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Calm, Chaos, and Dodging Gophers


Mid-Season Review: Calm, Chaos & Ready for Canada

As the Formula 1 world arrives in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, it feels like the perfect point to reflect on a season that’s beginning to really ripple beneath the surface. While the points may be focused on an ever-growing McLaren stranglehold, the psychological and performance dynamics tell a much more layered story.  The season is truly starting to heat up and I'm all for it after Barcelona.  

The perceived shake-up Christian Horner touted all season long came to nothing with the flexi-wing adjustments as teams had likely already found a way to compensate since the beginning of the season.  The pecking order doesn't seem to have changed too much altogether, but we certainly had our fair share of talking points coming into the break before this weekend.  Here are a few points I'd love to hit on before the teams dodge gophers on the Canadian streets.

Aston Martin: Struggles, Structure, and Newey's Shadow

The AMR25 has underperformed and still remains incredibly slow on the straights as seen by Fernando's performance in Barcelona.  He made the best out of their upgraded package and with Adrian Newey supposedly focused on 2026, I think we're seeing he and Andy Cowell's influence start to make a difference.  The team operations which seemingly was their struggle with development and understanding the last couple seasons seems to be on the right path.  If they can smooth out the kinks and Newey can produce something viable next year, they will be worth keeping an eye on and a seat with the team could interest the likes of George Russell or Max Verstappen.

I have no idea what to say or think about Lance Stroll anymore. Whether the rumors about his tantrum in the garage are true or not, it's always hard to read how much effort or desire he has in the sport.  Since Lance tends to keep to himself and the team always looks to defend him, we never seem to get the real story.  I have to believe if the team truly wants to be successful in the long-term, you have to start looking at throwing the checkbook at George or Max.  Knowing Fernando will be there at least another year or two means they'd have an incredible driver lineup and organizational leadership in place for the near future.  The combination could finally thrust them into the relevant point scoring positions they will covet from 2026 onwards.  

Hopefully Newey offering informal direction on the current car via "lunchtime conversations" continues to help move the team in the right direction for the rest of 2025, but they need two drivers (just like Red Bull) to help truly give the team optimism for the future. With this being Lance's home race hopefully he can show us he still has the passion for the sport and for the team and his side of the garage.

Oscar Piastri: Built Different

Oscar is doing what every future world champion has done before him: blending fast, fearless racing with surgical mental clarity. His quiet confidence stands in stark contrast to the emotional volatility we’ve seen from others — even his own teammate. His ability to filter out the noise and not be phased by anything going on around him is the key to his current place at the top of the standings.  

Lando Norris remains the more charismatic and vocal presence at McLaren, but perhaps to his detriment. His frustration with setup windows and post-race interviews that border on therapy sessions might be cathartic, but Oscar’s “no drama, just data” demeanor is beginning to feel more champion-like by the race. The team may have signed both long-term, but only one is making an argument to lead McLaren into the next era. The more I see this continue on the same course, despite Lando's efforts in Monaco and his renewed focus, Oscar continues to just surge onward.  I knew Oscar was talented, but his ceiling keeps rising and I am here for it.  

How wholesome was the moment during the podium celebrations with his sister! He is quickly becoming one of the most popular drivers on the grid and this humble, no-nonsense approach is in such contrast to Max, Lando, and many others.

Max Verstappen and the Red Mist

We’ve seen a slightly different Max this year — not in terms of speed, but in composure. Or lack thereof. When things go sideways — be it strategy, traffic, or perceived disrespect — the “Red Mist” that defined his earlier years creeps back in.

Yes, Max still dominates. Yes, the car (most weekends) requires him to pull it forward beyond it's place. But in the few moments when he’s challenged or the car isn't quite in the window — Miami, Mexico last year, and now Barcelona, his sportsmanship falters. Sharp words on the radio, unnecessary aggression, and a growing list of minor outbursts reveal a man who doesn't like losing but also loses his cool under pressure when the car isn't at its peak. It’s not a fatal flaw for Max— yet — but it hints at vulnerabilities the rest of the field can begin to exploit.  

I'll be honest, I've never been a Max fan, the same way I wasn't ever a Schumi fan. The ruthlessness has its place when looking to win championships in any sport.  I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't want to purposely crash into George, but just try to run him wide and got it wrong - for now.  That being said if the car continues to have these weekends where Max has his buttons pushed and this behavior continues, I will continue to question his maturity.  Max isn't afraid to speak his mind and is sometimes very direct and yes he may have admitted to wrong-doing after the race, but as a father, and a role-model who so many young drivers look up to, I would have thought he'd learn to be better by now.  

It's his choice whether to care about his own legacy or not but I'd hate to see him have an asterisk next to his name for being a sore loser or having a hot-blooded temper that puts other drivers at risk.  

Canada & Beyond: Who Rises in the Shuffle?

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve always throws in a wildcard — walls, weather, or weird strategy. But here's my predicted pecking order heading into the race with the C6 tyre coming in again as well:

Canada Prediction:

  1. McLaren – Agile and balanced, particularly on traction exits. This will suit Oscar's driving style again.

  2. Red Bull (just Max)– Still vulnerable over bumps and kerbs?  I'd love to see Yuki take a step but...

  3. Ferrari – Toss up with George and Charles here. Ferrari could shine if temps and tyres hit the sweet spot but I expect George to qualify ahead of them.

  4. Mercedes – Spain upgrades hint at real progress, but the reliability issues are a worry.

  5.  Well....I'm going to go with Hadjar and Racing Bulls here.  I'm not sure anyone else will have a car that's exactly meant for this track.  If strategy doesn't end up being too crazy or there are too many safety cars, the balance in this car will work well here.  Alternative option would be Williams with Carlos and Albon.

And yes — Nico Hülkenberg deserves a special mention. In Barcelona, we saw the raw one-lap pace he’s always had when tyre wear isn’t a factor. With softer compounds and an unpredictable track, don’t be surprised if Hülk sticks it close to Q3 again and puts in another surgical, underrated Sunday, especially if opportunities present themselves with Safety cars etc.

Final Word:

This isn’t just a battle of machinery anymore. It’s a battle of mindsets. Oscar’s rise, Max’s fragility, Newey’s looming influence with Andy Cowell's savvy operational skill at Aston — they’re all pieces of a larger shift. The second half of the season may yet turn into the most human fight we’ve seen in years.  Can't wait to see Oscar and Lando battle on track heading into the chicane before the wall of champions for the first time this season!


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