FighterControl

Not many changes for next year, Australia back in the opening slot for the first time since 2019 and we would have had 25 races if it hadn't been for Putin.

February 18: F1 75 Live season launch event, The O2

February 26-28: Pre-season Testing, Bahrain

March 14-16: Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne

March 21-23: Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai (Sprint weekend)

April 4-6: Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka

April 11-13: Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir

April 18-20: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah

May 2-4: Miami Grand Prix, Miami (Sprint weekend)

May 16-18: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Imola

May 23-25: Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco

May 30 - June 1: Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona

June 13-15: Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal

June 27-29: Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg

July 4-6: British Grand Prix, Silverstone

July 25-27: Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps (Sprint weekend)

August 1-3: Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest

August 29-31: Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort

September 5-7: Italian Grand Prix, Monza

September 19-21: Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku

October 3-5: Singapore Grand Prix, Singapore

October 17-19: United States Grand Prix, Austin (Sprint weekend)

October 24-26: Mexico City Grand Prix, Mexico City

November 7-9: Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Sao Paulo (Sprint weekend)

November 21-23: Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas

November 28-30: Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail (Sprint weekend)

December 5-7: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina

Right, I'll stick my neck out before we have any idea of the '25 car performances......

I think Hamilton will struggle to start as he settles in with a new team with Leclerc getting ahead initially, Hamilton will come on very strong at the end of the season with them ending in a similar place in the drivers. Ferrari to take the constructors.
More of the same at McLaren. Norris will edge Piastri but I think we'll have more mistakes from the team and until Norris grows a pair and stops jumping out of the way he's not champion material.
Red Bull will produce another duffer of a car, pains me to say it but their performance last year was down to the driver not the car, Perez is no slouch. It will be the same for Lawson but I think he'll do better than Perez did, but not by much. If '25 is anything like last year then Max's best chance is if too many other people are taking wins and nobody builds a big buffer at the top.
I don't rate Antonelli at all, only 6th in F2 last year and didn't do the full F3 Series. Maybe he has it but I don't think we'll see it in '25. That leaves us with Russel in hopefully a decent car who won't be battling his team mate, George Russell 2025 Drivers Champion it is then.

I'm interested to see what Happens between Albon and Sainz, Albon has been praised in recent years but this will be the first time in a while he's had a great team mate. I really like them both, could be fun and hoping Williams do well. Not expecting much from Aston, I think it will be about '26 for them, probably the same for Sauber. Not much interest in the rest but they do all have new full time drivers, hope Bearman does well at Haas and Doohan and Bortoleto are no slouches.

I guess we'll have some idea around 5am on 15th March

One thing for sure, it will be interesting. I agree with much of your assessments. Did you really mean, however, that last years Red Bull performance was down to the driver, not the car??. Possibly the other way round!. Regards. Eagerly looking forward>>>

Yup. Thar car was a dog the second half if the season. Despite all his short comings, Max really can drive. He just spoils it with all his nonsense. Still can't stand him though.

The Belgian GP has signed a contract until 2031. However it'll be on the calender for only 4/6 years, which is expected to be 2026,27,29 and 2031. 2028 and 2030 it will 'swap' with another venue(s).

Whilst the idea of rotations kind of makes sense, I'm not sure 4/6 is the way forward. Especially as Spa is one of the better circuits on the calender.
Monaco 1 year in 10?

Madness that, Spa is an amazing track. That aside, and I don't know what the plan is, but it was cool when we had a European GP that moved about, notable were Donnington ;93 and Jerez '97, both great races. Nürburgring then picked it up before alternating with Hockenheim. I still can't get my head around the fact that following the success of Schuey we had Seb then Merc dominance, so many big manufacturers and drivers from Germany and we have no German GP these days.
I never thought I'd say this but Monaco really needs to go, unless it rains it's a waste of time. It used to be an okay watch and you kind of got it due to the spectacle but it's hopeless now.

Anyone watch the O2 Car Launch? Bit drawn out, I managed about an hour. Not much to shout about with the liveries, I do like the VCARB, that's Visa Cash App Racing Bulls for another name change. One week to go until testing which will tell us absolutely nothing.

That’s the same name as last year isn’t it? Think Racing Bulls was used more.

Not quite, they always seemed to get referred to as the RB's or Team RB. Last night they were pushing the 'V-CARB' thing but the media seem to be going with Racing Bulls. Last year they were Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, this year they are Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team.

So...Torro Rosso, then? Makes sense, but think Racing Bulls will stick better!

I liked Torro Rosso, wish they'd never mucked about with it, mind you Minardi was even better.

Superbikes this week-end, F.1 shortly after... getting excited. Didn't watch the launch show, but have testing live from Bahrain on Sky in a few days time.

First official test starts tomorrow morning bright and early 06:50 am Sky Sports F1 ..I am just a tad bit excited about seeing Lewis finally in the Red suit …..keeping everything crossed for that 8th WDC and hopefully manufactures championship as well
Hope Russel and Norris do well I have a feeling McLaren will be strong there or thereabouts most of the time .
I was at Race Retro on Friday it was a brilliant event
I also competed on Sunday with my Uncle in the Historic Sporting Trials at Sywell we came joint 9th in class .all in all a excellent weekend
Went karting the other week too ,came 6th out of 15 karts ,in both 15min session at Hullavington M4 Karting ( I think probably my favourite karting indoor track )
Was very good fun not been karting for a few years ,surprised myself at how much better I have got

I can't wait but testing rarely gives much away these days, We'll truly know at Qualy in a few weeks. I'm still going for George as WDC.

I fancy Mclaren and Lando this season, it would be good to see Lewis do well at Ferrari, not long now.

I think the trouble at Ferrari and McLaren will have the problem of team mates battling one another stopping either building up a buffer.

I think Lando's got to be a lot more bullish this year, more elbows out to stand a chance, and George certainly won't take no sh*t from Max Though it's whether Mercedes have got the car.

Last year of these regs, the field seems a lot closer, so I think there's a real chance of a 3, maybe 4 way fight between Red Bull, Mclaren, Ferrari and Mercedes. I feel a lot of teams will be looking at 2026 already...

My "out there" for 2025 is a Leclerc WDC

1. Leclerc
2. Verstappen
3. Norris
4. Piastri
5. Hamilton

But I am a Ferrari follower more than anything so maybe biased I just hope we have some real good wheel to wheel racing (Clean racing) and overall a great season. (Looking at you, Max).

Interesting first day. Not much to tell from the little bit I managed too see. Only that the usual F1 eff-ups haven't gone away over the winter (venue wide power failure mid session), nor has Adolf/Vlad/Josef Bin Sallyam changed.

Looking forward to the season start, but not so much the 3 early green lights. Oz might have to be an all-nighter.

Interesting. Nice to see some action, although I don't place too much pre-race faith on testing times. As Frank Gardner [only us oldies will remember him] 'once told me 'when the flag drops, the Bull Sh.t stops'. Soon be here!!. Pretty Pi..d off about Eurosport disappearing!!. £8 a week for TNT sports instead!!. No thanks!. No more live Superbikes any more, including BSB!!, or Skiing, much to my wife's annoyance!.

I read that RB are already whinging about McLaren and Ferrari 'cheating' regarding the rear wings, the season hasn't even started