[formerpiced]

The race broadcast was back to normal here.

Originally Posted by NickyC

I'm on F1 TV and it was like normal.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

That shot of Lewis staring at the results…not a lot of good thoughts inside that yellow helmet

And when he walked away after staring at the results, he shook his head.

11th GP without a podium. That never happened in his F1 career.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Artemis

And when he walked away after staring at the results, he shook his head.

11th GP without a podium. That never happened in his F1 career.

I saw that. The frustration with the Ferrari organization is clear for all to see - a lack of ability to listen to an experienced driver, or perhaps they wanted to protect Charles P3? Either way….not good.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Unlucky for MAX today as he would have been closer to the Larens than the Ferrari I think, had someone not crashed into him. Silverstone next weekend, wasn't RB's fault he had a DNF today but lets hope MK just up the road from there can pick some better parts for him.

[Artemis]

Verstappen WDC #3 with 155 points. Russell WDC #4 with 146 points.

Red Bull Racing WCC #4 with 162 points. Mercedes #3 with 209 points.

Interesting to see what will happen at Silverstone next Sunday. Verstappen only needs a 10 points delta in favor of Russell to drop to WDC #4 with 1 point trailing behind Russell: that will activate Verstappen's rumored 'free agent' clause to leave RBR 'no strings attached', facilitating him to eject Russell at Mercedes. It serves Russell's best interests that Verstappen maintains WDC #3 after the Silverstone GP. Russell will be calculating inside his cockpit during his home Grand Prix.

Silverstone GP race results that can end Russell's career at Mercedes after Abu Dhabi 2025:

• Verstappen P11-P20 or DNF and Russell P1-P2-P3-P4-P5
• Verstappen P10 and Russell P1-P2-P3-P4
• Verstappen P9 and Russell P1-P2-P3-P4
• Verstappen P8 and Russell P1-P2-P3
• Verstappen P7 and Russell P1-P2
• Verstappen P6 and Russell P1-P2
• Verstappen P5 and Russell P1
• Verstappen P4 and Russell P1
• Verstappen P3 and Russell P1

Imagine Verstappen DNF while Russell is racing in P1-P2-P3-P4-P5: choices-choices before the cheering home crowd. Maybe begging Mercedes to box for an unnecessary pit stop ?

[M3WC]

Complete snoozefest of a race.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

Yuki….ugh

Last with +2 laps and a penalty.

Honda's money still keeps him onboard of the RB21 for the time being.

[RichardInCA]

It’s clear that for whatever reason, the Racing Bulls car doesn’t prepare anyone to drive to the senior team car. If the only person who’s shown the ability to drive the car leaves, then Red Bull has a pool of great drivers and an undrivable car that no-one can tame. What a mess.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

That shot of Lewis staring at the results…not a lot of good thoughts inside that yellow helmet

He knows he is done. Leclerc is simply better at this point in his career.

Doesn't matter if Ferrari builds a good car next year. Lewis is #2 driver to Leclerc.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

It’s clear that for whatever reason, the Racing Bulls car doesn’t prepare anyone to drive to the senior team car. If the only person who’s shown the ability to drive the car leaves, then Red Bull has a pool of great drivers and an undrivable car that no-one can tame. What a mess.

MAX

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

It’s clear that for whatever reason, the Racing Bulls car doesn’t prepare anyone to drive to the senior team car. If the only person who’s shown the ability to drive the car leaves, then Red Bull has a pool of great drivers and an undrivable car that no-one can tame. What a mess.

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

MAX

Obviously, if Verstappen leaves RBR for Mercedes in 2026, Russell will race at Red Bull in 2026. It will be a swap.

The body language of Verstappen after leaving the damaged cars: he immediately removed his helmet, walked towards Kimi and calmly approached him (looks as if he said "Don't worry, Kimi - these things can happen"). Kimi apologized to Verstappen.

If it had been Russell, Verstappen would have kept his helmet on and would have made some angry gestures.

Noticed earlier this season that Verstappen and Kimi get along very well. As if they know already that it's likely that they will be team mates in 2026.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

I can't understand how Antonelli managed that, looks to me like the clot panicked getting out of the way from someone else diving to the other side of the track then losing control running out of track.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Obviously, if Verstappen leaves RBR for Mercedes in 2026, Russell will race at Red Bull in 2026. It will be a swap.

Maybe….but that doesn’t address that the car seems to be impossible to tame except for the one driver who may be leaving. Maybe their 26 spec car is just going to nail it out of the gate. Not holding my breath though.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

Maybe….but that doesn’t address that the car seems to be impossible to tame except for the one driver who may be leaving. Maybe their 26 spec car is just going to nail it out of the gate. Not holding my breath though.

If you had a choice: Red Bull Racing without Honda/Newey/competitive team mate or the Mercedes war machine with Kimi as team mate for 2026. As there is a window of opportunity to join Mercedes in 2026, and as you'll get the assurance by them that they will do anything they can to give you a WDC/WCC competitive car, I guess that Mercedes is the sound option.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Artemis

If you had a choice: Red Bull Racing without Honda/Newey/competitive team mate or the Mercedes war machine with Kimi as team mate for 2026. As there is a window of opportunity to join Mercedes in 2026, and as you'll get the assurance by them that they will do anything they can to give you a WDC/WCC competitive car, I guess that Mercedes is the sound option.

From Max’s side, it looks pretty clear. Red Bull feels like a house of cards that’s about to fold.

[Artemis]

Kimi declared "fully at fault" for the lap 1 accident with Verstappen: 3 place grid drop + 2 penalty points.

https://www.fia.com/system/files/dec...with_car_1.pdf

[HeelToeShift]

A bit dissapointed with Ant, but maybe this is what helps push Max to take Rus' seat.

Ham again, getting absolutely KO'd by Lec. What's that now, 10-1. LMFAO.

The Mclaren's IMO have the biggest advantage we have seen since MB in 2020/2021.

Great race by Law too. Wow.

And proof that without Max, the RB21 IS a back marker car - so yes, the driver in this case is 100% of why he is #3 int he WDC even still after getting taken out by ANT. NO OTHER DRIVER WOULD BE TOP 10 IN THE RB21, AT BEST.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Obviously, if Verstappen leaves RBR for Mercedes in 2026, Russell will race at Red Bull in 2026. It will be a swap.

The body language of Verstappen after leaving the damaged cars: he immediately removed his helmet, walked towards Kimi and calmly approached him (looks as if he said "Don't worry, Kimi - these things can happen"). Kimi apologized to Verstappen.

If it had been Russell, Verstappen would have kept his helmet on and would have made some angry gestures.

Noticed earlier this season that Verstappen and Kimi get along very well. As if they know already that it's likely that they will be team mates in 2026.

Yes . As I said : It's like a sign on the wall...

[Artemis]

Colapinto penalty:

https://www.fia.com/system/files/dec..._off_track.pdf


Tsunoda penalty:

https://www.fia.com/system/files/dec..._in_turn_4.pdf

[Artemis]

"A hot summer of Formula 1 gets underway in Austria"
Pirelli - 23 June 2025
https://press.pirelli.com/a-hot-summ...ay-in-austria/

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Yes . As I said : It's like a sign on the wall...

What if that suspected contract clause with points difference doesn't reach fruition with MAX remaining third or 4th with the minimum loss of points to whoever is 3rd in the championship as the 21 suddenly improves then MAX can't leave and as RichardinCA says the RB '26 car could be much better than currently anticipated.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

What if that suspected contract clause with points difference doesn't reach fruition with MAX remaining third or 4th with the minimum loss of points to whoever is 3rd in the championship as the 21 suddenly improves then MAX can't leave and as RichardinCA says the RB '26 car could be much better than currently anticipated.

If there is one car that still suddenly improves then It's the McLaren bullet car .
At least that's what Andrea Stella said in my post here => https://www.m3post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=221

As I said : The RB21 Spielberg upgrades had to be a game changer and a step forwards in the WDC and WCC.
As MAX said (post race) : Yeah we took a step , but backwards (!)
Thanks to the Frenchman , the Red Bull car has become a career breaker.

Further more : What Horner said in my post here (wasn't promising)! => https://www.m3post.com/forums/showpo...&postcount=185

As we know , Wolff really wants MAX in the Mercedes # 1 seat.
And I'm pretty sure there's always a way to buy him out (if necessary)

Honestly , I really hope MAX finds the Red Bull emergency exit door ASAP (!)