Ugochukwu followed across the line to go second, losing out on P1 by just 0.001s.

    After the second flurry of laps, the top four were separated by just 0.089s, with Camara fifth, 0.110s off his teammate’s leading time.

    The Campos trio then delivered their second attempts with Boya returning to P1 on a 1:32.653. Inthraphuvasak went to eighth 0.241s down on the Spaniard, but Tsolov was left P15 going into the final eight minutes of the session.

    Into the final attempts and Gerrard Xie delivered an improvement to go up to second for Hitech TGR, 0.010s off Boya’s earlier effort. Theophile Nael went to third a further thousandth behind the Chinese driver, but Tuukka Taponen then went to provisional pole by the same margin, 1:32.652 putting him 0.001s clear of Boya in second.

    Camara and Boya then set their final laps, and the Brazilian delivered pole position for the fifth time in 2025 on a 1:32.510, 0.008s clear of Boya who improved one final time to go second again.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Camara, P2: Boya, P3: Taponen, P4: Xie, P5: Nael, P6: Wurz, P7: Ugochukwu, P8: Badoer, P9: Giusti and P10: Wharton.

  • R14 – Tyre Selection

    The Hugaroring provides the backdrop to the last few days of Formula 1 track action prior to the summer break.

    This weekend’s race will be the fortieth anniversary of the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Hungaroring track will also be in use on the Tuesday and Wednesday 5th and 6th of August, when Pirelli is running a 2026 tyre development test.

    The Hungaroring facility is currently undergoing a major transformation. Firstly, the paddock area was refurbished and this year, the main changes relate to the pit lane and the main straight, as well the pit complex and the main grandstand.

    Usually, track evolution over the weekend is very high here, especially during the first two days. Graining could put in an appearance during Friday free practice, before gradually decreasing the more the track gets rubbered-in.

    The trio of slick tyre compounds is the same as last year: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).

    Up until last year, these would have been the softest tyres of all, but this year, the C6 was introduced.
    However, the new compound would be too extreme a choice for a track that exerts this level of energy density on the tyres for every lap.

    The most popular strategy was the two-stop last year, running various combinations of the C3 and C4. The Medium performed best and 13 drivers chose it for the start.
    Of the remaining seven, four went with the Soft and three with the Hard.

  • F3 – Belgium – Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-

    Slater aced his start to keep hold of the lead into Turn 1 ahead of Stromsted along the Kemmel Straight, the Hitech TGR driver defended into Les Combes, with Bruno del Pino and Wurz following in third and fourth behind them.

    Lap 2 and Wurz was able to pass the MP Motorsport driver to make it a Trident 2-3, though the leading pair had escaped out of DRS range to those behind.

    Across the line on the following lap, Stromsted had the gap to Slater down to 0.4s and along the Kemmel Straight, the Dane swept into the lead with DRS.

    Ugochukwu was on the move, having overtaken Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak and del Pino to get to P4 by Lap 3, he cleared Wurz around the outside into Les Combes to take third on Lap 4.

    Onto Lap 6 and Martinius Stenshorne put himself into fifth with a DRS pass on del Pino into Turn 5 and set his sights on Wurz, who was less than a second ahead.

    Having lost the lead earlier on, Slater fell out of DRS range to Stromsted and Ugochukwu moved himself into second with a DRS pass along the Kemmel Straight on Lap 7.

    Just behind them, Inthraphuvasak and del Pino went into battle at Turn 5, and the Campos Racing driver won their fight as the MP driver dipped a wheel into the gravel at Turn 6.
    That allowed Nikola Tsolov to sneak through for seventh as well.

    Wurz was able to take third from Slater on the following tour, while Championship rivals Rafael Camara and Mari Boya passed del Pino into Les Combes to take eighth and ninth places respectively.

    Entering Lap 9, Inthraphuvasak fell to eighth in a five-car battle as Stenshorne along with title rivals Tsolov, Camara and Boya fought by Slater.

    The Bulgarian passed Stenshorne for fourth place going into Lap 10 to put a car between himself and the Championship leader, but only briefly.
    Camara used DRS along the Kemmel Straight to break into the top five himself, going ahead of the Hitech driver at Turn 5.

    Crucially in the title picture, Boya was hit with a five-second time penatly on the pre-penultimate lap for exceeding track limits.
    The Spaniard was running in eighth position, but had several other drivers within that window going onto Lap 11 of 12.

    Onto the final lap and Inthraphuvasak passed Stenshorne to take sixth place, but teammate Boya couldn’t find a route past at Les Combes to follow.

    Up front, Stromsted went untroubled after taking the lead and dominated to earn his first F3 win by six seconds.

    The full top 10- P1: Stromsted, P2: Ugochukwu, P3: Wurz, P4: Tsolov, P5: Camara, P6: Inthraphuvasak, P7: Stenshorne, P8: Del Pino, P9: Badoer and P10: Slater.

    Day 3-

    The formation lap began behind the Safety Car, but still in torrential conditions. James Headley spun at Eau Rouge after aquaplaning off the road, while up ahead, Brando Badoer ran into the back of Tim Tramnitz.
    It left the PREMA Racing driver with race-ending damage and brought out the Red Flags.

    After waiting for conditions to improve, the race resumed under the Safety Car but there was more action as Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak spun in avoidance of his teammate Nikola Tsolov ahead of Turn 8.

    The Thai driver tried to rejoin but found himself beached on a kerb, requiring his car to be recovered.
    The race was then Red Flagged once again, and the announcement that it would not be resumed followed shortly afterwards.

    Due to no racing laps being completed before the final stoppage, no points were assigned.

  • R15 – London E-Prix

    Polesitter Evans led the pack away and through the opening left-right after a strong start with de Vries chopping across to defend from Wehrlein.

    Edo Mortara and Maximilian Guenther came to blows as the cars made their exit out of the Excel beneath the Docklands Light Railway, with the latter coming off worse with suspension damage to his front-right corner – enforcing a spell under the Safety Car for the recovery of his car.

    Lap 4 and we were green again, with Evans heading de Vries, Wehrlein, Cassidy, Ticktum and Mortara.

    The PIT BOOST window opened around lap 17 with Nick Cassidy able to make up ground from P5 at the outside to a net lead on Lap 20 as the stops began to shake the field up.

    De Vries and Wehrlein aimed to overcut Cassidy and the rest with an early Attack Mode deployments and late stops on Lap 25 – which proved a strong call as de Vries emerged from the pitlane ahead of the Jaguar driver and Wehrlein filtered into third.

    Lap 28 saw Nick Cassidy make use of his second ATTACK to retake P1 from de Vries out of the final turn on Lap 27.

    Contact saw Ticktum clip Mitch Evans into a spin and slipping out of the points on Lap 29 before the CUPRA Kiro driver found himself in trouble with an overambitious move at Turn 9 saw the Brit in the wall and out of the race.
    A Safety Car was required for the recovery of Ticktum’s car.

    Lap 35 saw the race go green once again with Cassidy leading the pack away, from there he was able to seal the deal and get things done.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Cassidy, P2: De Vries, P3: Wehrlein, P4: Vandoorne, P5: Vergne, P6: Mortara, P7: Frijns, P8: Dennis, P9: Nato and P10: Evans.

  • R13 – Belgium

    Oscar Piastri claimed victory in the Belgian Grand Prix, holding off McLaren team mate and title rival Lando Norris in a wet-dry affair at Spa-Francorchamps to extend his Drivers’ Championship lead to 16 points.

    Heavy rain ahead of the 44 lap race delayed proceedings by almost 80 minutes but once racing got underway on Lap 5, the crucial moment came immediately as Piastri got a better run on his team mate and polesitter through Eau Rouge.

    The Australian’s run was so great he completed the pass along the Kemmel Straight well before the braking zone of Les Combes and thereafter managed a margin of roughly one second in the early running.

    With the circuit having substantially dried and with track position, Piastri pitted on Lap 12 for the medium tyres with Norris forced to compete another lap, and after making his own stop the following tour for hard rubber, the Briton found himself nine seconds adrift.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Norris, P3: Leclerc, P4: Verstappen, P5: Russell, P6: Albon, P7: Hamilton, P8: Lawson, P9: Bortoleto and P10: Gasly.

    What a result for Oscar Piastri, he set his sights on the win and grabbed with both hands and didn’t look back, was a superb race from him.
    As for Norris, P2 for the Brit, a good result but I think he would be gutted not to get the win, however his teammate had the pace.

    P3 for Leclerc, a lovely result from the Ferrari driver, felt like that podium was well deserved, he did have a bit of pressure from Verstappen but he kept him at bay.
    As for Lewis Hamilton, what a drive! Pitlane to P7 wow, he was on a mission, it was great to see and he got rewarded with some points.

    As for Verstappen P4 for the Dutchman, a decent result, a shame he couldn’t get on the podium, but still a decent points haul.

    P5 for Russell, nothing amazing from the Mercedes driver, apart from a little fight with Alex Albon over the position.
    As for Antonelli, a weekend to forget for him, P16 unfortunately, he seemed like he had no pace at all really which is a shame.

    Points for Bortoleto! P9 for the Brazilian driver, he done well this weekend as Spa is a tricky circuit, especially more so in the rain.

    Now not too long to wait until the next round as we have been treated to a double header, so this weekend we head to the Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix!

  • F3 – Belgium – Day 1

    Practice-

    Mari Boya got his weekend off to the best possible start by topping a rescheduled Free Practice session at 2:06.111.

    The Campos Racing driver was immediately out front on his first attempt as everyone looked to make the most of the shortened 30 minute session.

    Boya set the early pace on a 2:06.111, 0.4s ahead of teammate Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak in an early 1-2 for the Spanish team.

    Ugo Ugochukwu disrupted that on his second attempt, moving up to second, 0.3s down on the best effort, but there were plenty more improving behind him.

    Martinius Stenshorne went second soon after and to within 0.121s of Boya’s earlier effort, while MP Motorsport’s Bruno del Pino moved himself up to third just over a tenth adrift of the Spaniard.

    After a brief spell in the pit lane, the track got busy once again inside the final 10 minutes.
    There were several personal bests logged but nobody could dislodge Boya from the P1 spot.

    Stenshorne and del Pino finished second and third ahead of Ugochukwu, with Inthraphuvasak completing the top five.

    Qualifying-

    AIX Racing’s Brad Benavides earned his and the team’s maiden FIA Formula 3 Aramco Pole Position Award late on in a thrilling Qualifying session.

    The American found time on his final attempt to record a 2:04.253 and beat Championship leader and TRIDENT driver Rafael Camara to the to spot, with Rodin Motorsport’s Callum Voisin in third.

    With the first runs in the books, Camara hit the front with a 2:05.557 to set the pace ahead of Ugo Ugochukwu by 0.234s.

    Practice pace-setter Mari Boya had been in the top five but lost his opening effort to exceeding track limits after running over the white line at Pouhon.

    Drivers remained on circuit for another attempt on their first set of tyres and there were improvements in the top 10. Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak closed the gap to Camara in second, with Alessandro Giusti third on his next attempt for MP Motorsport.

    Everyone returned to the pit lane with half the session remaining for a fresh set of the Pirelli Medium tyres.

    One of the drivers to go early on the second run was Theophile Nael, who went fastest on a 2:05.508. Van Amersfoort Racing Teammate Santiago Ramos improved to third, 0.172s down on the Frenchman’s laptime.

    With the rest of the grid back out for their next set of laps, Boya led the train and put in a personal best, but track evolution was huge, leading to a massive improvement in times.

    Benavides delivered a 2:04.253 for the provisional top spot with three minutes to go. Camara also made an improvement but could not better the time of the American driver, settling 0.106s behind in second.

    A squabble for track position ended when Ugochukwu moved to the head of the queue for the final attempts with less than 30 seconds to go and with almost the entire grid looking to start their final lap as late as possible.

    However, nobody could find an improvement, leaving Benavides with pole for the Feature Race on Sunday, his and AIX’s first in the championship.

    The top 10 are- Pole: Benavides, P2: Camara, P3: Voisin, P4: Bilinski, P5: Stenshorne, P6: Ugochukwu, P7: Tsolov, P8: Inthraphuvasak, P9: Wurz and P10: Del Pino.

  • Nielsen announced as Alpine Managing Director

    Alpine have signed Steve Nielsen as their Managing Director to oversee the day-to-day running of the team, reporting to executive advisor Flavio Briatore.

    The French manufacturer have been looking for a senior leader to manage the team on a daily basis following Oli Oakes’ departure from the Team Principal role in May.

    Following weeks of talks, Nielsen – a well respected member of the paddock – will leave his role as Chief Motorsports Operation Officer, Sporting, at commercial rights holder F1 to take up his new job on September 1st, ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

    Briatore, who has known Nielsen for decades, will continue to have overall responsibility for the project.

    It marks a return to Enstone for Nielsen, who has spent multiple stints with the squad under the previous guises Benetton, Renault and Lotus, including as Sporting Director during the 2005 and 2006 World Championship winning years.

    In recent years, Nielsen has spent time at F1 and governing body the FIA, and also has team experience from his time at Tyrrell, Honda, Toro Rosso and Arrows.

    Alpine are currently bottom of the Teams’ Championship on 19 points but are hoping to improve their fortunes next season when they switch to Mercedes power.