Peter Allen

Motorsport writer and PR. Opinions mine.

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

@vkhorounzhiy If Red Bull-Honda was remaining a thing I think we could have seen two very different line-ups.

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Lawson’s had the talent to go this far but should have more than 11 races under his belt. The only viable option once Sainz was nonsensically overlooked, with Tsunoda outstaying Honda surely not welcome.

Hadjar having his chance the best bit, but he too could be better prepped:

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

Exciting and unprepared 💥

These two terms apply to Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, but also to Red Bull's decision-making as it settled its 2025 line-ups this week. Here's two takes on the saga, and who deserved those #F1 seats:

https://t.co/5oJihc2yom

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

F2 has been even harder to read than usual this year, but one thing you can say is that Bortoleto has rarely put a foot wrong amid the chaos in either of his last two seasons. Impressive growth after an unremarkable start in cars.

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

Gabriel Bortoleto is the #F2 champion! 🇧🇷🏆

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Sympathise for Sargeant coming in underprepared - Williams needs an old car testing programme to match its excellent academy recruitment - but he was given time to adapt and didn’t show the quality to do so.

Colapinto is just as unprepared but has nothing to lose - you’d hope?

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Left-field but I like it. When somebody’s drive becomes such a lost cause, you may as well let somebody else show what they can do with it. And better to give the chance of a lifetime to your own junior talent with a knack of grasping opportunities than to another team’s reserve.

[Atlassian Williams F1 Team @WilliamsF1]

Franco Colapinto to race for the remainder of the 2024 season.

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

Less than four years since @OllieBearman made an unexpected car racing debut, he has a full-time #F1 drive for 2025.

Formula Scout has followed that rapid journey to the top, which has not been without its ups and downs:

https://t.co/HYbgayFtJi

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

How can you give this man a two-year contract? It’s an absolute sham. #F1

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Rubbish, weak decision - especially when Sainz is right there begging for a drive - that surely leaves the team exposed. F1 being robbed of Sainz in a top car by decision makers obsessed with Verstappen.

[Formula 1 @F1]

Sergio Perez confirmed to remain at Red Bull Racing

The six-time race winner has agreed to a 2-year contract extension at the Milton Keynes outfit, which will see him stay until at least 2026

#F1

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

When you’ve had years to think how you’ll call Leclerc winning Monaco, this is how you do it 👏 @AlexJacquesF1

No hairdressing puns needed 🤦‍♂️

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Hamilton’s only minus 23 races into his Ferrari career and there’s already a young kid after his seat 😜

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Phenomenal job by Ollie Bearman today on one of the fastest, busiest and ballsiest tracks of the year 👏

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Whatever happens in the races, how mega have Browning and Mini both been in Macau this week?

Feels like one can get a better read of talent from qualifying days in Macau than a whole season of modern F3 (and the champion loses marks for not taking it on).

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

.@HitechGP's Luke Browning pipped @PREMA_Team's Gabriele Mini to #MacauGP pole by just 0.006s in a thrilling second qualifying session.

Report and results:
https://t.co/wERuBCLIz1

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Interesting move given Mercedes’ usual patience and care with drivers. Says a lot about Antonelli, and something about F3?

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

Prema has announced @MercedesAMGF1 junior and @FRegionalAlpine champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli as its first Formula 2 driver for 2024:
https://t.co/kA8jU2Zl2F

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

A surprising surge in form but beating Prema’s fleet of F1 juniors on a fraction of the budget surely warrants better backing for the next step.

Still, that doesn’t make it OK to criticise a 16-year-old for “bottling” a lead. In this game it’s rarely that simple, anyway.

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

🏆 @Kacper_Sztuka has won the Italian F4 championship with a race to spare!

His win in a restarted race two at Vallelunga was enough to put the Pole out of reach of Prema's F1 juniors:

https://t.co/xgSfzabwuM

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

@davidpbearman @FormulaScout @OllieBearman Thanks, fixed that

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Honestly staggering how well Piastri is doing.

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Don’t envy any driver that finds themselves struggling in F1, but if you’re not up for it (despite the apparent job security in this case), it’s time to find something else you can enjoy and let somebody else have a go.

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

He's on course to become F2 champion aged 20, but Theo Pourchaire is set to stay on #F1's subs bench next year after Sauber kept faith in Zhou Guanyu.

How much would Pourchaire have deserved that chance, and how can he now earn it for the future?

https://t.co/4xQnw1N7zn

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Thread:

[Formula Scout @FormulaScout]

Liam Lawson faces a big task making his #F1 bow this weekend, but has a habit of starring on debut... 🧵👇

After finishing runner-up in ADAC F4 in 2018, the 16-year-old stepped up to Asian F3 for its Sepang season finale and dominated all three races:

https://t.co/4JJg99xeMR

[Peter Allen @PeteAllen_]

Unfortunate for Ricciardo but exciting to see what Lawson can do without too much expectation. Jumping in at a track like Zandvoort on a Saturday is daunting, but he has a remarkable record for adapting quickly to new categories.

https://t.co/srEUvm2KvS