F1Weekly Podcast # 1114

Play Podcast: 09-29-25f1weekly1114.mp3

Max takes his first victory in GT3 at the Nurburgring, McLaren having long talks with their drivers. Without a win since 2013 Fernando begins to ponder retirement. This week’s Nasir Hameed corner… It’s Dr. Helmut Marko direct from Austria.

Max Verstappen & Chris Lulham: Royal Debut in the Green Hell!

What a motorsport fairy tale of asphalt, horsepower and goosebumps! Just two weeks ago it was mandatory permit training, van laps and instructors – today it’s a GT3 debut on the toughest racetrack in the world. From “school desk student” to King of the Green Hell – in record time!
At the 57th ADAC Barbarossapreis, Max Verstappen showed why he’s not only King of Formula 1 but also King of the Nordschleife. For two hours he delivered hammer laps around 7:52 minutes, built up nearly a one-minute lead and then handed over the Emil Frey Ferrari #31 to Chris Lulham.
The young Briton kept his cool, survived Code 60 zones and fended off Jann Mardenborough’s Mustang attacks to bring the Ferrari home with a 24 -second lead. A victory on their GT3 debut – historic and perhaps the start of a new legend.

While Vincent Kolb in the HRT Ford #6 was fighting tooth and nail for third place, fans at the Ring celebrated an orange party worthy of an F1 weekend. The pit lane was bursting with smartphones and selfies. Verstappen? Relaxed, charming, with a winner’s smile.
“I just wanted to have fun and learn,” he said before the race. What came out was a statement: “I’m here – and I’m fast.” Verstappen didn’t just learn the Nordschleife, he conquered it – clean, confident, stylish.
Bottom line: From van laps and permit lessons to Ferrari triumph on the Döttinger Höhe. From mandatory training to the winner’s trophy. Max Verstappen delivered – humorous, fast and relentless. A four-hour fairy tale that will go down in NLS history.
© @wolfgang Koepp

Formula 3 announce €1 million prize fund to support top five drivers.

Formula 3 is pleased to announce that the five highest placed drivers in the F3 Drivers’
Championship standings will be awarded a €1 million prize fund from the 2025 season onwards.
The prize fund will be split so the Champion receives 300,000 euros, the driver in second place
receives 250,000 euros, the driver in third receives 200,000 euros, and the fourth and fifth
placed drivers receive 150,000 euros and 100,000 euros, respectively. The prize requires the
drivers to be racing for Formula 2 the following season, or it will go to the next highest-placed
driver(s).
This €1 million fund is in addition to the existing Pirelli 300,000-euro prize awarded to the
Formula 3 Champion.

Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said:

“The Formula 3 one-million-euro prize fund is an important initiative that will further incentivise
drivers and provide them with a very valuable and well-deserved reward for their success in the
Championship. The FIA Formula 3 Championship continues to be a vital part of the pyramid
system, which provides the drivers with the essential technical, physical, and mental training to
rise through the Championships on their journey to the highest level of our sport. We all look
forward to the 2026 season and watching the incredible talent on track.”

Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 3 CEO, said:

“I am pleased to announce this million-euro fund, which will benefit the five highest-placed
Formula 3 drivers, alongside the substantial prize offered by our partner, Pirelli, which goes to
the Champion. It is vital to support emerging talent on their road to Formula 1. Formula 3 is a
fantastic training ground for these young racers to hone their skills to move up the pyramid, and
this additional financial reward will help them to go even further in their efforts towards the
pinnacle of motorsport.”