During the recent F1 75 launch at London's O2 Arena, Red Bull's Max Verstappen faced a mixed reception of cheers and boos. When questioned about the crowd's reaction during testing in Bahrain, Verstappen downplayed the incident, stating, "Maybe I’m deaf. I don’t need to really talk about it. It’s not worth my time."

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner described the audience's response as "disappointing," emphasizing Verstappen's significant contributions to the sport.

In contrast, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff suggested that the event's overall success should be the focus, noting, "We shouldn't talk an event down that was mega just because one single individual, rightly or wrongly, was booed when he spoke."

The FIA has condemned the booing, highlighting the importance of respect within the sport.

The incident has sparked discussions about the appropriateness of fan behavior at official events and the potential impact on future F1 engagements.

Carlos Sainz has stepped up to be the new Director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, taking over from retired F1 great Sebastian Vettel. Sainz will join the GPDA alongside fellow driver George Russell, chairman Alexander Wurz and GPDA leader Anastasia Fowle.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem barred key officials, Robert Reid (Deputy President for Sport) and David Richards (UK representative), from a crucial World Motorsport Council meeting after they refused to sign a stricter non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The NDA aimed to prevent media leaks, but its enforcement raised questions about the legitimacy of decisions made, including a new two-pit-stop rule for Monaco GP.

An FIA spokesperson defended the NDA, stating it ensures confidentiality and protects regulatory interests. However, insiders suggest Ben Sulayem’s growing control is a concern, with past controversies including rule changes, dismissals of senior officials, and tensions with F1 teams.

Susie Wolff is also suing the FIA over an abandoned compliance inquiry involving her and Toto Wolff. With Ben Sulayem seeking re-election in December 2024, speculation is rising that further rule changes in June may limit opposition. No challengers have yet emerged.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has confirmed a significant rule change for the Monaco Grand Prix, introducing a mandatory two-pitstop strategy for all drivers, regardless of weather conditions. This decision aims to improve the spectacle of the race, given Monaco’s well-known overtaking difficulties.

New Pit Stop Rule: Each driver must use at least three sets of tires, with a minimum of two different compounds required in dry conditions. The move follows last year’s controversy, where a red flag led to minimal pit stops, diminishing strategic variation.

Technical Updates: The meeting also ratified tougher wing flex tests, addressing concerns over aerodynamic flexibility. From 2025, stricter rear wing tests will take effect, with front wing regulations tightening from the Spanish GP onward.

Driver Cooling Enhancements: New heat hazard protocols have been outlined, with wearable cooling shirts remaining optional in 2025 before becoming mandatory in 2026.

F1 is officially back! Kind of. Testing began this week in Bahrain with each team splitting time on track for both of their drivers.

Testing is one of those things where if your team shows up looking fast, you feel good about yourself going into the season, and if your team doesn’t perform well you say to yourself “well it’s only testing”

The actual on track action has not been overly exciting. A spin from Lawson on day one and a small tough between Piastri and Hulkenberg on day two were the main highlights.

We had some rain (which is weird for the dessert) and a power outage on the first day which caused a disruption in the session and ultimately gave the teams an extra hour to get some data once the power came back on.

We saw lots of flow paint and aero rigs, and it was great to see F1 cars back on track!