Max Verstappen has candidly expressed that he doesn’t foresee Red Bull leading the pack at the season opener in Australia. Despite Red Bull’s dominant form over the past four F1 seasons, which saw them clinch victories at the introductory rounds in 2023 and 2024, Verstappen remains cautious about their prospects this season.
Switching gears to Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion has voiced his initial impressions of Ferrari’s F1 car following his pre-season testing stint. On Wednesday morning, Hamilton took to the track in the SF-25, marking his debut session as a Ferrari driver and sharing insightful comparisons with Mercedes.
In other developments, Carlos Sainz has opened up about feeling somewhat disoriented in the cockpit of the new Williams FW47, the car he will drive in the 2025 season. Having transitioned from Ferrari to Williams over the winter, Sainz topped the timesheets during the second day of pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit but admitted to still acclimating to his new setup.
Meanwhile, Red Bull has leveled fresh accusations against its F1 competitors regarding a suspected “mini-DRS” trick. With all teams congregating in Bahrain for pre-season testing ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks, these allegations may prompt closer scrutiny from the FIA.
In an unexpected turn of events, former F1 steward Johnny Herbert has disclosed the abrupt nature of his dismissal from his FIA role. Known for his presence at numerous races as a steward, Herbert played a key role in overseeing on-track behavior between drivers.
Lastly, Alpine’s boss Oliver Oakes has not entirely dismissed the swirling rumors of a possible driver swap involving Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto. With Colapinto joining as a reserve driver from Williams, and Doohan on a short-term contract to prove himself at the start of his rookie season, the team is reportedly weighing its options.
