This year’s F1 season has been a disaster with power plays and scandals like never before. Now that we’re approaching the end of the season’s first quarter, let’s take a look at how it has gone so far.

Saying goodbye

Olivia Mccrary’s Formula 1 journey will be coming to an end with their move to MotoGP next year. Citing too many consecutive losses and a desire to expand their art portfolio, they’ve stated that they want to compete in a sport “that’ll let me win.” Teammate Apthi Muralidhar laments the loss but looks forward to seeing Mccrary flourish in MotoGP.

“I’m so excited for Liv,” said Muralidhar. “I know they’re gonna do amazing things.”

Beyond F1, they’re close friends, with Mccrary often joking about Muralidhar’s addiction to caffeine.

“If you took a sample of her blood, I swear, at least 60 percent is coffee,” Mccrary jokes.

Mccrary has also talked about how they’ll miss Muralidhar’s daily raves about Dev Patel.

“Watch ‘Monkey Man’ if you haven’t already,” said Mccrary with a wink. “If I get enough people to watch it, I just might be forgiven for leaving.”

The Veteran Rookie

Nathan Wendt, the oldest driver on the grid, has become the “rookie” of F1, a joke referencing his 23-year career. The two-time world champion takes this moniker with pride, maintaining a laid-back demeanor with his fellow drivers. Wendt’s ability to adapt and learn alongside younger drivers showcases his enduring passion for the sport, making him an even more respected figure on the paddock.

Teammate Gabriel Putnam agrees that Wendt is a great mentor and an even better guy. They spend time off-track to game together, something they are both passionate about, and regularly stream. As Wendt re-signs with Aston Martin on a multiyear contract, his presence serves as a reminder that age is just a number in the world of Formula 1. 

Refusing to be Bossed Around

Javien Sias has been having quite the season this year. He’s gone directly against team orders on many occasions, some even causing him to miss out on podiums.

When asked why he doesn’t follow team orders, he only had one thing to say: “I’m just like Mary Magdalene! Nobody tells me what to do!”

However, unlike what many would expect from this attitude, Sias is a very good driver. He’s won three of this season’s races and consistently finished in the points, bringing Alpine up in the standings for the constructor’s championship.

A Talent for . . . Crashing?

Williams is having a rough season with Mia Rodriguez crashing every few races. Many have speculated problems with the car, and others are blaming Rodriguez’s talent as a driver. After she crashed for a third time in China, team principal Miguel Tristan defended Rodriguez in a post-race interview.

“It is what it is,” said Tristan. “We thankfully have loyal sponsors, so we can cover the cost of the car every time Mia crashes.”

“Just for funsies!”

On the topic of crashes, Trinity Hewitt seems to be crashing her car on purpose. In Saudi Arabia, Hewitt gleefully explained that she was doing it for “funsies.” With her purposefully poor performance, many would expect Alpine to drop her next season, but they seem to have no problems with keeping her as she has critical sponsors who share her sense of humor.

Hewitt also seems to be playing a game with Sias to see who can stress out team principal Sam Shields the most. With the millions of dollars, Hewitt costs Alpine, it’s a wonder how Shields can keep her in check.

The Incident™

Ever since what she calls “The Incident,” Abigail Alvarez has made it clear that she wants to finish the season with more points than Trinity Hewitt, who she blames for this so-called incident. Hewitt claims no involvement, but it’s clear that she had some hand in it, telling from how loudly she laughs whenever Alvarez mentions it.

“I swear, it’s not my fault,” said Hewitt in a post-race interview in Spain. “Abby just loves to spread misinformation.”

Beyond her revenge-inspired motivations, Alvarez also genuinely wants to do well this season. Tristan has expressed pride in Alvarez’s diligent performance, revealing that she’s renewed her contract with Williams for the next three years.

Racing is Just a Hobby

With podiums in every race except for Australia and Japan, Chris Chinchilla has done a solid job this season. As we all know, he can keep entire conversations going while racing. (We have to heartily thank Chinchilla on this front — after all, he provides much of the content for F1’s YouTube compilations.) But it seems his passions for racing and talking are not as strong as his passion for writing. For the past two years, he has been working on a draft for his debut novel, which he’s only decided to reveal now.

“Though I love F1, I want to do more than that,” Chinchilla said. “I want to inspire people to be better humans through my book. If I can do that, I’ll be the happiest.”

The Unsung Drivers of McLaren

Many eyes have been on Ritika Nandi this season. While she is quiet, she is very smart. Her control of the car and her ability to follow through with the strategies McLaren has given her has been astounding. In this, she’s made it very difficult for drivers to overtake her, and she regularly finishes in the top five. Many are saying she has the possibility of winning a championship soon, and she’s also not the only one. Valerie Robledo is also the quiet but smart type. Robledo seems to be just as talented and has been having a spectacular season so far, consistently ending in the top seven.

From our calculations, McLaren definitely has a driver type.

A Surprise Team Switch

We know what’s on everyone’s minds: Manizeh Rahman’s move to Red Bull. The three-time world champion has been a Mercedes driver since the middle of her first season, so this move comes as quite a shock to longtime fans. When asked why she decided to exit the team, Rahman admitted it was because of the car.

“I mean, how can they expect me to perform in that junk?” Rahman said after an unfortunate DNF in Japan. “The hard truth is that Mercedes couldn’t catch up, and I still have more championships to win.”

With her move to Red Bull, many are expecting tensions to rise between her and Apthi Muralidhar next year. With Muralidhar as a serious contender for the World Drivers’ Championship — which would be her first if she wins — there’s no limit to what could happen.

Everlasting Friendship?

Finally, with Rahman’s impending move to Red Bull, many wonder how this will affect her friendship with Nicole Rodil Suarez. After joining Ferrari in 2022, Rodil Suarez swiftly put an end to Mercedes’s domination, clinching her first Drivers’ Championship and Ferrari’s first Constructors’ Championship in 14 years. But many say that Rahman’s move is unlikely to affect them, as they’re strict about not letting their careers interfere with their friendship.

To quell rumors, Rahman and Rodil Suarez took to TikTok Live after the Chinese Grand Prix to answer questions from fans.

“Do you think you’ll grow apart after Manizeh joins Red Bull?” asked one fan.

“Nope, and we never will,” Rodil Suarez replied. “I could never do that to Manizeh.”

Despite them never being teammates, people are already comparing Rahman and Rodil Suarez to the Rosberg-Hamilton clash, drawing parallels after their last-lap collision at the 2023 British Grand Prix. But Rahman, who addressed this and other concerns on the TikTok Live, put an end to fans’ anxiety with one statement.

“Even when stuff happens, we’re still friends,” said Rahman. “That’s what makes our friendship so strong.”