Infinite Improbability Drive of the Race - Saudi Arabia 2025

[Londoner]

1. Williams. Excellent teamwork to secure a double points finish.

2. Charles Leclerc. Great effort to ensure Ferrari finally get a podium this season.

[You-Gee-Eee-Day]

1. Piastri - for being 1st in the standings as a number 2 driver.
2. Williams - we now regularly see Williams in the points. Imagine saying that even 2 years ago.

[rachel1990]

1. Williams. Both drivers in the points again. Isn't it nice to have two decent drivers.

2. Charles Leclerc. Got a very well deserved poduim

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

I’ll echo Williams and Leclerc. HM to Sainz for finally getting on top of the car.

[James1978]

Williams for great teamwork and also finishing top of F1.5. My money is on them getting P5 in the constructors. Also great podium by Leclerc.

[mario]

Williams for great teamwork and also finishing top of F1.5. My money is on them getting P5 in the constructors. Also great podium by Leclerc.

It may be a little difficult, as Vowles mentioned they are already curtailing development of their car this season and will put most of their resources into 2026, with most of the remaining upgrades being circuit specific modifications (such as the ultra low or high downforce bodywork required for places like Monza or Monaco). It's going to depend on whether other teams keep up development for longer (and there may be the odd race with unusually high attrition or abnormal conditions where a team like Haas could get ahead through fortune).

[Alextrax52]

Williams: Double points finish and Carlos Sainz bringing back his Singapore 2023 tactics with style

Charles Leclerc: Ferrari weren’t on the pace and yet he claimed a fine first Grand Prix podium of the season all while stomping a 30 second hole into his more illustrious teammate

[dr-baker]

Williams for great teamwork and also finishing top of F1.5. My money is on them getting P5 in the constructors. Also great podium by Leclerc.

It may be a little difficult, as Vowles mentioned they are already curtailing development of their car this season and will put most of their resources into 2026, with most of the remaining upgrades being circuit specific modifications (such as the ultra low or high downforce bodywork required for places like Monza or Monaco). It's going to depend on whether other teams keep up development for longer (and there may be the odd race with unusually high attrition or abnormal conditions where a team like Haas could get ahead through fortune).

I find it amazing that Albon is STILL 8th in the driver's championship, best of the rest and ahead of the number 2 Red Bull drivers.

[RAK]

Williams has been punching above where everybody expected them to be multiple times this year, so a well-deserved double-points finish.

[mario]

Williams for great teamwork and also finishing top of F1.5. My money is on them getting P5 in the constructors. Also great podium by Leclerc.

It may be a little difficult, as Vowles mentioned they are already curtailing development of their car this season and will put most of their resources into 2026, with most of the remaining upgrades being circuit specific modifications (such as the ultra low or high downforce bodywork required for places like Monza or Monaco). It's going to depend on whether other teams keep up development for longer (and there may be the odd race with unusually high attrition or abnormal conditions where a team like Haas could get ahead through fortune).

I find it amazing that Albon is STILL 8th in the driver's championship, best of the rest and ahead of the number 2 Red Bull drivers.

To some extent, it could be said that a few teams are currently further up than we might have expected.

Williams are one, although there were signs towards the latter end of last season that they were beginning to climb further up the field, but Haas and Alpine are, relatively speaking, also doing much better at this point of the season than they were in 2024 (the former having 4 times as many points and the latter had no points on the board at all this far into the season).

The one team that has underperformed significantly compared to last year is Aston Martin, and Williams, Haas and Alpine have been the biggest beneficiaries at their expense. Williams probably has the advantage of a slightly more settled situation out of those teams - slightly less disruption within the driver line up, with Albon providing some continuity, and Williams got more of their technical reforms done in 2024, perhaps allowing them to focus more on this year as a result.

[dr-baker]

The one team that has underperformed significantly compared to last year is Aston Martin, and Williams, Haas and Alpine have been the biggest beneficiaries at their expense. Williams probably has the advantage of a slightly more settled situation out of those teams - slightly less disruption within the driver line up, with Albon providing some continuity, and Williams got more of their technical reforms done in 2024, perhaps allowing them to focus more on this year as a result.

You could make the argument that Aston Martin is settled in terms of driver line up, with no driver change at all. And with higher future potential with Adrian Newey on board.

[mario]

The one team that has underperformed significantly compared to last year is Aston Martin, and Williams, Haas and Alpine have been the biggest beneficiaries at their expense. Williams probably has the advantage of a slightly more settled situation out of those teams - slightly less disruption within the driver line up, with Albon providing some continuity, and Williams got more of their technical reforms done in 2024, perhaps allowing them to focus more on this year as a result.

You could make the argument that Aston Martin is settled in terms of driver line up, with no driver change at all. And with higher future potential with Adrian Newey on board.

There have been some reports that he is spending some time analysing Aston Martin's technical structure and internal design processes at the moment, so he may indirectly influence the development path of the AMR25 through any reforms he may introduce.

However, Newey is probably not going to have a direct impact on the AMR25, as it seems he's ruled out spending time on that car and wants to focus his efforts on their 2026 car instead (particularly as he only started working for the team last month). He might begin having a more direct impact from 2026 onwards, but probably only a modest impact this year.

[dr-baker]

The one team that has underperformed significantly compared to last year is Aston Martin, and Williams, Haas and Alpine have been the biggest beneficiaries at their expense. Williams probably has the advantage of a slightly more settled situation out of those teams - slightly less disruption within the driver line up, with Albon providing some continuity, and Williams got more of their technical reforms done in 2024, perhaps allowing them to focus more on this year as a result.

You could make the argument that Aston Martin is settled in terms of driver line up, with no driver change at all. And with higher future potential with Adrian Newey on board.

There have been some reports that he is spending some time analysing Aston Martin's technical structure and internal design processes at the moment, so he may indirectly influence the development path of the AMR25 through any reforms he may introduce.

However, Newey is probably not going to have a direct impact on the AMR25, as it seems he's ruled out spending time on that car and wants to focus his efforts on their 2026 car instead (particularly as he only started working for the team last month). He might begin having a more direct impact from 2026 onwards, but probably only a modest impact this year.

That would make sense. Although my comment about future potential did extend beyond just the scope of this year.

[MyHamsterRacedAnOnyx]

It would definitely make more sense than concentrating a lot of effort on the '25 car only to have to rethink completely for the whole raft of new regulations. Better to make the best of this year and get a headstart on generating next year's car