F1 2025 Calendar and Rules Changes (Undercutters Ep6 transcript)
As always, if you want to get in touch you can find me on Twitter at MorrisF1, or leave a comment at the morrisf1.blogspot.com site. That’s also where I’ll post the calendar information, which will include not just the dates of events but also a graphic grouping them together by consecutive weekends.
Rule Changes 00m:36s
There have been a few rule changes for the 2025 season but these are mostly on the minor side.
For the last few years there have been changes to the way points are scored, with the introduction of a point for the fastest lap and points being available for the sprint races. In F1 2025, the fastest lap point is being removed. There was some controversy last year at the Singapore Grand Prix, which was a dominant weekend for Lando Norris.
Norris won the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix by over 20s over Max Verstappen, with a more than 40 second advantage over Oscar Piastri in 3rd. He was also in line for the fastest lap when this got taken by Daniel Ricciardo. Because Ricciardo finished in 18th this served only to deprive Norris of the point, he didn’t gain anything himself. But because he drove for Red Bull’s second team this stirred up controversy, as it made Verstappen’s title defence against Norris a little bit easier.
In the end it didn’t prove important for the title, but a lot of people were wondering how fair the situation was. To try and prevent it happening again, the fastest lap point is no more. Some might say it’d be better to stop Red Bull having two teams, but there we are.
After some years of very conservative driver changes, the teams collectively swung the other way in 2025 with eight teams entering a different lineup to the pairings that started the 2024 season. This includes six drivers with less than a season of experience and two teams, Sauber and Haas, with entirely new F1 driver lineups.
In line with this injection of fresh blood, the sport is now increasing the junior driver appearance number from two to four. This means drivers with fewer than three Grands Prix entries taking part in a session. Given how many races there are, with 24 F1 race weekends in 2025, this isn’t too bad but I imagine drivers never like giving up a practice session.
There’s also been some fiddling around the weight situation. Nothing too dramatic but the weight allowance for drivers and the overall minimum weight of cars has increased, both up by 2 kilograms, or about four and a half pounds in old money. Another weight-related measure is an increase in the minimum weight of 5 kilograms, or 11 pounds, when a cooling kit is in use. These will be introduced for drivers in conditions declared a ‘heat hazard’ (with temperatures forecast to exceed 30.5 degrees Celsius). We’ll see how often these heat hazards occur.
There are numerous races in the Middle East but these tend to be at dusk or night races. There may also be some surprises, as the UK can sometimes have temperatures higher than the stereotype of rain and cold. A few years ago it was over 35 degrees Celsius for a week in Yorkshire, where I’m from, and the county also had a day over 40 degrees Celsius. Silverstone is to the south, of course, but my examples go to show that even countries where heat isn’t a normal problem could see this cooling kit put to use.
Essentially, the change to the fastest lap point is likely to be the main thing that fans notice. It shouldn’t have a huge impact. I know a lot of people liked the extra point and it did alter strategy sometimes. Personally, I was always on the fence about it. It felt a shade gimmicky to me, but it could add some interest towards the end of a race.
Calendar 04m:30s
The F1 schedule last year was a bit weird towards the end, with multiple races on the bounce separated by longer than usual gaps. The F1 calendar in 2025 is more sensible, often having a pair of consecutive races separated by a fortnight. There are also only two gaps that are longer than a fortnight. These are three weeks between the UK and Belgium, from the 6th of July to the 27th of July, and four weeks between Hungary and the Netherlands, from the 3rd of August to the 31st of August.
I’m going to quickly run through the F1 2025 schedule.
Testing runs for three days in late February, from the 26th to the 28th. As is now usual, this is in Bahrain. Then there’s a couple of weeks until the season proper begins.
We kick off in the traditional starting race of Australia. The race is on 16th March. For Britons it’s a bit unfortunate as the timing is a couple of weeks before the clocks change so the start time is going to be a little bit rough. I’ll cover this in more detail with the Australian predictions episode, due after the testing review, but it’ll be interesting to see whether Australia is a weak one for Red Bull as it was in 2024.
Just a week later we have the Chinese Grand Prix. While a fairly long term fixture this has been absent for a few years and only made its post-COVID return in the 2024 season.
After a fortnight away from the track we return with a triple-header, starting with Japan. While similar to 2024, this continues the shift to an earlier calendar slot for the Japanese Grand Prix, which can sometimes be afflicted with very heavy rain. In the past, Japan tended to be much later in the year. Japan’s an unforgiving track so anyone who screws up has a decent chance of ending their race early.
One week after the land of the Rising Sun the F1 circus arrives in Bahrain. As the home of testing and with three races under their belts the teams and drivers should all be able to hit the ground running here. Bahrain can sometimes throw up absolute classics, so hopefully we’ll see one again this year.
And the final race in the triple-header is Saudi Arabia, right next door to Bahrain. There are rumours of a second Saudi race on the horizon. If so, this will likely be at a different time in the season, as we see with America’s three races and Italy’s two. I’ve got to say that with a calendar so crammed I really don’t think any country should permanently have multiple races (especially when one of them is the dreadful Miami).
Speaking of which, Miami is next. The first and worst of the races in the United States is a fortnight after Saudi Arabia. I can recommend watching this with a glass of whisky if you’re having difficulty sleeping.
A fortnight after Miami we head to a Formula 1 circuit and the European phase of the calendar, which begins in Imola. Last season we had Verstappen beat Norris by less than a second, so let’s hope it’s nice and tight again.
Imola is the first race of a few consecutive events, and the second is Monaco. So, expect a thrilling qualifying and a less than thrilling race in the principality.
Just a week after Monaco F1 arrives in Spain, home of Alonso and Sainz. Both good drivers not in teams worthy of their talents, but that might change in 2026. Spain’s tended to be very tough for passing, but this can also throw up unusual winners. The standout is Pastor Maldonado for Williams in 2012, and it was also where Verstappen won his first victory, in his first race for Red Bull in 2016.
After a fortnight we have one of the best circuits on the calendar in Canada. The Canadian Grand Prix was one of the most entertaining in a great 2024 F1 season, unless you’re a Ferrari fan. It also hosted arguably the best ever F1 race in 2011, when Jenson Button went from last on the track to win on the final lap.
There’s another fortnight break and then we return to Europe with a pair of races, starting off with Austria. In 2024 this saw Verstappen and Norris make contact, leading to punctures for the pair of them and a podium of Russell, Piastri, and Sainz. Passing is possible, but it’s also fairly tight so contact is eminently possible again this year.
Hot on the heels of Austria is the UK. Silverstone’s one of the real classics on the calendar, up there with Interlagos, Spa, and Suzuka. Last year was nice and wet, which saw Hamilton return to winning ways in a fantastically entertaining race. In 2024 the Austria-UK races were fantastic for Hulkenberg, who achieved impressive consecutive 6th places, but it’s unlikely he’ll repeat that feat in a 2025 Sauber. But we shall see.
We have a mini-break, with three weeks between the UK and Belgium. Spa’s a great circuit, and very long which means unlucky timing with a safety car or a puncture in a bad spot is even more punishing than at other tracks. There’s also mixed news regarding Spa which I’ll cover in the news section at the end. Last season the final three were separated by just 1.1 seconds, until Russell got disqualified for being underweight.
Immediately after Belgium F1 enjoys the Hungarian Grand Prix. Medium speed with passing very difficult, this circuit can be one where odd results appear, such as when Alonso (driving for Alpine) held off Hamilton long enough to enable his team mate Ocon to win the race in 2021.
After Hungary is the mid-season break of four weeks. F1 returns with the Dutch Grand Prix, which won’t be on the calendar for much longer. Normally Verstappen territory, this narrow circuit saw a dominant Norris win in 2024.
The following weekend we get to enjoy Monza, a proper old school circuit. Most new F1 tracks are all about tight corners and high downforce, but Monza is a cathedral of speed with straights aplenty. It also has the old school approach to gravel traps, so if you cock something up that might be it. In 2024, Leclerc delighted home fans when outwitting McLaren by making a single stop work.
A fortnight later we have Azerbaijan. I have a soft spot for this circuit, which is 90% Monaco but then throws up a massive straight. The races can sometimes be mediocre but they can easily swing into being crazy as the straight means restarts after the safety car can be chaotic. It was a fantastic circuit for Perez, and without him Leclerc might be the man happiest there this year.
Another fortnight separates Azerbaijan and Singapore. The circuit is very tight so passing is nigh on impossible. However, in 2023 Red Bull failed to win for the only time in the whole year at the Singapore Grand Prix, so it’s possible we’ll see a dominant team struggle. As with any circuit of this type, a badly timed safety car or rain can cause havoc.
Two weeks separate Singapore from the Circuit of the Americas, the oldest and best F1 circuit in the USA on the calendar for 2025. Inspired by old school classics like Suzuka and Silverstone, there’s opportunity for overtaking, tight twisty bits, and a first corner that can be pretty challenging for the leader.
Right after Texas we visit Mexico, which unfortunately has a stadium section designed to look cool rather than promote overtaking. The high altitude does alter things aerodynamically, but passing tends to be on the low side.
We have to wait a fortnight but then comes the reward: the best circuit on the calendar in Brazil. Interlagos can be fantastic whether it’s wet or dry and regularly throws up amazing racing. Verstappen showcased his skills last year with a win that all but sealed his title defence and he was joined on the podium by the unlikely duo of Ocon and Gasly. Way back in 2010 Nico Hulkenberg achieved pole position in a Williams in mixed conditions.
And the final fortnight break brings us to the final three races of 2025, which are held on consecutive weekends. Las Vegas is first up. I have to admit, all the glitzy nonsense doesn’t appeal to me at all. However, the late start time and low temperatures leading to lower grip does shuffle the order, which offers something a bit different.
A week later F1 has the Qatar Grand Prix, which needs to extend the DRS zone. This was shortened for 2024 and passing was a little too difficult. Hopefully we won’t see any unusual decisions, such as the pole-sitter getting a 1 place grid penalty for bizarre reasons, or a wing-mirror being left on track instead of a Virtual Safety Car enabling someone to collect it.
After Qatar the final race of the year is held in Abu Dhabi. It’s highly likely the title winner will have been crowned long ago, but not certain. In 2021, Hamilton and Verstappen arrived at Abu Dhabi equal on points, and in 2024 the constructors’ title had yet to be decided at the start of the final race.
Those are all the 24 race weekends we have this season.
And if you’re enjoying listening to this podcast, please do leave a positive rating.
Sprint Races 15m:04s
The sprint race makes a return for the F1 2025 calendar. I’m not a fan of this mini-event; to my mind it’s very much a glutton’s approach. Instead of a gourmet who wants high quality food the glutton just wants high quantity. The lack of tyre changes and the desire to ensure the car’s ok for the main event the next day tend to make them less than exciting. It’s also only a matter of time until these determine the outcome in a close title battle, and I think that’d be a shame.
The first sprint race comes very early, and is on the 22nd of March in China, which is the second race weekend of the year. Two months later, on 3rd of May we have another sprint in Miami. And two months after that we have the third, at Spa. The first three races are pretty evenly spaced, but the last three are pretty rushed and happen within six weeks of one another.
The last three sprints begin in Austin, at the Circuit of the Americas, on the 18th of October. Two happen in November, with Brazil hosting one on the 8th, and the final sprint is on the 29th at Qatar.
China hosted a sprint last year, as did Miami, the Circuit of the Americas, Brazil, and Qatar, meaning almost all the venues are unchanged from 2024 to 2025. The exception is Austria, which hosted a sprint last year but will not this season, and Spa, which is hosting a sprint in 2025 but did not the previous year.
F1 News 16m:54s
F1 news.
There’s not a huge amount of F1 news since the last episode, but there has been one item of interest.
The main news since the last podcast episode is that Spa has signed a new deal to stay on the calendar. Given the question mark hanging over this great circuit it’s good to see it’s staying until 2031. But fans, including me, have been annoyed to see that this is going to become a rotating arrangement. The deal has Spa on the calendar in the 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031 seasons, skipping 2028 and 2030.
This is disheartening, and a result of the calendar becoming stuffed to bursting with new tracks. The fact that Miami is a permanent fixture yet Spa is going to miss half the seasons is ridiculous. It’s also concerning for the future, with rumours of the desire for a second Saudi and fourth American race, which may see other classic circuits sacrificed in this way to clear space for new additions.
Thank you all for listening. It’s still over a month until things really get going, but the season promises a lot so let’s hope it can live up to 2024, which was one of the best seasons in F1 history.
Comments
Post a Comment