FORMULA ONE 2025.

[Cleoriff]

From 1/1/2025 Lewis Hamilton became a Ferrari driver.

The Ferrari media team released a very clever post.

Note the time it was posted. 16.44. 16  is Charles Leclerc's race number and 44 is Lewis Hamiltons number. (they are now team mates). Interesting to note that Mercedes have lost just under a million followers and Ferrari have gained over a million.

With all his farewell commitments to Mercedes, Lewis has not tested in last years Ferrari. (All new drivers did a test run in Abu Dhabi.) It's understood, he will be testing in Marinello, Italy, later this month.

A lot to learn. New car, new steering wheel, new team, new race engineer and new language.

Personally, I'm not expecting him to do that well initially. Only time will tell.

* F1 live at the O2 Arena London. February

* Pre- Season Testing in Bahrain 26th-28th February.

* 1st Race - Australia Friday March 14th-Sunday 16th March.

[Cleoriff]

Q3 

[Cleoriff]

SPANISH F1 GRID. 

[Cleoriff]

Lance Stroll drives for Aston Martin alongside Fernando Alonso.
Last year Stroll sustained a wrist injury after falling off his bike. It needed surgery. Apparently this is the same wrist causing him a lot of pain. 

As Stroll decided to drop out after Qualifying, the team can't use one of their reserve drivers. 

This means everyone from P14 moves up a place and there will only be 19 drivers on the grid. 

[pgn]

Stroll 😂

Sorry, only just noticed that 🙃

[Cleoriff]

Race Spain

Ferrari: Lewis started ahead of Charles, who then made up two places at the race start.  Lewis' car was very slow so he was asked to let Charles through. Nothing much happened until towards the end.  

Antonelli went off 10 laps from the end causing a safety car. After the restart, Max who was running 3rd, clipped George Russell and was told to give the place back, he refused. George thought he was giving it back, moved over and Max rammed him off the track. He was given a 10 second penalty which dropped him down to 10th. To be honest, with such a deliberate dangerous move, I though he should have been black flagged. 

The top 3 were unaffected. All those from 3rd -10th moved up a place. Well done to Hulkenberg who overtook Hamilton at the safety car restart. 

[jonsie]

I don't know why Max decided to come in under the safety car knowing that he only had Hard tyres available

Much less grip which probably frustrated Max leading to the incidents , first with Charles Le Clerc and then with George

It looked quite deliberate and he should have been disqualified

At least he didn't try to deny what he did when interviewed

It's a shame because this season I've quite liked Max when interviewed

But at least it livened up a somewhat dismal Spanish GP

[Cleoriff]

The team called him in @jonsie. Problem is, he thought he'd got soft tyres.

When he came out, he asked what tyres they had put on, when they said Hards, this was the start of his anger.

He was right to be angry with Leclerc (and their slight collision) as we heard the top three in the cool down room with Charles admitting he'd done it on purpose. 

So CL overtook him, more anger from Max as he'd lost 3rd place. 

Then the business with George Russell. He really blew it then...HE thought GR had hit HIM... so when his race engineer told him he had to give the place back this was the straw that 'broke the camels back'

He crashed deliberately into George and we both agree he should have been disqualified

However it's Max and Red Bull. 

We all know the FIA let them get away with everything. 

[Cleoriff]

@jonsie 

One thing to note: Verstappen also had 2 penalty points added to his Superlicence today.

1 more and he will be banned from racing, until the first penalty points are rescinded. 

He needs to be very careful in his next few races.

[Cleoriff]

Surprised about this. The 3 winning drivers need to watch what they say in the cool down room!

Charles admitted he hit Max on purpose. Add to that, Lando was watching the crash between GR and MV and he said, Max thinks he's on a go kart track. When the commentator asked him about this in the media pen, Lando denied it, He was told in the media pen, we'd all heard it quite clearly in the cool down room. Lando looked shocked and said, Lets talk about the race!! 😂

[Cleoriff]

Lots of movement in the Teams standings after the Spanish GP. 

Ferrari have moved up to 2nd from 4th (Due to Antonelli's Mercedes DNF and Max's penalty for RBR)