2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku, Sep 19-21

[rbirules]

I also think that the lack of any kind of fight or activity in race this year generally has led to quite a bit of downturn. Without sounding utterly disrespectful to McLaren, their drivers are not good enough to sustain a good fight and Papaya Rules takes away essentially any possible fun that fans other than McLaren might have. Also this year has mostly had races that were dead. I guess it is generally just lack of action and impossibility of passing at the front with the cars all converging, making this year except for McLaren a qualifying championship.

This and the reasons mentioned above. Also, Lewis, Charles etc are not at the front fighting for anything. That also sucks from a purely entertainment POV.

I agree with this. The WDC "battle" between the two McLaren drivers has just felt sterile and not really like a battle at all. Almost all of the excitement this year has been in races where Max is at the front with them and they have to try to overtake him.

-Australia the McLaren's didn't challenge each other, then they both went off with Oscar dropping way back as a result.
-China, Lando had a brake problem and didn't challenge for the win.
-Japan, Max held them both back as McLaren refused to split strategies to challenge for the win.
-Bahrain, Lando had a poor qualifying and wasn't at the front with Oscar.
-Jeddah, see Bahrain. Oscar got a better start than Max, and a SC came out on lap 1. Not sure if Max would have given the place back but by that point he couldn't and Oscar just had to cruise behind him within 5 seconds.
-Miami, Max got the lead and fought both McLarens as they made their way past him.
-Imola, Max passed Oscar at the start. McLaren tried to use differing strategies to get Max to pit early but Red Bull didn't go for it. Oscar and Lando battled a little after one of the SCs, IIRC.
<skipping Monaco>
-Spain, Max overtook Lando to move up to 2nd. Tried to challenge Oscar but couldn't. Lando didn't challenge Oscar at all on the late SC restart.
-Canada, Lando DNFs after hitting Oscar trying to get by.
-Austria, Oscar locked up trying a move on Lando. After the first round of pit stops the gap was 6.5 seconds or so.
-Silverstone, Max held a lead with a Monza level wing for a while but Oscar eventually got by and built a big lead. SC infraction allowed Lando to follow him home on the road and win.
-Spa, Oscar got by Lando on lap 1 or 2 (I honestly don't remember).
-Hungary, Lando got put on the better strategy and jumped Oscar (and others) for the lead. Oscar locked up into turn 1 late in the race, and that's as close as we've gotten to anything exciting between them in a race.
-Zandvoort, Max passes Lando at start, Lando passes him back before DNF.
-Monza, Papaya rules-gate, with Lando getting a slow stop.
-Baku, Oscar crashes in Q3, jumps the start, anti-stall kicks in, he drops to the back and crashes out 5 turns later.

Two lockups by Oscar (Austria stint 1, Hungary final laps) and Lando taking himself out hitting Oscar are the only big events between two drivers separated by 25 points after 17 races (and three sprints).

Conversely, Max has had to take to the runoff area at turn 1 against each driver (Jeddah, and Monza), he had another turn 1/2 overtake/battle against each (Imola and Miami), multiple lap long fights in Miami with both. Long stints with both very close in Imola. Intense race in Japan with both just behind him all race. Jeddah wasn't as exciting due to the impending 5 second penalty, but it was probably as exciting as any race that had a 1-2 McLaren finish.

[venkyhere]

Btw it's the Wednesday of a race weekend, and we don't have the Singapore race thread started yet. I don't know how to do it, otherwise would have started it myself.

[search]

There's a "New Topic" button in the upper left corner. I don't think it really needs much else, apart from a track map maybe.

[f1isgood]

I also think that the lack of any kind of fight or activity in race this year generally has led to quite a bit of downturn. Without sounding utterly disrespectful to McLaren, their drivers are not good enough to sustain a good fight and Papaya Rules takes away essentially any possible fun that fans other than McLaren might have. Also this year has mostly had races that were dead. I guess it is generally just lack of action and impossibility of passing at the front with the cars all converging, making this year except for McLaren a qualifying championship.

This and the reasons mentioned above. Also, Lewis, Charles etc are not at the front fighting for anything. That also sucks from a purely entertainment POV.

I agree with this. The WDC "battle" between the two McLaren drivers has just felt sterile and not really like a battle at all. Almost all of the excitement this year has been in races where Max is at the front with them and they have to try to overtake him.

-Australia the McLaren's didn't challenge each other, then they both went off with Oscar dropping way back as a result.
-China, Lando had a brake problem and didn't challenge for the win.
-Japan, Max held them both back as McLaren refused to split strategies to challenge for the win.
-Bahrain, Lando had a poor qualifying and wasn't at the front with Oscar.
-Jeddah, see Bahrain. Oscar got a better start than Max, and a SC came out on lap 1. Not sure if Max would have given the place back but by that point he couldn't and Lando just had to cruise behind him within 5 seconds.
-Miami, Max got the lead and fought both McLarens as they made their way past him.
-Imola, Max passed Oscar at the start. McLaren tried to use differing strategies to get Max to pit early but Red Bull didn't go for it. Oscar and Lando battled a little after one of the SCs, IIRC.
<skipping Monaco>
-Spain, Max overtook Lando to move up to 2nd. Tried to challenge Oscar but couldn't. Lando didn't challenge Oscar at all on the late SC restart.
-Canada, Lando DNFs after hitting Oscar trying to get by.
-Austria, Oscar locked up trying a move on Lando. After the first round of pit stops the gap was 6.5 seconds or so.
-Silverstone, Max held a lead with a Monza level wing for a while but Oscar eventually got by and built a big lead. SC infraction allowed Lando to follow him home on the road and win.
-Spa, Oscar got by Lando on lap 1 or 2 (I honestly don't remember).
-Hungary, Lando got put on the better strategy and jumped Oscar (and others) for the lead. Oscar locked up into turn 1 late in the race, and that's as close as we've gotten to anything exciting between them in a race.
-Zandvoort, Max passes Lando at start, Lando passes him back before DNF.
-Monza, Papaya rules-gate, with Lando getting a slow stop.
-Baku, Oscar crashes in Q3, jumps the start, anti-stall kicks in, he drops to the back and crashes out 5 turns later.

Two lockups by Oscar (Austria stint 1, Hungary final laps) and Lando taking himself out hitting Oscar are the only big events between two drivers separated by 25 points after 17 races (and three sprints).

Conversely, Max has had to take to the runoff area at turn 1 against each driver (Jeddah, and Monza), he had another turn 1/2 overtake/battle against each (Imola and Miami), multiple lap long fights in Miami with both. Long stints with both very close in Imola. Intense race in Japan with both just behind him all race. Jeddah wasn't as exciting due to the impending 5 second penalty, but it was probably as exciting as any race that had a 1-2 McLaren finish.

Thanks for this summary. Good season summary - with no Max at the front fighting or doing something it's basically a complete procession.