The 2025 F1 season is already taking its toll, with teams and drivers battling exhaustion and intense travel after just a few races.
The Formula 1 season has barely begun, and yet, the teams are already feeling the pressure of an intense schedule. With three races in quick succession, the grueling calendar, which stretches all the way into December, has left many wondering: Are the drivers and teams already exhausted?
For Williams F1 driver Alexander Albon, the season feels like it’s already halfway through.
“It feels like we’re already at the 10th Grand Prix,” Albon admits, highlighting how quickly the schedule is stacking up. “I love racing, but it’s tough to comment on this just from a personal perspective. As drivers, we travel better than anyone else in the paddock. We sleep in better hotels, have a more comfortable lifestyle—it’s part of our privileged position. But for the mechanics, for the journalists, for everyone else—it’s a different story. They have families, they are the ones really struggling. Personally, and for us at Williams, we are doing the best we can with the rotation of engineers and mechanics, but yes, it’s getting tight. It’s clear.”
Albon isn’t alone in his sentiments. Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto also acknowledges the challenge of such a packed calendar.
“It’s a lot of races, no doubt about it,” says Bortoleto, speaking from the Jeddah paddock. “But it’s still the start of my career. I just want to keep racing, keep learning. Every weekend, I’m learning something new, so if we had another race next weekend, I’d be happy to keep going. Right now, it doesn’t bother me. Maybe in the future, I’ll feel differently, but for now, I’m fine.”
When it comes to the most challenging part of the season, Bortoleto is quick to mention the jet lag. “Jet lag! But honestly, I’m young, so I recover quickly. I don’t really have an issue with it.”
For Haas driver Oliver Bearman, the intense schedule isn’t necessarily the problem—it’s the travel. “It’s okay, but the travel is what gets to you. If all the races could be in Europe, that would make it a lot easier, but we’re going to places like Australia, China, Japan—the farthest races on the calendar. That takes its toll. A race weekend isn’t just the weekend; you leave on Monday and you’re there for almost three weeks. It’s a lot. You love it, but then you have to take a 15-hour flight home, and you think, ‘Wow, that’s a lot.’”
Bearman admits that the grueling schedule does take a toll, but as the season progresses, he finds joy in the racing. “The more races I do, the more fun I have. And when the results come through, it makes it all worth it. Then, as we head into the European season, things are a bit less hectic—not just for us, but for the mechanics and staff too. Especially in a small team like Haas, it’s difficult to keep everyone energized for these long-distance trips. But for now, we’re managing.”
The start of the F1 season has clearly been a tough one, with both drivers and staff already feeling the weight of a packed calendar. As the races continue, it remains to be seen how long the teams can keep up with the pace.
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