Formula 1

Following the dismissal of Oliver Oakes as Alpine team principal, the team announced that Franco Colapinto will be their new driver alongside Pierre Gasly, moving Jack Doohan to a reserve role. The news many Formula 1 (F1) fans were waiting for—especially from the Latin American community—is now official: Franco Colapinto is returning to the driver lineup of the top tier of motorsport. Alpine made the announcement this Wednesday, stating that the Argentine driver will take Jack Doohan’s seat. A five-race trial for Colapinto This news came shortly after the French team announced the dismissal of team principal Oliver Oakes and the immediate appointment of Flavio Briatore to take over the role at Alpine. Oakes was the main supporter of Doohan, but following his resignation, Colapinto will step in as the main driver alongside Pierre Gasly, with Doohan moving to a reserve position. The 21-year-old’s return to F1 will begin at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix (GP), where he is guaranteed five races, after which his seat in F1 may rotate, according to Alpine. This means Colapinto will drive at least until the Austrian GP. The Argentine already has F1 experience This change had been anticipated ever since Doohan showed inconsistency since his F1 debut, experiencing frequent issues with his car throughout the season. Since Colapinto was already Alpine’s reserve driver, many speculated that his promotion was imminent.   “I cannot wait to get started.” Looking forward to next weekend in Imola 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/oALDwFSnFC — BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) May 7, 2025 Support for the Argentine also stems from the fact that Colapinto already has F1 experience, having driven in the second half of the 2024 season when he replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams. He managed to score points in Azerbaijan and Austin, although he also suffered two crashes during that stint with Williams. Nonetheless, Colapinto is expected to deliver better results than Doohan. Cover photo: X (@FranColapinto) 

Oscar Piastri claimed his fourth victory of the season at the Miami GP, remaining at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Norris (2nd) and Russell (3rd) completed the podium. Fourth win—and third in a row—for Oscar Piastri in this 2025 Formula 1 Season. The McLaren driver reached the top of the podium at the Miami Grand Prix (GP), further solidifying his lead in the Drivers’ Championship standings. Perfect day for Piastri and McLaren A great race for the Australian at the Miami International Autodrome, as during the 57 laps of the race, Oscar Piastri showed consistency in his car, climbing from fourth at the start to take the lead that Max Verstappen had held for 13 laps, maintaining it all the way to the checkered flag. This was not only a dominant race for Piastri, but also for McLaren, as Lando Norris finished second after an intense battle with Verstappen while he was still leading. At one point, Norris went off track and dropped to fourth, but over the course of the race he recovered second place, giving the papaya team a 1-2 finish on the Florida coast. Thus, McLaren dominates both championships, with the Miami winner leading the Drivers’ Standings with 131 points, while Norris follows with 115. The British team also leads the Constructors’ Championship with 246 points, followed by Mercedes with 141, who completed the Miami podium with George Russell in third place. The rest of the field Max Verstappen ends a weekend in which the birth of his daughter was the highlight, as things didn’t go well for him on track, finishing fourth after losing pole and being unable to compete with the McLarens. Fifth place went to Alexander Albon, Kimi Antonelli finished sixth, once again the Ferraris ended one behind the other with Charles Leclerc in seventh and Lewis Hamilton in eighth; the Top 10 was completed by Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda. Outside the points, Isack Hadjar came in 11th, Esteban Ocon finished 12th, Pierre Gasly 13th, Nico Hülkenberg 14th, Fernando Alonso 15th, and finally Lance Stroll 16th. Those who didn’t finish the race were Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, Ollie Bearman, and Jack Doohan—the latter having to retire from the race on the very first lap. Cover photo: X (@F1)

Kimi Antonelli makes history and becomes the youngest driver to secure a pole position in any F1 competition, after setting the fastest lap in the Sprint Qualifying in Miami. One of the big attractions for this 2025 Formula 1 (F1) season was the presence of six rookies on the grid, bringing a breath of fresh air to the competition with new talents on track. While most of these newcomers have stayed in the midfield or back of the pack, one in particular has stood out: the 18-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, a young driver who excites Mercedes At just 18 years old, the Italian became the youngest competitor in F1 history to achieve a pole position, spoiling the party for McLaren and beating the time set by Oscar Piastri, who will start second, and Lando Norris, who will line up third. With a time of 1:26.482, Antonelli surpassed the mark of the current leader in the Drivers’ Championship, as Piastri had set a 1:27.527 on his best lap, which had put him on provisional pole until Kimi came through, driven by youth and a desire to impress the world—something he is clearly doing. With this first pole of his career, his team showered him with praise and applause, giving Mercedes renewed hope in the young talent they have. The rest of the Sprint Qualifying Moving on to the rest of the starting grid, Max Verstappen will start fourth, George Russell is fifth, sixth and seventh places go to the Ferraris with Charles Leclerc ahead of Lewis Hamilton; while Alexander Albon, Isack Hadjar, and Fernando Alonso complete the Top 10. The final 10 spots on the grid are made up of Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Jack Doohan, Yuki Tsunoda, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Ollie Bearman. Cover photo: X (@F1)

Ferrari and Racing Bulls unveil bold new liveries in Miami, while Sauber refreshes its design with a twist on its classic colors Known as “The Magic City,” Miami is one of the most anticipated stops on the Formula 1 (F1) calendar—not just for the racing, but for the vibrant spectacle surrounding the Grand Prix. And this year, Ferrari and Racing Bulls are joining the party with bold, one-off liveries, while Sauber offers a fresh take on its usual color scheme. Racing Bulls go pink for Miami Drivers Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson will be hard to miss at the Miami International Autodrome, as Racing Bulls have opted for a special edition livery that features pink as the dominant color, accented by white patterns across the car. This striking design on the VCARB 02 is inspired by Red Bull’s Summer Edition White Peach flavor—fitting for Miami’s tropical, party vibe. The entire team, from the cars to the drivers’ race suits, will don this pink and white theme for the weekend. Ferrari adds blue and white to its traditional red Ferrari has also jumped on the Miami hype, unveiling a livery that keeps the team’s iconic Ferrari red but adds blue and white accents on the rear of the car, including the rear wing and wheel rims. These colors reflect the branding of Ferrari’s new title sponsor, HP. While eye-catching, the new color combination received mixed reactions from fans—many noting that the contrast between the bright red and the cool blue and white feels disjointed. However, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s race suits, which embrace the full blue-and-white palette, have been well received—leading some to wonder why Ferrari didn’t extend this look across the entire car. Sauber sticks to black and green—but with a twist Also debuting a new design in Miami is Kick Sauber. Unlike the others, Sauber is keeping its classic black and green color scheme, but the layout has changed significantly. For this weekend, the green appears in a paint-splatter style, giving the cars of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto a dynamic and edgy look without straying from the team’s identity.

Madrid, with Carlos Sainz as the main figure, unveils Madring Circuit: the Spanish GP track joining the F1 calendar in 2026 The checkered flag waved in Madrid to mark the official start of the construction of the city’s new urban circuit. Introduced as Madring, the track will feature a 5.4 km layout with 22 corners and will host the Spanish Grand Prix (GP) for the next 10 years starting in 2026. Carlos Sainz, circuit ambassador The honor of giving the green light for the project went to none other than Carlos Sainz, the Spanish Williams driver and official ambassador for Madring. Sainz has been heavily involved as a key consultant in the design and development of this new project. Madring, a complete circuit Designed by the Italian firm Dromo, the Madring track begins with a 589-meter straight featuring a width of 15 meters. The first corner will come 202 meters after the start line, and from there, the track will narrow slightly to a consistent 12 meters wide for the remainder of the lap. Undoubtedly, the star feature of the track is “La Monumental”—a banked corner with a 24% incline, stretching over 550 meters, designed to resemble a bullfighting arena. 🔴 Today, we reveal one of MADRING’s emblems for the first time. 👉 “LA MONUMENTAL” 🏁 Turn 12 🚀 It will be a challenge for the drivers as it will have a length of a half a meter with a superelevation of 24%. Last section next Thursday! 🔜https://t.co/xXgvnxEF8V pic.twitter.com/qEM64O8j17 — MADRING (@madring_oficial) April 21, 2025 The Spanish GP at Madring will consist of 57 laps, with lap times expected to hover around 1:32. Drivers will reach speeds of up to 320 km/h, with four potential overtaking zones. The circuit will also feature a 10-meter elevation change, including a tunnel section. To give fans an early glimpse, the entire Madring layout was showcased through a virtual simulation, offering an onboard view to experience every section of the brand-new circuit. Cover photo: X (@F1)

After an intense duel with Verstappen in the opening laps, Oscar Piastri claimed victory at the Saudi Arabian GP and moved to the top of the Drivers’ Standings A thrilling night race unfolded at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (GP), where Oscar Piastri made sure not to let Max Verstappen steal the spotlight, as had happened in qualifying. The Australian driver secured victory at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, taking over the lead in the Formula 1 (F1) Drivers’ Championship. Piastri vs Verstappen From the moment the lights went out in Jeddah, the battle between Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen kicked off fiercely. In the very first lap, the Dutchman took the lead with an overtake outside the track limits—an action that would earn him a five-second penalty. Meanwhile, Piastri remained close behind, at times following the Red Bull and at others his teammate Lando Norris, before ultimately taking the lead and holding onto it all the way to the checkered flag. Thanks to a strong finish, Piastri kept Verstappen at bay, forcing him to settle for second place, while Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium after a tough defense against the second McLaren, which finished fourth. New Drivers’ Championship leader With this victory, Oscar Piastri now totals 99 points in the Drivers’ Standings, becoming the first Australian driver to lead the championship since Mark Webber in 2010. Behind him is Lando Norris with 89 points, and Max Verstappen remains third with 87 points. Change at the top 🔄 Let’s take a look at the drivers’ standings ⬇️ #F1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/iycSsPlplb — Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2025 Full Saudi Arabian GP race results Completing the top 10, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli secured fifth and sixth place for Mercedes; Lewis Hamilton finished seventh; Carlos Sainz scored his first points of the season with an eighth-place finish; and Alexander Albon and Isack Hadjar took ninth and tenth, respectively. Further down the field, Fernando Alonso finished 11th, Liam Lawson 12th, Ollie Bearman 13th, Esteban Ocon 14th, and Nico Hülkenberg 15th. The last positions were occupied by Lance Stroll, Jack Doohan, and Gabriel Bortoleto. Unfortunately, Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly didn’t make it past the first lap, as a collision between them resulted in terminal damage to their cars, forcing both to retire from the race. Cover photo: X (@F1)

Despite driving an F1 car, Kimi Antonelli cannot drive his personal Mercedes in Italy due to licensing restrictions and the car’s high power The 2025 Formula 1 (F1) season has brought a breath of fresh air to the grid, with six rookies among the 20 drivers making their debut in the top tier of motorsport. Among them, one name stands out: 18-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli, over 300 km/h in F1, but restricted in Italy Kimi has delivered impressive performances for Mercedes, finishing in the points in three of the four races held so far. He currently sits seventh in the Drivers’ Standings with 30 points, ahead of experienced names like Lewis Hamilton, Alexander Albon, and Esteban Ocon. Along with his teammate George Russell, he has helped Mercedes secure second place in the Constructors’ Championship. However, despite all this, in his home country of Italy, Antonelli is not allowed to drive his brand-new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupé, a gift from the team for his outstanding performances. While Antonelli does hold a valid driver’s license, the issue lies in his age and the car itself. According to Italian laws, newly licensed drivers are prohibited from operating high-powered vehicles. Considering Antonelli’s car boasts 585 horsepower, can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds, and has a top speed of 317 km/h, it far exceeds the limits imposed by Italian regulations.  You may be interested in: McLaren, Red Bull’s unexpected enemy Kimi could find a loophole Legally, Antonelli would not be allowed to drive his new car in Italy until 2028. However, since his driver’s license is issued by San Marino, a microstate within Italian territory, Kimi could potentially bypass this restriction. Because his documentation is not issued by the Italian government, the national laws do not apply to him in the same way. This represents a loophole in Italy’s legal system, allowing Antonelli to technically circumvent the law, although he would still need to wait another three years to drive his Mercedes freely in Italy without any legal concerns. Cover photo: X (@F1KimiAntonelli)

With three drivers battling at the top of the standings, F1 Academy is ready for its second round at the Saudi Arabian GP This weekend will be packed with Formula 1 (F1) action for all fans, as alongside the premier class of motorsport at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (GP), we will also have the second round of the F1 Academy, a series aimed at promoting the development of female drivers. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit will host some of the best young talents looking to make the leap to F1. A battle among three drivers Undoubtedly, the drivers to watch in Saudi Arabia will be Doriane Pin from Mercedes, Maya Weug from Ferrari, and Chloe Chambers from Red Bull, who currently lead the standings after two races at the Chinese GP. While in the first race, newcomer Alisha Palmowski surprised everyone by taking the victory, Chambers secured second place, Weug finished third, and Pin came in fourth. In the second race, Doriane dominated the Shanghai Circuit, claiming first place, Maya finished second, and Chloe rounded out the Top 3, setting up a fierce competition among these three drivers for the event in Saudi Arabia. F1 Academy schedule This series will serve as the opener for all F1 activities, running ahead of the main event from practice sessions through to the main race on Sunday. Starting with free practice, sessions will kick off on Friday at 5:05 a.m., while qualifying will take place at 12:30 p.m., all times in Central Mexico Time. On Saturday, the first race will start at 6:20 a.m., and for Sunday, the final race in Jeddah will be held at 6:05 a.m., once again according to Central Mexico Time. Cover photo: X (@f1academy)