Faster than a Max Verstappen, more expendable than Liam Lawson, with more swearing than the FIA would like, and harder to get out of than a Brazilian gravel trap, it’s the F1 Donkey with his unique view on F1 and more. Before each race The F1 Donkey puts the ass in sass and unloads his alternative, slightly unhinged thoughts on F1 including this week’s Bold 2025 Japanese Grand Prix Predictions and opinion.
The F1 Donkey’s Pre Japanese Grand Prix Thoughts
So we have our first sacked driver of the season, and Jack Doohan will be most pleased it isn’t him. Although Alpine’s decision to rest him in P1 for this weekend ensures his turn isn’t far away. Although you have to commend Doohan’s announcement via social media about a special edition helmet for the Miami Grand Prix, good way to keep himself in a job for another race. It might start a trend, with drivers in danger announcing new helmets before every grand prix. Pity for Liam Lawson that he didn’t announce a special helmet for Japan. Maybe he did and still Red Bull didn’t care. Wonder if Lance Stroll has a new design for Japan. He’ll need one for Brazil that has GPS installed inside his helmet to avoid gravel traps.
Heading into the Japanese F1 GP the only thing you can really do is talk about Red Bull.
Ah Red Bull. What a c-ck up they have become. It’s a wonder they won the most dominant Championship in history. Actually it’s not, that’s because of Max Verstappen, but you get the point.
Or maybe you don’t. My fault for not being clear. But back to Red Bull.
If anyone was running an organisation like Red Bull they’d probably be fired by now. With the exception of the current US Government under Donald Trump, there’s hardly an organisation being run with more chaos. And at least Donald Trump won a popular vote. Christian Horner wouldn’t win a popular vote, except with Netflix. Certainly not with me. Can’t stand him. Pretty sure Max can’t either but we won’t say that until he signs with Aston Martin. Where design genius Adrian Newey left for. Another quality piece of management from Red Bull.
But their driver policy is certainly the worst of the Netflix era. Sacking, hiring, re-hiring, promoting and demoting. Although it’s a long way from some previous seasons, like 1989 when the German team called Rial had five different drivers over the season. Christian Danner was the best of those, while Pierre-Henri Raphanel had the best name. Maybe Red Bull are going for that record. A total of three driver by race three is good form.
1989 was a classic season though. Here we are getting excited about one driver swap, in 1989 (not the Taylor Swift album) there were 47 drivers across 21 teams……
You have to feel sorry for Liam Lawson, although it appears not many do. The Kiwi is hardly what you’d call likeable, but still. A good measure of his appeal is whether he is mistaken for Australian, or adopted quicker than a Russian tennis player, which he isn’t. He’s behind Russell Crowe in the Australian stakes. Which for him might be a good place to be. Sometimes Russell does get grumpy. Especially with phones.
You wonder though did Liam Lawson simply set a low benchmark or has Red Bull’s standards risen. Probably the latter after persisting with Sergio Perez’s inept performances for a season and a half.
Although, Lawson’s performances weren’t great, as our F1 Stats team proved in this conveniently timed link, he certainly wasn’t the worst driver of all time. That was Pedro Chaves. Or Lance Stroll in Brazil last season. Taki Inoue in 1995 was also pretty ordinary, and was a bit like Liam Lawson. Where Lawson was thrown udner the bus by Red Bull, Inoue got run over by s stewards car in 1995. Not badly injured, but certainly a contradiction in duties from the officials.
Liam Lwason getting the arse wasn’t a sacking for the ages either. Unlike Rene Arnoux who simply and mysteriously didn’t show up for Ferrari for the rest of the 1985 season after the opening race. Or when Alain Prost was turfed out of Ferrari for the final race in 1991 for comparing his Ferrari to a Fire Truck. Or Andrea de Cesaris who was fired after barrel rolling his Ligier a million times in 1985 in the video below with the delightfully cheeky commentary from Ayrton Senna.
De Cesaris “Having A Small Accident” | Austrian Grand Prix 1985 – YouTube
There is a silver lining for Lawson. The last two people sacked from Red Bull but demoted to Racing Bulls are still driving in F1 and thriving with other teams. Which is probably the point. And the Racing Bulls car appears to be more drivable than a Red Bull when the drivers name doesn’t begin with V and end in N. And no, I’m not talking about Vern Schuppan or Jo Vonlanthen. Nor Jos Verstappen for that matter.
Exciting anyway for Yuki Tsunoda who finally gets his chance in a Red Bull after being rejected a few times. In front of his home fans. And with Liam Lawson setting such a low bar, it won’t take much to improve and get the crowd going. Although, on the flip side, if he does worse then it will be pretty bad. For driver and team.
Talking of pretty bad, here the bold predictions to follow this weekend.
The NRL Donkey’s Bold 2025 Japanese Grand Prix Predictions
And here they are, in a convenient team by team format, so you can ignore them all at your convenience or peril. Depending on the outcome of our prediction.
McLAREN
Lando Pole. Lando Fastest Lap. Lando Win.
RED BULL
It doesn’t matter, that paint job is the best thing they’ll do all weekend.
FERRARI
To ensure there’s enough fuel in the car. Or not. Who knows. It’s Ferrari.
MERCEDES
This could be the track where Mr Antonelli explodes into the F1 consciousness. Appropriately at a track his namesake loved as well.
WILLIAMS
More misery for Sainz. Q2 qualy and first lap exit. Courtesy of Stroll somehow. Anyhow. Alex Albon to do his usual solid job.
RACING BULLS
Liam Lawson to make Q3 and to drive his warm down lap with both arms out of the cockpit with middle fingers extended. One for Horner, one for Marko, one for HAdjar. In no particular order.
ALPINE
The P1 fill-in driver Ryo Hirakawa to spin off within the first 20 minutes of the session damaging the car and stuffing Jack Doohan’s P2 in addition to him missing out in P1. And therefore the rest of the weekend of his weekend is stuffed. A bit of a worry that the person in charge of Crash-gate at Renault is involved at Alpine. Not that we are claiming it would be done on purpose.
ASTON MARTIN
I’d hate to say more bad luck for Fernando Alonso. I’d love to say a first lap exit for Lance Stroll. So I will.
HAAS
There’s nothing I can think of that would be bold or interesting.
KICK SAUBER
Suzuka has Hulkenberg top ten in qualifying written all over it.
F1 2025 Season Stuff
We’ve worked hard getting ready for the 2025 F1 Season, and this is our best work below.
CHINESE GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
2025 F1 SEASON PREVIEW – DRIVERS
2025 F1 SEASON PREVIEW – TEAMS
2025 F1 SEASON – THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR AND AVOID
AI DOES F1 – TURNING CARS INTO ANIMALS
F1 2024 Season Stats
Want to remember what happened last season? Here’s a bunch of our best work to sum up the 2024 F1 Season.
F1 2024 FULL RACE REVIEWS ALL 24 RACES
