Max Verstappen is aiming for his fifth World Championship title in a row in the Red Bull
Image: Keystone
Putting pressure on the Red Bull star: the McLaren duo with Lando Norris (center) and Oscar Piastri (right)
Image: Keystone
Lewis Hamilton suddenly in red after twelve years at Mercedes, an unusual picture
Image: Keystone
Together with Charles Leclerc, Hamilton wants to heat up the competition with Ferrari
Image: Keystone
Mercedes continues to rely on George Russell
Image: Keystone
Nico Hülkenberg, the only German driver in the field, returns to Sauber
Image: Keystone
Max Verstappen is aiming for his fifth World Championship title in a row in the Red Bull
Image: Keystone
Putting pressure on the Red Bull star: the McLaren duo with Lando Norris (center) and Oscar Piastri (right)
Image: Keystone
Lewis Hamilton suddenly in red after twelve years at Mercedes, an unusual picture
Image: Keystone
Together with Charles Leclerc, Hamilton wants to heat up the competition with Ferrari
Image: Keystone
Mercedes continues to rely on George Russell
Image: Keystone
Nico Hülkenberg, the only German driver in the field, returns to Sauber
Image: Keystone
Formula 1 is once again a success story. In the season before the next radical changes to the regulations, there is great hope for balance.
13.03.2025, 04:01
SDA
There is a lot going right in Formula 1 at the moment, both on the sporting and the commercial side. The last season before the latest reform of the regulations, which among other things takes sustainability into account, is set to be the next chapter in a success story that began eight years ago in the fall with the change of ownership.
It was not only the takeover price of eight billion dollars, which the American company Liberty Media transferred to the Luxembourg-based company CVC Capital Partners, that caused a stir at the time. The new owners' ideas about the Formula 1 of the future, turning the tottering giant back into a flourishing company with global appeal, also made people sit up and take notice. Formula 1 has regained its status as a premium brand in every respect. It is back at the top of the list of favorites at all levels.
Even the biggest skeptics have long been certain that the makers from the USA did not promise too much. The latest success story is further confirmation that the direction they have set is the right one. A few days ago, those responsible published the business figures for the past year - and were once again able to report record figures. The turnover of 3.4 billion dollars is a record result, as is the profit of just under half a billion. For comparison: in the last season before Liberty Media took over, Formula 1 reported a profit of 47 million dollars. Bigger profits also mean more money for the teams. This time, a total of 1.266 billion dollars will be distributed to the ten teams.
The welcome turnaround
From a sporting point of view, the hope is for a similarly balanced World Championship as that which developed in the second half of last season. Max Verstappen's solo run in the Red Bull, which was looming on the horizon again, turned into a battle with four teams involved, who met on equal terms and ensured that the predictable evaporated and balance was restored to the title fight.
This welcome turnaround was made possible by the regulations, which were introduced a year late due to the coronavirus pandemic and are now in their fourth season, and which, among other things, were aimed at achieving this balance. The number of supporters in favor of retaining the current technical specifications has naturally grown in recent months.
The argument that the regulations that will apply from next season onwards offer no guarantee for the continuation of the current balance of power and harbor the risk of a return to monotony cannot be dismissed out of hand. However, those responsible have not acted entirely free of public pressure. With the new regulations, they are creating the basis for Formula 1's next step into a "green" future.
In this way, they are securing the pioneering role of the first class of motor sport in the development sector, the findings of which can also be used by manufacturers of civilian vehicles. The growing number of car companies with links to Formula 1 will continue to increase in the coming year. Audi as the new driving force behind the Sauber team and the entry of General Motors with the Cadillac brand are emblematic of the correctness of the realignment in Formula 1.
The vague projections
Before the realignment, there is still a world championship to come, for which, as usual, only tendencies can be discerned at this stage. The three days of testing on the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain in the week before last naturally left many questions unanswered. Once again, the differences in the use of the available preparation time were too great for a clear picture. As the data collected by the technicians is not intended for the public, the lap times driven are the main point of reference.
The McLaren team is said to have made the best impression, as far as can be determined from the limited possibility of analysis. "Extrapolations" are said to have revealed that drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the orange cars can start the new season with a time advantage of around two tenths of a second over their direct competitors.
The next best teams in the hierarchy are Red Bull with four-time world champion and defending champion Max Verstappen, Ferrari with now seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton at the wheel of one car and Mercedes. It is expected that the advantages within this quartet will shift from race weekend to race weekend.
Team Sauber is listed at the very end of the scale, even after the double driver reshuffle from Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu to Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. Nevertheless, they are confident in Hinwil that this time it will be more than just last place in the constructors' rankings.
This Sunday's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne marks the start of a World Championship that, like last year, has 24 Grands Prix on the calendar. 24 weekends that will confirm that there is a lot going right in Formula 1 at the moment.
