Formula One had a busy week as many impactful events transpired. We had a race end in disqualification, three drivers signed for 2025, and a new team principal was signed to lead Audi’s F1 effort.
First, we need to talk about the Belgian Grand Prix. George Russell had a legendary drive on extremely worn tires to score a win. The shocking news hit that he would be disqualified, giving Lewis Hamilton his 105th Formula One victory. This disqualification was devastating for Mercedes as they scored maximum points in the constructors championship. That disqualification also bumped up Max Verstappen to fourth, gaining valuable points in the constructors championship. Max did what he needed to do this weekend and minimize the damage between Red Bull and McLaren. He finished ahead of Lando Norris and only two spots behind Oscar Piastri. The race for the constructors championship is going to be an exciting one.
The first signing happened before the Belgian Grand Prix. Esteban Ocon signed with Haas for the 2025 season and beyond. This was a surprising signing as I believed Ocon would be out of Formula One. His connections to Haas’ team principal saved his Formula One career. This is a gift that Ocon needs to make the most of. The more I think about the signing the more I like it. Ocon is a race winner in F1, something that Haas hasn’t had in its history. Hopefully, he becomes a better teammate to rookie driver Oliver Bearman. The two could be a very good pairing that scores Haas more points for 2025.
The next driver signing came after the Belgian Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz has signed with Williams on a multi-year deal. To me, this is a major downgrade. Going from Ferrari to Williams is a tough pill to swallow for Sainz, but the move does keep him in F1 for at least three more seasons. Williams may have something up their sleeve for 2026 to sign a driver of Sainz’s caliber. The pairing of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz is one of the best on the grid. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction for Williams.
The most surprising signing of the weekend came when Red Bull announced that Sergio Perez would retain his seat. It has been speculated for weeks that Perez would be replaced, but the team officially retained him. This is a surprising move because Perez has been lackluster, to say the least for a while. If Red Bull loses the constructors championship, it will be solely on Perez’s poor performance. After the signing, oddsmakers officially changed McLaren to be the favorite for the constructors championship. Perez needs to find form soon or the team cannot justify keeping him for 2025.
Mattia Binotto has been brought in as team principal for 2026. The former head of Ferrari has a tall task ahead of him as he only has 18 months to get the team in order. I believe made a good decision by bringing in someone so experienced to lead the effort. We will see in 2026 if this was the right decision.
Image: Mercedes-AMG Petronas
