F1 | ITALIAN GP THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “VERSTAPPEN WAS STUNNING. WELL DONE MCLAREN FOR THE SPORTSMANSHIP. NOW EVERYONE AT THE HISTORIC MINARDI DAY”

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A fantastic weekend just finished at Monza on both the technical and sporting points of view with the new record set in qualifying by Max Verstappen, which he then converted into a stunning win with a lead of almost 20” over the two McLaren drivers, It will be interesting to see whether this trend, dictated by Laurent Mekies, will continue throughout the rest of the season.

It was a sensational weekend also on the side of the participation of the public with Monza, breaking all the attendance records, which demonstrated how much passion there is in Italy for Motorsport, with a spectacular invasion of the track.

Going back to the Grand Prix, I was left positively impressed with the sportiness, calmness and organization by McLaren when they asked Piastri, the current leader of the world championship, to give back to Norris the position he had lost due to a mistake by the team during the pit stop (a problem with the front left). Without wasting time, Oscar immediately let his teammate pass, who thanked him the gesture. I do not know how many other teams, and drivers, would have done the same thing. Amongst other things, McLaren wanted to give a strong message by setting the fastest lap of the race in the penultimate lap.

On the other hand, I did not like Toto Wolff’s comments after the race when he declared he was not satisfied with fifth and ninth places by Russell and Antonelli, highlighting that only one driver did well today, Max Verstappen. Such comments are not good for a team that is already experiencing a few problems. A TP should protect his team. I was surprised by the penalty for Antonelli which came on the last lap when the fact happened on the 46th lap.

Fourth place overall for Ferrari that tried everything to exceed its potential by focussing on a low down-force setup. However, this result represents the maximum achievable with this car.

It was an excellent result for Albon, seventh with Williams, and then for Bortoleto just behind him with Sauber. Albon was able to overturn a qualifying session that ended only with fourteenth place, by fighting for the top positions by setting some very interesting times.

We await eight interesting rounds. In two weeks, at Baku, McLaren could confirm tits championship title. While the internal battle between its two drivers remains open.  While we wait for the Azerbaijan GP, I look forwards to seeing many of you at Imola for the 9th edition of the Historic Minardi Day, where I expect to find the same enthusiasm experienced over the last few days at Monza. It would be a nice gesture towards all the collectors who, with great dedication and passion, often working in the evenings to prepare their cars to come to have fun on the track and to entertain the fans. I am looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP HUNGARY, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN DOMINATES. FERRARI SLUMPS IN THE FINAL PART”

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At the Hungaroring McLaren scored its seventh one-two finish of the season, the fourth in a row, demonstrating its overwhelming domination. So far both Norris and Piastri have been the protagonists of a very fair duel, the likes of which we have rarely seen. They knew how to manage any type of strategy in the best way possible, changing them (rightly so) between the two drivers, with Norris earning the win on the track.

An excellent third place for George Russell who never gave up even though Mercedes was not perfect once again, especially during Antonelli’s tyre change. However, Antonelli still managed to take a point which should give his morale a boost. Now he has a month’s holiday to recharge his batteries and rediscover the right peace of mind for the last part of the season.

After Leclerc’s masterful lap in qualifying, Ferrari said goodbye to Hungary with fourth place. The driver from Monte Carlo was very candid after qualifying, declaring that he was absolutely surprised at having taken pole position because their real potential was for third or fourth place. Anyway, the collapse in performance after the second pit-stop was inexplicable, costing him over 37” (plus penalty) from Norris in just 30 laps, after running two thirds of the race at an excellent pace that allowed him to keep the two McLarens behind him.

It was another positive result for Sauber, with Bortoleto battling it out with his manager Fernando Alonso, finishing fifth. The Brazilian is putting his teammate in difficulty, confirming his excellent past in the lower formulas. After a few disappointing results, Aston Martin has been reborn, taking both cars into the points. A completely unexpected ninth place for Verstappen who, despite having fought tooth and nail, crossed the finish line more than seventy seconds behind McLaren.

We now have to wait almost four weeks before starting again with the Dutch Grand Prix.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP HUNGARY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “40 FORTY YEARS FROM THE FIRST EDITION AND THE MINARDI TEAM’S DEBUT IN F1”

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For the fourteenth round of the World Championship, Formula 1 arrives at the Hungaroring in Budapest to cross the line of the 40th edition – just like the years since the Minardi Team’s debut in the F1 World Championship – with eleven rounds still to go.

The Hungaroring will be the last round before the (well-deserved) summer break and will most likely be the watershed moment for many realities, in particular, the smaller teams which will then have to make the important decision of whether to continue focussing on the season or to channel all their efforts towards 2026.

In particular, I refer to those teams occupying the second half of the ladder, led by Sauber with 43 points, followed by Racing Bulls (41), Aston Martin (36), Haas (35, and finally Alpine bringing up the rear with 20 points.  The gaps are very small and all it takes is a positive result (see Sauber’s podium in Silverstone with Hulkenberg) to turn the situation around. At the moment, Aston Martin is focussed on internal reorganization and 2026, with repercussions on the results on the track.

They take to a track that is practically a wide kart circuit where qualifying plays a crucial role. The weather could also be an unknown factor that should not be underestimated with highly variable temperatures throughout the weekend (expected to drop from about 30 degrees on the Friday to the 25° forecast for Sunday) with the possibility of rain as well. These changes could also have repercussions on the tyres, with Pirelli bringing the C3, C4 and C5. Usually, the evolution of performances during the weekend is very marked on this track, especially during the first two days. Graining could appear during Friday’s free practice and then gradually decrease as the cars rubberize the asphalt. High thermal wear is a factor that the drivers will have to deal with even in the qualifying lap, with the Soft tyre that – if not managed adequately – could put them in difficulty in the last two bends of the track, just as the supplier points out.

The Hungaroring will not be the stage of the last days of Formula 1 activity before the summer break. In fact, a session of tests for the developments of the tyres for 2026 will also be held at the circuit, scheduled for Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 August with the collaboration of Ferrari (one day), Racing Bulls (one day), McLaren (one day) and Alpine (two days). The tests will be used to decide on the designs for next year.

On the track front, it will be interesting to follow the internal battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris with the Australian winning in Belgium, extending his lead over his teammate. Positive signs came from Ferrari with Leclerc’s third place and Hamilton’s partial comeback, thus reinforcing their second place in the constructors’ championship.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP BELGIUM, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “I DO NOT SHARE THE CRITICISM OF ANTONELLI. FERRARI IS IMPROVING”

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Spa-Francorchamps certainly gave us an eventful Gran Prix, as often happens in such wet track conditions, and in looking for safety: we had to wait an hour and a half before the start. It was a race that confirmed McLaren’s dominance, with Piastri demonstrating he has something more compared to Norris. His overtaking maneuver was a masterpiece, as was his overall management of the race. He made two minor mistakes, which can happen on a track like Spa.

Ferrari got onto the podium with Leclerc, third across the finish line, consolidating second place on the constructors’ world championship. The driver from Monte Carlo paid a penalty of 20 seconds, but this can be seen in a positive light: it shows that the innovations introduced are working, especially considering the great power of the team led by Andrea Stella. Hamilton made up for his “mistake” in qualifying where his time was cancelled by a few millimetres: otherwise, he would have started from the top 5.

Fourth place for the usual Verstappen, after his extraordinary win in the Sprint where he was masterful. After a good qualifying session, Tsunoda was again outside the points zone.

At the moment, I see Mercedes in turmoil. Looking at the race times, Antonelli was faster than Russell, and I honestly do not understand the strategy adopted towards him at his best moment. Certainly, he made a mistake that compromised his qualifying, – and consequently the race – but I do not agree with the criticism levelled at him.

Another weekend in the points zone for Albon, who drove his Williams into sixth place, and for Bortoleto who is improving, as is his Sauber. This is not a surprise, considering his past in F3 and F2: Gabriel is confirming his skills on the track. Equally as positive was Lawson’s eighth place, for both him and Racing Bulls. This confirms that, too often, some decisions are made too hastily. Pierre Gasly closed the top 10 with an important point for Alpine which has a lot to review internally.

We have entered the second half of the championship that promises to be heated, especially in the back lots, with four teams within a handful of points. However, I would not rule out Alpine, currently in last place with 20 points: a successful weekend is enough to make up ground.

Hungary now awaits us, before the summer break.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP BELGIUM, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “FERRARI IS BETTING ON SPA, RED BULL CHANGES FACES”

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After a three-week break and a few shake ups – see Red Bull –, Formula 1 is getting ready to switch on the engines for the halfway point of the season. Spa-Francorchamps promises to be a very important race in many ways. As already stated, it will be the first without Horner on the pit wall for Red Bull, while Mercedes should have reached a definitive solution on the drivers’ front.

All eyes are on Ferrari which will bring its new suspension to Belgium, already tested at Mugello during the 200km filming day. On a weekend which sees the return of the Sprint race and with only one session of free practice, on the Friday. This could be a strong signal from the team.

As usual, the weather will be an important variable: the forecasts predict mixed conditions, with a wet track for the Sprint Race, while qualifying and the GP should be run in dry conditions. On a track that is demanding track for both the cars and for the drivers – characterized by 19 bends, traction problems and engines under stress on the long straights – with the 1,900 metres of the Kemmel section, run under full throttle for 24 seconds, standing out.

For this round Pirelli has chosen three non-consecutive dry compounds: while Medium (C3) and soft (C4) are contiguous, the Hard will be the hardest of the 2025 range, namely C1. The use of two types of wet tyres, the Intermediate and the Extreme Wets, is not to be ruled out

We are entering into the second half of the season with two consecutive rounds (Belgium and Hungary) before the summer break. While there is little to say about the battle for the constructors’ title – solidly in the hands of McLaren – for the drivers’ title., with the internal battle between Piastri and Norris, there will certainly be plenty of interest, even when it happens behind the scenes.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP AUSTRIA, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN IS A SPACESHIP. ANTONELLI, A ROOKIE’S MISTAKE, BUT IT’S NOT ALL HIS FAULT”

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McLaren put on show all its technical supremacy, giving us a battle between Norris and Piastri that was as good as it was fair, especially in the first 20 laps.  Luckily, they were there to entertain us, otherwise there was little to see behind them, except for a few good battles. Their technical advantage is such that the two drivers can battle it out cleanly, and now it seems that they can only lose the races.

One of the main protagonists was out of the running right from the start, Max Verstappen, having been hit through no fault of his own by Antonelli who made a rookie’s mistake. I do not want to make excuses, but part of the responsibility also lies with the Mercedes team: they made some serious mistakes in qualifying, sending him onto the track too late. He started from a position that did not reflect either his value, or that of the car. I hope that he can quickly forget this episode, arriving in in good spirits at Silverstone where he took his first win in Formula 2 last year.

We saw a Ferrari that is improving, even though it still loses an average of 3 tenths of a second per lap. However, Leclerc’s third place and Hamilton’s fourth place were two encouraging results for the rest of the season, as we await the next developments planned in Great Britain. Furthermore, the Team took back second place in the World Constructior’s championship, behind McLaren. This too is a good sign for morale.

There was also a great performance by Racing Bulls, with Lawson deserving special praise, especially considering what he went through at the start of the season.

Fernando Alonso was equally impressive. He battled with Lawson for 70 laps, and he was fantastic defending against the attacks from “his” driver, Bortoleto. His gesture towards the Sauber driver at the end of the race was also very nice. The experience shows all his worth in battle.

It was an important grand prix for the second-tier teams which took valuable points, especially Racing Bulls, Sauber and Haas, making the most of the absence of a Red Bull and a Mercedes.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP SPAIN, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “VERSTAPPEN NERVOUS. CORRECT NOT TO PENALIZE LECLERC. PIASTRI SUPERLATIVE”

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Barcelona gave us some important surprises. Such as Sauber’s fifth place with Hulkenberg, as well as the confirmation of Racing Bulls again in the points zone with the excellent Hadjar, seventh across the finish line.

Mekies’ men must ponder a bit on the points thrown away at the start of the season. They now find themselves in sixth place, 26 points behind Williams. Personally, Hadjar is one of the best surprises of this 2025. I really like his approach to the race weekend, and also with the team. I am sure that he can do well. The first points of the season for Fernando Alonso, ninth across the finish line. Aston Martin is starting the see Newey’s hand.

Thanks to third and sixth places Ferrari climbed over both Red Bull and Mercedes in one fell swoop, moving up to second place on the constructors’ ladder. They did well, especially Leclerc who sacrificed a position in qualifying, saving a set of the compound. Certainly, a little help also came from the entry of the safety-car.

With the entry of the safety-car in the last 11 laps. following the retirement of Antonelli, the GP livened up and I found the penalty given to Verstappen in the tussle with Russell correct, as I also found correct the decision not to proceed with the one given to Leclerc. Verstappen, a little too nervous this weekend, was the only one to also use the hard tyres.

McLaren confirmed it is unbeatable, and Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull can only race for third place, barring some cataclysm. Piastri took his fifth win of the season firmly placing his bid for the world championship. Except for FP1, he “branded” all the sessions, including the fastest lap of the race. He was superlative. The car certainly supports him in the best way possible.

The reliability problems in Mercedes which, in this start of the season have struck both drivers, as well as Alonso’s Aston Martin (that carries the Mercedes engine) are starting to cause concern. Until his retirement Antonelli was having a very good race continuing his apprenticeship by solidly taking the fifth/sixth place. His lap times were in line with Russell, while he still needs to improve at the start.

We are witnessing a fine championship with a major diversification of performance between qualifying, heart stopping, and the race. If, in the fast lap the difference really is minimal – on Saturday in Q1 the 20 cars were enclosed within the space of 8 tenths of a second, and in Q2 barely 6 tenths – in the race the gap increased considerably. In fact, before the entry of the SC, only nine cars were on full laps.

In two weeks, they go overseas to Canada.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP MONTE CARLO, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “IT IS A RACE THAT IS RUN ON SATURDAY”

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Monte Carlo is a race that is run on Saturday with qualifying. You can put all the pit stops you want, but the only variables that can possibly change the result are accidents and safety-cars.

Monte Carlo is a race that enhances the skills of the drivers and, since we are talking about professionals, they were great at not making mistakes, as well as being a stage for sponsors and glamour.

This new regulation did nothing but make interpreting the race difficult and probably someone had even forgotten it. Compared to past editions we had no upheavals. I have the habit of following the GPs by also keeping an eye on the times and gaps, but as a mere spectator it is not easy. I dare not imagine in the grandstands.

However, congratulations must be made to McLaren, especially Norris for the pole position and win, as well as to Leclerc. There is no use complaining because he did very well by taking second place in both qualifying and the race. Hamilton paid the four tenths of a second gap from pole, that is then the gap of the Ferrari. Therefore, he carried out a masterpiece taking it to the front row.

Congratulations also go to the Racing Bulls, for both the race and the strategies that placed the two cars in the points zone, just like Williams and Haas that finished the race with Ocon in seventh place. Important points for all of them. Certainly, the two Mercedes failed, authors of an inexplicable strategy, and Fernando Alonso, forced to retire due to a technical problem.

We say a quick goodbye to Monte Carlo move on to Barcelona where the new TD will be introduced. Involving all the teams, I believe little will change.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | WAITING FOR IMOLA, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “ALMOST 180,000 TICKETS SOLD. COME AND SUPPORT FERRARI AND KIMI ANTONELLI”

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We are now a week away from the Formula Grand Prix in Imola, the seventh round of the World Championship and the first stop in Europe, scheduled from May 16 to May 18 at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit.

We caught up with Gian Carlo Minardi, President of Formula Imola, who is engaged, together with his team, in organizing this extraordinary event. “We are working hard to give all the fans who come to Imola a great show and to make it harder for those who will have to make the final decision on the future of this Grand Prix. Today we are close to crossing the 180,000-ticket mark and we are optimistic about breaking all the attendance records over the three days. It would be an incredible and important result not only for the Circuit, but for all our territory. We want to show everyone that Italy is number one,” Commented Minardi.

In addition to the activities on the track, Imola will offer a schedule of events planned to involve the fans, families, citizens and visitors. “We are completing the FUN ZONE – open from Thursday – where, amongst other things, it will be possible to meet and talk with the protagonists, from the drivers to the Team Principals, without forgetting Imola’s city centre, the beating heart of the weekend together with the Circuit very equipped with amusements, entertainment and tastings”

There will be concerts, DJ sets, shows, talks, museums, artistic installations, driving simulators, activities for children, exhibitions dedicated to the history of Formula 1 and the great champions of the past, photographic exhibitions, historical models on display, together with the possibility of thematic guided tours between engines and culture, with extraordinary openings of the city’s venues, educational workshops, markets, book presentations, with Made in Italy in the centre in all its forms.

“We have designed a show within a show. The enthusiast and fan can go to the Circuit to follow the activities on the track with the Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Porsche Supercup races. Those accompanying him can enjoy an equally entertaining weekend regardless of Formula 1. Many special trains are available for this event, thus avoiding the stress of traffic. Imola’s railway station and the main entrance to the Circuit, located in Viale Dante, are just over 1,500m from each other, and along the way you pass through the historic city centre with all its attractions.

The engines will be switched on at 9.55 on Friday morning with the first hour of free practice of F3, F2 (11:05) and F1 (13:30) to be switched off only with the conclusion of the Made in Italy and the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. “Friday promises to be very interesting. All the teams will bring many new developments onto the track which will be tested in free practice, and it will be very interesting to follow. Furthermore, it is the day that costs the least. We are very satisfied with the presales, and I would like to hear, together with the Ferrari red tide, the support for our driver Kimi Antonelli even if he is racing in the colours of the rival team Mercedes,” concluded a smiling Minardi.

F1 | GP MIAMI, GIAN CARLO MINARDI “AS WE AWAIT MANY OF YOU IN IMOLA WE GO TO FLORIDA”

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Adrian Campos racing in the 1987 USA GP at the wheel of the M187

Formula 1 lands in Florida in the United States before making its annual debut in Europe with the round at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit next 7 and 18 May 1.

For the Miami Grand Prix, Pirelli opted for the C3-C4-C5, a softer grade of compound compared to 2024 where the weather could be an extra variable. Despite high temperatures around 29°-30° there is a possibility of rain which could also affect the strategies and pit-stops- Traditionally it is a one stop race. The track built around the stadium is characterized by very smooth asphalt that subjects the tyres to medium-low longitudinal and lateral forces. The thermal wear will be a decisive factor.

The leitmotiv of the weekend will be the internal struggle in McLaren which will try to widen the gap from its direct rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, but above all the battle between Piastri and Norris. On the one hand the Australian will try to consolidate his leadership, both within the team, as well in the championship, while Norris will be called to respond to the mistakes made in Bahrain. He must demonstrate that he has regained the confidence and coldness necessary to fight for the drivers’ championship.

On the other hand, we have Red Bull that must find peace of mind within the team, despite Max Verstappen always present and in splendid form. Especially in qualifying, on the fast lap, the car is able to express itself fully. Precisely the two qualifying sessions, for the Sprint and GP, will be important because they will be played out on the edge of thousandths of a second.

On the Ferrari front, after Leclerc’s podium two weeks ago, we hope it will make a further step forward by fine tuning the developments introduced at Sakhir. Keep an eye on Mercedes as well, currently the second force in the world championship.

The track built around the Hard Rock Stadium is 5,412 kilometres long to be lapped 57 times in the race. Set up by taking advantage of the parking areas, service roads and even arterial streets, it is distinguished by 19 bends: seven to the right and 12 to the left. Even though located in an area with no high contours, some height differences have been created: the most notable between bends 13 and 16, where the track passes under an underpass on irregular terrain and through a braking lane of Florida’s Turnpike. So, just like Jeddah, there will be three DRS zones in Miami at the end of which are the best opportunities for overtaking on the track.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP SAUDI ARABIA, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “LECLERC-HAMILTON. THE GAP IS TOO HIGH”

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In Saudi Arabia we saw a weekend under the banner of McLaren, but especially under the name Oscar Piastri who forcefully took the number one spot within the team led by Andrea Stella, as well as the lead in the ladder by taking his third win of the season. He is confirming that he is a complete driver.

Always present is Verstappen, the author of an extraordinary pole position after the difficult weekend in Bahrain. However, I do not agree with the penalty. I believe that 5” are too few considering the advantage obtained by his action and also because they came at the start of the race. He had plenty of time to recover, crossing the finish line in second place, little more than 2” from the Australian. A drive-through would have been more consistent.

Leclerc’s grand prix is also to be applauded. Not only did he give Ferrari its first podium of the season in a GP, but he hid and lessened the car’s real problems which were instead very evident with Hamilton who had a pace that did not line up with a seven times world champion. At the present time it is rather inexplicable.

Antonelli’s defence right against Hamilton was excellent. Mercedes is the second force of the world championship with a pair of drivers with very little difference between them. Russell is in splendid form, as he showed with the third place in qualifying and fifth in the race.

It was a negative weekend for Norris. He is racing inconsistently, and his difficulties are obvious. The comeback in the race was certainly positive, also the result of a good strategy, but the mistake in Q3 was very heavy. Despite having the best car on the track, he could not overtake Leclerc. This makes the result achieved by the driver from Monte Carlo even more important. Norris is suffering heavily the “problem” of Piastri who exploits his McLaren to the utmost.

A positive weekend also for Carlos Sainz, who is on the upswing with his Williams, and who once again left his teammate Albon behind him, and for Hadjar, who gave the Racing Bulls the point of the top 10, with Lawson in twelfth place. Making a comparison with last season, the biggest disappointment is coming from Aston Martia, out of the points zone.

In two weeks’ time, they go to Miami, before landing in Europe at Imola’s Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit on May 16-28-

It was an Easter weekend of Motorsport. If in Jeddah we saw the fifth round of the F1 World Championship, Imola hosted the second round of the WEC World Championship, attracting more than 65,000 fans. I thank them one by one for the warmth with which they welcomed me, especially at the moment of the start of the 6 hours, just as I thank the entire Formula Imola team for their excellent work. Congratulations and thanks also came from the organizer of the WEC. With the arrival of F1 in four weeks time, I hope to be able to see an even warmer and bigger crowd. The fans are our “sponsors”, and the encouragement to continue to improve. We must put those who have to make certain decisions in difficulty.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1| GP BAHRAIN, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “PIASTRI A COMPLETE DRIVER. NORRIS IN MENTAL DIFFICULTY.”

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Once again, we saw an extremely competitive race in which strategies and the safety-car were decisive for the result. A Grand Prix that entertained us with a lot of overtaking, which showed once again that just the slightest slip is enough – see some of the imperfections in the pit-stops – to lose positions.

Congratulations to Oscar Piastri, the protagonist of a perfect weekend. He marked his 50th GP with pole-position and the win. He is confirming that he is a complete driver who is maturing. He is the pretender to the title, considering Norris’ mental difficulties.  His teammate was not as predictable with some mistakes in both qualifying and at the start. A mistake that affected his race finishing behind Russell.

The forces in the field are becoming clearer with McLaren increasingly the master of this championship, ahead of a good Mercedes, and a discrete Ferrari. For the first time since the start of the season Antonelli finished the race outside the points zone. His overtaking move on the four-time world champion Max Verstappen was beautiful, but the entry of the safety car messed up Mercedes’ plans, in this way thwarting the excellent work with an imperfect strategy.

They were precisely the ones who may have been the victims of this too intense calendar. In my opinion, 24 races are too many. Teams and drivers are subject to a tight schedule and the risk of mistakes is just around the corner.  Probably, because of the turnover, some procedures did not work properly among Horner’s men.

I found the decision to not proceed in relation to Russell correct. This was a minor mistake dictated by an external management problem connected to the ECU. I do not think he had much of an advantage.

Having said this, in six days’ time they go back onto the track in Jedda, in Saudi Arabia, for the fifth round of the season.

Gian Carlo Minardi

F1 | GP AUSTRALIA, THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “MCLAREN MINDBLOWING, PUT OFF. WILLIAMS A PLEASANT CONFIRMATION

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Between confirmations and twists and turns, also dictated by particular weather conditions, Formula 1 gave us an exciting first grand prix in Australia.

We rediscovered some results that had already emerged during the Bahrain tests, especially related to McLaren and Williams, and even Ferrari, albeit negatively.

We are looking at a mind-blowing McLaren that demonstrated incredible solidity, despite some mistakes by the two drivers.

Behind them we found an incredible Max Verstappen whose talent most probably hid Red Bull’s difficulties by making himself the protagonist of an amazing race keeping Lando Norris and Oscar busy from the first to the last lap. He tried to chase down the winner right to the end.

Third and fourth place for Mercedes with Russell and Antonelli. I was very pleased that the marshals backtracked on the 5” penalty given to “Kimi”, giving him back fourth place. I had found the decision very questionable. He was the protagonist of an excellent comeback, finishing his first grand prix ahead of Albon’s Williams. He certainly started from a position that did not reflect his true potential, favouring him in overtaking, however, he made only one slip where many made important mistakes, which were paid for heavily with retirement. The rain and the slippery asphalt brought out his natural talent.

The real surprise of the start of the season is probably Williams that confirmed the excellent signs seen in Sakhir. Decidedly underwhelming for the whole weekend was Carlos Sainz, who was also the protagonist of an important mistake in the race that an expert driver such as he should not allow himself.

Even Fernando Alonso was the protagonist of a mistake, ending up against the “wall”, but this time it was Lance Stroll who stepped forward to save Aston Martin’s Sunday by taking it to sixth place ahead of an excellent Nico Hulkenberg in the Sauber.

So, we come to Ferrari. When the weekend entered the thick of things, see free practice 3 and Q3, they got lost. They got everything wrong, including the strategy. The perplexities that emerged during the tests were confirmed in Australia. In fact, compared to last year, they are the team that improved the least in the tests and we saw it today. The season is certainly long because there are still 23 grands prix, but in China and Japan important positive responses must come. We hope that it will be a salvageable job. Let us not forget that this year, with the 2026 regulations just around the corner, the commitment id double.

Gian Carlo Minardi