So early in the season, yet so much going on - Bahrain Fallout Formula 1 2025

Seriously, we are only now 5 races thru the 2025 season and the news and blogs are absolutely electric with chatter. So let me throw my two cents in...

Courtesy Getty Images/Mark Thompson

Red Bull & the M Factor

Whether you are talking M for Max, or M for Marko, life at Red Bull is not a happy one. While Japan proved to be a brilliant one for Max, it's really been the only race so far that has. Bahrain was a disaster. From the drivability of the car (or lack thereof) to the mess of tech issues in the pits, this just wasn't Red Bull at its finest. And truthfully, they've been on the back foot thus far thru all 5 races, save for Max's wrangling of the car in Japan to take the win. All the top drivers, Max, Lewis, Charles, Lando, etc., have 'performance' clauses in their contracts. This goes both ways when it comes to performance, both in the performance of the driver, or more for this discussion, the performance of the car. For Max, it essentially means if the car is not performing, not leading to consistent podium finishes, he has an out on his contract. His current contract ends after the 2028 season, but with this imperfect start for him and Red Bull, and no positive signs of a short-term correction to the car, even Helmut Marko is doubting how long they can keep him as a driver. Mercedes and Aston Martin have made it known their desire for Max to join their teams, and I'm sure others will jump into the fray if news continues to build to a confirmed ending of his stay at Red Bull.

The unrest in their garage looms large these days, and unless there is a rapid fix coming, the first half of the season is just going to spiral more and more out of control. Max isn't far behind in the Driver standings yet. But just as the gap is growing in the Constructors, so too shall it in the Drivers. Saudi Arabia was a solid race last year for the team with a one-two finish. But this year? Well, maybe they'll get two in the points again, but a podium finish for either driver doesn't look promising. The Red Bull roller coaster rides on!

Ferrari seeing Red

Are medicated eye drops needed over at the Scuderia garage? Bleary eyed, punch drunk, insomniac laced nights leading to stress filled days. It has been a roller coaster ride of their own over there, but is there a glow of hope on the horizon? Charles sorta kinda barely missed out on a podium, and Lewis despite a rough qualifying, did manage a 5th place finish behind Charles. Safe to say good things are to come?

Well, yes and no. The yes would be they are starting to get an understanding of this year's rendition of the car. Charles is starting to get performance out of it, and Lewis is learning how to drive it. So, between the two of them, and their team, they should start to make sense of the drawbacks and find the way forward to get them into contention with McLaren. I think it will still take a couple more races to see a consistency, but they are on the cusp for sure.

The 'no' part of this is the questionable strategy for Ferrari isn't quite fixed. Although, one could argue the offset tire strategy from this weekend was working at first, but really, before they even slapped those hard tires on, there was plenty of data from the other teams who put them on prior, to know they lacked just about everything. So, a fourth and fifth finish really was the best they could have hoped for from that strategy. Maybe Saudi Arabia will find Ferrari finally gelling together performance and strategy. It's a must at this early stage for any hope of getting in the fight for the Constructor's championship as McLaren is already almost 100 points clear, and Mercedes is showing no signs of slowing down themselves.

Don't look now, but there is a hot battle going on for 5th

With Bearman and Ocon finishing in the points, and Albon and Sainz not, suddenly there is a battle for best of the rest. One point separates the two teams, and it looks like it will continue thru the season. While neither team will see a lion's share of points at any given race, it will be a back-and-forth slugfest for sure. And seriously, come on Sainz, get in there already!!

The one legged also rans

Ok, yes, it's true being a rookie is a tough job, and made even tougher by being on a bottom half performing team. But Liam Lawson you talked big, couldn't back it up on the track, got 'demoted' to Racing Bulls, and are getting outclassed by Hadjar. The Racing Bulls car really has the stuff to be fighting mid pack, but Lawson is dragging them down. Aston Martin has two vets, and amazingly enough Stroll is their only points scorer so far. Alpine had a one-sided brilliant race in Bahrain by Gasly while Doohan showed a little bit of promise. And Kick Sauber is apparently trying to get out all the bad luck before the change to Audi. At least now all the teams in the bottom are actually in the points. I'm sure the rest of the first half of the season will be a constant shuffle amongst them in standings.

Off to Saudi Arabia for the third leg of the triple header!