Latest news with #Constructors
IOL News
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Is McLaren too far gone in the title race?
McLaren dominant McLAREN's dominance this season is undeniable with as seen Lando Norris on the podium next to teammate Oscar Piastri, a technician, and third placed Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. | AFP OVER the past two decades, there's never really been any real rivalry at the top of Formula 1. It's mainly been one team dominating and the rest of the top four trying to catch up as closely as possible. Since the second half of last season, and all of this season, McLaren have been the team everyone is trying to catch up with. But mid-way through the season it looks as though it's already over for everyone else. Be it the Constructors or the Drivers World Title, the chances of any other team but papaya lifting the silverware at the end of the season are slim to none. The double podium in Belgium put them over 250 points clear in the Constructors race. Oscar Piastri is around 80 points clear of Max Verstappen in third place with the battle for World Champion seemingly fixed between the young Aussie and his teammate Lando Norris. Long term pace setting McLaren apart What has been evident this season is McLaren's pace, not just over the short term but the long term main race as well. Verstappen has only managed to post quick times during the shorter format qualifying and sprint rounds but the RB21 cannot seem to go the distance on all flat out tracks and wet conditions. Once in the lead on a Sunday, both of the McLarens' have been extremely difficult to catch for the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes. Balance and downforce has been the bane of existence for many teams in the paddock this season, not just the bottom three of the top -four. The Ferrari's have shown greater potential of putting up a fight against Zak Brown's team compared to Red Bull, but even the great Lewis Hamilton cannot seem to catch the orange zap. Hamilton gave an exhilarating performance in a soaking wet Spa on Sunday, fighting up nine places from P16 to P7. Charles Leclerc finished P3, his second podium of the year, but was 20 seconds behind Piastri and around 17 seconds behind Norris - painting a clear picture of the McLaren pace in hell or high water. McLaren's keen tyre management One stand out feature so far this season has been McLaren's ability to efficiently manage its tyres when compared to the other top four teams. Tyre management has been an area of excellence for McLaren, especially in hot conditions - where the rubber is eaten much faster. Speculation in the paddock and world of F1 has suggested that McLaren tyre secret could revolve around phase change materials. Aero Design Engineer Martin Bhunchan, a former F1 engineer who wrote his thesis at McLaren 8 years ago, suspects McLaren could be using the technology to get better tyre management. But this process only helps cool the tyres by the use of air alone and cannot be entirely responsible for their stellar rubber management. The answer may also lie in the materials themselves, the reaction to heat and how high a melting point they have compared to the ones other teams are using.
The Irish Sun
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
‘I'm very open-minded' – Max Verstappen hints at 2026 plans amid speculation he will quit Red Bull for Mercedes
MAX VERSTAPPEN revealed he is "very open-minded" about Formula One's massive regulation reset next season. Teams are now solely focusing on the biggest regulation change in F1 history with nearly every technical classification being ripped up. Advertisement 4 Max Verstappen revealed he is 'open-minded' about next season's regulation changes Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The last big reset happened after Verstappen pipped Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 world title in the most dramatic season finale of all time. And Red Bull came out best again, rising from the ashes of the controversy to replace Mercedes as the team to beat in the Constructors championship . The new and bigger changes are set to establish a brand new pecking order with the rumour mill predicting Mercedes could regain their old supremacy in 2026. For Verstappen and Red Bull, the new package creates a chance to re-establish itself as the benchmark in F1 after being dethroned by McLaren this time last year. Advertisement READ MORE F1 NEWS There has been speculation that Verstappen could defect to Mercedes, with But Verstappen remained coy when asked about his plans for next season, insisting that he'll "figure it out" no matter the team. The four time world champion told "I'm very open-minded, honestly. I don't even think about it too much – I'm just enjoying the moment. Advertisement Most read in Motorsport Exclusive 4 Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is reportedly readying a scoop for Verstappen Credit: PA CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "When I sit in the car next year, we'll figure it out. I'm not making the rules anyway. "Even if I have my concerns, it's not going to change anything. Advertisement Glamorous TikToker Bianca Bustamante gives behind-the-scenes look at a Formula E race week "So I'll just jump in and drive it, and then we'll, along the way, get better at it, understand it better, like any regulation in the past. "You keep optimising, keep improving, and then just go from there, really." Mercedes are yet to offer No1 driver Red Bull will enter a new era in a technical partnership with Ford as they build their own Red Bull Powertrains engine. Advertisement 4 The Milton-Keynes based outfit sensationally sacked boss Christian Horner after 20 years in charge last week. Laurent Mekies has been appointed as the new CEO, stepping up from the Racing Bulls team. Drivers are currently enjoying a mini summer break, with the next race due to commence in Belgium on July 27. Advertisement Verstappen currently sits 69 points behind Drivers Championship leader Oscar Piastri, who only sits eight points above team-mate Lando Norris. 4
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Max Verstappen breaks silence on Christian Horner firing with heartfelt post
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is out, fired after 20 years at the helm of the F1 racing team that's won six Constructors championships with him. And it's the end of an era with his partnership with Max Verstappen, not because the four-time champion is leaving for Mercedes (yet?), but because Horner won't be leading the team anymore. But Verstappen had a message for his former boss in a post on Instagram: "From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!" That's the way to do it. The two of them have had so much success together that's tied them as a pair. And now? It's a new era for Verstappen and Red Bull: We'll see what Verstappen can do with his new bosses -- Alan Permane takes over as team principal, with Laurent Mekies as CEO -- with an uphill battle. He's currently third behind Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Driver's standings, and Red Bull is a distant fourth in the Constructor's standings. Best of luck here.
Sky News AU
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Sky News AU
Christian Horner out as principal of Red Bull F1 team, sending shockwaves through motor racing world
F1 team Red Bull have sacked principal Christian Horner one year after he was accused of controlling behaviour by a female colleague. Christian Horner has always denied the accusations against him. The sacking will take immediate effect marking the end of Horner's 20-year stint with the racing team. Horner has led Red Bull since 2005 in six Constructors and eight Drivers Championships. In a statement, Red Bull thanked Horner for his "exceptional work" over the last two decades. "With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1," the statement read. "Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history."
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Max Verstappen shines amid Red Bull turmoil and Christian Horner's uncertain future
Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen celebrates after securing pole position during the qualifying session for the Miami Grand Prix. Photo: AFP Image: AFP The age old adage that 'where there's smoke, there's fire' comes to mind when rumours of Christian Horner's exit from Red Bull came to light. It could just be that an opposition team started a rumour to throw them off their game this season or that Red Bull's management in Austria are actually considering replacing the Englishman. If you had to plot Red Bull's performance since the last season, it would look like a downward trend with spikes of individual brilliance from Horner's golden boy Max Verstappen. But overall, the team has lost that edge it had in the 2022 and 2023 season, during which they dominated the sport. Not without reason, an integral part of Red Bull's outfit was stripped away when car designer Adrian Newey left them for Aston Martin. Newey's influence in Red Bull's dominant years could not be seen on the track as Verstappen was the one behind the wheel, but without him, the team have struggled since the start of the 2025 season. Signs of relief emerged at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, however, when Verstappen single handedly took apart the 'untouchable' McLarens with yet another bold overtake at Turn 1. It was a narrow track though, with few opportunities to overtake other than Turn 1, even if you're as gutsy as Oscar Piastri. Excuses aside, Verstappen's drive at Imola silenced any critics that they were unable to compete with McLaren this season. That is for the Driver championship at least, as they stand little to no chance for the Constructors title this year. Despite the win at Imola, reports from the F1 world indicate that Horner may lose the support of the Thai contingent within Red Bull if the upgrades they made at Imola do not prove successful for the remainder of the season. To say that Horner is under an immense deal of pressure to deliver right now, would be an understatement. What makes it worse is that Red Bull unfortunately have two drivers who have delivered points this year, and their from two separate teams. Isack Hadjar of the Racing Bulls has been the only other reliable driver this year, with Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson having a difficult season so far. Verstappen's class, skill and determination has given the Milton Keynes outfit some much needed breathing room with his wins at Imola and Suzuka. He's also shunned any rumours that Horner's head is on the chopping block. "Of course, I think naturally, as a team, we are not entirely happy with how we are performing, but we're also working on trying to be more competitive. "But if you ask everyone this question, I think no one is happy or satisfied with their performance, you always want to be better, you want to perform more. That's what we're trying to do. So, for me, these rumours don't mean anything,' Verstappen said. Pressure to deliver a fast car After the first quarter of the season, it was evident that McLaren were leaps and bounds of everyone else in the paddock - leaving Horner with little time to act decisively and make adjustments to the RB21. They started with small changes underneath the car, then adjusted the front and rear suspension in Miami. They've also redesigned the floor of the RB21 with more weight, which could improve the overall balance. Red Bull Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan said the changes will be incremental, but conceded that trying to come up with a cure for the RB21 may never fully rid it of the problems. 'It's going to be incremental improvements on the car. We understand what's happened, but actually affecting a cure is not that straightforward. It may never disappear from the car. 'Can we reduce the magnitude, and improve the lap time? Yes, there are a lot of clever people in Milton Keynes at work or are working hard to improve, and it will come,' Monaghan told an Italian F1 publication. Verstappen has managed to secure pole positions this season and with the Monaco Grand Prix up next, the importance of pole position could not be overstated. Both McLaren drivers, thankfully for Verstappen, don't have any real history of success there as yet, but Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc do. And with the Prancing Horse making some headway during the Imola race, a fight for pole with Ferrari may be on the cards for Verstappen. We can only wait and see what Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris has to offer.
