Norris takes the throne, F1 changes the era

On the evening of December 7 (Hanoi time), in addition to Lando Norris' championship, the F1 race in Abu Dhabi also marked the end of names that are associated with fans.

The Sauber team will no longer exist from the 2026 season.

The end of the 2025 season also marks a historic milestone: the last season of the Sauber name on the F1 track. For more than 30 years since its first appearance in 1993, Sauber has never been a consistent championship candidate, but has always been a racing team containing surprises and contributing to enriching the identity of the speed sport .

From 2026, Sauber will officially be called Audi. The German brand will not only change its identity but also use its own powertrain. In fact, the transition has been planned for a long time. Audi acquired the Sauber group in 2023 and immediately launched a series of preparations: unveiling car designs, recruiting new leaders and strengthening the technical team for the launch season.

2025 is also the last year that F1 uses the DRS (Drag Reduction System), a technology that opens the rear wing to help the car accelerate on straight sections. For many seasons, the command “DRS activated” has become a familiar sound to fans. But from 2026, when F1 changes the entire aerodynamic structure, DRS officially disappears, closing an important chapter in the modern history of speed racing.

In Abu Dhabi, fans also witnessed the last time Yuki Tsunoda started in the Red Bull colors. From next season, the Japanese driver will be a reserve behind Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. “It was a real shock to know that I would no longer have a starting seat in 2026,” Tsunoda shared. Despite some outstanding races, he still could not convince Red Bull that he was suitable enough to compete alongside Verstappen, a position considered one of the “hottest seats” in F1.

The 2025 season ended with a convincing championship for McLaren and Lando Norris. But ahead, F1 entered a new era with new engines, new car designs and a major shake-up of team structures. The warm-up for a completely different game will begin in March 2026.

Source: https://znews.vn/norris-len-ngoi-f1-doi-ky-nguyen-post1609250.html