Faster than an Alpine, with more team rules than any type of fruit, a tenth as excited about Lando Norris than Sky F1, and with more hope of getting out of Q1 than certain drivers, it’s the F1 Donkey with his unique view on F1 and more. Before each race The F1 Donkey puts the ass in sass and unloads his alternative, slightly unhinged thoughts on F1 including this week’s Bold 2025 United States Grand Prix Predictions and opinion.
The F1 Donkey’s Pre United States Grand Prix Thoughts
You’d think after Singapore I’d dedicate a whole rant about how biased McLaren are towards Lando Norris, but I won’t, not because I don’t think that McLaren aren’t favouring Lando Norris, and that the current Sky F1 team aren’t the most biased F1 propaganda machine in the history of F1 racing, but it’s best to leave that to Oscar Piastri to sort that out himself. After Singapore Oscar, the gloves are officially off, so you get your elbows officially out. And if Zak Brown tries to call you again, just use the old classic static line excuse. Although, it not about subtlety now Oscar. Don’t let them push you around like other did to your manager Mark Webber. Some of that still hurts.
But there’s an even bigger point to moan about, one that has been bugging me for way longer than the period McLaren has been compeditive for, and it took Carlos Sainz to come out and say it loudest, and bestest.
F1 pilot Carlos Sainz spoke recently, hitting out at the excessive coverage of celebrities and girlfriends in the F1 coverage.
It was well said, timely and about time. But I’d say he wasn’t harsh enough. Replace that there’s too much focus, with there’s any focus. As in, instead of less, zero would be best.
As an F1 fan who has followed the sport for five decades and can confidently speak on behalf of most F1 fans, that’s enough.
How do we miss the majority of the good on-track action for a glimpse of someone virtually unknown to an F1 fan looking on with a Lance Stroll level of apathy towards the action. Well, that might be harsh. No one cares less about Formula One than Lance Stroll.
And here’s something for your pipe F1 TV directors, if you need to put a caption on the screen to explain who the person is, the chances are an F1 fan doesn’t know them or doesn’t care about them, and in most cases both.
Especially if they are simply an influencer who aren’t even attached to an F1 driver. Influencers are of course the Lance Stroll of society, and in fact they are much worse.
Let them pose for stupid profile pictures, let them be used on Twitter to promote the Grand Prix as it would be a refreshing change from people who hate Donald Trump and people who love Donald Trump, you can even let them appear on the grid walk so they can confuse Martin Brundle who I can imagine rightly doesn’t actually care about these muppets but has to chuck a microphone in front of these clowns to keep the producer in his earpiece happy, but keep them out of the F1 coverage.
If they are not employed by an F1 team, I don’t, and most F1 fans don’t want to see anyone else between the formation lap and well after the chequered flag. Some never, and I’d be ok with that.
Show them clapping at a podium, show them posing for pictures with no one in particular in the pit lane well after the race, show them standing on the podium mopping up the champagne, just don’t show them during a race.
Maybe not show them handing out a signed tyre for getting pole position. That should be done by a legendary ex F1 driver available. And no one from Sky F1.
Let’s not forget that one of the greatest F1 finales in history, in 2008, you know the one that Felipe Massa is now involved in court cases to overturn, the post race coverage was interrupted by one of the Pussycat Dolls jumping up and down instead of seeing actual employees of the team who actually build the cars, or the reaction of drivers, or anyone actually F1 related.
This goes for all parents too by the way. Except for parent who have competed in high level motorsport. Second thoughts, I don’t want to see them either. Driver, team members, that’s it.
But I’m not expecting anything to change, as the F1 boffins defended their coverage with the usual array of corporate cliches. Bosses don’t like to admit they are wrong, and they are wrong so often.
Talking of wrong, here are this week’s bold expert tips.
The NRL Donkey’s Bold 2025 United States Grand Prix Predictions
And here they are, in a convenient team by team format, so you can ignore them all at your convenience or peril. Depending on the outcome of our prediction.
McLAREN
Oscar Piastri puts the Singapore Grand Prix shenanigans behind him by waiting until the last lap of Q3 to snatch pole from Lando Norris, who then collides with Max Verstappen on lap one, and Norris and Zac Brown console each other and Sky F1 as Oscar Piastri takes a dominant win.
RED BULL
Yuki Tsunoda to be cut in Q2, miss out on points, and virtually guarantee himself no drive in 2026. Ex driver Daniel Ricciardo to get more air time than Yuki.
MERCEDES
George Russell to quietly produce another under-the-radar successful weekend and still remained unsigned by Mercedes.
FERRARI
Lewis Hamilton to produce a shocker as Ferrari in qualifying and both cars can barely get out of the way of the midfield in the race.
WILLIAMS
Double points and pushing Ferrari, which will be some reward for Carlos Sainz.
ALPINE
Maybe Pierre Gasly will escape Q1.
RACING BULLS
Isack Hadjar to show enough speed to impress, but not enough to land the Red Bull seat.
ASTON MARTIN
What about a top six qualifying for Fernando Alonso, with a bunch of points to go with it. Lance Stroll can put his car in the wall for all I care. And he probably will.
HAAS
Oliver Bearman to collide with Lance Stroll on lap one. Limp back to the pits before a heroic drive to 15th.
SAUBER
Will not be seen on TV screens after Q1.
The NRL Donkey’s 2025 United States Grand Prix Stats
Our stats team told me I should include some graphs to go with the poisonous viewpoint. So here then are some form stats for qualifying and the race.
United States Grand Prix – DRIVER PREVIEW RATINGS
The stats boffins at The Gurgler have compiled a whole bunch of stats from this season, and recent seasons at this weekend’s venue, added a multiplier for recent results and come up with a score out of 100% which equates to each driver’s chances of doing well this weekend. Just to make finding a winner for a race more complicated than it needs to be.
Here are The Gurgler Driver Preview Ratings for this weekend.
F1 2025 Season Stuff
We’ve worked hard getting ready for the 2025 F1 Season, and this is our best work below.
SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
DUTCH GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
BELGIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
BRITISH GRAND PRIX – RATINGS
AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
CANADIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
SPANISH GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
MONACO GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
EMILIA-ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
MIAMI GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
SAUDI ARABIA GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
CHINESE GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX – REVIEW — RATINGS
2025 F1 SEASON PREVIEW – DRIVERS
2025 F1 SEASON PREVIEW – TEAMS
2025 F1 SEASON – THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR AND AVOID
AI DOES F1 – TURNING CARS INTO ANIMALS
F1 2024 Season Stats
Want to remember what happened last season? Here’s a bunch of our best work to sum up the 2024 F1 Season.
F1 2024 FULL RACE REVIEWS ALL 24 RACES
