Silly season 2024-2025

[monkeyboy1976]

But Wiliams is not a works team, whereas Alpine-Renault and Sauber-Ferrari (Audi) are works teams?

Sainz could do a lot worse than driving for the Alpine works team (again)! Alpine-Renault have the ambition to win the championships.

While Alpine's development from 2018 to 2024 has not yielded the success they may have hoped for -- who knows, 6-7 more years of development might do the trick and Alpine-Renault might be the leading car in 2031?

"Works team" really means nothing anymore. It's a term from the past.

Very true! Red Bull is not a works team and never has been

Correction. It was Jaguar. But I don't like to talk about that

[Vanja #66]

"Works team" really means nothing anymore. It's a term from the past.

Other than 2009, which is The Freak Season of F1, you'd have to go very, very far in history of F1 Champions to find a Champion Team that didn't have the works engine deal

[taperoo2k]

"Works team" really means nothing anymore. It's a term from the past.

Other than 2009, which is The Freak Season of F1, you'd have to go very, very far in history of F1 Champions to find a Champion Team that didn't have the works engine deal

The difference now is the engine mappings are standardised. No more special modes only available to the works team. I think McLaren's new deal with Mercedes places them a little bit above a mere customer team.

[CHT]

cd

"Works team" really means nothing anymore. It's a term from the past.

Other than 2009, which is The Freak Season of F1, you'd have to go very, very far in history of F1 Champions to find a Champion Team that didn't have the works engine deal

The difference now is the engine mappings are standardised. No more special modes only available to the works team. I think McLaren's new deal with Mercedes places them a little bit above a mere customer team.

From an automotive company's point of view, Mclaren is AMG supercar competitor, for sure it will not sit well with Merc board of directors if MercF1 continue to struggle while Mclaren is competing for wins.
Merc is now 1/3 owner in Merc F1 after recently reducing their stake in the team, so anything is possible.

[TeamKoolGreen]

This silly season is turning into a dud. Considering the movement we could have got

[purestpurist]

The argument for mclaren is that mercedes will sell the team at some point in the next ~5 years and even before then they will become the de facto works team. I don't think this is likely but there's been persistent rumors. However, I won't buy it until they aren't contenders in 2026.

[Dunlay]

The argument for mclaren is that mercedes will sell the team at some point in the next ~5 years and even before then they will become the de facto works team. I don't think this is likely but there's been persistent rumors. However, I won't buy it until they aren't contenders in 2026.

It's been 13 years since that rumour started. In the ara of cost cap, where top teams are highly profitable, why would Mercedes leave F1 that provides them decent profits and a free marketing platform worth billions?

2026, all the customer teams would start behind their constructor's works team as the new PU is designed in alignment with Works team's chassis requirements, which would not be shared with customer teams. So I don't see how McLaren would be ahead of Mercedes.

[DGP123]

2026, all the customer teams would start behind their constructor's works team as the new PU is designed in alignment with Works team's chassis requirements, which would not be shared with customer teams. So I don't see how McLaren would be ahead of Mercedes.

I read about this, and there does seem to be a fear and agreement about this for McLaren & Williams

[TeamKoolGreen]

Peter Windsor reckons that Sainz's best option would be Vcarb. if possible

[organic]

Vowles says he expects the driver market to be wrapped up within the next 4 weeks. Basically gives his expected timeline for Carlos to make his decision

[Luscion]

[organic]

Turkish Motorsport says it won't be exciting news - rather announcement of an extension

[IntrinsicVoid]

I guess this would be Bearman to Haas as I've seen this on Reddit:
https://x.com/MailSport/status/17994774 ... OdyWKCxzCw

Of course should be taken with grain of salt

[Luscion]

Turkish Motorsport says it won't be exciting news - rather announcement of an extension

ohh boo

[organic]

Tsunoda extension I guess