Haas to reject €30m+ driver offer as Carlos Sainz opens up on annoying tag – F1 news round-up
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is looking for a way to remain on the F1 grid for the 2025 season.
It is race week again! As we build-up to the Spanish Grand Prix, it is time to bring you up to speed with the latest Formula 1 headlines.
‘Silly season’ continues to gather pace as the F1 2025 grid starts to come together, with Haas tipped to turn down a whopping financial offer for one of their seats, while Carlos Sainz has opened up on a perception which he feels he may never be free from. Let’s take a closer look…
Haas tipped to turn down €30m+ Zhou Guanyu deal
With Sauber already confirming Nico Hulkenberg for F1 2025, it means Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu will lose their place in the team, while there remains the possibility that both exit.
And according to respected F1 reporter Michael Schmidt, Chinese racer Zhou is bringing as much as €35m with him in his bid to secure an F1 2025 seat, but Schmidt is expecting an Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman Haas line-up.
Read more: Haas tipped to reject €30m+ offer from driver in danger to secure ‘sure-fire’ F1 2025 lineup
Carlos Sainz fears will always carry famous father F1 influence tag
Carlos Sainz Jnr, son of rally legend Carlos Sainz Snr, has carved out his own legacy in Formula 1 with three race wins to his name so far, as he prepares for his next chapter from 2025, knowing that Lewis Hamilton is to take his place at Ferrari.
However, Sainz has explained how ‘that guy is only there because of his surname’ is a phrase he continues to hear, which he fears will continue.
Read more: ‘A Ferrari driver signed by Red Bull’ – Carlos Sainz reveals label he ‘may never get rid of’
Valtteri Bottas reiterates Mercedes return stance
Sainz is the driver who Valtteri Bottas sees as the key domino to fall in the next stage of F1 ‘silly season’, with Bottas battling to secure his Sauber future while assessing options elsewhere.
The idea of a one-year return to former team Mercedes has cropped up in Bottas speculation multiple times, though the Finn is sticking to his guns that this would not “make much sense” to him.
Read more: Valtteri Bottas doubles down on Mercedes stance as F1 2025 comeback rumours swirl
Liam Lawson backs Max Verstappen after online hate response
Red Bull’s three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, alongside his partner Kelly Piquet, the daughter of fellow three-time champion Nelson, struck back against internet trolls last week via an Instagram statement.
Liam Lawson, who serves as Red Bull’s reserve driver, has now weighed in on the situation, explaining that Verstappen handles this unfortunate abuse “very, very well”.
Read more: Max Verstappen defended by fellow F1 driver after ‘false accusations’ and ‘hate’
Tom Clarkson challenged on Lewis Hamilton theory
Despite scoring his best result of the F1 2024 campaign so far in Canada via a P4 finish, Lewis Hamilton was not best pleased, in fact calling it “one of the worst races that I’ve driven”.
Formula 1 press conference and F1 Nation host Tom Clarkson theorised that this was a message from Hamilton aimed at his excelling team-mate George Russell, but Clarkson’s podcast co-star Natalie Pinkham was not convinced.
Read more: Theory emerges over Lewis Hamilton’s ‘worst race’ after George Russell overtake
