Formula 1 Season 2025

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Hamilton wins “masterclass of tyre management” in Shanghai sprint race
Lewis Hamilton scored his first victory as a Ferrari driver in the sprint race at Shanghai.

Chinese GP
Sprint Session
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model Laps  Time       Gap     Pts
 1  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25  19   30:39.965s  -       8
 2  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  19   30:46.854s  6.889s  7
 3   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21   19   30:49.769s  9.804s  6
 4  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16    19   30:51.557s 11.592s  5
 5  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25  19   30:52.155s 12.190s  4
 6  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              RB02   19   31:02.253s 22.288s  3
 7  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16    19   31:03.003s 23.038s  2
 8   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  19   31:03.436s 23.471s  1
 9  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  19   31:04.881s 24.916s
10  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  19   31:18.183s 38.218s
11  23  Alex Albon        Williams-Mercedes     FW47   19   31:19.257s 39.292s
12  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525   19   31:19.614s 39.649s
13   6  Isack Hadjar      RB-Honda              RB02   19   31:22.365s 42.400s
14  30  Liam Lawson       Red Bull-Honda        RB21   19   31:24.869s 44.904s
15  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  19   31:25.614s 45.649s
16  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  19   31:26.147s 46.182s
17  55  Carlos Sainz      Williams-Mercedes     FW47   19   31:31.341s 51.376s
18   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45    19   31:33.905s 53.940s
19  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45    19   31:36.647s 56.682s
20   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525   19   31:50.177s 70.212s

Here is the World Standings after the Chinese Sprint:

World Championships Standings
Driver Standings
Pos Driver               Pts
 1  Lando Norris          26
 2  Max Verstappen        24
 3  George Russell        20
 4  Andrea Antonelli      14
 5  Alexander Albon       10
 6  Oscar Piastri          9
 7  Lewis Hamilton         9
 8  Lance Stroll           8
 9  Charles Leclerc        8
10  Nico Hulkenberg        6
11  Yuki Tsunoda           3
12  Pierre Gasly           0
13  Esteban Ocon           0
14  Oliver Bearman         0
15  Liam Lawson            0
16  Gabriel Bortoleto      0
17  Fernando Alonso        0
18  Carlos Sainz           0
19  Jack Doohan            0
20  Isack Hadjar           0
Constructor Standings
Pos Team             Pts
 1  McLaren           35
 2  Mercedes          34
 3  Red Bull          24
 4  Ferrari           17
 5  Williams          10
 6  Aston Martin       8
 7  Sauber             6
 8  Racing Bulls       3
 9  Alpine             0
10  Haas               0

Sprint race struggle was “my worst nightmare” says Norris after falling to eighth
Lando Norris described his sprint race performance as “my worst nightmare” after falling from sixth on the grid to finish eighth.

Victorious Hamilton hits back at critics over “uneducated guesses” and “negativity”
Lewis Hamilton said his victory in the sprint race in Shanghai was the perfect response to those who criticised his performance on his Ferrari debut last week.

FIA fines Williams €50,000 over missing video footage
The FIA has fined Williams €50,000 (£42,000), of which €40,000 has been suspended, for failing to supply video footage from its car when requested.

I wasn’t trying to pass Hamilton or defend from Piastri, Verstappen admits
Max Verstappen said he never thought he would be able to fight Lewis Hamilton for victory in today’s sprint race.

Doohan handed two penalty points for collision with Bortoleto
Jack Doohan has collected the first penalty points of his Formula 1 career for a last-lap crash in today’s sprint race.

Piastri claims first pole position as Russell denies McLaren a one-two
Oscar Piastri will start the Chinese Grand Prix from pole position after breaking the track record in Shanghai.

Chinese GP
Qualifying Session
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model  Time      Gap
 1  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  1:30.641s  -
 2  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16    1:30.723s 0.082s
 3   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  1:30.793s 0.152s
 4   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21   1:30.817s 0.176s
 5  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25  1:30.927s 0.286s
 6  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25  1:31.021s 0.380s
 7   6  Isack Hadjar      Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02   1:31.079s 0.438s
 8  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16    1:31.103s 0.462s
 9  22  Yuki Tsunoda      Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02   1:31.638s 0.997s
10  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW47   1:31.706s 1.065s
11  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  1:31.625s 0.838s
12  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45    1:31.632s 0.845s
13  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  1:31.688s 0.901s
14  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  1:31.773s 0.986s
15  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Williams-Mercedes     FW47   1:31.840s 1.053s
16  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525   1:31.992s 1.009s
17  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  1:32.018s 1.035s
18   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525   1:32.092s 1.109s
19   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45    1:32.141s 1.158s
20  30  Liam Lawson       Red Bull-Honda        RB21   1:32.174s 1.191s

Norris making “too many mistakes” and not as comfortable as in Melbourne
Lando Norris admitted he has made too many mistakes so far this weekend after qualifying third on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Racing Bulls fined €5,000 for releasing Hadjar into Verstappen’s path
The FIA stewards fined Racing Bulls €5,000 (£4,200) for causing a potentially unsafe incident in the pits during qualifying.

Piastri was “genuinely struggling” in qualifying before clinching first pole
Oscar Piastri said qualifying was not going well for him until Q3, when he grabbed pole position.

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Piastri reveals he was “tempted” to abandon his pole-winning lap
Oscar Piastri revealed he almost abandoned his lap which secured pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix and broke the track record for the Shanghai International Circuit.

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Piastri leads McLaren one-two in China as Norris survives brake scare
Oscar Piastri led a one-two for McLaren in the Chinese Grand Prix, but the team suffered a scare on his team mate’s car in the final laps.

Chinese GP
Race Results
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model  Laps Time         Gap      Pts
 1  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   56  1:30:55.026s  -        25
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   56  1:31:04.774s  9.748s   18
 3  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16     56  1:31:06.123s 11.097s   15
 4   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21    56  1:31:11.682s 16.656s   12
 5  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   56  1:31:44.995s 49.969s   10
 6  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16     56  1:31:48.774s 53.748s    8
 7  23  Alex Albon        Williams-Mercedes     FW47    56  1:31:51.347s 56.321s    6
 8  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   56  1:31:56.329s 61.303s    4
 9  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   56  1:32:05.230s 70.204s    2
10  55  Carlos Sainz      Williams-Mercedes     FW47    56  1:32:11.413s 76.387s    1
11   6  Isack Hadjar      RB-Honda              RB02    56  1:32:13.901s 78.875s
12  30  Liam Lawson       Red Bull-Honda        RB21    56  1:32:16.173s 81.147s
13   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525    56  1:32:23.427s 88.401s
14   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45     55   1 Lap
15  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45     55   1 Lap
16  22  Yuki Tsunoda      RB-Honda              RB02    55   1 Lap
dnf 14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25    4  52 Laps
dq  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25   Disqualified
dq  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25   Disqualified
dq  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525    Disqualified

Here is the World Standings after the Chinese GP:

World Championships Standings
Driver Standings
Pos Driver                Pts
 1  Lando Norris           44
 2  Max Verstappen         36
 3  George Russell         35
 4  Oscar Piastri          34
 5  Andrea Antonelli       22
 6  Alexander Albon        16
 7  Esteban Ocon           10
 8  Lance Stroll           10
 9  Lewis Hamilton          9
10  Charles Leclerc         8
11  Nico Hulkenberg         6
12  Oliver Bearman          4
13  Yuki Tsunoda            3
14  Carlos Sainz Jnr        1
15  Pierre Gasly            0
15  Isack Hadjar            0
17  Liam Lawson             0
18  Jack Doohan             0
19  Gabriel Bortoleto       0
20  Fernando Alonso         0
Constructor Standings
Pos Team              Pts
 1  McLaren            78
 2  Mercedes           57
 3  Red Bull           36
 4  Williams           17
 5  Ferrari            17
 6  Haas               14
 7  Aston Martin       10
 8  Sauber              6
 9  Racing Bulls        3
10  Alpine              0

Norris was “a little bit scared” when brakes began to fail at end of race
Lando Norris said his growing brake failure during the Chinese Grand Prix was a “nightmare.”

Doohan up to four penalty points already after forcing Hadjar off in Chinese GP
Alpine rookie Jack Doohan has collected four penalty points in a single weekend in China.

Lack of pre-season testing hurt Red Bull debut but it’s ‘no excuse’ – Lawson
Liam Lawson refuses to make excuses for his poor start to the season at Red Bull, but admits he would have benefited from more pre-season running in one of the team’s cars.

Alonso says his brake failure could have ‘taken four or five cars out’
Fernando Alonso said he was lucky the brake failure which put him out of the race happened at a quick corner and not a slow one.

Hamilton, Leclerc and Gasly at risk of disqualification over technical infringements
Both Ferrari drivers and Pierre Gasly are at risk of disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix after their cars failed post-race technical checks.

Official:
Hamilton, Leclerc and Gasly disqualified from Chinese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after their cars failed post-race technical checks.

Set-up changes after sprint race win made car feel “terrible” – Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton said the changes he made to his car after winning the sprint race ruined its balance.

Front wing failure “shouldn’t happen” says Tsunoda after “frustrating” race
Yuki Tsunoda was the last driver circulating at the end of the Chinese Grand Prix after a poor strategy was exacerbated by an unusual front wing failure on his car.

Lawson is relieved the next track is one he knows – but he could be out by then
Liam Lawson is looking forward to driving at a track he knows after two poor weekends on unfamiliar circuits.

Wolff rates Russell’s Chinese Grand Prix performance “10 out of 10”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff heaped praise on George Russell after he finished on the podium for the second time in as many races in Shanghai.

F1 responds after Ferrari calls broadcast of Hamilton’s radio a “joke”
Formula One Management has held talks with Ferrari after the team complained over its use of Lewis Hamilton’s radio messages during yesterday’s Chinese Grand Prix.

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McLaren “in a better situation” with race starts compared to last year – Stella
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says the team has made progress in an area which was often a weakness for them last year.

Even the best driver on the grid needs a team mate to push them – Norris
Lando Norris said McLaren’s strong driver pairing is a vital advantage for them, after they won the two opening rounds of the new season.

Tsunoda to replace Lawson at Red Bull at Japanese Grand Prix, reports claim
Red Bull has decided to drop Liam Lawson after just two starts for the team, multiple publications are reporting.

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Official:
Red Bull drop Lawson after two rounds, Tsunoda to drive at Suzuka
Red Bull has dropped Liam Lawson after just two rounds of the 2025 F1 season.

Mercedes explain impact of Antonelli’s floor damage on his Chinese GP performance
Mercedes has shed light on how seriously the floor damage Andrea Kimi Antonelli sustained during the Chinese Grand Prix affected his pace.

Vettel: My only regret is not speaking out earlier in my Formula 1 career
Four-times Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel says he regrets not being more vocal about equality, climate change and other social issues which concern him earlier in his career.

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Lawson delivered “too little” and promoting him was a “mistake” – Marko
Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko has admitted the team made a mistake by promoting Liam Lawson to its line-up this year.

Van der Garde’s criticism of Red Bull endorsed by Verstappen and other drivers
Former Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde has struck a chord among some on the grid today with a strongly-worded criticism of Red Bull.

Williams is not alone in racing “evolution” of last year’s chassis this season – Vowles
Williams team principal James Vowles has confirmed both his drivers are racing updated versions of last year’s car.

Beganovic to make Ferrari debut in practice at Bahrain Grand Prix
Ferrari Driver Academy member Dino Beganovic will make his debut in an official Formula 1 practice session next month.

Red Bull reassure Verstappen over ‘when we’ll have a winning car again’ in meeting
Red Bull held a meeting with Max Verstappen following the Chinese Grand Prix to reassure him over their development plans.

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Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Japanese GP:

Japanese GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   07:30 To 08:30
Practice Session 2   11:00 To 12:00

Saturday
Practice Session 3   07:30 To 08:30
Qualifying Session   11:00 To 12:00

Sunday
Race                 10:00 To 12:00

[genius83]

Bringing back V10 engines “like saying we could run without the Halo” – Alonso
Fernando Alonso is not convinced reintroducing V10 engines to Formula 1 is the right direction for the sport.

Haas to race special ‘sakura’ livery at Japanese Grand Prix
Haas will introduce a variation on its usual livery to mark the start of cherry blossom season at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

VF-25's Japanese GP Special Livery

Vowles reveals the reality behind Drive to Survive’s portrayal of Sainz negotiations
Williams team principal James Vowles has explained how his attempts to sign Carlos Sainz Jnr last year differed from its portrayal in Drive to Survive.

Williams signs former Alpine junior Martins as ninth member of driver academy
Williams has signed former Alpine junior driver Victor Martins to its academy.

Aston Martin’s F1 future “as secure as ever” as carmaker sells stake in team
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll says the F1 team’s future remains secure after the carmaker sold its stake in the Silverstone-based squad.

Red Bull counting on Tsunoda to ‘maximise a race strategy that favours Verstappen’
Red Bull have made their expectations of Yuki Tsunoda clear as he prepares to start his first race for the team this weekend.

Doohan to miss first practice at Suzuka as Hirakawa makes home debut for Alpine
Jack Doohan will not take part in the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Red Bull reveals Honda tribute livery for Japanese Grand Prix
Red Bull will pay tribute to its engine supplier Honda by running a special livery at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

RB21 Honda Tribute Livery

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Tsunoda expects his driving style will work at Red Bull “otherwise I wouldn’t be here”
Yuki Tsunoda is confident he will be able to cope with the unusual handling characteristics of Red Bull’s car following his sudden promotion to the team after the last race.

Lawson’s rapid ‘downgrade’ doesn’t surprise Sainz: ‘Just the way things are in Red Bull’
Carlos Sainz Jnr said the news Red Bull had dropped Liam Lawson after just two rounds came as no surprise to him.

Ferrari not fearing for championship despite falling to fifth in points – Leclerc
Ferrari remains hopeful about its championship chances this year despite its poor start to the season, says Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen keeps a lid on his dissatisfaction over Red Bull’s Lawson shambles
Max Verstappen subtly indicated his view of Red Bull’s extraordinary decision to drop his team mate after just two grands prix when the team announced the decision a week ago.

Hamilton says he’s playing catch-up with 2025 tyres after testing disruptions
Lewis Hamilton began the season still learning how to get the best from Pirelli’s 2025-specification tyres because of disruptions to his pre-season testing programme.

“Not an easy car to drive”: Two other drivers Red Bull dropped on Lawson’s exit
Two of Liam Lawson’s rivals on the grid have first-hand experience of getting the boot from Red Bull.

Lawson determined to “prove why I belong here” after ousting from Red Bull
Liam Lawson says he is determined to prove he belongs in Formula 1 after Red Bull demoted him to their second team just two rounds into his first full season.

Red Bull made it clear to Tsunoda “the main priority is Max”
Red Bull has made sure Yuki Tsunoda has no doubts over their priority after he became the team’s latest driver.

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Norris quickest in first practice as Tsunoda makes a strong start at Red Bull
Lando Norris led the first practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix while Red Bull’s new driver made a promising start.

Japanese GP
Practice Session 1
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap    Laps
 1   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:28.549s  -      24
 2  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16     1:28.712s 0.163s  29
 3  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25   1:28.965s 0.416s  27
 4  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25   1:29.051s 0.502s  25
 5   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:29.065s 0.516s  23
 6  22  Yuki Tsunoda      Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:29.172s 0.623s  25
 7  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:29.222s 0.673s  25
 8   6  Isack Hadjar      Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:29.225s 0.676s  28
 9  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16     1:29.284s 0.735s  28
10  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:29.333s 0.784s  28
11  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:29.392s 0.843s  25
13  30  Liam Lawson       Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:29.536s 0.987s  28
14  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525    1:29.547s 0.998s  23
15  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:29.708s 1.159s  25
16  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:29.758s 1.209s  25
17  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:30.023s 1.474s  21
18  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:30.077s 1.528s  17
19  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:30.123s 1.574s  21
20   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:30.147s 1.598s  26

Verstappen’s team mates need “calmer”, less competitive car set-ups – Horner
Red Bull needs to give Max Verstappen’s team mates less competitive set-ups because they cannot handle his “unique” approach to extracting performance from the car, says team principal Christian Horner.

Drivers get new instructions on where to retire cars in line with FIA rule change
Formula 1 drivers have been given new guidance on where they should stop their cars if they need to retire during sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Red Bull feels “a bit more tricky” than it did in the simulator – Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda admitted Red Bull’s car is trickier to drive in real life than it is in the simulator, after his first run in it today.

Hamilton and Stroll handed formal warnings for queue-jumping in pit lane
The stewards have issued formal warnings to Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll for overtaking their rivals in the pit lane during practice.

FIA taking steps to prevent repeat of grass fires which disrupted practice
The FIA is taking measures to prevent further disruption to the Japanese Grand Prix weekend following the grass fires which occured during second practice.

Piastri leads McLaren one-two after huge crash for Doohan and four red flags
Oscar Piastri kept McLaren on top of the times at Suzuka after no fewer than four red flags disrupted the second hour of running.

Japanese GP
Practice Session 2
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap  
 1  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:28.114s  -
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:28.163s 0.049s
 3   6  Isack Hadjar      Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:28.518s 0.404s
 4  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25   1:28.544s 0.430s
 5  30  Liam Lawson       Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:28.559s 0.445s
 6  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16     1:28.567s 0.453s
 7  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25   1:28.586s 0.472s
 8   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:28.670s 0.556s
 9  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525    1:28.757s 0.643s
10  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:28.832s 0.718s
11  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:29.023s 0.909s
12  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:29.062s 0.948s
13   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:29.335s 1.221s
14  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:29.507s 1.393s
15  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:29.654s 1.540s
16  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16     1:29.733s 1.619s
17  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:29.978s 1.864s
18  22  Yuki Tsunoda      Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:30.625s 2.511s
19  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:30.845s 2.731s
20   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525    1:31.659s 3.545s

Alpine confirm Doohan crashed after failing to close his DRS at turn one
Alpine has confirmed the cause of Jack Doohan’s huge crash in the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix.

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Norris completes practice sweep for McLaren after more grass fires at Suzuka
McLaren completed a sweep of the three practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix as Lando Norris narrowly led team mate Oscar Piastri in the final hour before qualifying.

Japanese GP
Practice Session 3
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap    Laps
 1   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:27.965s  -      17
 2  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:27.991s 0.026s  17
 3  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16     1:28.077s 0.112s  15
 4  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25   1:28.414s 0.449s  13
 5   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:28.497s 0.532s  21
 6  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25   1:28.524s 0.559s  13
 7  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:28.554s 0.589s   4
 8  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525    1:28.603s 0.638s  15
 9  22  Yuki Tsunoda      Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:28.785s 0.820s  15
10   6  Isack Hadjar      Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:28.786s 0.821s  16
11  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:28.846s 0.881s  22
12  30  Liam Lawson       Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:29.104s 1.139s   4
13  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16     1:29.126s 1.161s  20
14   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525    1:29.767s 1.802s  15
15  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:29.772s 1.807s  17
16  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:30.084s 2.119s  17
17   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:30.134s 2.169s  13
18  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:30.183s 2.218s  17
19  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:30.267s 2.302s  16
20  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:30.621s 2.656s  17

Doohan’s crash is on him, but benching him for first practice made no sense
The Japanese Grand Prix is Jack Doohan’s fourth appearance as a Formula 1 race driver.

Drivers warned they may face tougher penalties for queue-jumping in qualifying
The Japanese Grand Prix stewards have warned drivers they may issue tougher penalties for queue-jumping in the pit lane following four incidents during practice.

Verstappen stuns Norris and Piastri to claim record-breaking pole at Suzuka
Max Verstappen broke the Suzuka track record as he denied McLaren a front row lock-out for the Japanese Grand Prix by just 12 thousandths of a second.

Japanese GP
Qualifying Session
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model   Time      Gap
 1   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:26.983s  -
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:26.995s 0.012s
 3  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   1:27.027s 0.044s
 4  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25   1:27.299s 0.316s
 5  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16     1:27.318s 0.335s
 6  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16     1:27.555s 0.572s
 7   6  Isack Hadjar      Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:27.569s 0.586s
 8  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25   1:27.610s 0.627s
 9  23  Alexander Albon   Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:27.615s 0.632s
10  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:27.867s 0.884s
11  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525    1:27.822s 0.676s
12  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr  Williams-Mercedes     FW47    1:27.836s 0.690s
13  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:27.897s 0.751s
14  30  Liam Lawson       Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02    1:27.906s 0.760s
15  22  Yuki Tsunoda      Red Bull-Honda        RB21    1:28.000s 0.854s
16  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:28.570s 0.883s
17   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45     1:28.622s 0.935s
18  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   1:28.696s 1.009s
19   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525    1:28.877s 1.190s
20  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   1:29.271s 1.584s

Norris says McLaren’s car is “a lot more back to my liking” in Suzuka
Lando Norris missed pole position by a slim margin at Suzuka, but said he feels more confident at the wheel of his McLaren than he did at the previous round.

Bearman says “iRacing line” helped him to surprise Q3 appearance at Suzuka
Oliver Bearman admitted he was surprised to reach Q3 at Suzuka and said he benefited from using the “iRacing line.”

Verstappen thought he was going off six times during Suzuka pole lap
Max Verstappen thought he had over-committed on several occasions during his pole-winning lap at Suzuka.

Hadjar drove “nearly fantastic” lap despite seat belt causing pain in sensitive area
Isack Hadjar was especially pleased with his qualifying effort after suffering pain in a sensitive area during qualifying.

Sainz handed three-place grid drop for impeding Hamilton
The stewards have penalised Carlos Sainz Jnr three places on the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix for impeding Lewis Hamilton during the session.

“Only he can do it”: Alonso hails Verstappen’s “magical” Suzuka pole position lap
Fernando Alonso described Max Verstappen’s surprise pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix as a “magical moment.”

Tsunoda “very sad” after qualifying 15th for Red Bull debut
Yuki Tsunoda was dejected after qualifying 15th in his first race as a Red Bull driver.

[genius83]

Verstappen defies Norris to win Japanese Grand Prix after pit lane skirmish
Max Verstappen resisted the McLarens to score his first victory of 2025 in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Japanese GP
Race Results
Pos No. Driver            Team                  Model  Laps Time         Gap      Pts
 1   1  Max Verstappen    Red Bull-Honda        RB21    53  1:22:06.983s  -        25
 2   4  Lando Norris      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   53  1:22:08.406s  1.423s   18
 3  81  Oscar Piastri     McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39   53  1:22:09.112s  2.129s   15
 4  16  Charles Leclerc   Ferrari               SF-25   53  1:22:23.080s 16.097s   12
 5  63  George Russell    Mercedes              W16     53  1:22:24.345s 17.362s   10
 6  12  Andrea Antonelli  Mercedes              W16     53  1:22:25.654s 18.671s    8
 7  44  Lewis Hamilton    Ferrari               SF-25   53  1:22:36.165s 29.182s    6
 8   6  Isack Hadjar      RB-Honda              RB02    53  1:22:44.117s 37.134s    4
 9  23  Alex Albon        Williams-Mercedes     FW47    53  1:22:47.350s 40.367s    2
10  87  Oliver Bearman    Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   53  1:23:01.512s 54.529s    1
11  14  Fernando Alonso   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   53  1:23:04.316s 57.333s
12  22  Yuki Tsunoda      Red Bull-Honda        RB21    53  1:23:05.384s 58.401s
13  10  Pierre Gasly      Alpine-Renault        A525    53  1:23:09.105s 62.122s
14  55  Carlos Sainz      Williams-Mercedes     FW47    53  1:23:21.112s 74.129s
15   7  Jack Doohan       Alpine-Renault        A525    53  1:23:28.297s 81.314s
16  27  Nico Hulkenberg   Sauber-Ferrari        C45     53  1:23:28.940s 81.957s
17  30  Liam Lawson       RB-Honda              RB02    53  1:23:29.717s 82.734s
18  31  Esteban Ocon      Haas-Ferrari          VF-25   53  1:23:30.421s 82.734s
19   5  Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber-Ferrari        C45     53  1:23:30.880s 83.897s
20  18  Lance Stroll      Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25   52  1 Lap

Here is the World Championships Standings after Japanese GP:

World Championships Standings
Driver Standings
Pos Driver                  Pts
 1  Lando Norris             62
 2  Max Verstappen           61
 3  Oscar Piastri            49
 4  George Russell           45
 5  Andrea Kimi Antonelli    30
 6  Charles Leclerc          20
 7  Alexander Albon          18
 8  Lewis Hamilton           15
 9  Esteban Ocon             10
10  Lance Stroll             10
11  Nico Hulkenberg           6
12  Oliver Bearman            5
13  Isack Hadjar              4
14  Yuki Tsunoda              3
15  Carlos Sainz Jnr          1
16  Pierre Gasly              0
17  Fernando Alonso           0
18  Liam Lawson               0
19  Jack Doohan               0
20  Gabriel Bortoleto         0
Constructor Standings
Pos Team	       Pts
 1  McLaren            111
 2  Mercedes            75
 3  Red Bull            61
 4  Ferrari             35
 5  Williams            19
 6  Haas                15
 7  Aston Martin        10
 8  Racing Bulls         7
 9  Sauber               6
10  Alpine               0

Norris: Tyres overheated too much whenever I got close to Verstappen
Lando Norris said his attempts to challenge Max Verstappen for the lead of the Japanese Grand Prix were thwarted by his tyres overheating.

Verstappen “couldn’t have wished for a better weekend” at Honda’s home track
Max Verstappen said winning on home ground for engine supplier Honda was an “insane” result for Red Bull.

Hulkenberg blames Suzuka’s new track surface as drivers call race “boring”
Nico Hulkenberg described his Japanese Grand Prix as “mostly boring” and believes the new track surface at Suzuka was responsible.

Sainz fined €20,000 for arriving late to national anthem ceremony
The Japanese Grand Prix stewards have fined Carlos Sainz Jnr €20,000 (£17,000) because he arrived late to the pre-race performance of the national anthem.

Hamilton waiting for new part to fix “something underperforming” on Ferrari’s car
Ferrari has identified a problem with its car which has been present since the start of the season, Lewis Hamilton revealed after the Japanese Grand Prix.

Verstappen’s pit stop delay was due to Red Bull using reserve crew – Horner
Max Verstappen lost time in his pit stop during the Japanese Grand Prix because two key team members were missing, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner explained.

McLaren denies its strategy cost Norris chance to win Japanese Grand Prix
McLaren insist it did not make a mistake by calling Lando Norris into the pits on the same lap as leader Max Verstappen during the Japanese Grand Prix.

[genius83]

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Bahrain GP:

Bahrain GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   16:30 To 17:30
Practice Session 2   20:00 To 21:00

Saturday
Practice Session 3   17:00 To 18:00
Qualifying Session   21:00 To 22:00

Sunday
Race                 20:00 To 22:00

[genius83]

Hirakawa leaves Alpine to join Haas as test and reserve driver
Ryo Hirakawa has parted ways with Alpine three months after becoming their test and reserve driver and joined Haas in the same role.

Bahrain’s low-speed corners will play to Red Bull’s strength over McLaren – Norris
Lando Norris expects Max Verstappen will be a significant threat again in this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix as the track layout will play to Red Bull’s strengths.

Cadillac’s F1 driver shortlist for 2026 has “seven or eight” names
Cadillac is considering as many as eight different drivers for the two new seats which will be created when the team joins Formula 1 next year.

Vesti, Browning and Drugovich join Hirakawa and Beganovic for Bahrain practice runs
Five Formula 1 teams will run rookie drivers in the first practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.

[zia1288]

Verstappen and Russel are hanging in there with consistency. If at some stage, RB or Mercedes find some upgrade (especially after round 9, banning of flexi wings), I guess Max will be in a strong position. McLaren has to utilize it's advantage to pull up a gap till then.

[genius83]

Haas F1 team owner warns over “significant impact” of Trump’s huge tariffs increase
Haas Automation, the machine tools company run by Formula 1 team owner Gene Haas, has warned US president Donald Trump’s introduction of steep tariffs on goods is having a “significant impact” on its business.

FIA and McLaren produce new guidebook on sustainable F1 car development
The FIA has worked with McLaren and Deloitte to produce a guide for Formula 1 teams on how to produce racing cars more sustainably.

@zia1288
Well both teams have to hit the upgrades the first time they introduce them to be a success otherwise with new rules coming next season they will switch their focus towards them by the end of June.

[hassan918]

Super excited to be attending my first-ever F1 race this weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix! Really looking forward to the on-track action, but also can’t wait to check out all the events and activities happening around the Bahrain International Circuit. One highlight for me will be seeing R3HAB perform on Friday, he is one of my favorite music artists.

If any other PakWheels fans are heading to Bahrain for the GP, drop a reply here. It would be great to meet up and enjoy the weekend together!

[genius83]

Motorsport UK criticises FIA response after threat of legal action
The chair of Motorsport UK says he is dissatisfied with the FIA’s response to concerns he raised in a letter last month threatening legal action.

Mercedes took note of Verstappen’s out-lap tactics after stunning Suzuka pole position
Mercedes regretted not mimicking Max Verstappen’s out-lap tactics which led to his surprise pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend.

Reid resigns as FIA deputy president in fresh blow to Ben Sulayem
Robert Reid, the FIA’s deputy president for sport who backed Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s successful bid for election in 2021, has resigned.

Extra mandatory pit stop won’t create more passing at tracks like Suzuka – Sainz
Forcing drivers to make an extra pit stop would not encourage more overtaking in processional races like last week’s Japanese Grand Prix, says Carlos Sainz Jnr.

“S*** happens”: Sainz dares FIA to fine him again after €10,000 sanction for lateness
Carlos Sainz Jnr put himself at risk of incurring a further fine from the FIA after he was told to pay a €10,000 (£8,500) sanction last weekend.

@hassan918
Congratulations on the trip and pics are welcome.

[genius83]

Verstappen insists McLaren domination claim was ‘no joke’ after Piastri’s doubt
Oscar Piastri does not believe Max Verstappen was serious with his claim he would have dominated the Japanese Grand Prix in McLaren’s car.

Audi don’t have “huge appetite” to swap new hybrid engines for V10s – Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg, who will drive for Audi when the German brand enters Formula 1 next year, says they don’t support a mooted switch to V10 engines.

Hamilton expecting “a bit more downforce” from Ferrari’s Bahrain GP upgrade
Lewis Hamilton is confident the upgrade Ferrari has brought for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix will allow him to get more out of his SF-25.

Verstappen ‘can test our car, I look forward to seeing his disappointment’ – Norris
Lando Norris rubbished Max Verstappen’s claim that he would do much better in the McLaren than either of its current drivers.

F1 drivers have doubts over 2026 power units but not convinced by V10s either
Formula 1’s new power unit rules have failed to win over all drivers, but they do not necessarily see V10s as a solution either.

First details of Ferrari’s Bahrain Grand Prix upgrade confirmed
The first details have emerged of the upgrade Ferrari has brought for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix after the team under-performed over the opening races of the new season.

Norris leads first practice, Tsunoda and Albon under investigation
Lando Norris led a hot opening practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix which resulted in two of his rivals facing investigation.

Bahrain GP
Practice Session 1
Pos No. Driver             Team                  Model  Time      Gap    Laps
 1   4  Lando Norris       McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  1:33.204s  -      23
 2  10  Pierre Gasly       Alpine-Renault        A525   1:33.442s 0.238s  23
 3  44  Lewis Hamilton     Ferrari               SF-25  1:33.800s 0.596s  23
 4  23  Alexander Albon    Williams-Mercedes     FW47   1:33.928s 0.724s  24
 5  31  Esteban Ocon       Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  1:34.184s 0.980s  19
 6  27  Nico Hulkenberg    Sauber-Ferrari        C45    1:34.262s 1.058s  24
 7   7  Jack Doohan        Alpine-Renault        A525   1:34.396s 1.192s  23
 8  30  Liam Lawson        Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02   1:34.397s 1.193s  23
 9  22  Yuki Tsunoda       Red Bull-Honda        RB21   1:34.484s 1.280s  23
10  81  Oscar Piastri      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  1:34.508s 1.304s  25
11   5  Gabriel Bortoleto  Sauber-Ferrari        C45    1:34.628s 1.424s  23
12   6  Isack Hadjar       Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02   1:34.667s 1.463s  22
13  46  Luke Browning      Williams-Mercedes     FW47   1:34.885s 1.681s  20
14  38  Dino Beganovic     Ferrari               SF-25  1:35.055s 1.851s  20
15  18  Lance Stroll       Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  1:35.116s 1.912s  23
16  34  Felipe Drugovich   Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  1:35.198s 1.994s  19
17  50  Ryo Hirakawa       Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  1:35.261s 2.057s  20
18  72  Frederik Vesti     Mercedes              W16    1:35.325s 2.121s  26
19  37  Ayumu Iwasa        Red Bull-Honda        RB21   1:35.475s 2.271s  20
20  12  Andrea Antonelli   Mercedes              W16    1:38.051s 4.847s   3

Sainz avoids investigation for swearing in FIA press conference
The Bahrain Grand Prix stewards will not investigate Carlos Sainz Jnr for swearing in the FIA’s pre-race press conference yesterday.

[genius83]

Piastri leads McLaren one-two as Alonso’s steering wheel comes off in practice
Oscar Piastri led a comfortable one-two for McLaren in the second practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Bahrain GP
Practice Session 2
Pos No. Driver             Team                  Model  Time      Gap    Laps
 1  81  Oscar Piastri      McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  1:30.505s  -      29
 2   4  Lando Norris       McLaren-Mercedes      MCL39  1:30.659s 0.154s  28
 3  63  George Russell     Mercedes              W16    1:31.032s 0.527s  25
 4  16  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               SF-25  1:31.045s 0.540s  27
 5  12  Andrea Antonelli   Mercedes              W16    1:31.227s 0.722s  27
 6   6  Isack Hadjar       Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02   1:31.238s 0.733s  24
 7   1  Max Verstappen     Red Bull-Honda        RB21   1:31.330s 0.825s  27
 8  44  Lewis Hamilton     Ferrari               SF-25  1:31.576s 1.071s  23
 9  87  Oliver Bearman     Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  1:31.584s 1.079s  27
10  55  Carlos Sainz Jnr   Williams-Mercedes     FW47   1:31.623s 1.118s  28
11  23  Alexander Albon    Williams-Mercedes     FW47   1:31.696s 1.191s  29
12  30  Liam Lawson        Racing Bulls-Honda    RB02   1:31.706s 1.201s  27
13   5  Gabriel Bortoleto  Sauber-Ferrari        C45    1:31.772s 1.267s  25
14   7  Jack Doohan        Alpine-Renault        A525   1:31.788s 1.283s  27
15  14  Fernando Alonso    Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  1:31.825s 1.320s  19
16  31  Esteban Ocon       Haas-Ferrari          VF-25  1:31.870s 1.365s  27
17  10  Pierre Gasly       Alpine-Renault        A525   1:31.947s 1.442s  27
18  22  Yuki Tsunoda       Red Bull-Honda        RB21   1:32.024s 1.519s  25
19  18  Lance Stroll       Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR25  1:32.382s 1.877s  27
20  27  Nico Hulkenberg    Sauber-Ferrari        C45    1:32.496s 1.991s  24

F1 ‘must avoid repeat of 2014’ with engine rules unlikely to change soon – Horner
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner indicated Formula 1 is unlikely to change its power unit regulations again soon after new rules are introduced next year.

FIA confirms no major changes to F1 engine rules “for the 2026 cycle”
The FIA has confirmed the new power unit regulations it will introduce to Formula 1 next year are to remain in place for the current rules “cycle”.

Bahrain is ‘most difficult track for McLaren in first part of season’ – Stella
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella insists Bahrain will be a difficult venue for the team, despite their rivals talking up their potential.