Racing Lines
THE LATEST STORIES FROM THE PADDOCK
RED BULL
VERSTAPPEN HOPES FOR MORE SUCCESS
Max Verstappen returns to a circuit that’s become something of a personal playground, but the Dutchman is managing expectations ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix — despite Red Bull bringing fresh upgrades to Spielberg.
With a formidable record at the Red Bull Ring, including a string of dominant wins in recent years, Verstappen remains a key contender. Yet the reigning World Champion is keeping a cautious outlook.
"In the past, we have had a lot of great races here – some of those were unexpected wins,” Verstappen said. “We come into this weekend as... not as favourites for sure. But the team will try and optimise the best we can and I’m excited.”
While Red Bull have loosened their iron grip on the grid in recent races, the team arrives in Austria with new updates on the car — part of a wider push to get ahead of a resurgent pack.
“Every little bit helps us go forward,” Verstappen noted, alluding to the upgrades and their potential impact.
MCLAREN
SAINZ EVALUATES NORRIS' UP AND DOWN SEASON
Carlos Sainz has offered a frank and heartfelt assessment of Lando Norris’ 2025 season so far — suggesting bad timing and car compatibility have hampered his former team mate’s title push.
The pair, who remain close friends from their McLaren days, have shared plenty over the years. And Sainz didn’t hold back in his full-throated support for Norris.
“It’s obviously not been an easy year for Lando... he’s clearly lacking a bit of feeling with the car compared with previous years,” Sainz said. “Bit unfortunate that happens a year you’re fighting for the World Championship. That’s fate — and the way F1 can go.”
Still, the Spaniard is confident Norris can flip the narrative in the second half of the season.
“Lando has the capacity to turn things around... it will all come down to whether he can put those laps together in Qualifying at the right time.”
HAAS
OCON EXPECTS INTENSE MIDFIELD BATTLE
Esteban Ocon has lifted the lid on just how brutal Formula 1’s midfield has become in 2025 — where even the smallest misstep in set-up can spell disaster.
“A couple of years ago you could be two or three tenths slower and keep your position,” Ocon explained. “Now it’s about nailing your set-up and your lap. [If you don't] you have no chance in Qualifying. You still have a chance in the race, but not in Qualifying.”
The Frenchman admits that if a track doesn’t suit a car or driving style, drivers are immediately on the back foot — with Q1 exits just as likely as a Q3 appearance.
In a field this tight, there’s no margin for error — and Ocon knows it. But that, he says, is what makes F1 in 2025 a true test of the best.
williams
ALBON HAILS VOWLES’ NEW CONTRACT AS ‘GREAT VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FOR ALL OF US’ AT WILLIAMS
Alex Albon has welcomed the news that Team Principal James Vowles has signed a fresh long-term deal with Williams — calling it “a great vote of confidence for all of us.”
Vowles, who joined the team in early 2023, has been credited with reshaping Williams’ direction and building for a long-term revival. For Albon, the extension is a signal that the project remains on course.
“It shows the board are happy with the direction we're going in, and that's always nice to hear,” Albon said.
Having committed his own future to the team until 2026, Albon believes Vowles’ vision is central to getting Williams back to the sharp end.
“James is very ambitious. There’s a clear goal for where we want the team to be — and it’s about getting the right people and systems in place.”
With stability at the top and a roadmap for progress, Albon says the belief is growing inside the Grove-based squad.
TYRES
WHAT TYRES WILL THE TEAMS HAVE FOR THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have gone with the middle of the range for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, bringing the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), and C5 (Soft) compounds — the softest trio in their line-up.
It’s a familiar choice for the Red Bull Ring, where low degradation and short laps mean strategy windows are tight and track position is crucial.
Sprint format means teams get just one practice session before going into Sprint Quali and the Sprint on Saturday, followed by Grand Prix qualifying and the race on Sunday.
And once again, the Alternative Tyre Allocation (ATA) will be in play — reducing the total sets available and mandating hards for Q1, mediums for Q2, and softs for Q3
