Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix doesn’t simply mark the top of a Method 1 season however a number of important partnerships too.
From one of many championship’s most profitable engine producers to the final race for one in all F1’s biggest underdogs – listed below are seven eras ending this weekend, our ideas on how profitable they have been and how much excessive (or low) they’ll possible finish on.
Yuki Tsunoda + F1 (2021-2025)
Yuki Tsunoda went far additional than most Purple Bull juniors, of which there was a very astounding quantity, and caught round in its F1 roster far longer than lots of his high-rated friends. The Honda patronage has performed a component in each, however so did Tsunoda’s apparent prodigious expertise – which at 25 nonetheless in all probability hasn’t been tapped into absolutely.
He has succeeded in going this far. However he’s formidable sufficient to not really feel his time as a Purple Bull-backed F1 driver has been successful – and it nearly definitely ends right here, regardless that he stays on the books as a reserve.
Triple-digit begins – a brand new excessive watermark for a Japanese F1 driver – however no podiums, a lot much less wins. And simply as Toro Rosso-turned-AlphaTauri-turned-VCARB-turned-Racing Bulls acquired in all probability its most podium-capable, most compliant automotive, he headed off to get blown out by Max Verstappen on the senior workforce.
He’ll really feel he deserved extra on the proof of the ultimate few rounds this season – and will but add to that in Abu Dhabi, although podium competition could be a shock – however he acquired extra time than is usually afforded throughout the Purple Bull construction. – Valentin Khorounzhiy
Sauber (1993-2025)
The Sauber identify has been an ever-present in Method 1 because it marked its debut within the 1993 South African Grand Prix by operating fourth and fifth on the finish of the primary aggressive lap.
Even when marginalised in 2006-2009, the workforce nonetheless competed underneath the BMW Sauber title, with Peter Sauber retaining a 20% stake. Nonetheless, in F1 Sauber will probably be absolutely subsumed by Audi subsequent 12 months.
When the Sauber F1 venture began, it was as a Mercedes manufacturing unit workforce. But even when the three-pointed star backed out in 1991, it continued as an impartial and constructed a repute as a realistic operation. It lacked the flamboyant risk-taking of a Jordan Grand Prix, however established itself as a rock-solid midfielder.
In its first 13 seasons in F1, it bounced round between fourth and eighth within the constructors’ championship, by no means nice, however by no means on the again.
Nonetheless, canny strikes reminiscent of promoting Kimi Raikkonen to McLaren and constructing a state-of-the-art windtunnel set it up for a producer future, as BMW took it over in mid-2005.
That alliance was shortlived given BMW pulled out forward of 2010, however yielded a well-known win for Robert Kubica in Canada 2008 as a part of an unfulfilled flirtation with a drivers’ championship bid.
A sale to Swiss-based Qadback was agreed and introduced, however fell by means of, leaving Peter Sauber to choose up the items and hold the workforce going. He didn’t must, however he was pushed not solely to make sure the workforce he constructed survived, but in addition out of a noble sense of duty to its residence city of Hinwil.
Sauber’s survival was unsure and outcomes patchy within the years that adopted, and even after Longbow Finance purchased the workforce in mid-2016 progress was stuttering. However after varied potential offers fell over (bear in mind the Honda engine deal, or the near-takeover by Andretti?), and after a stint carrying the Alfa Romeo identify in a glorified sponsorship deal, Audi agreed a deal for a phased takeover of Sauber 2022.
Sauber has endured when it might simply have gone out of enterprise after BMW’s withdrawal, or by no means even made it to F1 within the first place after Mercedes pulled the plug. In that context, it’s a outstanding story that this workforce heads into what might doubtlessly be an illustrious Audi period after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. – Edd Straw
DRS (2011-2025)
Think about telling any hardcore fan understandably postpone by the inevitably gimmicky, un-meritocratic nature of the Drag Discount Systrem and its arbitrary one-second set off level: “Don’t be concerned, it is going to solely stick round for…oh, 15 years.”
However right here we’re 15 years later, with DRS about to be phased out for an activate-at-any-time energetic aero and the extra overtaking-focused ‘handbook override’ battery energy increase, and it would not actually really feel like the thought has outstayed its welcome all that a lot.
DRS by no means turned much less synthetic, and DRS overtakes by no means turned rather more thrilling, however with extra lasting Pirelli tyres, rules that allowed the downforce numbers to spike and F1 groups always outdeveloping the FIA’s efforts to mitigate soiled air, F1 racing grew unimaginable with out DRS, the choice a dystopia by which each different race is mainly Monaco.
That’s, maybe, no nice argument for DRS as a lot as an argument for one thing being basically off on a wider scale – but it surely’s telling that different collection adopted it, and that F1 drivers’ suggestions from the Qatar race final time by, because it has been in a number of rounds through the years, was ‘they in all probability ought to’ve prolonged the DRS zone’.
Good? Nope. Fascinating? Not significantly. A bandaid that held on for 15 years, and can proceed in spirit? You might say that. However no less than there was racing. – VK
Purple Bull + Honda (2019-2025)
Honda’s most profitable F1 period ever involves an finish this weekend, so regardless that the producer will dwell on in F1 with its new Aston Martin enterprise, a really important chapter is coming to an in depth.
The Purple Bull-Honda period successfully started in 2018 at Toro Rosso, off the again of Honda’s acrimonious break up from McLaren, earlier than the principle workforce took the plunge too a 12 months later. Neither occasion might have imagined it might play out this properly.
Honda has gained nearly as many races in its Purple Bull period (71) because it has its total earlier historical past in F1 (72), which began in 1964. They’ve gained 4 straight drivers’ titles collectively, and the constructors’ championship twice.
And there are three particular facets to contemplate inside this. First, the success. With out one another it’s onerous to think about both occasion ever profitable on this period the way in which they’ve. For each Purple Bull and Honda this has been a transformational alliance.
Second, the Max Verstappen-Honda alliance. Verstappen shortly got here to like Honda, and has been adored in return. Senior Honda figures discuss him in the identical breath and with the identical heat as Ayrton Senna – in order that relationship formally ending is a major second.
Final, however not least, bear in mind it’s the remaining race for the second Purple Bull workforce with Honda. With out that workforce, historical past might be very totally different. It was within the workforce’s Toro Rosso period that it ended up the Honda-powered guinea pig forward of Purple Bull’s full swap – and that set a fantastic basis for the working relationship.
Honda has by no means forgotten the position what’s now Racing Bulls performed in establishing what adopted. – Scott Mitchell-Malm
These floor impact F1 vehicles (2022-2025)
That is the final weekend for this shortlived technology of floor impact F1 vehicles and, for some, it’s a case of excellent riddance.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is a type of drivers who’s “excited to see the again finish” of the vehicles. Williams’s Carlos Sainz is one other; he stated it’s “not in his nature” to drive these vehicles, and it’s been a battle to adapt.
That is F1’s heaviest technology of vehicles, and a few drivers (like Hamilton) significantly hate the ground-effect automotive’s race-ruining transition from understeer to sudden oversteer.
Porpoising wasn’t a fantastic expertise, both, with Mercedes’s George Russell calling it a “brutal” trait.
Well being points apart, F1 vehicles shouldn’t be on rails. They need to require quite a lot of talent to pilot, and they need to look and maybe really feel to be on a knife-edge.
Consequently, the midfield has hit spec-series ranges of break up timing and 2024 was a fairly nice season as F1 goes. This season hasn’t been classic all through, however no less than we’re right down to the wire with a three-way title battle.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg (who broke his podium duck in 2025) was much less scathing about these rules, though he criticised how tough it’s to overhaul. Which is comprehensible, given F1 groups have inevitably engineered outwash again into the vehicles.
Williams’s Alex Albon defended this period when he stated: “There are some parts the place it is simpler to overdrive these vehicles than possibly the earlier technology of vehicles, however I believe all in all it is not been a nasty regulation set.”
We weren’t left wanting for tech tales. Mercedes’s zero sidepod idea and subsequent struggles; Ferrari’s wild improve experience; Purple Bull’s fall; and McLaren’s speedy rise amongst them.
It’s been one of many higher eras in that regard. Above all, this model of floor impact will probably be remembered for its finale – nevertheless that will materialise. – Samarth Kanal
‘Group Silverstone’ + Mercedes (2009-2025)
Aston Martin and Mercedes’ partnership ending would possibly really feel insignificant, however once you do the maths, this pairing has really been collectively 17 years!
Pressure India – Aston Martin’s previous-but-one incarnation earlier than it was named Racing Level – solely did one 12 months with Ferrari engines in 2008, earlier than switching to Mercedes, which has powered the workforce by means of varied guises ever since.
That was a landmark deal on the time with McLaren supplying Pressure India with Mercedes engines, gearboxes and simulator time, basically the pioneering blueprint for a contemporary F1 technical partnership.
It powered Pressure India to loads of giant-killing successes within the 2010s, a race win underneath the Racing Level guise in 2020 as soon as Lawrence Stroll had taken over, and Aston Martin’s ups and downs ever since then.
The Aston Martin workforce has positioned a number of useful resource and hope in signing Honda for 2026 and it’ll hope it makes a giant step ahead. However the engine was by no means the weak a part of this partnership so Aston Martin has rather a lot to show heading into the following rule set.
Solely as soon as this season has Aston Martin gained the factors in a single weekend that it might must overhaul Racing Bulls for sixth within the constructors’ in Abu Dhabi. So as a substitute it’s final Mercedes-powered weekend is probably going about consolidating its seventh place, with Haas seven factors adrift. – Jack Benyon
Farewell Renault F1 engines (1977-2025)
Gary Anderson
I’ll really be a bit unhappy to see the Renault engine disappear from F1 this weekend.
I used to be round when Renault launched its V6 turbo in 1977 – it was nice to see somebody do one thing totally different. Within the early levels, it wasn’t with out its issues and a good few folks have been sniggering at Renault’s efforts. Nonetheless, Renault acquired it underneath management shortly and as a Renault works workforce, it gained the French GP in 1979. Renault went on to win three races in 1980, three in 1981, 4 in 1982 and 4 in 1983 when it additionally completed second within the championship.
It was additionally an influence unit provider to Lotus, which gained three races in 1985 and two extra in 1986, whereas mainly the opposite engine producers adopted Renault’s introduction of small quantity turbo engines.
It was actually solely a regulation change that began the outlawing of turbo engines on the finish of 1986 that introduced all of it to a halt. Renault then took two years off while specializing in designing and growing a V10 package deal.
When it got here again in 1989 it was Williams that had a lot of the success with Renault V10s. In 1989 it gained two races, in 1990, there have been two extra wins and in 1991, the actual success began with seven wins. The 1992-94 Williams, 1995 Benetton and 1996/97 Williams have been constructors’ champion vehicles with Renault energy, so it was six world championships in succession as an engine producer.
Renault then took one other break from 1998 and in 2001 got here again with a wide-angle 110-degree V10. The idea was about decreasing the centre of gravity of the entire package deal, but it surely didn’t give the benefits Renault anticipated and it was deserted in favour of a 72-degree V10 for 2004/05 – Renault profitable the championship as a constructor for the final 12 months of the V10 period in 2005.
For 2006 the regulation modified to outlaw V10s, which meant Renault needed to design a V8, and once more it gained the championship as a constructor (for the ultimate time) in 2006, the primary 12 months of these rules.
Throughout that interval it teamed up with Purple Bull and provided it with constructors’ championship-winning engines for 2010 by means of 2013. Then once more for 2014 the rules modified to what we at the moment have with the V6 turbo hybrid items.
Contemplating its earlier success with turbo energy items, Renault and everybody else anticipated it to be a pressure to be reckoned with. Nonetheless, the instances and personnel had modified dramatically because the late Nineteen Seventies and early Nineteen Eighties and Renault has by no means actually come to phrases with this package deal. A part of the issue was having by no means invested the time and assets wanted like engine-era benchmark Mercedes had.
Renault nonetheless gained three races in 2014 with Purple Bull after which 9 extra earlier than Purple Bull left for Honda for 2019. Renault energy has scooped only one win since then (Hungary 2021 as Alpine) and through that interval, each reliability and out-and-out efficiency simply weren’t there. It is believed Renault might be 20 to 40 bhp down on its engine rivals.
So, in any case its innovation within the early days, 770 grands prix, 213 poles, 169 wins and 12 constructors’ titles as a workforce or energy unit provider, Renault is saying au revoir as an influence unit producer to F1.
Alpine will use Mercedes energy items going ahead. In actuality do we actually know which engine is by which automotive when the bodywork is fitted? I want the FIA would dictate that the engine cowl have to be eliminated for the present and inform periods prior to every race. It might be nice to look underneath the bonnet.
Will Renault’s engine division regroup and be again? It appears to be like unlikely, however who is aware of, it has successfully pulled out twice earlier than.
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