FIA Press Releases
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Winner of the 2025 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars Junior Announced
FIA newsThe Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, has today announced the winner of the 2025 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars Junior edition, following an extensive and highly competitive selection process.
Alana Gurney, who is 12-years-old and representing Australia, has been selected as this year’s Junior Champion. Having driven her first go-kart at four-years-old, Alana was racing just a few years later and has made an impressive start to her career, with several podiums in the Australian karting championships under her belt. Alana was selected as the Rising Stars Junior edition winner due to her exceptional consistency, maturity, and ability to learn fast under pressure both on and off the track.
Now in its fifth edition, FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars identifies, develops and promotes emerging female racing talent. The 2025 programme attracted over 82 candidates from the FIA’s five Regions, reflecting strong, and growing, global interest in the initiative.
From these applicants, nine drivers aged 11-14 progressed to the final evaluation camp, where they underwent a series of demanding assessments covering on-track performance, technical understanding, physical preparation and personal development.
Following the final evaluations, the judging panel convened to determine the standout participant among one of the strongest groups the programme has welcomed so far. All other finalists will continue to receive guidance and support as they pursue their ambitions within professional motor sport.
The 2025 edition once again highlighted the importance of collaboration between the FIA and its partners. The ACI Scuola Federale joined the programme for the second consecutive year, contributing its expertise in both theoretical and practical driver training. Pirelli supplied tyres throughout the event, while OMP provided racing equipment and the official apparel worn by all participants.
The FIA remains committed to the development of young female talent, and the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars Programme is a vital grassroots initiative helping to improve access and nurture young careers in motor sport. By partnering with other organisations who share this commitment, it is able to break down barriers and open up pathways for the next generation of ambitious talent.
Alessandra Malhamé, FIA Senior Director for People, Workplace and D&I, said:
“Congratulations to Alana, who has shown outstanding talent, determination and potential in winning this year’s Junior edition of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme. This initiative is truly helping the next generation of female drivers find their place in our sport, and we’re all excited to follow their journeys and celebrate their successes in the years ahead.”
Burcu Cetinkaya, FIA Women in Motorsport Commission Chairperson, said:
“I am truly delighted with the level of competitiveness we witnessed this year. Rising Stars has always marked an important milestone in the development of many young drivers, and I am confident it will be the same for this exceptional group. We are thrilled to see the programme return, and we remain fully committed to supporting each participant on her journey. While today we celebrate one official winner, every girl who took part has demonstrated remarkable potential. They are all winners in our eyes, and we will continue to follow and support them as they progress in our sport”
Alana Gurney, FIA GOT RS Junior 2025 winner, said:
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected for the FIAWIM rising stars camp. I learnt so much on the programme and had the opportunity to meet other like-minded young racers. I'm honoured to have been chosen as the winner and excited for what the future holds. Thank you to the FIA and to everyone involved in running this amazing event."
Girls on TrackFIA
FIA1FIAFIAGirls on Track00Monday, December 1, 2025 - 4:12pmMonday, December 1, 2025 - 4:12pm -
F1 - 2025 Qatar Grand Prix Post-Race Press Conference Transcript
Sport newsDRIVERS
1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
2 – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3 – Carlos SAINZ (Williams)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Martin Brundle)
Q: Max, unbelievable. Congratulations. You've been the reigning world champion since Abu Dhabi 2021. And you still are. You're still in the game for this year's world championship.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah. This was an incredible race for us. We made the right call there as a team to box under that Safety Car, and yeah, that was smart. And of course, super happy to win here. We stay, of course, in the fight ‘til the end.
Q: But your pace was great as well. You could keep the McLarens in sight all the time.
MV: Yeah, I think of course it was a little bit offset because of it all, but for us I think it was a very strong race on a weekend where I think it was a little bit tough. But yeah, we still won the race and that was the most important.
Q: When McLaren didn’t pit, did you think, I’ve got this, I can do this?
MV: Yeah, I was like, ‘that’s an interesting move’. I knew that then, of course, we had a bit of a gap but still you need to keep the tyres alive for 25 laps as well. The wear is very high around here, but luckily it all worked out.
Q: Thank you. Oscar, P2, you gave it your best. You closed to within eight seconds. You had to make that extra pit stop up, but it wasn’t quite enough on the night.
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah. You know, clearly, we didn’t get it right tonight. I drove the best race that I could, as fast as I could, and yeah, there was nothing left out there. So tried my best, but it wasn’t to be tonight unfortunately.
Q: Do you think the team maybe should have split the strategy, or obviously now in hindsight you’d like to have come in on that Safety Car?
OP: I think in hindsight it’s pretty obvious what we would have done, but I’m sure we’ll discuss it as a team.
Q: But once again, you’re still very much in the championship hunt.
OP: Yep. Yeah, I mean it’s not all bad, obviously. It’s been a really good weekend. The pace has been very strong, but yeah, obviously a little bit tough to swallow at the moment.
Q: So, Carlos, I am so happy for you. So happy for your team. What a brilliant drive. Once again, onto the podium for Williams. Congratulations.
Carlos SAINZ: Thank you, thank you. Yeah, I’m so happy. So proud of the whole team for what we’ve done today because we came into this weekend thinking it was going to be the most difficult weekend of the year and suddenly, we came out with a podium out of it. We nailed the race pace. I was super quick, much quicker than expected. We nailed the strategy. We nailed the tyre management, nailed the start, nailed all the defending and management, and that brought us an unexpected podium. So, I cannot be more proud.
Q: And the team delivered you a great pit stop and somehow fed you back into the pit lane.
CS: That’s why we got everything right today. You know, we had a tough first half of the season where things didn’t come together, but we improved in so many areas during the year. And today, there were a few opportunities out there to grab, and we grabbed all of them by executing a perfect race. And yeah, honestly, I’m over the moon with this podium because I absolutely didn’t expect it.
Q: Well done again. Max, final word. Can you do this? Can you still take this world championship?
MV:Well, it’s all possible now. We’ll see. I don’t really worry about it too much.
Q: Not too long to wait now.
MV: Exactly. Next weekend.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Max, a brilliant win by you. Very well done. After starting P3, just tell us how this race ended up coming to you.
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah. I mean, the start was decent. So, I got one spot, and then from there, I was, of course, just looking after the tyres a bit. But then, yeah, of course, the Safety Car came out basically at the right lap. So, we opted to box, and I guess a lot of people behind me had the same idea. So, yeah, the team did a very good job there. Stayed out of trouble also with the pit lane. You know, it was quite a busy pit lane. And from there onwards, I knew that we probably did the right thing. I think I also knew that the two McLarens needed a lot of pace to overcome basically that kind of pit stop. So I think when the Safety Car went away, of course, initially they pulled away quite a bit. But for me, it was just making sure that these two stint lengths were in the best possible pace from the first step until the end. And I think we managed that well. Just trying to do my own pace and look after the tyres, and it was enough until the flag.
Q: That Safety Car, just how surprised were you when you saw the McLarens stay out?
MV: Well, I mean, first of all, when they called me in, I had to look and remember that it was lap—like, we were going into lap seven. So I was like, okay, now we can go to the end. So then, yeah, I was a bit surprised once I did the whole pit stop because, I mean, when they call you in, you focus on the box and making sure you're not in trouble with releasing and whatever. So when I came out of the pit, I was like, okay, I think this is a very good opportunity now for us to win the race.
Q: Was staying out even discussed over the radio?
MV: I don't know. I didn’t hear anything. So maybe they were talking on the pit wall. But to me, it was very clear. I just got the call to box.
Q: Did you think at that moment this race was yours to lose?
MV: I thought at that moment that there was a big chance of winning it, yeah. I don’t think about losing. That’s not in my head. I think about how to win.
Q: Look, Max, the car looked really strong today. Can you just tell us in what areas it was better in the race than it had been earlier in the weekend?
MV: I mean, it was still the same as in qualifying. I'm struggling with the same things, but we won the race today by the strategy. And then, from there onwards, just trying to manage your issues in the best possible way, and I think we did that very well.
Q: Let’s throw it forward a week. Just how hopeful are you about the car's potential in Abu Dhabi next week?
MV: I have no idea. I mean, again, I hope that we start the weekend well. Let’s say like that. That would help a lot. I think on pure pace, it will be tough, but a race like today also shows that it's not always straightforward, a Grand Prix, and a lot of things can happen. So I’m probably relying a little bit on that.
Q: You're 12 points behind Lando Norris. Given the season you've had, how much are you relishing this opportunity?
MV: I'm excited. I mean, I'm happy to go there and have a go at it. But like I said before, you need to also be realistic, that I think on pure pace, we’re not at the same level. But at the same time, when strategy maybe comes into play or making the right calls at the right time, we might have the opportunity.
Q: Alright. Very well done today. Thank you for that, Max. Oscar, if we could come to you now. ‘Speechless – I don't have any words,’ that’s you said over the radio on the slowdown lap. Can you describe your level of frustration after this P2?
Oscar PIASTRI: Pretty high – and that’s saying quite a lot given the last few races I’ve had. But, yeah, I mean, clearly, we didn’t get it right today, which is a shame because the whole weekend went very, very well. We had a lot of pace. I felt like I drove well. So, yeah, it’s pretty painful.
Q: Which hurts more: the disqualification last weekend or the loss of a win here in Qatar?
OP: I mean, I think on a personal level, I feel like I’ve lost a win today. You know, in Vegas, I lost a P4. Obviously, for the team, it was a pretty painful weekend. But, yeah, I think for me personally, this probably hurts more.
Q: Can we delve into the Safety Car decision to stay out a little bit? Did you ask to pit yourself, and how surprised were you when you were aware that everyone behind you was pitting?
OP: I asked, what are we doing? Because we were getting pretty close to the pit entry and I hadn’t had a call yet. So, you know, I think when you don’t get a call instantly when the Safety Car comes out, clearly there’s probably some discussions going on about what to do. And in that situation, you have to trust the team because they have a lot more information than the driver in the car on where gaps are and stuff like that. So, yeah, I mean, in that scenario I have to trust what the team decide.
Q: Let's look at the positives. You were on pole, you won the Sprint, and you were brilliantly fast all weekend. Just how much of a consolation is all that?
OP: I think in the next few days, probably, yes, that will be quite an encouraging thing. I think this weekend is probably one of my best of the season. There are one or two others that I can think of being on the same level as this weekend. So, from that side of things, I'm very, very happy and very pleased to just be back in terms of pace. But unfortunately, it’s another weekend where something's just not gone our way.
Q: Alright. Oscar, thank you very much for that. Carlos, let's come to you. Brilliant performance by you. Now, you came into Qatar saying that you were probably going to have the most difficult weekend of the season, yet here you are in P3. Can you just explain what's happened?
Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, I don't know. I think it's obviously partly due to—or mainly due to—the hard work I think everyone's done trying to prepare this race after the very difficult weekend we had in Budapest, which is kind of, sort of, this long, medium-speed combined corners that we always seem to be very, very weak. We put together a plan with the team to try some different things in the simulator and in the factory to try and switch on the car for these kinds of track. And to be honest, right from the get-go in practice, the car was a lot better than expected, a lot more competitive.
And then we did another couple of changes going into the main quali and the main race after our learnings from the Sprint that really switched on the car, especially in the race pace. Yesterday, we struggled a lot with front deg. Today, the car felt a lot better, and we went from seeing Antonelli checking out in the Sprint and giving us ten seconds, to all of a sudden, today having a chance to keep him behind, race him, and even, obviously, with the strategy thing of the McLarens also keep Lando behind.Q: Compared to Hungary, just how different was the set-up on the car here in Qatar?
CS: Very different. Very, very different. I had a few ideas for the team to try and simulate, or the team came up with some other ideas and together we put together, I think, a car that honestly since the first lap was a lot better than what we thought. Already in the simulator it felt OK, but you never really trust the simulator fully. You say, no, it cannot be this good. And suddenly from the first lap of FP1, I think I was trading P1s, P2s, and P3s with these guys, and I was like, yeah, this might be working. And then we did some good progress through the weekend. Then we executed a really good race, with a good start from P7 to P5, great pit stops, great strategy, great management of the gaps, and the tyre management that we have to do with cars that are a bit quicker than us around us, you know, they’re forcing us to push on that front left tyre, which here is never easy. We managed that really well, and that brought us the P3.
Q: If only you'd made these set-up changes earlier in the year…
CS: But it’s not possible because in order to make them, you need to know the car, and you need to try multiple things—trial and error. You need to get it wrong many weekends to know that this doesn't work, to then try the other direction that might work. And the other direction sometimes doesn't work either. And you need to try a completely different thing and you make another mistake. So, I always say the same thing: it takes time. When you switch teams, it really, really takes time – and races. There is no testing. So, you need to try things on a race weekend and you need your first 10-15 races to understand these kinds of things—your simulator sessions to try things. And you need the team to be brave. You need also people to be bold and come up with ideas. And in the end, it always pays off. There are no secrets in this sport. I think hard work and good understanding, good conclusions always pay off. And to be honest, the second half of the year, we are performing at a very high level.
Q: Given everything you've just said, does this P3 feel sweeter than Baku?
CS: It feels different. Baku was a bit of a relief because I’d had such a difficult 10 races. I was very quick in the first few races, but always things happening to me. No results coming my way. One of those seasons. I think in the career of an F1 driver, you always have years where, for some reason, things don’t come your way. Doesn’t matter if it’s luck, racing incidents, whatever. It just never comes together. But Baku was a relief—as soon as I got a chance to fight for a podium, I took it, and I gave the team the podium that I felt we needed and we deserved. And here, it's more a combination of hard work and understanding. I'm extremely proud of the team because we've also struggled a bit at the beginning of the year with race execution, team calls, quali execution. And this weekend, everyone's done a perfect job. Also, the pit stops were perfect. Everyone was perfect, and it's exactly what we all needed.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Oscar, can you just talk through the moment when you realised the race was slipping away and what was unfolding? Was it when you realised that everyone had pitted behind you?
OP: Yeah. When I got told that everyone has pitted except for me, Lando, and Ocon, and then Ocon pitted the next lap, I knew we were in some trouble. So, yeah, I think clearly some things to review. But, yeah, I don't have any answers at the moment.
Q: (Matt Coch – PlanetF1.com) Max, you've been in championship fights in the final round. You've dominated seasons. Here you are on the precipice of another championship fight—the final round. How do you rate this season against those that you've had previously? Because you've been an underdog throughout, which is a position that you've not had. I guess, previously, you've been sort of toe-to-toe, where here you've really sort of come from behind a little bit more.
MV: Yeah. I mean, honestly, it's been very strong, but that's also something that I demand of myself after basically 11 years in Formula 1. And, you know, every year, I think you become a bit more all-around. Even in the championship years, there are always things that you look back at and you're like, "I could have learned a bit more," or, "I could have done a bit more there." And this can go from how you set up the car, what you did yourself in terms of execution in a race, or the way that you work together with the team. This year, we just had a really tough first half of the season, as everyone knows. But to still be in this fight—at the same time, I think we can be really proud of it because in the middle of the season, at some point, it was almost – not like you lose motivation – but you don’t really see a way forward of actually winning again in this season. It's almost like you have to hope that 2026 would be better. But we definitely made some really good steps with the car, and in some weekends, for sure, we were in a very competitive state, I would say, where we could win races. But at the same time, we’ve also won races where maybe we shouldn’t have, like today, by making the right call as a team. And then, of course, it’s still up to me to execute it in the best way possible. But that’s, at the end of the day, also a proper team effort. The way I work with my race engineer, with GP, and also the guys in the background—the whole team very close to me—I think we're really well integrated, and we know exactly what we need to ask of each other. That probably helps also when you're in a battle like this, when you’re not the quickest, but you still pretty much maximise everything you've got.
Q: (Isabelle Barker – The Sun) Oscar, you just seemed so exasperated and fed up at the end there. Obviously, you need to have faith in your team at this point—title showdown. I just wondered how you're going to go about restoring that faith between you and the team, I guess.
OP: I don't think… It's certainly not a catastrophe. I think we made a wrong decision today. I think that's clear, but it’s not like the world ended. So, obviously, it hurts at the moment, but with time, things will get better. There’s been lots of difficult moments—this year, previous seasons together—and I feel like you always become stronger through some of these moments. But it all depends on how you deal with it. So I’m sure we’ll get through it. But, yeah, obviously, at the moment, it does hurt.
Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) A question for Max, please. Max, you mentioned that there’s been this sort of gradual process of discovering the car through the season. Can you sort of pinpoint that to any kind of eureka moment—perhaps after the summer break, around Monza time—or has it been a season-long process to kind of get bedded in with this car and understand it?
MV: It’s probably a bit what Carlos said as well. You try a lot of things, and a lot of things didn’t work. But then I would say since Zandvoort, we found a bit of a direction. And in some tracks, it has worked really well. Some other tracks, we still have limitations—like here, as well. We know that in long medium-speed corners, that doesn’t suit our car, basically.
Plus, I think also the more medium-downforce tracks, that's normally probably the best for us—medium- to low-downforce, for whatever reason. So, yeah, that’s not this track, and it’s probably not really Abu Dhabi either. There are also some long corners there. But that’s something that we, of course, try to understand more also in the future. I know that the regulations are going to be completely different, but it’s still very important to figure out what you’ve been doing. I don’t want to say “been doing wrong”—it’s just something that you need to get better at, basically. And that’s what we are continuing to do.Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Max, just building on what you’re talking about in terms of the team coming together and gelling. Also, this is your second F1 title showdown you’re going into after 2021. How different will it feel this time around mentally, do you think? Obviously, that was a very tough year—you and Lewis were tied on points. Then you’re trailing this time and it seemed lost. But is it a different mental situation, or can you take lessons from '21 to now apply?
MV: No. I’m a lot more relaxed now. I mean, I know that I’m 12 points down. I go in there with just positive energy. I try everything I can. But at the same time, if I don’t win it, I still know that I had an amazing season. So, it doesn’t really matter. It takes a lot of the pressure off. I’m just out there having a good time like I had today. I also started today with, “We’ll see how it goes.” I know that when I sit in the car, I always try to maximise everything I can. And that’s what I’ll try to do in Abu Dhabi, but at the same time, I also know that we need to rely on probably some external factors to have a go at it. But a race like today shows that when you think it's going to be boring and straightforward—it’s not. So, I’m hoping Abu Dhabi is going to be similar.
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Max, ahead of this race, Zak Brown described you as a guy in a horror movie—that you keep coming back, effectively. Do you think you're a little bit in McLaren’s heads and you’ve got them scrambled and that’s why they’re making these sorts of mistakes? And do you think that puts you in the box seat to win this fifth championship in Abu Dhabi?
MV: He can call me Chucky. Is that short enough for you? I don’t know. I saw it as well. I thought it was quite funny. From my side, I just focus on myself. I know that when I go in the car, I just try to do the best – like, I guess, everyone does. But, yeah, that’s the only thing I can control, right? And that’s the only thing I focus on.
Q: (Matt Coch – PlanetF1.com) One for Oscar. Zak and Andrea have said throughout the year that the emphasis is on treating you and Lando fairly and giving you equal opportunity—even so much as being willing to sacrifice the Drivers’ Championship to afford you that opportunity. Now that you’re living that scenario, how does that sit with you? And do you think that same approach next year is something you’d sign up to, having been through this experience?
OP: I don’t think there’s really been too many scenarios where it’s been detrimental to us, really.
Obviously, there was what happened in Monza, but that’s really the only one where maybe you can… Well, a lot of people did argue about it! But I think the last few races have been nothing to do with how we’ve approached things as a team going wrong. On my side, it’s been some things with the car and myself just not working. Clearly, Lando has been very quick the last few weeks. This weekend, I think we got it wrong just because that’s what we thought was the right thing to do – not because we were concerned about what was fair or what was not. So I don’t think we need to change that approach. I think it yields a lot of positives. Yes, there are some tough moments, but there are also a lot of tough moments if you go in a different direction to that. So, yeah, I don’t think we need to change anything.Q: (Carlos Miguel – Diario Marca) It’s a question for Carlos. Is this your happiest day in Williams, or was the first podium in Baku happier than this?
CS: I think it’s my proudest day in Williams. Happiest? Maybe Baku, because I was just so happy to get my first podium for the team. And together with that relief that I was talking about before. This is just… I think I feel really proud of everyone. Just very proud of myself, but mainly the whole team for the weekend that we’ve executed. And, yeah, more proud than happy. And obviously, also happy.
ENDS
FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFormula 1F1
SEASON 2025SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitF1SEASON 2025Formula 100Sunday, November 30, 2025 - 8:34pmSunday, November 30, 2025 - 8:34pm -
F1 - 2025 Qatar Grand Prix Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript
Sport newsDRIVERS
1 – Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)
2 – Lando NORRIS (McLaren)
3 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
PARC FERMÉ INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by James Hinchcliffe)
Q: Front row lockout for McLaren. Oscar, you said after the Sprint Race win, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.” Did you have to fix anything on this McLaren to find the pace that you did?
Oscar PIASTRI:No, we left it pretty much the same. Very, very minor tweaks here and there, but no. Everything felt great all weekend. So yeah, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It was really good. The team did a great job. Had a little bit of a question mark on which tyres we wanted to use because I did a quick lap on the used set in Q2, and that threw a little bit of a spanner in the works because we didn't expect it to be so good. But no, Q3 was really good on the new set, so very happy.
Q: Race pace looked solid in the Sprint, but 19 laps versus 57. This is a fast, physical racetrack. How physical do you think the Grand Prix is going to be tomorrow?
OP:Pretty tough. I think with the two stops as well, or the lap limits, we're probably going to be pushing pretty hard the whole time. I don't think it's going to be as hot as a couple of years ago, so hopefully it's not as bad as that. But I'm expecting it to be a pretty tough race. You're pulling an insane amount of G-force around here multiple times a lap. It's hard work, but incredible fun.
Q: Yeah, a couple of guys you want to beat starting right behind you as well. We'll start with Lando then. Lando, P2, incredible first lap there put you up at the top, but something happened on that second lap. Just tell us about that.
Lando NORRIS:Yeah, I don't know. I just got a bit of understeer and was going to go off, so I had to abort, which is a shame, but it’s the way it is. Oscar did a good lap and drove very well and has been driving well all weekend. So yeah, nothing to complain about. Just didn't do the lap. And yeah, still P2 for tomorrow.
Q: Race pace again with the McLarens looks pretty solid. Is it going to be a race between the two of you guys, or do you think there’s a threat from behind as well?
LN:You never know. I mean, the first couple of laps are always opportunities for everyone. But after that, I think it’s probably going to be pretty straightforward for everyone too.
Q: It was a great start, great first lap for you [in the Sprint]. Do you have any plans? Have you thought about how to maybe attack in lap one?
LN:Not yet, no. Just did qualifying. So tonight we'll review some things and see what I can do better than I did this morning. But otherwise, no. I think we're in a good position. The car's been feeling good. I was much happier today than yesterday. So, progress. But it’s a long race tomorrow.
Q: Absolutely. Max, what a turnaround for you guys. You must be so proud of this team after the struggles yesterday. Are we done with the porpoising? Are we done with the bouncing? Is that Red Bull behaving a bit better now?
Max VERSTAPPEN:Yeah, I think this Qualifying was a little bit better, even though of course we were still quite far off, let’s say it like that. But at least I felt a little bit happier. Still some limitations that don’t allow us to push harder around the lap. But at least we’re P3 and we are starting on the second row, and it creates better opportunities, let’s say it like that, because we know that it’s quite hard to pass around here. So yeah, we’ll see what we can do tomorrow. Realistically, yeah, it’s a bit tough this weekend. It has just not been what I wanted it to be so far. But we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.
Q: We heard you on the radio in Q1 talk about some issues downshifting. It was making the back of the car bounce. Did you get that fixed by Q3? Is that everything that you had or was there still maybe some pace in it?
MV:No, it's still not amazing, let’s say it like that.
Q: Fair enough. Alright, we'll head back to the pole sitter heading into tomorrow. It’s a big day. It’s a big race. Championship sits at 22 points. Is it win or bust for you at this point?
OP:Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I’ll try my best starting from the best spot. So, try and do some more of what I did today in the Sprint and see what we can do.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Oscar, tremendous lap at the end of Q3 there. Many congratulations. Just how important was it for you to take pole position this evening?
OP:It obviously helps. Yeah. I mean, the next target is to try and get a good start and then, yeah, that should make life a bit easier if I can do a good job there. So far, so good. But there's obviously a long way to go. A couple of pit stops for tomorrow as well. So, there's still a lot that can happen, but everything's going well so far.
Q: How did that final lap feel behind the wheel? I mean, you were seven tenths faster than your Sprint pole this time yesterday.
OP: I mean, I said on the in-lap, I think driving an F1 car around this track in those conditions is probably the coolest thing ever. You know, having those three right-hand corners not be corners according to your right foot is pretty remarkable. Obviously, the grip level is incredibly high and much higher than last night too. So yeah, it's a lot of fun. Everything’s just felt good this week. The car has been in a nice window. I feel like I've been able to get comfortable with it pretty quickly and the results have followed.
Q: You say it's in a nice window. It looks like the car has really been able to stretch its legs here in Qatar. Just in which parts of the racetrack is it at its best?
OP: It's hard to pick a place where it's bad, to be honest. But I think the high-speed corners are the ones that feel the most impressive — you know, 13, 14, just getting flat out towards the end of qualifying. It's always pretty impressive there. But, I mean, the car's been good. On paper, it should suit us nicely — a lot of medium- and high-speed corners — and the results have followed that.
Q: And looking ahead to the race tomorrow, what's the biggest stress for you overnight?
OP: I think the start is probably the biggest thing I need to get right tomorrow. I think we saw today with clean air, it's a massive advantage around here. And with the stint lengths, I think it's going to be a pretty fast-paced race. So that's probably the biggest thing to get right. But yeah, still a lot that can happen.
Q: Thank you for that, Oscar. Lando, let's come to you now. Great first lap of Q3, then you aborted. Talk us through what happened next. What did you think about pushing to beat the clock to get another lap in?
LN:I had no fuel, so can't do that.
Q: Had you had the chance, how much do you think you could have improved on that first lap you did?
LN: No idea. Don't care now. It's too late. Oscar did a very good job today, has done the whole weekend. I certainly felt a bit more comfortable in the car today, that I could push it a bit more in the way I wanted. So, I felt better. I felt like I did a good first lap. I felt like there were plenty of places I thought I could go quicker. I think Turn 2 wasn't necessarily one of them, but it was one where I just caught a bit of understeer for some reason, and that was it. So yeah, frustrating because I certainly think I could have done a better job and improved on my lap a good amount — but I didn’t. So, second on the grid for us tomorrow.
Q: And how much happier are you with the car tonight than you were after the Sprint?
LN: A lot, yeah. Obviously, it's not made me do much better, but I still felt a lot better. I felt like I could at least challenge for pole today. I also had a lot of damage on the car at the end of Q3 yesterday, so I think that certainly helps as well. But yeah, it's second. Obviously, like Oscar said, long run down to Turn 1 is a good opportunity for anyone to gain or lose positions. Apart from that, I think it's going to be a pretty boring and straightforward race.
Q: Well, Lando, if you win the Grand Prix tomorrow, you will be world champion irrespective of what Oscar and Max do. How are you approaching the Grand Prix?
LN: Same as every day. I'm second, so not a whole chance for me to win at the minute. But yeah, I just focus on trying to get a good start. That's all.
Q: Thank you. And Max, very well done to you. An unbelievable turnaround this evening. Just how pleased are you with the performance of the car?
MV: It was better. Just trying to cancel out a bit the issues that we had yesterday, which felt a little bit nicer, but still there. Plus, just not really having enough front grip still, which is then limiting you a bit around the lap around here, especially with all these long medium-speed corners. And yeah, that basically doesn’t allow you to push harder. That is basically what happened also in qualifying. We tried to make the best out of it in terms of prep, making sure that we’re on top of everything with what we can change still. So, it was alright. I mean, the final lap was good but just limited with the issues that I’m experiencing at the moment.
Q: How much have you changed the car between the Sprint and qualifying?
MV: A few bits that we thought about that would help the car — which it did. Unfortunately, still some limitations. They stay in there, but they’ve been in the car for a while now. It’s not like it suddenly just arrived here and we don’t know how to solve it or whatever. It's been a weakness for us this season, especially in these long medium-speed corners.
Q: Just to clarify, what is the biggest limitation for you?
MV: Understeer.
Q: It’s a long race tomorrow — 57 laps. Can we just get your approach to the race tomorrow with the championship in the back of your mind as well?
MV: We'll try everything we can. Start, Turn 1, all the laps.
Q: How vital is it that you pass Lando, at least, going into Turn 1?
MV: Well, if I don't pass him, then he scores more points than me.
Q: At the start, or do you think there'll be options later on in the race?
MV:It will be tough. I mean, in the Sprint as well, I tried, but then we just fall into that window where we just struggle a lot on the tyres and we don't seem to really be able to keep up. And also, the final laps of Oscar in the Sprint, I need to cut a corner to do that. So, it will be maybe a little bit better, but yeah, it will be tough, I think. But let's see. It’s a long race. Anything can happen.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Christian Menath – Motorsport-magazin.com) Question to all three of you. Maybe Max, you can start. You touched on it a little bit — how static the race was and how difficult it is to overtake. So, will this be one of the most important starts of your career for the three of you?
MV:Yeah, maybe. But maybe not. I mean, you never know what happens in the race. Today, the Sprint was pretty boring, I would say, because you just can't follow — tyres overheat. Plus, with all these high-speed corners and high grip as well, it’s just super tough to get close. Tomorrow, you know, there's a lot more fuel in the car. The start for sure is important, but then, yeah, I mean, you never know. It can also be influenced by other cars in the race that might ruin your own race. It's impossible to say now already that it's going to be boring tomorrow.
OP: I mean, yes, it's obviously important. But whether it's more important or not — not really. There are still 25 points on offer tomorrow. Obviously, there's a championship picture, but it's got the same importance as every other race.
Q: Lando, is the grip level very different from one side to the other?
LN: I think it is. I think it's a lot worse on the right side, but yeah, that’s normal.
Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) A question to all three. You've been used to you three pretty much being the benchmark for most of the season. Just in terms of your own personal performances this year, how often do you feel you've been getting the most out of yourself and the car this season? Do you feel that you've had the best season so far in Formula 1 that you've had?
OP: I think on the whole, yes, it's been my best season by some margin. Maybe I wouldn't say the last four races or so have been the best, but I think when you look at the picture as a whole, it’s been a very strong season so far. So yeah, it's nice to be back on form this weekend as well. I feel like this has been the most complete season I've had. Clearly, there's still a fair bit of headroom, which is frustrating at times but encouraging at times. So yeah, I think it's been a good season, but still two more races to go.
LN:In some ways similar — just different parts of the season have been good and bad. Let’s say the most important part of the season, the last two months, have probably been some of my best laps in quali, best races when I needed it the most, which is a good thing. But I certainly had my fair share of mistakes and/or just getting my head around this year’s car, which is clearly a huge step better than last year’s but it didn’t come without its difficulties. I explained that over the first third of the season also. So yeah, there’s been times — I wouldn’t say plenty — but there’s been times when I wish, like in Montreal, where I could’ve made a different decision. But I think on the whole, between us two as drivers, we’ve pushed each other a lot. We’ve done a very good job as a team. Still have areas to improve. But otherwise, yeah, it’s certainly been my best season, especially the last couple of months — but still two to go.
MV:Yeah, I mean, I've had a few good seasons. But I think after every season, you always try to analyse stuff that you can do better or grow. Generally, with experience, I think you become a little bit more all-round. I think that’s normal from your first season until now. You become a bit older, hopefully also a bit wiser at times. And yeah, I think this season, sometimes it’s a bit hard to judge because the first half of the season, sometimes we seemed a bit lost and we had some races where it was just very, very tough for us. But in most scenarios, I think we always maximised what we had. Of course, after some weekends we realised we did something wrong — with set-up or in general the car — but we still maximised what we had in that race. That is something very positive. I’m happy. After the summer break and especially after Zandvoort, when you're over 100 points behind, you realise, like, well, there is no championship fight anymore. And here I am, we're still in it — which I think is nice. But I hoped to be a little bit more competitive over the whole season, naturally, especially now when you really need it. But I'm happy. I will never be fully happy with myself. I don't think you should be. So, you always look for improvements. But at this stage of your career, it’s very marginal what you're going to improve at.
Q: (Matt Coch – PlanetF1.com) Oscar, just fleshing out that last question a little bit, if I may. You mentioned you’ve still got headroom. What do you mean by that? I know previously you spoke about sort of building consistency at the end of last year or the year before. Do you feel you've done that? What more is there to come from you?
OP: I think there's just been some races, obviously more recently, where things just haven't clicked. Austin and Mexico in particular, there were still some opportunities to become a better driver all-round in terms of my driving style and how I adapt to different conditions and different needs from the car. So, I think that's really it, to be honest. I think for probably 90% of the season, what I’ve done has worked very well, and I think this weekend’s been one of those. But there’ve been certain moments through the year where I’ve realized there are still things to improve on and still ways I can get better.
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Another one for Oscar. You mentioned the fun you've had around this track on the cooldown lap. When was the last time you had that kind of fun this season? Do you have to go back to Zandvoort?
OP:Well, I mean, winning is a lot more fun than whatever the hell happened the last four or five races — that’s for sure. I mean, you always try and enjoy it. When you look at the bigger picture, even in the last few weeks that have been tough, I’m still driving probably the fastest car or one of the fastest cars that's ever been in the world and doing something I love and all of that. But yeah, in terms of purely when I’m on track — yes. The last time was probably Zandvoort because things just haven’t clicked, haven’t gone well since then. I think this track as well just lends itself to the full potential of what an F1 car — and especially one of this generation — can do. So yeah, obviously if I wasn’t on pole it probably wouldn’t be quite as much fun, but it still would’ve been a pretty cool experience either way.
Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) A question for Max. Given the long medium-speed corners here, does that deficit in qualifying match pre-weekend expectations, and does it make tomorrow more about being opportunistic than thinking you can take them on just on pure pace?
MV:It’s quite hard to know exactly what is going to happen. I was hoping, of course, for it to be better, but unfortunately it still stands out a bit. And, of course, when you have that kind of limitation — plus in general, in race pace, tyres overheating and stuff — we’re not the best. So that will make it a bit more difficult. But like I said, anything can happen tomorrow.
ENDS
FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFormula 1F1
SEASON 2025SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitF1SEASON 2025Formula 100Saturday, November 29, 2025 - 9:08pmSaturday, November 29, 2025 - 9:08pm -
F1 - 2025 Qatar Grand Prix Post-Sprint Press Conference Transcript
Sport newsDRIVERS
1 – Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)
2 – George RUSSELL (Mercedes)
3 – Lando NORRIS (McLaren)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Jolyon Palmer)
Q: Well, down here with the top three. First things first, welcome back, Oscar. What a weekend it's been for you so far and that looked like a really controlled drive.
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, I mean, it's been a good weekend so far. I think everything went smoothly in the Sprint there, so yeah, happy with how it's been so far. Just need to keep it rolling.
Q: What do you feel has changed for this weekend compared to the tricky ones you've been on recently? Because from the first lap yesterday, you looked like you were right back in the zone.
OP: It's obviously a very different circuit to where we have been. Much higher speeds, much higher grip. I think the last couple of weekends it's just been things going wrong rather than a lack of pace, so to speak. So, I think here, everything’s going smoothly so far and the pace has been strong. So yeah, it's a track I've enjoyed in the past, so enjoying it again, clearly.
Q: Three out of three Sprint wins, well done. George, playing detective, I saw you at the end out of the car. We heard a little bit of chatter about your left front. How was the race for you? And obviously, you spent a bit of time in the dirtier air. How was that?
George RUSSELL: Yeah, I mean, it was a good race. Good to get P2. We obviously know these guys are really quick but those last two laps were a real struggle. This track's so quick. It's one of the most fun tracks to drive and it's obviously brutal on the tyres, on the car. So yeah, glad to bring it home.
Q: Talk me through the physicality around this place. Obviously, the high-speed corners, especially that last sector. I imagine the necks of all of you guys are going to take a bit of a working, but particularly for the Grand Prix tomorrow.
GR:Yeah, I mean, I was trying to rest it as much as I could to be honest. It's pretty brutal. I mean, I don’t know what the G-force is — it's like five G for what feels like forever around that triple right. But it's really cool. It's what it should be like everywhere really. And yeah, glad we got the chance to race around here.
Q: Absolutely. And Lando, good points for you, up in the top three once again. I can't imagine you loved seeing Max in your mirrors so close in the early laps, but you dealt with it very well. How was it?
Lando NORRIS:I never saw him, actually, I just saw George ahead. So yeah, I tried to go forwards. We got pretty close at the start, but it was good. No, I didn’t see what happened behind. So, long stint, it felt like a lot of pushing. So, like you said, it's going to be a tough race tomorrow. But yeah, just not easy to pass around here. Too difficult. So yeah, it's all about qualifying.
Q: He was having half looks down your inside at Turn 1 on lap two…
LN:Never saw him!
Q: Good to see you focused all the way in front then. Speaking of being in front – qualifying. You said yesterday you thought there was a little bit more in there. Didn’t quite hook up the soft tyres. You’ve got another chance later on. Feeling confident?
LN:Yeah, I mean, George was almost on pole, so he’s showing that the Mercedes is quick and he's doing a very, very good job. So, I think it’ll be close. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy one. But, you know, the team have also given us a very good car once again, as they always do this year, and it’s been quick. It’s a hell of a lap around here in qualifying, so I’m looking forward to it.
Q: Great. And Oscar, back to you. Lando’s saying the car has been great for you, but we know from the Sprint to the Grand Prix, things can change. You've been so good so far. Do you stick with where you're at or do you have to keep moving forward to find more pace for qualifying?
OP:Ideally, if we can find more pace. I think, you know, everyone slowly finds a little bit more through a Sprint weekend, so you’ve got to try and get every bit out of the car that you can. But yeah, we’ll try our best to do that. But I think our base performance seems very strong around here, so it’s more just tuning rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Very well done, Oscar. Your first P1 of any sort since Zandvoort. Just how sweet was it to be back up front with a clear road ahead?Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, it was nice. It was nice to have some clean air again. It makes a pretty big difference. So yeah, just nice to get off to a smooth start to the weekend, really. So yeah, car's been good so far and I feel like I've been able to gel with it pretty good. So yeah, obviously, the short part of the weekend's over, and now the real stuff begins.
Q: It looked like a very controlled race from you. Were there any anxious moments? At one point, you were talking about a vibration on the radio?
OP: Yeah, like five or six laps to the end. I think it was front left that was starting to vibrate a bit, and I hadn’t locked up or anything, so it’s never a great sign when you start getting vibrations out of nowhere. So I think it was a similar thing for other people as well. So yeah, we’ll see if there’s any concerns with that, but that was pretty much the only concern.
Q: You seem much happier in the car here in Qatar. What do you put it down to? Is it the different circuit? Is there something different in the car?
OP: I mean, it’s definitely a different circuit. You know, incredibly high-speed, much higher grip surface as well. But I think, honestly, the last couple of weekends have been not bad in terms of pace. It’s just been mistakes or things out of our control going wrong. So, I think this weekend, the pace has been probably a little bit stronger, but everything’s just been smooth. So, I think that’s the biggest difference.
Q: Any changes set-up wise ahead of qualifying this evening?
OP: I’ll find out shortly, but the car’s been good so far. So, if it is, it’ll be tweaks rather than anything major.
Q: George, let's come to you now. Very well done to you. From your point of view, how was the Sprint? How was the performance of the car?
George RUSSELL: Yeah, it was a pretty lonely race, to be honest. It was fun, because it was flat out, but I didn’t really have any chance of attacking Oscar and had a pretty good gap ahead of Lando as well. So it was pretty uneventful until the last three laps – similar to Oscar’s – started getting a big vibration on the tyres. I could just see it opening up and I thought, “yeah, this could be it,” you know, bit of a puncture or something. So just brought it home in the last two laps.
Q: It was quite a static race at the front, as you say. Coming into the weekend, did you expect to have a similar pace to the McLaren?
GR: We weren’t too sure, to be honest. I think we all expected Red Bull to be the favourites this weekend based on their high-speed performance. Qualifying was strange yesterday. You know, every single lap was improving so much, and it was whoever put the lap together on the last lap of Q3 that defined the starting order. And ultimately, on a track like this with the lack of tyre degradation – at least at the front – where you finish lap one is where you’re going to finish the race.
So I was happy with qualifying. It doesn’t mean that this afternoon is going to be the same again because ultimately, it’s just so tight.Q: Going to make any changes? Do you think you can challenge for pole again today?
GR: Yeah. I mean, I felt really happy with my lap yesterday. It was one of my strongest of the season. I don’t think we’ve really got the pace, to be honest. I think if we absolutely nail it, we can be there or thereabouts as we were yesterday. But I don’t think it will be as straightforward this evening.
Q: Lando, let’s come to you. Congratulations. Another Sprint podium for you. Just how did the race play out?
Lando NORRIS: Pretty simple, really. You know, there’s not a lot going on. Nothing much throughout the whole race. Just impossible to follow around here, you know? As soon as you’re within three seconds or so, you start to struggle. So yeah, not a lot. I tried to save my tyres a bit for the end and the pace was certainly a little bit better. But yeah, after doing the whole race not too far behind George, then you pay the price in terms of tyre deg. So yeah, honestly, not too much.
Q: Paying the price for tyre deg – is that the understeer that you were referring to over the radio with your engineer Will Joseph?
LN: A bit of everything around here, to be honest. It’s understeer, oversteer. It’s a little bit more all over the place than in some of the last few tracks. So yeah, I mean, it’s just such a quick track. You really require every bit of downforce possible. And when you’re following so closely, you lose a lot of the downforce, so it just makes your life very, very difficult. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Q: And just how happy are you with the car? I mean, Oscar’s talking about only making minor tweaks ahead of qualifying this evening. Are you in a similar boat, or do you feel there’s more to find?
LN: No. I mean, the car is in a pretty good place. There’s certainly little things you might want to tweak as well, but it was more I just didn’t put things together at all yesterday, but the pace was there. So yeah, some things, some driving styles that have been working the last few weeks have just really not worked at all here, especially when it got quicker and quicker. The more I leaned on what’s been working, the more I just went slower and slower. So yeah, I tried to use the Sprint to try and learn some things. I feel like I got some things figured out and other things not. So yeah, maybe not in a perfect place, but probably a bit better than yesterday.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) Question to all three, please. George, you said yesterday that maybe we need to look at the length of the DRS zones after the Sprint. Given today’s Sprint throughout the field was not the most exciting to watch, do you think that might help something for the main Grand Prix, or is it just as Lando said, almost impossible to follow here no matter what?
GR: Yeah. Well, I mean, I didn’t even get DRS one single lap, so it doesn’t matter if it was three times the length or shorter. I didn’t get within DRS. Obviously, when you go around a corner almost flat out with three high-speed corners before the straight, it’s challenging to stay close. And then Turn 1, we’re braking, let’s say, around 40 metres before the corner, whereas at other tracks we’re braking at 100 or 110 metres. So yeah, as I said, it’s definitely one of the best tracks on the whole calendar to drive. Overtaking? It’s one of the toughest.
Q: (Matt Coch – PlanetF1.com) To all three again, if I could. There’s a 25-lap stint limit with tyres. A couple of you reported vibrations. There are concerns of cuts in tyres with gravel and things as well. Do you guys have concerns with tyres and safety and what will you be feeding back following your experience in the Sprint?
OP: I mean, I think whenever you’ve got a vibration that sort of just comes from driving and not doing anything – me, you know, no lockups or anything – it’s never a great sign. I think in terms of safety, I think it’s the front tyres that are the main problem. So, I think the risk of having a catastrophic shunt from a rear puncture is probably pretty low. But yeah, whenever you’ve got to put a limit in for things like this, obviously it’s a little bit of a concern, but everything was fine in the Sprint. There was a bit of a vibration. It’s not the first time we’ve had a vibration from just driving, but I think it should be fine. I think they’ve taken the measures.
GR: Yeah. I guess when we see the tyre wear after the race, we’ll get an indication. I think the vibration was probably coming from major tyre wear. And you see in those corners – if you probably saw a slow-motion replay – the front left is all going to be rolling over onto the outside edge of the tyre, and that’s the bit that’s going to give up first. So I think it’s required to put this limit in because, at the end of the day, if you make a tyre for a 24-race season that’s specifically designed for a track like Qatar, you’ll then struggle everywhere else, if that makes sense. Or you’ll have different issues everywhere else. So I don’t think we should be putting any heat on Pirelli – they made the best tyre possible for 24 races – but it’s just the nature of this track being so quick. They need to introduce something like that.
Q: (Sam Johnston – Sky Sports) Question for Lando. We just heard you in the post-race interview saying that you didn’t see Max behind you. He’s been saying earlier this week that he would have won the championship easily in your car. Are we seeing the mind games ramping up? And maybe if Oscar has anything to say about Max saying he would have won easily in the McLaren, you're welcome to weigh in too.
LN: No. Look, yeah. Of course, I saw him. But he was never too much of a threat at all. So no, my focus was more just on George and seeing how I could keep the tyres in a good place for later. But Max is very welcome to say everything he wants, to be honest. He’s kind of earned the right. You know, he’s won four World Championships. I have a lot of respect and I think that gives anyone a lot of credit. He’s achieved an incredible amount – more than anyone generally dreams of achieving. So, you know, Max generally has a good clue about a lot of things, but there’s also a lot of things he doesn’t have much of a clue about. It’s also Red Bull’s way of going about things, this kind of aggressive nature and, yeah, just talking nonsense a lot of the time. So it depends if you want to listen to it and talk about it – like you love to – or you do what we do as a team, which is just kind of keep our heads down, keep focused. So maybe he would have done, but he hasn’t so far, and he keeps trying.
OP: [Gives thumbs up]
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adam Cooper F1) For all three of you. So it’s our first chance to speak to you since the driving standards meeting. Was that a productive gathering, and did you get some clarity after reviewing those various case studies?
OP: Yeah. I mean, I think it was very productive. I think it’s good to always give out direct feedback to the Stewards. I think [it was] tidying up a few things. I think generally things have been pretty good. Whenever you try and put any kind of guidelines or wording around going racing, there’s always going to be gaps somewhere. It’s impossible to cover everything. So, I think just some ideas and opinions on how we can close some of those gaps was good. So yeah, I thought it was productive.
GR: Yeah, definitely productive. I think from the incidents that were shown, all of the drivers agreed what the penalty either should have been or lack of penalty. And yeah, like Oscar said, the general consensus in the room is: if you put these guidelines in place, they absolutely have to be guidelines. Every track is different. Every overtake is different. Every circumstance is different. Sometimes you’ve got to use that racing knowledge that, as drivers, we’ve all accumulated over 20, 30, 40 years of our life. And the Stewards – the driving standards Stewards – sometimes have to judge it based on the common sense of racing, as opposed to exactly what a guideline says. Otherwise, you may as well have a lawyer dishing out the penalties. So yeah, hopefully we can migrate more in this direction.
Q: (Leonid Kliuev –Grande Prêmio) Question for all three. Kimi and Yuki had some problems with track limits – Yuki got a five-second penalty. Do you expect track limits to play a part tomorrow in the results of the race?
OP: No, I don’t think so. I mean, I think here, normally, if you have a track limit, you’re touching the gravel or just running wide.
GR: Turn 10 entry.
OP: Turn 10 entry? Ah. Maybe not then. Maybe there will be a problem! I don’t know. I think it should be fine.
LN: Yeah, I mean, every corner is okay except that Turn 10 entry. So shouldn’t be an issue. But anyway, the only reference we have… well, there is no reference. It’s a white line. And we usually judge a track limit based on a kerb or up to a gravel trap. So yeah, I think that was a bit of a surprise for a few people. Could be an easy solution just widening that white line. But yeah.
ENDS
FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFormula 1F1
SEASON 2025SportCircuit1SportFIA Formula One World ChampionshipCircuitF1SEASON 2025Formula 100Saturday, November 29, 2025 - 4:39pmSaturday, November 29, 2025 - 4:39pm -
WRC - Ogier takes ninth FIA World Rally title, Neuville wins in Saudi Arabia
Sport newsThey beat their Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT team-mates Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin to the crown by four points after another epic WRC season, as Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, the outgoing world champions, celebrated their first victory of the season for Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team following a dramatic title showdown in the Middle East.
Ogier draws level with Sébastien Loeb on nine titles with Landais claiming his first Co-Drivers’ crown. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT clinched the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers* on last month’s Central European Rally.
How the FIA WRC title battled unfolded in Saudi Arabia
Ogier started the three-stage final day just one position ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT team-mate Elfyn Evans and holding a provisional two-point advantage. But a decisive charge on the penultimate Asfan stage – where he climbed from sixth to third overall – put the title firmly in his grasp.A measured run through the Wolf Power Stage then sealed the title deal for Ogier and co-driver Landais, who joined forces with Ogier in late 2022.
Ogier’s surge on Asfan came as overnight leader Mārtiņš Sesks and Kalle Rovanperä both stopped to change wheels, while Takamoto Katsuta rolled his GR Yaris Rally1.
Evans also climbed the order, but the gap between their final positions meant the Welshman was forced to settle for being championship runner-up for a fifth time, falling short by four points in one of the closest finishes in recent memory.
Competing on a part-time basis, Ogier and Landais’ 2025 campaign has been remarkable. Despite missing three rallies, they claimed wins on more than half their starts and finished the year with more stage victories than any other pairing.
“What a season, that's for sure,” 41-year-old Ogier said. “What a fight with Elfyn and Scott, honestly. There is only a great champion when you have a great opponent, and they've been super strong, pushing us to the limit up to the very last stage of the year. Well done to those guys, anyway, and to the whole Toyota Gazoo Racing team. It’s been such a successful season. Proud and very happy to be part of this family.”
Neuville wrapped up the rally victory – his first of the season – by 54.7sec after moving past Sesks on Saturday’s opener. Persistent damper trouble made the closing kilometres tense, but the Belgian kept his i20 N Rally1 clear of the chaos behind him. Adrien Fourmaux completed a Hyundai 1-2, though the Frenchman was left to rue what could have been a maiden WRC win after a one-minute time penalty for an early check-in dropped him out of the lead on Friday evening.
“It has been a super tough season, but to finish with an unexpected victory is obviously a great feeling,” Neuville said. “Next season arrives fast. There's a lot of work left, so we have a lot of work in front of us over the next weeks to be better prepared for next year. It's a tough challenge, but we will try to keep fighting. Hopefully we get all the support we need for a better year next year.”
Sami Pajari recovered strongly from his Friday wheel change to finish fourth, 8.2sec ahead of Katsuta’s battered Toyota, as Evans and Rovanperä placed sixth and seventh in their similar GR Yaris Rally1 cars.
M-Sport Ford sensation Sesks remained one of the standout stories of the rally. He and co-driver Renars Francis won five stages and led heading into the final day before their double puncture on Asfan cost almost eight minutes. They retired before the final stage, promoting Puma Rally1 team-mates Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean to eighth and ninth while Oliver Solberg completed the top 10.
There were wins in FIA WRC2 and FIA WRC3 for Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) and Matteo Fontana/Alessandro Arnaboldi (Ford Fiesta Rally3) respectively.
Nikolai Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) secured the FIA WRC Challenger title* by taking the category victory, while first place in the FIA WRC Masters’ Cup went to Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah/Ziad Chehab (Ford Fiesta Rally2). Matteo Fontana/Alessandro Arnaboldi took the FIA WRC3 honours in their Ford Fiesta Rally3. Click HERE for all results.
FIA Deputy President for Sport Malcolm Wilson, said “The organisers of Rally Saudi Arabia have done a remarkable job. As with any new event, it takes time to build and refine a first edition, but the potential and scope of this rally is huge. I am sure everyone involved has learned a great deal, and the foundations are firmly in place for this event to continue to grow well into the future.
Over 700 volunteers have come together to make this event happen, and I would like to extend my personal thanks to them all. The effort, dedication and commitment shown by everyone involved has been evident throughout.
This year we have seen three new events join the FIA World Rally Championship, and each one has been a clear success. Their introduction shows how rallying is continuing to grow in popularity, connecting with new fans in regions where interest in the sport is accelerating.”
Tashkent next for Ogier, Landais and Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Ogier, Landais and Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT will be presented with their FIA World Rally Championship-winning trophies at the FIA Awards ceremony in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 12 December. The FIA Awards will be broadcast across the FIA’s YouTube and social media platforms from 13:00 EST / 18:00 GMT / 19:00 CET.Meanwhile, the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship season will be contested over 14 rounds with Rallye Monte-Carlo hosting the opening event from 22-25 January 22-25.
*Subject to final confirmation
World Rally ChampionshipWRCWRC
SEASON 2025SportRallies1SportWorld Rally ChampionshipRalliesWRCSEASON 2025WRC00Saturday, November 29, 2025 - 11:46amSaturday, November 29, 2025 - 11:46am