Oct 23, 2025 | Formula 1
An unexpected victory
Alpine credited a surprise victory in Fuji in the Hypercar class. The #35 car with Charles Milesi, Paul-Loup Chatin and Ferdinand Habsburg won after a race with three safety-car periods and five full-course yellows. The win came from a bold strategic choice in the closing stages.
The smart gamble that decided the race
Early in the race, Habsburg hit a Toyota and received a five-second penalty. As a result, the #35 dropped far back. Nevertheless, Alpine came back thanks to good race management and a bold final pit stop: only changing two tyres. That short stop gave Milesi two hot tyres for his out-lap. That advantage proved decisive to take over the lead.
Why this win matters
The win comes at the perfect time. Alpine had a strong start with podiums, but then dropped way back. They finished ninth at Le Mans and in São Paulo, among others, and 11th in Austin. Within the team, the pressure was mounting. At the same time, managerial changes and budget controls were running within the car manufacturer. The victory sent a clear message to management: the WEC effort delivers results and is not an unnecessary cost.
The underdog among the giants
Alpine operates as one of the smaller factory teams. Its budget and test miles are limited compared to Toyota, Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac and BMW. Alpine has less sophisticated simulators and fewer test days. Yet the Hypercar scheme shows that smaller teams can win when strategy, precision and guts come together. The win in Japan underlines that.
Signatech: the backbone of the programme
The collaboration with Signatech is crucial. Signatech built up years of experience in lower classes and at Le Mans. That experience made the A424 possible. Alpine took over almost half of Signatech in 2024, blurring the lines between manufacturer and partner. The Fuji win confirms that the joint model works.
A troubled 2025
2025 brought many changes. There were personnel changes within the motorsport department. The F1 engine strategy also changed, with Alpine switching to Mercedes engines in Formula 1 from 2026. In addition, Alpine took the assembly and maintenance of the A424 engine in-house in Viry-Chatillon, after Mecachrome previously developed many parts.
Preparing for 2026
Alpine does not rest on this win. The A424 was originally designed as a low-drag car for Le Mans. However, the BoP modifications required more low-speed power. With low downforce, it is difficult to make good use of that power. So Alpine is now using one of its Evo jokers to modify the aerodynamics: less extreme low-drag parts and more downforce.
- An Evo package aimed at more downforce.
- Tests scheduled in Bahrain immediately after the season.
- Wind tunnel validation scheduled for mid-December.
Riders and technical reinforcement
The driver budget also changes. Milesi, Frédéric Makowiecki and Jules Gounon remain on board. Antonio Felix da Costa joins as an experienced set-up specialist. Paul-Loup Chatin leaves for another team and Habsburg does not have a guaranteed seat. Names like Victor Martins and Pietro Fittipaldi are rotating in the conversation about possible replacements. The technical staff is also getting reinforced: an experienced lead engineer has been recruited to accelerate development.
What does this mean for the future?
The win in Fuji is not the end point. It is a foundation. Alpine now needs to build on to structurally compete for championships and Le Mans wins. The challenge remains: more tests, faster development and a stronger team. If Alpine takes these steps, the underdog can stunt more often. The coming months will show whether Fuji is a turning point or a nice moment between two battle points.
Oct 23, 2025 | Formula 1
Mekies: Tsunoda still not good enough
Red Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies says Yuki Tsunoda is not yet performing well enough. He does acknowledge progress. But he says the result is not enough to be reassured. Tsunoda himself does not feel satisfied either.
What happened in Austin
Tsunoda scored points in both the sprint and the main race of the US Grand Prix. In total, that earned eight points, his best week this season. He started in the sprint from spot 18 and made two strong starts.
At the same time, the gap to teammate Max Verstappen remained wide. In the race, Tsunoda lost about 52 seconds on Verstappen. In qualifying, he was 0.765 seconds slower.
Tyre and balance problems
Tsunoda said he was too cautious with tyre management during the second stint. He said it is difficult to feel the limit and therefore does not know quite how much he can push up on longer runs. He is also struggling with the lack of grip on the soft compounds.
On the softs, the gap with Verstappen widened. Whereas the hard tyres seemed competitive at first, that advantage disappeared on softer rubbers. Tsunoda also suspects to suffer from the bumpy track.
Racecraft and opening laps
In Austin, his first laps were remarkably aggressive. In the sprint, he dived in sharply at Turn 1 and took advantage of the chaos at the front. In the process, he narrowly hit another driver's car. In the main race, he took bold but mostly sensible risks. On an optimistic overtaking attempt, he needed the help of Carlos Sainz to avoid a collision.
Impact on the team
The main problem is that Tsunoda could not maintain the same speed after those sharp starts. The lack of a regular points-scoring second car will cost Red Bull points in the constructors' championship. That makes the team choice for 2026 all the more important.
Choices for 2026
Red Bull is considering several options for next year. Rookie Isack Hadjar is considered a serious candidate for the Red Bull seat. The team does not want to wait until the end of the year again with a decision. It is looking to tie the knot as early as around the Mexican Grand Prix.
Tsunoda is not expected to be replaced this season. Red Bull still needs him for the constructors' battle. He can also help in testing and in supporting Verstappen in the drivers' championship.
- Hadjar promote to senior car.
- Forwarding Arvid Lindblad to Racing Bulls.
- Putting Tsunoda back at Racing Bulls along with Lawson.
- One experienced driver alongside a young Lindblad to lead the team.
Practical considerations and relationships
Arvid Lindblad had a winning Formula 2 season, but he is still young and also made incidents. A combination of experience and youth seems preferable. That could mean Red Bull choosing one experienced driver to guide Lindblad.
There is also tension between some drivers. The relationship between Tsunoda and Liam Lawson is not hot. That will count in the final line-up.
In conclusion
The clock is ticking for Tsunoda. He is showing progress by finishing in the points twice and showing strong starts. But consistent speed is still lacking. Red Bull needs to make a quick decision on 2026, while at the same time the team wants to use the remaining races to collect points and important data.
Oct 22, 2025 | Formula 1
From youth talent to Ferrari
Antonio Fuoco will make his first appearance during a Formula 1 weekend this weekend. He will take charge of the first free practice session as Lewis Hamilton's replacement. It is his official FP1 debut, more than a decade after his first F1 test.
Ferrari brought Fuoco in early. They signed him at the age of 16, even before he made his real single-seater debut. Immediately in his first year on the junior ladder, he grabbed the championship in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps. He beat experienced drivers like Luca Ghiotto and competed against up-and-coming names like Pierre Gasly.
In the following years, Fuoco competed against talents such as Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon. He won as early as his first Formula 3 weekend and finished that season fifth. His speed was obvious, even if consistency was sometimes lacking.
Years in GP3 and F2
Fuoco got his first F1 test with Ferrari in June 2015 at the Red Bull Ring. At the time, he was 19 and active in GP3. His first GP3 season was disappointing, but he came back strongly in 2016, finishing third in the championship behind Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon.
In 2017, he drove alongside Leclerc in Formula 2. Leclerc dominated that year. Fuoco still showed speed, but results did not always pan out. His only feature race win in 2017 came at Monza, partly due to an incident between competitors and a penalty for the initial winner. In 2018, he stayed in F2 and picked up two sprint wins. However, the chance of a permanent F1 seat seemed lost at the time.
Key link at Ferrari
Fuoco did stay with Ferrari as a simulator and development driver. His qualities on the simulator and in the car were highly appreciated. This earned him several F1 tests, including at Abu Dhabi in 2020, 2021 and 2024. In addition, he was a key driver in Ferrari's return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Ferrari's benchmark in the WEC
In 2023, Fuoco made his debut in the World Endurance Championship. Immediately he showed how fast he was. He took pole at Sebring and later at Le Mans. At Le Mans, he was almost eight tenths of a second faster than teammate Alessandro Pier Guidi in qualifying. During the race, he set the fastest lap.
He later scored poles at Imola and at Spa. On pure speed, he was almost untouchable within the Ferrari programme for a long time. Only a few colleagues, such as Antonio Giovinazzi, caught up with him on that front.
Results and setbacks
Fuoco was one of the standouts in the 2023 edition of Le Mans, but mechanical failure cost him that victory. The following year, he seemed to put things right and wrote Le Mans to his name alongside Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen. However, it was later revealed that the car did not comply with the regulations due to a problem with the rear wing. That disqualification nibbled away at the title aspirations.
Fuoco also made mistakes. At Imola, all his qualifying laps were scrapped due to track limits. In the same race, he received a penalty after an incident in which he pushed Sébastien Buemi's Toyota off the track during a battle for positions. Such moments show that sometimes speed comes at the expense of patience and controlled execution.
Why this FP1 performance is deserved
This FP1 appearance does not fundamentally change Fuoco's career. He already drove hundreds of F1 kilometres in tests and on the simulator. Still, it is a public reward for years of loyal commitment at Ferrari. Being on the track with the best drivers during a Grand Prix is prestige.
Many experts see Fuoco as one of those drivers who, in different circumstances, could well have ended up in F1 in the 2010s. Timing, team choice and the quality of his generation all played a part.
- 16 years old: signed by Ferrari as a junior
- 2015: first F1 test at the Red Bull Ring
- 2016: third in GP3 championship
- 2023: WEC debut, pole at Sebring and Le Mans
- 2024: Le Mans victory (later disputed due to technical irregularity)
- 2025: FP1 debut at Mexico Grand Prix
In short: Antonio Fuoco is now getting his moment on the big F1 stage. It is not an unexpected move. It is a well-deserved reward for someone who has played an important role within Ferrari for years.
Oct 21, 2025 | Formula 1
State and reality
On paper, Oscar Piastri has the best starting position. He is 40 points ahead of Max Verstappen. Lando Norris follows on 14 points from Piastri. That gives McLaren the opportunity to decide the title itself.
What McLaren does control
Team principal Andrea Stella says the outcome of the season is in McLarens hands. He refers to circuits and trends since Baku and stresses that the team must continue to maximise opportunities. According to him, things went wrong in Baku and the United States, among others, because McLaren did not perform optimally.
That attitude is justified. McLaren has often let down a fast car because of team or driver mistakes. Yet the potential remains clear: if McLaren runs better weekends, it is still in a good position.
The form factor
But form tells a different story from the standings. Verstappen has built a lot of momentum. In the past four race weekends, he gained 64 points on Piastri. That makes him dangerous in the closing stages of the championship.
Verstappen says the opportunity is definitely there now. Red Bull and he improved the car after the summer break. Since then, they have performed almost flawlessly, something McLaren has not consistently managed.
What Verstappen benefits from
Verstappen got help from bad luck at McLaren. Examples include Norris dropping out at Zandvoort due to an engine problem, Piastri crashing in Baku and the incident that eliminated both McLarens in Austin in the sprint. As a result, Verstappen has scored as many points as Piastri and Norris combined since the summer break.
Above all, Verstappen has experience of pressure. He and Red Bull know how to handle a title fight. Piastri and Norris are now really experiencing for the first time what is involved in a drivers' championship. That experience works in Verstappen's favour.
The arithmetic
There are still five grands prix and two sprints to go. That means 141 points to distribute. If Verstappen wins every race and sprint, he will get a maximum of 141 points. But if Piastri finishes second in all grands prix and also second in both sprints, the maximum win difference for Verstappen is only 37 points. So Verstappen is not yet fully in control of his own destiny.
- If Norris consistently beats Piastri, it increases Verstappens chances. By pushing Piastri to place three each time, Verstappens theoretical gains grow by 3 points per grand prix and 1 point per sprint.
- In this way, the extra swing could add up to 17 points. Together with the aforementioned 37 points, Verstappen can thus make up 54 points, enough to become champion.
McLarens tough choice
McLaren does not want to force Norris to help Piastri. The team wants both drivers to race freely. Decisions on team orders McLaren wants to make only on the basis of hard data. Stella says the team wants to use the remaining races to widen the gap with Verstappen.
That is understandable. But as long as McLaren makes mistakes and the two drivers cost each other points, Verstappen remains a real threat.
Who is in control?
The answer depends on what you consider more important: current points position, form, psychological pressure or experience. Piastri has the most points and is therefore technically closest to the title. Verstappen has momentum and experience on his side. That makes him dangerous.
In short: McLaren is in control as long as it does not make any new mistakes. But Verstappen can still take the championship if the McLarens continue to handicap each other and Red Bull maintains its strong form.
Oct 21, 2025 | Formula 1
What you need to know
Formula 1 travels on to Mexico City. This comes immediately after a spectacular Grand Prix in the United States. That race had major implications for the title race. The circuit in Mexico is at a high altitude. That can affect the performance of the autos.
Time zone and clock change
Mexico City uses Central Standard Time (CST). It is now six hours earlier there than in the Netherlands. Note that in the Netherlands, clocks will be set back one hour at 02:00 on Sunday 26 October. After that, Mexico City is seven hours behind CET.
Schedule in local time (Mexico City)
Friday, 24 October
Saturday 25 October
- FP3: 11:30
- Qualifying: 15:00
Sunday 26 October
- Race - Mexican Grand Prix: 14:00
Schedule in Dutch time (CET)
Below are the times for viewers in the UK. Please note the clock change on the night of Saturday to Sunday.
Friday, 24 October
Saturday 25 October
- FP3: 19:30
- Qualifying: 23:00
Sunday 26 October
- Race - Mexican Grand Prix: 21:00
Practical tip for viewers
Just before watching, check the time. Especially if you are watching in the Netherlands, because of the transition from summer time to winter time. Don't want to miss anything live? Make sure you turn on well in time, especially at qualifying and the start of the race.
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