Nuts & Bolts -- March 20, 2025

• The standard of driving from the rookies in Australia was unacceptable. All but Bortoleto qualified well behind their teammates. However, Antonelli had a decent race. Bearman trailed around at the back after completing no laps all weekend. The rest chucked their cars off in the race.

• Referring to the rookies, Martin Brundle said "all these things you got to learn". I can hear Nikki Lauda saying something like "F1 is not kindergarten." F1 is not a learning series, by the time you reach F1 you are supposed to know the lessons and be one of the best in the world.

• Contrast this to the hate Jacques Villeneuve gets about his debut, when he scored pole position and nearly won the race. People dismiss it, saying, "Oh he was in the best car." Note than Antonelli is in a car that won four races last year, and Lawson is in the car that has won the last four drivers' championships.

• Yep, I realize veteran Alonso spun off, too.

• The moment when Norris and Piastri slid off the track, and Lando was able to better recover, might be one of those moments that decide the championship between the two McLaren drivers. It will be interesting to see how the 16 points Piastri lost make a difference at the end of the year.

• Does anyone believe Lewis Hamilton will outperform Charles Leclerc this season?

• Yuki Tsunoda doesn't get the credit he deserves. He was unlucky not to score some big points.

• Looking at the session times for the Chinese Grand Prix, this Canadian will be PVRing and watching later.
  

• I will keep saying it: F1 needs to get rid of the dumb rule allowing lapped cars to unlap themselves during a safety car.