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How Helmut Marko beat one of his fiercest F1 rivals to signing Max Verstappen for Red Bull in 2014.
A full-time seat with Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, was tabled, and the rest is history.
11 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
HITC
Helmut Marko would later get one over on Niki Lauda by beating him to Max Verstappen’s signature. It’s no secret that both Mercedes and Red Bull were vying for the signature of a 16-year-old Verstappen after previously making waves in karting and holding his own in Formula 3.
According to Hughes, there was a ‘tug of war’ for Verstappen’s talents, and his father, Jos Verstappen, was entertaining both sides, waiting for the right offer. Mercedes were just entering their dominant period, and Lauda had offered the young Dutchman a seat in GP2 with a ‘planned pathway to F1’.
Marko knew this and also knew that he had to come up with an even more attractive offer in order to sway his mind. A full-time seat with Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso, was tabled, and the rest is history.
‘An even more attractive offer’;
https://www.hitc.com/how-helmut-mark...-bull-in-2014/
Helmut Marko’s unseen reaction to Gianpiero Lambiase looking upset after the 2025 F1 finale
11 December 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Helmut Marko was seen talking to an emotional Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer, after missing out on the world title.
“When GP was in tears on the pitwall, three days ago, who came and gave him an ‘It’s alright mate, it’s alright.’? It was Helmut,” Ted Kravitz told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast. “There’s something deep inside me that is sorry to see the old guy go.”
“Something very small, and I will take it up, put it in a small bag, and throw it in the bin when we’ve finished this podcast, because I think his time has finished.”
‘It’s alright mate, it’s alright.’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/hel...025-f1-finale/
Vettel voices disbelief at Marko stepping away from Red Bull
Vettel caught off guard by Marko's sudden departure from Red Bull
12 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Sebastian Vettel was surprised by Helmut Marko’s departure from Red Bull. Speaking to Sport1 and F1-Insider, the four-time world champion said: “I was just as surprised as everyone else. I wish Helmut all the best for his future and a well-deserved retirement.”
“Helmut can call himself the originator of Red Bull’s success in Formula 1,” Vettel added, also noting that Marko was “the architect of success not only in terms of driver selection — central decisions on the team’s lineup, personnel, and strategy were also made by him.” The first fruits of Marko’s empire came during the peak years of the former German driver, who was the first to deliver a championship to the Milton Keynes team in 2010 and continued to do so for four consecutive years until 2013.
In an exclusive interview with GPblog, Marko didn’t rule out the possibility of attending “one or two Grand Prix,” but made it clear he has no interest in returning full-time. The Graz-born executive also dismissed any role as an F1 analyst, jokingly saying, “You’ll never see me running around with a microphone making interviews.”
‘Vettel voices disbelief’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/vette...-from-red-bull
Guenther Steiner explains why Red Bull won’t be ‘worse off’ after Helmut Marko’s F1 exit
11 December 2025
Shay Rogers
HITC
Guenther Steiner expects ‘well-established’ Red Bull to be fine without Helmut Marko. Ex-Haas boss Guenther Steiner thinks that the team and drivers will be just fine without Marko’s influence. His departure isn’t so significant, in his eyes.
“I don’t think they will be worse off,” he told the Red Flags Podcast. “I don’t know if they are better off, but I don’t think they will be worse off, because the team is well-established, it seems like, under the leadership of Laurent [Mekies].”
“It seems like they know what they want and what they do. The races are the same, they did a good job and I think if there is something happening, Helmut Marko can always come back.”
“The team is well-established”;
https://www.hitc.com/guenther-steine...arkos-f1-exit/
What Red Bull owners have ‘explicitly’ told Max Verstappen about the team’s future after Helmut Marko exit
10 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
In an update from Motorsport Nederland, F1 journalist Ronald Vording revealed the latest news regarding Verstappen’s future at the team following the exit of one of his closest confidantes, Marko. He said, “Max has often publicly defended Marko. The best example is Saudi Arabia last year. In the midst of that whole power struggle with Christian Horner. When Marko’s position came under pressure, he was actually in danger of being sacked. And Max said, if [Marko] has to leave, then he’s leaving too. So Max had Marko’s full support there.
“That might give the impression that this also has direct consequences for Max Verstappen, but insiders say that it’s a bit more nuanced than that. Firstly, of course, there is the much-discussed Marko clause. From Red Bull’s point of view, this has already been neutralised with a kind of side letter. But secondly, what Red Bull has now, the Austrian side and also the Thai side in terms of owners, have once again expressed their full commitment in light of all this, and they have made this clear to Max Verstappen.”
“They have also explicitly entered into that conversation. And Max himself said on Sunday that the atmosphere in the team is up to him, he can see that very clearly now. So, under the leadership of Laurent Mekies, Max Verstappen feels comfortable. He even added that he feels better here in Abu Dhabi now than he did a year ago. Of course, he was world champion then, and now he is not. But back then, he felt that everything was going wrong at Red Bull. And now there is a sense of calm.”
“Neutralised with a kind of side letter”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...ut-marko-exit/
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Where’s Oscar? McLaren ‘team’ photo says a thousand words.
“Our last team pic of the year,” McLaren posted triumphantly… …someone was missing from the photo… Piastri.
13 Dec 2025
Peter Maniaty
Sporting News
“Our last team pic of the year,” McLaren posted triumphantly from its headquarters in Woking, Surrey, with hundreds of staffers crowded excitedly around their new F1 World Champion Lando Norris.
Only trouble was, as many observers quickly noticed, someone was missing from the photo who had a rather significant role in the constructors’ and drivers’ world championship battles for McLaren in 2025: Piastri.
“Think you’re missing a pretty important part of the team in this pic,” commented one follower.
“Team pic? I didn’t know you only had one driver…” replied another.
“Let me guess Oscar took the picture,” said another.
With Piastri contracted to McLaren until the end of 2028, the next few seasons promise to be interesting to say the least—‘papaya rules’ or not.
‘McLaren ‘team’ photo’;
https://www.sportingnews.com/au/form...7f2288326f66a4
Australian TV keeps taking swipes at McLaren for alleged ‘Norris bias'
13 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
The narrative that Oscar Piastri was not being treated equally by McLaren continues in Australian media, after another TV segment was introduced this way. Following a Piastri interview with Australian media ended after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, a TV presenter said: "Let’s hope Oscar can do it next year… if McLaren don’t work against him."
Now, on Australian TV channel 10 News+, in a segment on how much money Piastri earned this year, a different presenter began: "When Australia's Formula 1 weapon Oscar Piastri lost out in the Drivers' Championship in Abu Dhabi this week, the entire country felt robbed.”
"Throughout the season, his team McLaren had seemingly preferenced his teammate and eventual champ Lando Norris, but this might soften the blow a little, at least for Piastri, with word today he will receive a $41 million bonus."
‘Australian TV keeps taking swipes at McLaren’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/austr...ed-norris-bias
George Russell privately felt sorry for Oscar Piastri over 2025 controversy, ‘he didn’t deserve that’
13 December 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
George Russell felt Oscar Piastri’s British GP penalty was wrong. Piastri is regarded as an unflappable driver but there was one moment above all in 2025 where he appeared to be seething. The Australian was on course for victory at the British GP until he received a 10-second penalty for driving erratically just before a safety car restart. The subsequent delay at his pit stop handed the win to Lando Norris. Piastri, who felt the penalty was unfair, optimistically asked McLaren if they would consider swapping the cars back. This gambit failed, and the 14-point swing is even more painful in light of the final standings.
Speaking on the F1 Show, Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok revealed that GPDA chief and Mercedes star George Russell sided with Piastri over the incident. “I reckon he lost 31 points, including the disqualification in Vegas, and Lando lost 36 points between the non-finishes and the disqualifications,” Chandhok said. “Silverstone, I felt that was really harsh. The safety car turned the lights off really late. You watch the onboards, and I spoke to some other drivers, including George Russell, who was in that queue, who thought he didn’t deserve that. The point is that I think he’s been on the wrong end of the penalties on a couple of occasions.”
‘He didn’t deserve that’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/geo...-deserve-that/
Herbert sees Piastri eyeing exit from McLaren after Norris’ title triumph
11 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Johnny Herbert has suggested there is a possibility that Oscar Piastri could leave McLaren following Lando Norris’ championship triumph. “At this moment in time, I can see Oscar Piastri looking to move on from McLaren. As things stand, he may feel so frustrated that he wants to look elsewhere,” Herbert began.
However, the former Sauber driver questioned such a decision, highlighting how the McLaren outfit has proven capable of delivering a championship-winning car. “But why would you want to move on from a team that can actually supply you with the car to win the World Drivers’ Championship?” he added. “If he moved to Ferrari, for example, there is no guarantee at all that he would get a chance of being World Champion. If he moved to Mercedes, there’s no guarantee either. The team that’s in the moment is McLaren, and arguably Red Bull,” he continued.
Herbert, however, suggested a move to the Red Bull Racing outfit could offer Piastri such a chance, though having Max Verstappen as a teammate could present its own challenges. “Those are the only places where you’re probably going to be able to win a World Championship. But one of them has Max in the seat. Would he want to go into that environment?” he concluded.
‘Herbert sees Piastri eyeing exit’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/herbe...-title-triumph
Lando Norris will be worried about what McLaren staff keep saying privately about Oscar Piastri
11 December 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
McLaren CEO Zak Brown was quick to praise Oscar Piastri on the team radio as he crossed the finish line at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, despite missing out on winning the drivers’ championship. Nico Rosberg wasn’t a big fan of Brown’s message to Piastri, but it highlighted something important about the way McLaren have conducted themselves this season.
Journalists Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson have now shared what staff within McLaren keep saying about the 24-year-old. McLaren staff think Oscar Piastri has a higher ceiling than Lando Norris. Saunders was speaking about Piastri on the Unlapped Podcast and explained: “I don’t buy this idea that there’s been a favourite in one way massively.
“I think he’s come off worse, maybe in the 50-50s. But I think he handled that pretty well, Piastri. You know, and he was very self-reflective.” Edmondson replied: “I think the one thing which we hear consistently about Oscar from the team is that he is incredibly intelligent and incredibly good at taking on lessons from the realities of Formula 1, from the issues that face him during a race.”
‘What staff within McLaren keep saying’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lan...oscar-piastri/
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Ben Sulayem lets Norris off the hook after FIA Awards Ceremony 'F-bomb'.
"We had our fair share of mistakes and f*** ups. Can I say that here? I’m okay? Oh, sorry. I got fined. I can pay it off now." Lando Norris.
13 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Lando Norris made a mistake on stage at the FIA Gala by dropping an 'F-bomb', but he will not have to deal with the consequences according to the reaction of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. On stage, before handing the trophy over to Norris, FIA President Ben Sulayem said: "First of all, when he said the ‘F’ [word], it was going to be a €5,000 fine."
However, Norris will avoid any fine. The Emirati added: "But now I think you need it for your hair after I messed it!"
Previously, Max Verstappen was required to complete mandatory community service for swearing during an FIA press conference at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, which he served in Kigali, Rwanda, during last year's FIA Awards Ceremony.
'F-bomb - Off the hook’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ben-s...eremony-f-bomb
Norris escapes FIA swearing fine as McLaren confirms worst-kept secret – roundup
13 Dec 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Saturday’s fast-paced F1 news includes Lando Norris avoiding a fine for swearing during his speech at the FIA prize-giving gala as Zak Brown confirms McLaren’s worst-kept secret ahead of F1 2026.
Zak Brown, the McLaren chief executive, has dropped the biggest hint yet that the team will retain its so-called ‘papaya rules’ between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the F1 2026 season.
‘Worst-kept secret’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-lan...ishment-secret
F-Bomb, Hair Ruffle, World Title: Norris Steals The Night
December 13, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Lando Norris dropped an F-bomb in his world champion speech. The FIA president turned it into a punchline. At the federation’s end of season gala in Uzbekistan, Norris was officially handed the 2025 world championship trophy — the first McLaren driver to do so since Lewis Hamilton in 2008, and the 11th Briton to wear the crown. He’d clinched it six days earlier in Abu Dhabi with a measured P3 behind Oscar Piastri and race winner Max Verstappen.
On stage, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem welcomed Norris with a hair-ruffle and a grin, then nearly made it expensive. When Norris thanked McLaren and reflected on “our fair share of mistakes and f— ups,” Ben Sulayem playfully shot back: “5,000.” A nod to the FIA’s tightened stance on swearing in official settings — and the going rate for a public profanity. “First of all, when he said the ‘eff’, it was going to be a €5,000 fine,” Ben Sulayem joked, before adding that he’d let the champion keep the cash to undo the Presidential hair muss. The room laughed. So did Norris.
It was a suitably loose end to a high wire season. Norris praised McLaren — the team he joined as a teenager — for delivering a car that could go toe to toe with Red Bull, lauding an internal rivalry with Piastri that sharpened both drivers. He also paid tribute to Verstappen, who missed the ceremony through illness, for the relentless pressure that forced McLaren to keep finding answers. “Congratulations and thank you to McLaren,” Norris said from the podium. “At times they gave us an incredible car that made life very easy and beautiful. Oscar’s been an incredible teammate, he’s helped me improve so much over the last few seasons. And to Max for challenging us the whole way — doing what Max does.”
‘F-Bomb - The FIA president turned it into a punchline’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/f-bomb-h...als-the-night/
Norris laughs off after F-bomb during FIA Gala: 'I got fined'
13 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Lando Norris let his guard down a little more than usual at the FIA Gala, where he was officially crowned world champion for the 2025 season. The newly crowned world champion received the trophy he had dreamed of since childhood just yesterday in Uzbekistan, after beating Max Verstappen and his team-mate in a three-way title showdown in Abu Dhabi last week.
“This is a lot of people’s dream, a lot of racing drivers’ dream - the Brit said during the FIA gala - I got to finally live it — live that one dream I had when I was a little kid. I remember standing on the stage many, many years ago — 2014 I think it was — standing there with Jackie, even before that.”
“It’s been amazing to grow up here alongside so many of you, growing up with McLaren, getting to race all the world champions I’ve been up against — Lewis, Max, Seb, Fernando — all the incredible drivers I looked up to and watched when I was a little kid. To get that chance to race against them, try to beat them, to show what I can do against them all — and we’ve managed to do that this year.
“This is a lot of people’s dream - I got to finally live it”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...la-i-got-fined
Lando Norris finally lifts F1 trophy, crowned champion at FIA gala
Lando Norris and McLaren collect their F1 trophies at FIA gala in Uzbekistan.
13 Dec 2025
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Norris collected his trophy from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has been re-elected for a second four-year term. The 26-year-old Briton clinched his maiden world championship by finishing third at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last Sunday.
Norris pipped Max Verstappen to the title by two points to end the Red Bull driver’s four-year reign at the top of F1, and become the first McLaren driver to win the championship since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. Norris’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished third in the world championship, 13 points shy of winning his maiden world title, was also in attendance. Verstappen missed the event due to illness.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown collected the Woking squad’s second consecutive constructors’ championship trophy. Norris was not able to get his hands on the trophy immediately after winning the championship in Abu Dhabi. A replica of the trophy, which was created in 1995, was on the grid ahead of the season finale, but the real thing was flown to Uzbekistan.
‘Lando Norris finally lifts F1 trophy’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108819...fia-prize-gala
Lando Norris opens up on psychologist help with crucial 2025 title margin
12 Dec 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
With mind management being an area Norris has acknowledged could have tripped him up, he took on the services of a psychologist in the middle of 2025 to help him work on eliminating distractions and to keep his focus, as he detailed to Sky Sports News. “Very,” he told Craig Slater, when asked about the significance of a psychologist to his championship bid. When you look at the end of the season, two points were all I needed, you know?”
“There are plenty of places that I could have gotten more points. There’s also plenty of places I could have lost more points, and it’s hard to quantify, ‘Did this one meeting help you get this many points?’ You don’t really know this thing, because it’s just a collection of work, and you go through everything, ‘Is this going to help you potentially do a better job?’ “
“If it’s a yes, you’ve got to do as many of those different things as you can. Certainly, working with a psychologist and different people in many different areas all played a part. How much? Very difficult to know. But did it make me perform better? Did it allow me to get wins in the second half of the season and have that run, which I would say effectively got me the championship in the end? Yes. So every small piece can add up and make a big difference.”
‘Mind management’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...2025-title-win
Norris personally addreses McLaren F1 after 'unforgettable' achievement.
11 Dec 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Lando Norris has returned to the McLaren Technology Centre for the first time since becoming World Champion, celebrating that feat with the whole team. “It’s unbelievable to be here as a Drivers’ World Champion," Norris started by saying at the factory. "It’s been my dream since all those years ago, watching on TV and wondering what it’s like to be there one day, with no idea about what it takes, and what it could mean to everyone, not just to me.”
“One of the things that’s most important to me has been the people who helped get us to this point. Whether it’s my family, friends, management, trainer, but also the people who design, create and build the car, my mechanics, and my engineers. What puts a smile on my face is seeing the team’s reaction - that’s my biggest motivation. It means nothing without the people who helped you achieve it."
“Racing alongside Oscar the last three seasons has pushed me a lot more. He’s played a massive part in this. He’s been my teammate, and we’ve helped each other. He’s made the journey better, with an incredible fight right to the very end. I would like to say a big thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single person in the team. Everyone plays a part in our story. I will remember it for the rest of my life. Here’s to many more.”
'Unforgettable achievement’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...le-achievement
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Why Max Verstappen’s F1 2025 comeback is ‘one for the history books’.
“It’s you guys [the media] that are here to judge how historical a season is compared to the others.” Laurent Mekies, Red Bull, Team Boss.
14 Dec 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
According to team boss Laurent Mekies, who took over from Christian Horner in the role during the summer, he witnessed something special from Verstappen, but said it’s in the eye of the observer as to whether F1 2025 was, in fact, the Red Bull driver’s best season performance. “It’s you guys [the media] that are here to judge how historical a season is compared to the others,” he said.
“I think it’s probably fair to say that the world discovered an even more extraordinary Max this season after his fourth world title. A bit because of the magnitude of the comeback. A bit because he has been so relaxed, so well seated in the team. Embracing so much that challenge with the right spirit.”
“A bit also because we have seen him racing elsewhere. I think it has all taken a bit of a part of our heart when we have seen him spending his free weekends being a new dad, racing with GT cars around the world. But for sure, in terms of whatever happens next, the scale of the comeback is something that hopefully will go in a few history books.”
‘Magnitude of the comeback’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lauren...-history-books
Bernie Ecclestone Hails Max Verstappen as the Greatest Driver He’s Ever Seen
December 14, 2025
James Rees
F1 Chronicle
In a letter shared by F1 Insider, the former Formula 1 supremo described Verstappen as “the best Formula 1 driver I can ever remember,” a remarkable endorsement from the man who oversaw the championship for decades. “This year marks 75 years since the start of Formula One,” Ecclestone wrote. “I’ve seen many world changes, plus a few in Formula One, from bye-bye Christian [Horner] to catching up with Max, the best Formula 1 driver I can ever remember.”
Ecclestone also touched on the shifting competitive landscape, highlighting McLaren’s return to form under Zak Brown, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff “waking up,” and Lewis Hamilton’s struggles amid a less competitive package. Looking ahead, the 95-year-old warned that the next era of the sport may be anything but calm.
“2026 will not be a peaceful year for Formula 1, and the world is also looking for peace,” he wrote. “So take a few quids at the end of 2025. At 95 and with a five-year-old inquisitive son, I can’t follow my own advice. Do your best at whatever you are doing.”
“Max, the best Formula 1 driver I can ever remember”;
https://f1chronicle.com/bernie-eccle.../?nowprocket=1
Ex-Ferrari boss hails Verstappen as Schumacher’s true heir: 'A phenomenon'
14 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Maurizio Arrivabene has lauded Max Verstappen, likening him to seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher in his recent assessment of the Red Bull Racing driver. "Don't joke! Max is a phenomenon. You see, there are fifty thousand components in a single-seater. Well, the Dutchman manages to squeeze the best out of every detail," Arrivabene said via Quotidiano Sportivo.
Further pressed about which driver from the previous era he would compare Verstappen to, Arrivabene continued: "Verstappen is Michael Schumacher's heir. He has the same strength, the same sense of leadership. He knows how to inspire those who work with him." Like Schumacher, Verstappen has continued to etch his name firmly into Formula 1’s history books. The 28-year-old has so far claimed four Drivers’ titles and also follows Schumacher on the list of all-time race wins with 71.
'A phenomenon';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ex-fe...r-a-phenomenon
Hill too chooses Verstappen over Norris: 'Sometimes the best doesn't win'
15 Dec 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Whereas in the past Damon Hill seemed to be one of Max Verstappen's most ardent critic, he now has nothing but praises for the Dutch driver. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hill said: “Max has that Schumacher quality. The focus, the relentlessness, the ability to extract everything from the car every single lap.”
“He does not switch off. Even when the pressure is enormous, he stays completely in control. That is something you only see in the very best. There are no wasted movements. Everything he does is calculated and effective.” Hill then recalled Verstappen's title charge in the second half of the season, in which he cut down a 104-point deficit down to only two with his Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win. “Coming back from such a big points gap and pushing it to the very end takes a special mentality," Hill added.
“He just kept delivering. Week after week, he was there," stating that: "Anyone can shine when things are easy. Max shines when things are difficult. Championships are important, but they do not tell the whole story. Sometimes the best driver does not win the title.” His praising of Verstappen then reached a new high, when he said the not only drivers, but teams were also forced into action by the Dutchman. “Teams had to react to him. Drivers had to think about him. That tells you everything. When you race against someone like Max, you have to raise your game or you fall behind.”
“He just kept delivering. Week after week, he was there";
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-ch...-win-the-title
‘I see him as my friend’ – Verstappen pays tribute to race engineer Lambiase after ‘emotional year’
Following an eventful season for Red Bull, Max Verstappen has praised race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
11 Dec 2025
Formula One - Official Site
Following the race, Lambiase sounded emotional as he told his driver: “Max, you have given everything – you can be proud of that, mate. Hold your head up high.” Verstappen was heard to say in response: “We showed them one final time who’s boss! Congrats guys, what a comeback in our second half of the season. We can be really, really proud of that so don’t be too disappointed. I’m definitely not disappointed. I’m really proud of everyone to never give up.”
‘Emotional year’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...YlbPEP08tgwmfR
Verstappen reveals why he ended the current season with "a better feeling" than last year
11 Dec 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Asked when he could take as much pride from this season compared to the pride he took from the last four years when he won the championship, Verstappen revealed that the reason why he had "a better feeling" at the end of the current season than last year.
"I mean, at the end of the day, of course, it’s always nicer to win it. But, honestly, I’m sitting here now with probably a better feeling than what I had last year at this time because the second half of last year was pretty tricky at times as well. So, we have been struggling for, I would say, a year — the second half of last year and the first half of this year. But I actually feel a lot better now.”
The Dutchman continued: "Of course, shame to miss out on the title, but at the same time, for a long period of time I was not even thinking about the title. I never felt like I was in it until a few rounds ago. That’s pretty crazy. But, yeah, you take your pride in different ways. I’m happy with myself and going into next year I’m not in a state of having to worry about my skills or whatever. So, yeah, I feel good.”
“You take your pride in different ways”;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28096
What really cost Verstappen title beyond his biggest error
Dec 11, 2025
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
Max Verstappen mentioned with the "early Christmas presents" he was given in the second half of the season, there were many mistakes made by the McLaren drivers and their team in the second half of the year. You can construct all manner of combinations of lost points on that side to explain why Piastri wasn't champion and why Norris nearly got beaten - far, far more than what Verstappen gave up.
"The first half had some nice moments, but mainly tough moments," Verstappen said. "Some really tough races and feelings." It is astounding he ever came anywhere near winning the title after that. This speaks to the quality of the final third of his season and the progress Red Bull was able to make in getting its car to work at or near its best more often. It allowed Verstappen to amass a bigger win tally than either McLaren driver for the season - something that would have been unthinkable going into the summer break with 14 of the 24 rounds complete.
After the break, Red Bull actually had a quicker car than McLaren more often. Further car upgrades and a more aggressive set-up approach brought big wins - at the cost of a couple of weekends with big setbacks, although Verstappen mitigated those brilliantly. He views this season as his best in F1 and maybe that is why, even if you can pick out one or two moments that could have been better, Verstappen insists he has "no regrets" about it.
"Early Christmas presents";
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...stappen-title/
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Max Verstappen 'thanked' for keeping McLaren title fight alive.
"We have to thank Max Verstappen for once again putting in such an incredible overtaking [performance]," added Timo Glock. "Trailing by 104 points, we all thought: that's it."
12 December 2025
Gerd Jansen & Nick Golding
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen staged a remarkable comeback in the second half of the 2025 season, but fell just short of capturing his fifth consecutive world title. When Verstappen found himself 104 points adrift, Norris was also a reasonable margin behind Piastri after suffering a technical failure in the Dutch GP. As a result, many expected the title to be won before the final race, let alone for a three-way scrap to be decided in Abu Dhabi.
"It was great how he [Verstappen] managed to make this world championship so exciting again," Glock said. "About the best driver of all time, we don't need to argue — that's Max Verstappen at the moment. He is open, he has admitted his weaknesses, and yet he has remained true to himself," highlighted Former F1 driver Timo Glock. "It's nice to see that drivers today are not just made of steel."
‘Max Verstappen thanked';
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...le-fight-alive
Max Verstappen handed 'miracle' praise despite F1 title defeat
Max Verstappen came agonisingly close to winning a fifth F1 title earlier this month in Abu Dhabi.
16 December 2025
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean has declared it was a “miracle” that Max Verstappen entered the season finale in Abu Dhabi as a title contender. “Abu Dhabi was almost the least exciting race of the whole season, but the build-up to Abu Dhabi was amazing,” Grosjean told beIN Sports.
“Max Verstappen, I got to say for me, this year, is the [most] outstanding driver of all of them. He didn't have a good car, lost a lot of points and then came back. It was a miracle that he was in the fight in Abu Dhabi. There was no world where he should have been in there and finishing two points only behind Lando Norris,” he said.
“He’s definitely delivered one of his best seasons. Last year was strong as well. The year before, the car was so dominant that it was easier. His first world championship was tough in the battle with Lewis. This year, just coming back so from so far behind, and being so impressive and so consistent and strong, that has been very, very inspiring for a lot of drivers.”
“The [most] outstanding driver of all of them”;
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...1-title-defeat
Verstappen aims dig at rival teams in speech to Red Bull staff
12 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen appeared to aim a subtle dig at rival Formula 1 teams during his end-of-season address to Red Bull Racing staff in Milton Keynes. “Everyone is just as important to achieve this type of success, and especially, I think, in a season like this where we had tough times and everyone stuck together and made it work. I know it sucks to lose by two points,” Verstappen began.
“But at the same time, we can be super proud… coming out of very tough times and overcoming these things and starting winning again in one season. Maybe other teams can do that the season after, or two seasons, or 20… some. It’s super impressive to see that, and for me, I’m very proud to be part of it. It’s honestly like my second family,” he concluded.
“Everyone stuck together and made it work”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...red-bull-staff
How Red Bull is processing Max Verstappen’s narrow F1 championship loss in 2025
12 Dec 2025
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies has insisted Max Verstappen‘s marginal Formula 1 title loss won’t lead the team to scrutinise its missed opportunities more than usual. Mekies reckons it would be wrong to get caught up thinking too much about the occasions where Verstappen could have captured those elusive two points.
“I don’t think we should now go into making the list of the circumstances on where we could have found these two points,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “We will probably do it internally in a way we will learn from the mistakes we make, but we don’t need to wait for the end of the championship to do that. We anyway always do it. But the two points could be everywhere.”
“What is important is that we as a group turned around things in the way that has been done,” he continued. “All the credit should go to our people in Milton Keynes for having believed in this year’s project, and having been proven right, I guess.”
All the credit should go to our people in Milton Keynes”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...f1-title-loss/
Max rewarded with Action of the Year award at FIA Gala
14 December 2025
Kees-Jan Koster
Verstappen.nl
Max Verstappen has been honoured with the Action of the Year award at the FIA Gala. At the gala in Uzbekistan, which Max was unable to attend due to illness, he was announced as the winner following his overtaking move on Oscar Piastri just after the start of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in May earlier this year.
The other nominees were Haas driver Oliver Bearman, for his move on Max during the Mexican Grand Prix, and Lando Norris for his overtake on Oscar Piastri at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Fans were able to cast their votes online and overwhelmingly chose Max’s move. Since Max made his debut in motorsport, this is already the fifth time the Dutch native has claimed this award.
‘Action of the Year award’;
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/6052/
Max Verstappen believes 2025 marked his strongest F1 season to date – Was that the case?
14 Dec 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Max Verstappen believes that the 2025 Formula 1 season was his best in terms of overall driving and performance. Motorsport Week examines how that might be true.
“Yeah, I think so. I mean, I have no regrets about my season,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “I think the performance has been strong. I’ve hated this car at times, but I’ve also loved it at times. And I always tried to extract the most from it, even in the difficult weekends that we’ve had.”
“But, yeah, it’s been, like I said before, a proper rollercoaster with the car. Luckily, the last, I would say, eight, nine rounds in general have been a lot more enjoyable. And also, in the team, we have a great atmosphere at the moment. We’re really on a roll – positive energy, belief, confidence – and that’s exactly what you want heading into next year.”
“Great atmosphere at the moment”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...that-the-case/
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Ex-Ferrari F1 boss brands Lewis Hamilton documents ‘useless’.
Hamilton is not the first to try and enforce a change in a team notorious for being stuck in its own ways, stated Maurizio Arrivabene, Team Principal from 2015 to 2019.
17 Dec 2025
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Ex-Ferrari Formula 1 boss Maurizio Arrivabene has hinted Lewis Hamilton faces a terminal decline, repeating the mistakes of previous drivers who moved to the team. Arrivabene confirmed Ferrari did not act on Vettel’s recommendations, the German a four-time champion with Red Bull when he arrived at Ferrari. Labelling Vettel’s documents “almost useless”, he compared the dire situation of Hamilton to Vettel’s decline during his time at the Italian marque.
“I don’t want to say anything bad about Sebastian, but everyone should mind their own business,” he said. “When a driver starts playing engineer, that’s it. Then it’s really over. Drivers spend two or three days in the simulator and get a general impression, but the devil is in the details. When the car is on the track, the driver must provide relevant feedback so that the engineers can make targeted improvements – especially when there is potential.”
Sebastian Vettel, the only driver with an understanding of Ferrari’s ways of working, believed Hamilton faces an uphill battle to save his career in 2026. “The longer it takes, the harder it becomes,” he said on the Beyond the Grid podcast. “He has the incredible ability to reflect the situation he’s in now, struggles he might have, and I think he’s still in a point of his life where this is what he wants to do. I think he has a fair shot from his performance, but a lot of things need to come together.”
“The longer it takes, the harder it becomes”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ments-useless/
Ferrari told what they must give Lewis Hamilton to stop him from falling apart in 2026
17 December 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer
Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s relationship in their first year together was far from harmonious, as both parties struggled in 2025. The Maranello outfit opted to focus more on the 2026 F1 regulations, thus halting development on the SF-25. The upgrades they did bring, such as a modified rear suspension in Spa, did not improve their fortunes as they went winless in 2025.
Hamilton disagreed with Loic Serra, whom he brought to Ferrari from Mercedes, over the SF-25’s development. He wanted to continue improving the car, but Ferrari sided against him, and his form only got worse in the second half of the season, getting knocked out in Q1 in the final three races. Riccardo Patrese tells Ferrari to give Lewis Hamilton a competitive car in 2026 or he will ‘fall apart’. Asked by Quotidiano Nazionale if Hamilton was ‘finished’, the former F1 driver simply replied: “For goodness’ sake!” When he was told that the Brit’s season was ‘really slow’, he said: “Yes, but what kind of car did he have at his disposal?”
Patrese then said that Leclerc can challenge Max Verstappen in equal machinery. When asked what that has to do with Hamilton, he explained: “It does, because Lewis is the driver who has broken all the records in F1. He has won seven world championships, which would be eight because we all know how his eighth title was taken away from him in Abu Dhabi in 2021. You have to give a guy like that a competitive car, otherwise he’ll fall apart. Put Lewis in a Ferrari that’s at least close to the strongest team and you’ll see he’ll still be in contention.”
‘Give Lewis Hamilton a competitive car in 2026’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...apart-in-2026/
Vasseur admits he underestimated psychological impact of switching focus to 2026 as he reflects on ‘tough’ 2025 season
Ferrari ended the season as the fourth-best team after they elected to put more of their resources into refining their 2026 challenger.
16 Dec 2025
Formula One - Official Site
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has conceded that the choice to sacrifice some upgrades in 2025 in order to have more resources available for next season’s car was “quite tough to manage psychologically", despite it being a collective decision. Asked to reflect on this season, Vasseur explained: “McLaren was so dominating in the first four or five events that we realised it would be very difficult for 2025. It meant that we decided very early in the season – I think it was the end of April – to switch to '26.”
“It was a tough call. Perhaps I also underestimated a little bit the call on the psychological side, because when you still have 20 races to go, or 18 races to go, and you know that you won’t bring any aero development, it's quite tough to manage psychologically. But overall, we continued to push. We brought some mechanical upgrades, and we are trying to do a better job operationally, and this is the DNA of our sport. We have to accept this. It was a call, and I’m still confident with the call that we made.”
“It was a tough call”;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...3d9gfRKTXpv2ss
Damon Hill tells Lewis Hamilton he ‘overdid the workload’ during his first season at Ferrari
17 December 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Damon Hill has now provided Hamilton with some advice before he takes on the upcoming 2026 campaign. He believes that in an effort to get up to speed as quickly as possible at Maranello, Hamilton might have taken on too much, and it hurt his performance.
Hill was asked about Hamilton on the Drive to Wynn Podcast and said: “I think they’ve all done a great job. This season is gruelling. I mean, they get paid well, and they’re doing the job they love, but, at 24 races and different time zones all over the place, it takes its toll. They definitely will need a break after this one. And mentally, I think it’s exhausting. I think Lewis, particularly, never really recovered from 2021.”
“I mean, he went into the next few seasons, and the car wasn’t competitive, and he struggled there. And I think he was demotivated, and he went to Ferrari as a kind of way to give himself another chance. I think he maybe overdid the workload. He was everywhere promoting and working, and trying to get to know the team. I think he probably needs a rest. I definitely agree that out of all of them, he probably needs to go away and just enjoy life.”
‘Overdid the workload’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...on-at-ferrari/
Hamilton's dismal debut season linked to 'miscommunication' struggles
17 December 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes that "miscommunication" between Lewis Hamilton and race engineer Riccardo Adami added to the Brit's struggles at Ferrari. “I just think that is one of the points of the season. Rewind all the way back to Melbourne, and there were so many points of miscommunication," the 41-year-old explained on The Fast and Curious podcast.
“Don’t forget, Lewis has come off the back of an incredibly successful time with Bono, and that relationship between driver and engineer is massively important. They can almost read your mind. Mercedes are the gold standard. They’re concise, they’re precise, they give the drivers the right bits of information. Lewis has gone from that to Ferrari, where there are cultural and language differences, and he’s not been able to make it work."
A catalyst in the relationship between the pair is something that needs to happen quickly, according to Chadhok. “I think there’s a wider thing around how they all communicate. I do think, and maybe they are doing this, but if I were in Lewis’ position, I would go after every race and listen back to how George communicates with Marcus Dudley, for example," continued the former HRT driver.
'Miscommunication struggles’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...tion-struggles
Why Lewis Hamilton isn’t worried by Charles Leclerc gap in 2025
17 Dec 2025
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
With new regulations on the horizon in 2026, the Lewis Hamilton isn’t worried about how he stacked up relative to Leclerc during their opening season at the Italian marque. “I’m not concerned about it,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week. “No. Of course, I’ve just been focusing on my side during this period. Obviously, Charles has done a great job. He’s been there for seven years. He’s got a team around him that he’s worked with for many years. So, it’s a well-oiled machine.”
“On my side, it’s a new group of people. For me, it’s a new environment that I’m still getting used to working with. Then I had another new member halfway through the year. So, we’re all working as hard as we can, but getting that to work as well as someone that’s had it for several years is not… you don’t just do it like that. It takes a bit of time.”
“I’m not concerned about it”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...c-gap-in-2025/
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Honda announces unusual F1 reveal for 2026.
Honda will break with Formula 1 convention by unveiling its 2026 power unit at a standalone launch event in January, ahead of its full works return with Aston Martin.
17 Dec 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
In an official statement, Honda said: “This is the Japanese marque’s first power unit under the dramatically reformed regulations which sees 50 percent internal combustion power and 50 percent electric power. At this event, we will share the aspirations of Honda and Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team as we take on the challenge of competing in F1, the pinnacle of motorsport. “We will also explain the new regulations and reveal our new power unit for the upcoming season.”
Honda has framed the project as the start of a long-term push to return to the front of the grid. “2026 marks the start of Honda’s new era in F1, having first entered in 1964,” the company added. “Since then, Honda has established itself as one of the most successful power unit manufacturers in the sport’s history.”
Honda president Koji Watanabe has also emphasised the scale of the challenge and the ambition behind the partnership. “I’m confident we’re going to deal well with these challenges,” he said. “Honda has been accumulating experience in F1 since 1964, and we’re confident that, working together with Aston Martin Aramco as one team, we can be very competitive in F1’s new era.”
‘Unusual F1 reveal’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-h...artin-details/
Honda opens up on ‘intense’ discussions with Adrian Newey amid Aston Martin partnership
19 Dec 2025
Tiana Soans
Motorsport Week
Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe has opened up on the “intense” discussions he has had with Aston Martin Formula 1 boss Adrian Newey. “We laughed a lot in the first meeting after he joined Aston Martin Aramco – it was very much a case of: ‘Well, here we are again!’” Watanabe quipped to Aston Martin.
“It’s very exciting that he’s here and, of course, there is huge respect for him and his capabilities,” Watanabe added. “In terms of power unit development, we have our processes and timetable for making a power unit that is capable and competitive,” he explained. “Adrian has been working from day one on doing the same for the chassis – so we’re working very closely and communicating a great deal at the point where those two things meet.”
“Whenever we’re having a technical discussion about components or development, it’s always with the long-term focus on how we get the win,” he said. “And that can be about anything: it might be a very detailed design issue, but equally it might be about competitor analysis, or how to manage people to get the best out of them, or even finance and using the limitations of the cost cap most effectively.”
‘Intense discussions’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...ship-ramps-up/
Newey. Honda. Alonso. And Stroll: Weak Link or Weapon?
December 17, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Aston Martin’s 2026 bet looks bulletproof on paper: Honda power returning with a pedigree of four drivers’ titles in the last five, Adrian Newey sketching the future in green, and a two-time world champion in the other car. Which leaves one variable that keeps getting dragged into the spotlight—Lance Stroll. The Canadian finished the 2025 season 16th with 33 points, while Fernando Alonso logged 56. That gap has fuelled the familiar Stroll discourse heading into F1’s next rules reset: is he the weak link, or just chronically underestimated?
Former F1 driver Christian Danner didn’t hold back in a recent German TV hit, arguing Stroll doesn’t project much enthusiasm for the job. In Danner’s view, the body language reads indifferent, even grumpy, and in a normal team that would’ve had consequences. Aston Martin, of course, is not a normal team environment. It’s family. And that’s always complicated. Strip the emotion out and Stroll’s record is what it is: 193 starts, three podiums, no wins. Not bad. Not career-defining, either. He’s hovered in that grey zone where his raw speed shows in flashes—especially on chaotic Sundays—but not often enough to tilt a team’s trajectory over a season.
Newey, however, isn’t buying the caricature. Aston Martin’s new design boss believes Stroll “has an unfairly bad rap,” pointing to a long run of heavyweight teammates—Sergio Perez, Nico Hülkenberg, Sebastian Vettel and now Alonso—against whom Stroll has, in Newey’s words, been right there more often than outsiders give him credit for. Coming from the man whose cars have taken 26 world titles (14 drivers’ and 12 constructors’), that’s not a throwaway defense. It’s a framing: if Newey thinks there’s a platform to work with, the team will treat it as such.
‘Weak Link or Weapon?’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/newey-ho...ink-or-weapon/
Ted Kravitz names the F1 driver Aston Martin will want if they can’t sign Max Verstappen
18 December 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Ted Kravitz gives his verdict on Charles Leclerc to Aston Martin. Kravitz was speaking about what’s happening at Ferrari on The F1 Show and said: “Let’s not forget about Charles Leclerc.”
“Something else that happened this year was that his manager, Nicolas Todt, said just after the summer break, started talking about, well, it’s time for Charles to be in a car that’s worthy of the championship and potentially looking elsewhere. Even though I think he signed for Ferrari to the end of 2028. So it could be Leclerc leaving Ferrari before [Lewis] Hamilton does.”
Karun Chandhok responded: “He’s at his peak, isn’t he? He’s at an age and a time of his career where he’s now got the experience. He’s always had the speed. And he’s in that category with a George Russell, a Lando Norris, and an Oscar Piastri. That next rung just below Max Verstappen, who could all win the world championship in the right car if they had the opportunity.”
“Let’s not forget about Charles Leclerc”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...ax-verstappen/
F1 paddock ‘spies’ say Andy Cowell tried to leave Aston Martin after Adrian Newey dispute
3 December 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Andy Cowell will become Aston Martin’s chief strategy officer in 2026 after just one year as the team principal. This follows a reported dispute with Adrian Newey. It’s widely claimed that Newey and Cowell were at odds over the ultimate hierarchy at Silverstone. The former started work as ‘managing technical partner’ in March. But from 2026, Newey will take over the role of team principal. It’s unclear if his remit will be quite as expansive as that of Cowell.
Meanwhile, the former Mercedes engine chief will work with new partners Honda as well as fuel suppliers Aramco. Newey told Sky Sports in Qatar that Cowell had ‘very magnanimously volunteered’ to focus on integrating the Honda power unit, which opened up the team principal vacancy. Joe Saward’s paddock ‘spies’ have painted a very different picture. They say that Cowell ‘actually resigned’ from the company altogether, but owner Lawrence Stroll convinced him to stay in a separate role.
Lawrence Stroll is seen as ruthless, but he gives his staff second chances. This isn’t the first time that Stroll has moved key staff around. Mike Krack was reassigned to lead Aston Martin’s trackside operation when Cowell became the boss.
‘Ruthless’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-...newey-dispute/
Matt Bishop: Why Newey's new F1 team principal title isn't the real story
December 2, 2025
Matt Bishop
Motor Sport Magazine
When Aston Martin announced that Adrian Newey, the most celebrated drawing-board sorcerer in F1 history, would henceforth be addressed as team principal, a sizeable tremor could be felt rolling through the F1 paddock. Why? Because, on the face of it, it was a crazy development, that is why. Or, to put it another way, why would Lawrence Stroll take his extremely highly paid 66-year-old car design genius and diffuse his focus by unnecessarily expanding his responsibilities in a direction in which he has never shown any skill hitherto?
Well, Stroll is cannier than that. So my guess is that Newey’s apparent elevation is less of a new role and more of a judicious repositioning: the marking out of new territory for and by a man who has spent 40 years demonstrating that you can, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks, providing, of course, that the old dog in question is a 66-year-old aero messiah whose tricks were better than everyone else’s to begin with. And that is the key: for all the chatter about Newey’s new role, no one who has watched the arc of his extraordinary career could believe for a moment that he will suddenly relax his devotion to his daily worship at the altar of aerodynamic innovation in favour of management speak, motivational huddles, media tartery, or the complex abstractions of corporate and commercial strategies.
‘Adrian Newey: Devotion to his daily worship at the altar of aerodynamic innovation’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1
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F1 bracing for 2026 engine controversy over ‘thermal loophole’.
Estimates suggest this exploit could yield a performance gain of up to 15 horsepower, which translates to roughly 0.3 seconds per lap—a massive margin in the context of modern F1.
20 Dec 2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
The Compression Conflict: The controversy centers on Article C5.4.3 of the 2026 technical regulations. For the upcoming era, the FIA has mandated a reduction in the maximum geometric compression ratio from 18.0:1 to 16.0:1. This change was intended to curb peak performance and promote more efficient combustion, yet it has inadvertently created a technical battlefield.
The loophole apparently resides in how the FIA measures this ratio. Under current guidelines, checks are conducted under static conditions at ambient temperatures. However, some engineers appear to have developed "clever designs" featuring complex internal components that expand significantly when the engine reaches its high operating temperatures on track.
By engineering parts to expand during running, a manufacturer could effectively push the piston closer to the cylinder head when hot than when cold. This would allow an engine to pass a "cold" inspection at 16.0:1 while potentially operating at a much higher, more powerful ratio during a race. Estimates suggest this exploit could yield a performance gain of up to 15 horsepower, which translates to roughly 0.3 seconds per lap—a massive margin in the context of modern F1.
‘Thermal loophole’;
https://f1i.com/news/556568-f1-braci...-loophole.html
Red Bull and Mercedes should be praised for potential engine innovation
20 Dec 2025
Luke-John Buckle
GPblog.com
Finding loopholes in the Formula 1 regulations isn't new and has been happening for decades. If Mercedes and Red Bull have found an advantage, this should be celebrated as Formula 1 is all about innovation. Both teams have a history of innovating with Mercedes' acing the hybrid engines in 2014. Their Austrian rivals waltzed to both titles in 2011, perfecting the blown diffuser.
It has become more difficult to innovate in recent years, as performance gains have become more marginal. Formula 1 also doesn't have a tyre war, and all 11 teams must use the same type of engine. This development should push the rest of the pit lane to find more performance, as they may already be playing catch-up behind Mercedes and Red Bull.
‘Should be praised for potential engine innovation’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/opinion/re...ine-innovation
Bernie Collins thinks Mercedes have a 2026 engine advantage none of their F1 rivals can replicate
18 December 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Bernie Collins expects Mercedes to have sizeable engine data advantage over their F1 rivals Bernie Collins believes that Mercedes do have a big advantage over their rivals heading into the new season. It could be crucial.
“I think the status quo will change amongst the teams because I think it’ll be who – someone will get the engine right, and someone will get the engine wrong,” she told the F1 Show Podcast. “I think the perception is that Mercedes-engineered teams will rise to the top.
“But we don’t know. We’ve not compared them against each other. If nothing else, they’ve got three teams that they’re supplying, so they’re going to learn a lot faster than Honda, who only supply one team.”
‘Mercedes 2026 engine advantage’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ber...can-replicate/
2026 Power Units: just the latest chapter in F1’s engine revolutions
20 Dec 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
F1 power units will undergo a major overhaul from 2026, but over the years the sport’s engines have already been through a series of radical transformations.
The history of Formula 1 engines can broadly be divided into four major eras: the turbocharged V6 period, which dominated much of the 1980s before being progressively restricted and eventually banned outright from 1989; the golden age of naturally aspirated engines, led by the iconic V10s that reigned from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, followed by the V8 era from 2006 to 2013; and finally the hybrid age we know today, built around the current V6 power units.
Built around inline-four and V6 configurations with a tiny 1.5-litre displacement, these power units delivered roughly 850–1000 hp in race conditions and well over 1200 hp in qualifying, cementing their status as the most extreme and powerful engines Formula 1 has ever known in the 1980's.
‘F1’s engine revolutions’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/features/2...ne-revolutions
Imminent Audi F1 milestone with F1 2026 engine set to burst into life
13 Dec 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Earlier this year, Sauber team boss Jonathan Wheatley revealed the intention to fire up the new Audi F1 engine in December, with that timeline still on schedule. The Sauber name disappears after 32 years this winter, with the Swiss squad morphing into the factory Audi F1 team following a full takeover by the German manufacturer.
Manufacturing its own chassis and power unit for the new regulations incoming for 2026, Wheatley said the fact that the winter testing programme is starting so early has brought all the teams and manufacturers’ schedules forward compared to most years. “We’re bringing together a brand new power unit with a chassis for the first time and we’re firing it up before Christmas. I can’t remember ever doing that,” Wheatley told media including PlanetF1.com after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“So there’s a huge amount to do between now and then, and that’s why we talk about this project to be challenging at the end of the decade, because it takes time, and I’m hoping, certainly, I have a little bit more time in my life when I’ve just got to concentrate on being Audi and not being two teams at the same time!”
‘F1 2026 engine set to burst into life’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/audi-f...r-2025-fire-up
'Good things' surface from Red Bull 2026 engine, F1 teams warned over loopholes
21 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
After two decades powered first by Renault and then by Honda, the Milton Keynes-based outfit is entering a new era by producing its first fully in-house car, with technical backing from Ford on the power unit side. It is a bold gamble that Red Bull hopes will pay off, with Raymond Vermeulen, manager of Max Verstappen, revealing he has already heard “good things” about next season’s power unit.
The focus turned on Friday to Mercedes and Red Bull Powertrains, both of which were linked to questions surrounding a possible grey area in the compression-ratio rules, due to move from 18:1 to 16:1 next year. Speaking earlier this year, FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis underlined that any attempt by a team to bypass the regulations without first engaging with the governing body would be met with a swift response from the FIA, leaving no ambiguity.
'Good things'
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-li...warns-f1-teams
Honda to launch F1 2026 engine in ‘kickstart’ of Aston Martin partnership
16 Dec 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Honda says the event will “share the aspirations of Honda and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team as we take on the challenge of competing in F1, the pinnacle of motorsport. “We will also explain the new regulations and reveal our new power unit for the upcoming season.”
Speakers will include Toshihiro Mibe, President and CEO of Honda, along with Aston’s Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll and F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali. Honda’s full-scale return to F1 has already been teased for fans, with an audio release of its 2026 engine that was posted on its social media channels last week.
‘Kickstart’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...n-partnership/
Report: Ferrari are now lobbying the FIA about Mercedes using a ‘loophole’ in the 2026 F1 engine regulations
19 December 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
A huge storm is now brewing in the F1 world ahead of the 2026 regulations, as Ferrari are concerned that Mercedes have already found a ‘loophole’ in the new engine rules. Ferrari fear Mercedes have found a 2026 F1 engine rules ‘trick’ worth three-tenths of a second.
That is according to Motorsport-Magazin, which reports that a dispute between the engine manufacturers has been ‘raging for some time’ due to how some have interpreted the new rules. So, Ferrari, Honda and Audi are now lobbying the FIA to put an end to the ‘loophole’.
‘A huge storm is now brewing’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...e-regulations/
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Red Bull boss has no doubts about Verstappen leaving after 2026.
“What is most important for any athlete is that he sees everyone in the team giving everything for him,” Mintzlaff stated.
21 Dec 2025
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com
Oliver Mintzlaff is not worried about Max Verstappen leaving. According to the Red Bull boss, Red Bull Racing is doing everything to keep the Red Bull Racing driver satisfied. The Red Bull executive is convinced that Verstappen will be impressed by the turnaround Red Bull managed to achieve last F1 season.
As long as the team maintains this philosophy, Mintzlaff is not afraid Verstappen will leave: “Of course Max always wants to win and have the best possible car, but so do we. As long as Max feels that we are working towards that and doing everything we can, I think he will remain loyal to us,” said Mintzlaff.
“For me, there is no doubt that Max Verstappen will end his career at Red Bull,” the German emphatically reiterated. The story that the four-time world champion is the boss at Red Bull was dismissed by Mintzlaff as nonsense. The Red Bull executive hopes that after his F1 retirement, the Dutchman will remain connected to Red Bull in another role.
‘As long as the team maintains this philosophy’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-b...ing-after-2026
Max Verstappen: Red Bull ‘never had a chance’ against McLaren in 2025 despite narrow F1 title loss
21 Dec 2025
Anirban Aly Mandal
Motorsport Week
Max Verstappen has said he “didn’t really lose” the Formula 1 title because Red Bull “never really had a chance” to challenge McLaren in 2025. “Well, I see it like this… We didn’t really lose it, because we were never really in it,” he told Viaplay. The 28-year-old had sat a mammoth 104 points off the lead after the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August.
Naturally, the four-time champion could not overlook how fate had a strong hand in helping him take the title fight to the very final round against a dominant McLaren. “Because there were two of them, of course, [the McLaren drivers] took a lot of points away from each other. And because of that, if you’re on your own, and at some point, things start to go better, then of course you catch up a bit,” explained Verstappen.
“A few crashes or strategy mistakes, disqualifications, and then at some point you’re in it. I don’t really feel like we missed out on anything.” Verstappen has his own fair share of misfortune with the RB21. In Austria, for example, he was collected by rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s W16 on the opening lap. In Barcelona, however, his miseries were entirely of his own making.
“Look, I got knocked out in Austria. But then again, we had so many problems in so many races before that. Mistakes with pit stops, weekends where nothing went right at all. So, looking back, there are lots of things you could have done better. And ultimately, McLaren was disqualified in Las Vegas. If that doesn’t happen, then you’re not even in the race.”
‘Never had a chance’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-for-f1-title/
Sebastian Vettel: Max Verstappen's F1 improvement is 'scary'
Nov 26, 2025
Laurence Edmondson
espn.co.uk
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has said the rate at which Max Verstappen is improving is "scary" and has praised the Red Bull driver's winning mentality ahead of this year's title showdown at the final two races.
"I think the scary thing is he's getting better," Vettel told the Beyond the Grid podcast. "We know he's good, but he's still improving. He's still hungry, he's still willing to learn. I think he's working very hard behind the scenes as well. And that's what makes him so strong.”
"And of course, he's, I think, blessed with a lot of talent on top of that. But even if he's one of the most talented drivers on the grid, I think ultimately what makes him so strong, it's always a combination, but the key ingredient is his head.”
'Scary';
https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id...rovement-scary
Why Red Bull and Audi’s engines should not be written off
20 Dec 2025
Last Word On Sports
Having narrowly missed out on the drivers title with Verstappen, Red Bull don’t have long to lick their wounds and recover for 2026. Like Jonathan Wheatley’s Audi, the Milton Keynes squad will introduce their first F1 engines next season. Unlike Audi, however, Red Bull have a rich history of winning titles in Formula 1. This means greater expectations for the Austrian team – despite the unlikelihood of making a winning engine at the first time of asking. Still, in positive news for these new engine manufacturers, there are some signs they could be competitive in 2026.
Both Max Verstappen’s manager and Helmut Marko have spoken positively about the 2026 Red Bull engine. Although this guarantees nothing in a sport where performance is relative, it should still be noted. Having signed dozens of engineers from other engine manufacturers, most notably Mercedes, Red Bull have assembled a strong group for their power unit development already.
It must be stressed that still Red Bull face an uphill battle be at the front. There are still more hurdles than advantages for their engine development heading into next year. With that said, they should not be written off. New reports about Mercedes and Red Bull finding a potential loophole in the 2026 engine regulations are further evidence that Red Bull’s learning curve could be shortened – thanks to their acquisition of top technicians.
‘Dozens of engineers from other engine manufacturers’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...e-written-off/
Hadjar chooses ‘acceptance’ over illusion ahead of Red Bull debut
21/12/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
History suggests Hadjar is right to be cautious. The Red Bull seat alongside Verstappen has become a graveyard for reputations, a high-pressure vacuum that has sucked the mettle out of some of the grid’s most capable drivers. Pierre Gasly’s tenure was cut short by a surplus of pressure, while Sergio Perez – a genuine Grand Prix winner – struggled over multiple seasons to stay relevant against Verstappen’s relentless speed, and lost.
Most recently, the revolving door spun through Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, proving that at Red Bull, survival is just as difficult as arrival. Hadjar knows the stopwatch will not be kind at first, and he’s making peace with that before the season even begins.
“If anything, the goal is to accept that I'm going to be slower the first months,” Hadjar said, quoted by RACER. “I think that if you go into that mindset, you accept already that it's going to be very tough – looking at the data and seeing things you can't achieve yet, it's going to be very frustrating. But if you know, then you're more prepared.”
‘History suggests Hadjar is right to be cautious’;
https://f1i.com/news/556603-hadjar-c...ull-debut.html
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Red Bull rift laid bare as Mintzlaff breaks silence on explosive Marko–Horner row.
"Those words about Christian are for Helmut's account. I can't say anything negative about Christian" - Oliver Mintzlaff.
22 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Red Bull boss Oliver Mintzlaff has responded to the recent explosive comments made by Helmut Marko towards Christian Horner. When asked to comment on those remarks in an interview with De Telegraaf, Oliver Mintzlaff replied as follows: "Those words about Christian are for Helmut's account. I can't say anything negative about Christian, simply because he has meant a lot to Red Bull. But there always comes a time when things don't go well and then you have to make a decision as a company. Are you going to give someone more time, or is it time for a new leader? We thought it was time for a change."
"I don't agree with Helmut's statements. It is logical that things change in an organization. Perhaps Marko has also changed over the years. I think it's quite normal that not everything is the same as it was five years ago. Christian and Helmut have worked together wonderfully for many years, since the start in 2005. We are talking about more than twenty years.”
"Give me a few examples of other large sports organizations where the leadership team remains the same for so long. So you can look at it very negatively, that they are both gone now. But I would say that it is unique that they have been here together for so long and have achieved so much. Sometimes you just need a refresh to shake things up."
“I can't say anything negative about Christian, simply because he has meant a lot to Red Bull”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-b...tack-on-horner
Montoya: Marko has realized ‘he has no power anymore’
17/12/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes that outgoing Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko isn’t leaving Formula 1 because he has run out of passion – he’s leaving because he has run out of power.
To Montoya, Red Bull’s transformation from a racer-led outfit into a tightly managed corporate structure is where the friction begins. “You need one guy making decisions, whether it’s the right one or wrong one,” he added. “When you start involving big corporations, then all of a sudden every decision needs a meeting. And everybody has a different opinion, and they start looking at it from the budget point of view and the marketing point of view.”
For decades, Marko was untouchable – the gatekeeper of Red Bull’s driver programme and a central authority in team decisions. Montoya believes that autonomy evaporated under the new regime. “I think Helmut realized he had no power anymore,” the 50-year-old said. “He had full control of the drivers. He had full control of the decisions. And I think he realised now that anything he wants to do needs to be approved. He got to a point where he said to himself, ‘I’m not going to be anybody’s employee.’”
‘He has no power anymore’;
https://f1i.com/news/556459-montoya-...r-anymore.html
Schumacher: Marko wrong to air Red Bull’s ‘dirty laundry’
17/12/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has little patience for post-exit score-settling – and he’s made that abundantly clear in his assessment of Helmut Marko’s final act at Red Bull. While acknowledging the truth behind many of Marko’s criticisms of Christian Horner, Schumacher believes the outgoing Red Bull motorsport advisor chose the wrong moment, and the wrong manner, to air grievances that could – and should – have been addressed years earlier.
Schumacher believes the balance of power shifted irrevocably after Mateschitz’s death, leaving Marko sidelined as Horner consolidated his position with the Thai ownership faction. "That's exactly why I have to say: he's right, but it's also a bit of hanging out dirty laundry that he himself could have prevented. That's just the situation now." That, Schumacher suggests, is the heart of the issue. Marko may be correct in his diagnosis of Red Bull’s internal decay — but by voicing it only after losing influence, he risks looking vindictive rather than principled.
The former Grand Prix driver also addressed Horner’s side of the fallout, noting the former team boss’ silence since receiving a reported £52 million payoff following his dismissal in July. "He obviously had great ambitions that reached deep into the top of the group, thanks in part to the strong position of the Thai side within the company," Schumacher said. "Those have now obviously been rewarded with a princely sum. That is also why I think Horner has basically entered into an obligation of silence."
“Risks looking vindictive rather than principled”;
https://f1i.com/news/556481-schumach...y-laundry.html
Juan Pablo Montoya says Helmut Marko is bitter about Christian Horner landing bigger Red Bull payout
20 December 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Helmut Marko launched a remarkable attack on Christian Horner after leaving his post at Red Bull. Horner was sacked in July, while Marko’s exit was painted as a mutual decision. Marko accused Horner of playing ‘dirty tricks’ during his ‘last few years’. Founding members of the team in 2005, they worked together for two decades. Marko went as far as to claim that Horner was ‘lying about everything and anything’ and planting ‘fabricated’ stories in the media to damage his reputation.
Christian Horner emerged from Red Bull in a ‘better’ position than Helmut Marko. Reacting to these comments on the AS Colombia YouTube channel, Juan Pablo Montoya called the situation ‘sad’. He says it has overshadowed the celebration of Marko’s achievements. Montoya suspects that the comments come from a place of envy. Marko received an £8.7m payoff from Red Bull, around ten times smaller than Horner’s enormous severance package. “There were certainly dramas, fights and manipulation by Christian, 100%,” Montoya, who raced for Marko in F3000, said. “But Helmut isn’t a saint. Neither of them are saints.”
“What surprises me is at this point is that it was unnecessary. Why close the Red Bull chapter, all the good they did, all the championships Helmut won, all the drivers he brought in… Nobody is talking about Helmut, what the great Helmut Marko did. He focused on the fight with Christian and didn’t focus on [that]. It’s sad, because the work he did was spectacular. People don’t agree with the way he did things, but he really did a very good job. Dirty games were played on both sides. You know what happened? They both got sacked – I shouldn’t say this – and one came out much better than the other.”
‘Bitter’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jua...d-bull-payout/
Inside Red Bull’s Ruthless Horner Axe — Was It Too Late?
December 22, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Oliver Mintzlaff has defended Red Bull’s call to dismiss Christian Horner during the 2025 season, saying the company couldn’t afford to sit on its hands as results slid. And while Helmut Marko stirred the pot with claims the move should’ve come earlier, Mintzlaff politely parked that one. Speaking to De Telegraaf, Red Bull GmbH’s chief of corporate projects insisted the decision wasn’t reckless. “I wouldn’t call it a risk,” he said. “We were 100 per cent behind this measure. We knew we had to do something.”
The trigger came in the wake of the British Grand Prix, when Red Bull promoted Laurent Mekies from Racing Bulls to assume the dual role of CEO and team principal. The timing was brutal but, in Red Bull’s eyes, necessary. Verstappen’s year had stalled at two wins by then; the streak that followed said plenty about the jolt the organisation felt it needed. Max took six of the final nine, only to miss the title by two points to McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Marko — himself out the door this month — suggested Verstappen would’ve edged the championship had Red Bull pulled the plug on Horner sooner. Mintzlaff isn’t buying that narrative, nor is he eager to publicly dissect Horner’s final stretch. “I can’t say anything negative about Christian. He has meant a lot to Red Bull,” he said. “But you can’t keep relying on history. We felt it was time to turn the page and start a new chapter.”
‘Mintzlaff isn’t buying that narrative’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/inside-r...s-it-too-late/
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‘A vindication’: Sainz says 2025 results justify gamble with Williams.
…a statement season with Williams – one that explains, and justifies, why the Spaniard chose Grove as his home in F1.
23/12/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Reflecting on a whirlwind season, Sainz admitted how quickly it all unfolded. “It’s gone much quicker than I thought it would!” he told F1.com. “The fact that we are on the run so much in between races, non-stop… The sport is growing massively, so you do more marketing, more travelling, more races… By the end of the year, you cannot understand how it’s all flown by.”
“But, if you told me at the beginning of the year that there was going to be fifth position for Williams at the end of the championship, a good step forward, closing the gap to the top teams, and a couple of podiums, I would have taken it. It’s been a good year overall.” And with results in hand, Sainz feels his decision has finally been validated.
“Also, when I signed with Williams in the summer of 2024, if I would have told people that I’m joining them because these results are going to happen, they wouldn’t have fully believed me. I have the results now to back why I chose this team—a vindication,” the Spaniard maintained.
‘A vindication’;
https://f1i.com/news/556677-a-vindic...-williams.html
The Sainz Effect: Red Bull’s Missed Masterstroke?
December 22, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Jacques Villeneuve certainly thinks so. The 1997 World Champion has been banging the drum all season: Sainz has a habit of lifting every team he steps into. And if there’s one thing Red Bull’s Verstappen-era juggernaut has intermittently lacked, it’s a true second spear to press both Max and the car. The history is well-trodden. Sainz and Verstappen came up together at Toro Rosso, and the atmosphere — drivers and fathers included — got tense enough that Red Bull’s then-powerbroker Helmut Marko kept the pair apart when the big seat opened. When Ferrari cut Sainz loose in favour of Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull again looked elsewhere.
Marko, never one to varnish, later called the Toro Rosso dynamic “toxic” and argued the choice at the time was obvious. Sainz didn’t share the view. He’s said repeatedly the rivalry was hard but healthy, and that today he and Max get along: if anything, he reckons they’d form the nastiest one-two punch on the grid. The irony? Sainz has spent 2025 proving his point. Williams jumped from ninth last year to a robust fifth in the Constructors’ standings, with Sainz banking two podiums — including a P3 in Baku, Williams’ first full-race podium since 2017. That’s not just a step forward; that’s a renovation.
‘Sainz has a habit of lifting every team he steps into’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/the-sain...-masterstroke/
How Carlos Sainz has elevated Alex Albon’s level at Williams
20 Dec 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Alex Albon has explained how the arrival of Carlos Sainz at Williams has helped transform the team and elevated his own Formula 1 performances. “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from Carlos is more the non-driving side of things, the way that we conduct meetings and develop the car in the simulator and go about our free practice programmes,” said Albon. “Things like that which you can see the experience with Carlos in that way.”
“I could definitely say I had the majority of the preferential treatment in previous years,” he explained. “In terms of us two working together more backwards and forwards – we call it ‘feedback ping-pong’, where we’re just kind of having the same opinions about the car. We speak in a very similar language. Carlos is more experienced than I am, but in terms of our age and our approach, we handle things in a very similar way.”
“In terms of pushing me, it’s great to have someone with a different dataset to have a look at, different driving style to me. We want similar things in the car, we actually normally arrive to qualifying with a very similar set-up. When you have a team-mate who’s a step up, you learn more. There’s more to learn in terms of your driving style. There’s some corners that you were previously quick at, which you’re now the same as [your team-mate]. And there are some corners that you need to learn, adapt, drive differently.”
“Transform the team and elevated his own Formula 1 performances”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...l-at-williams/
Sainz pens heartfelt end-of-season letter to Williams staff
19/12/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Carlos Sainz didn’t just walk away from his first season at Williams with results on the board — he left behind something far more personal. Rather than letting those achievements speak for themselves, Sainz chose to address the people behind the scenes directly.
“As we close out a remarkable first season together, I want to express my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you for the incredible welcome I have received since day one at Grove,” the four-time Grand Prix winner wrote to his fellow team members. I knew I was joining a very special team, but our first year together has exceeded all my expectations. This specially designed print is a small gesture of appreciation, and I hope it serves as a reminder of what we accomplished together during 2025.”
“It is thanks to your dedication and commitment that we have been able to achieve our most ambitious goal this year: securing P5 in the constructors' championship, while also having a bit of fun along the way with the podiums in Baku and Qatar, and the sprint podium in Austin. Those highlights are not mine they are a direct result of your efforts and our teamwork, and I truly hope you feel as proud as I do of every point we have scored.”
“Sincere gratitude to each and every one of you”;
https://f1i.com/news/556545-sainz-pe...ams-staff.html
The Sainz effect that would make him the perfect Verstappen teammate
22 Dec 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Passed over by Red Bull because of yesteryear’s rivalry with Max Verstappen, Red Bull may have missed a trick as Jacques Villeneuve believes Carlos Sainz makes every team that he joins “better every time”. Quizzed on why Sainz is already to do that, Villeneuve replied: “He’s working on the car. That’s all. He actually understands what the car is doing, and he’s thinking about it, like Max, he’s always thinking about racing and about the car.”
“He knows what he needs. And it’s not a question of, there’s understeer, there’s oversteer. No, that’s useless. That is completely useless. There are times when you have to adapt your driving to understand what the problem with the car is, so you can fix it, so you can go back to your normal driving style and so on.” The 1997 World Champion reckons Sainz and Verstappen share characteristics that make set them apart from other racers.
“Most drivers get out of the car, look at the data, and then they have the answers, but they don’t actually have the question,” he revealed. “So the answer is to give them the questions, and oftentimes you’ll see them going in a completely wrong direction. But that’s the modern way of racing. Max is very old-fashioned in that, and I think Carlos is as well. He’ll use the data a lot, but he actually has a comprehension of what is happening to the car as he’s driving,” he added.
“He knows what he needs”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/the-ca...-bull-teammate
Sainz tipped as Alonso’s successor in potential Aston Martin move
18 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Guenther Steiner has tipped Carlos Sainz for a potential move to Aston Martin following an impressive debut season with Williams. “…Aston Martin presents Sainz’s best opportunities moving forward.” - Guenther Steiner.
“Some teams are keeping an eye on him now, even if they won’t admit it. It’s as if they questioned whether they wanted Carlos in a championship fight. Sometimes these decisions are made, and you can’t go back,” Steiner said via the Red Flag podcast. The former Haas F1 team boss, however, admitted that a move back to the current frontrunning outfit would be a tall order considering his age.
“I think it will be very difficult to move up unless you’re a rookie. There are opportunities out there. A return to Ferrari seems highly unlikely, as does a switch to Red Bull or Mercedes. But there’s always a chance with one of the other teams that are showing great promise,” he added. “I would say Williams or Aston Martin present Sainz’s best opportunities moving forward. Honestly, I don’t believe Fernando can race for another five years. He will likely have one more year, maybe two at best.”
‘Sainz tipped as Alonso’s successor’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/sainz...on-martin-move
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Lawrence Stroll says “patience” necessary for Aston Martin project.
Aston Martin are one of the teams that could cause an upset in 2026. The British squad have the resources, facilities and quality of engineers required to become front-runners.
22 Dec 2025
Last Word On Sports
Since Lawrence Stroll bought Aston Martin, the team have been described as potential threats to the established order at the front. An electric start to the 2023 season, whilst being short-lived, was early evidence of Aston’s ambitions. That said, the team’s results in the last two years have been disappointing. Poor mid-season development in 2024 and a lacklustre package across 2025 triggered a series of changes at the Silverstone-based operation. Easily the most recognised was the acquisition of Adrian Newey.
“First was putting together the facilities, [the] most important was putting together the team of people. Obviously, getting Adrian Newey to join was monumental. He’s been with us since the beginning of March. We have Andy Cowell, Enrico Cardile, plus hundreds of other people. We have Honda being our power unit partner.”
“Being a works team for the first time in our life is a whole different experience. “The whole team’s forming into place, and we’re looking forward next year to a huge rule and regulation change. The biggest challenge now is putting everything together, making it all happen. I’m quite confident it will, but you have to have the patience.”
“Patience”;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...artin-project/
Honda reveals Aston Martin F1 goal ahead of 2026 partnership
23 Dec 2025
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe outlined the goals for Honda in its first year with Aston Martin, with integration between UK and Japan at the forefront. “[The] definition of success for me [is that] 2026 is a year to ensure the partnership we have created between Aston Martin and Honda is functioning as planned, as one integrated team,” he said on Aston Martin’s Undercut web-series.
“We need to ensure we have the values we have aimed for and that we achieve our performance goals. The thing we can’t predict, and is beyond our control, is the status of our competitors,” he said. “Before we know that, we can’t talk about anything beyond meeting our own internal goals for the season. Of course, in the longer term, the ultimate goal of this partnership, and our definition of success, is winning the World Championship.”
“It’s very important to take a long-term view of this. Our relationship with Aston Martin is going beyond a technical collaboration – we are sharing a common vision. There is a lot of passion in the team at the AMR Technology Campus, but also a great deal of quality. Pair that with Honda’s development skills and ability to provide winning power units, and we have the potential to be successful in F1, not just in 2026, but also ’27, ’28 and beyond.”
“Functioning as planned, as one integrated team”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...6-partnership/
Alonso warns rivals of Aston Martin's future success, but warns timing is key
19 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Fernando Alonso has no doubt that Aston Martin will succeed, but is cautious about the time frame. Speaking to GPblog, Alonso explained: "Yes, I think so. I mean, the factory is completed. The wind tunnel is brand new and completed and we are using it. We have Adrian Newey, Andy Cowell, Enrico Cardile. I mean, we have great people and great talent in the factory. We just need to put everything in place."
However, the Spaniard also underlined that it might take some time to figure out how to put everything together. He continued: "Facilities are new, people are just a few months into the system, [whether] it will be enough this few months or we need one full season to glue everything together, that's the thing, I don't know. Aston Martin will succeed, I think it's, for me, a guarantee. The biggest question is when and that's what we all try to make it [happen] as soon as possible."
‘Timing is key’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/alons...-timing-is-key
Watanabe: Honda, Aston Martin 'on the eve of something special'
17/12/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
A new chapter is quietly gathering momentum in Formula 1 – and if Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe is to be believed, it’s one filled with belief, patience and big ambition. As Honda prepares to return to the grid as a full works partner with Aston Martin in 2026, Watanabe says the project is approaching a defining moment.
Honda’s decision to align with Aston Martin was no accident. Watanabe says the Silverstone-based team stood out immediately, not just for its facilities but for the people driving the project. “We've always been careful in the partners we select,” said Watanabe. “In this instance, I was very impressed with the team's leadership and with the passion and vision of Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll. He's very competitive – always with a view to winning. It's very impressive.”
“You can see the desire to succeed expressed in the new facilities at the AMR Technology Campus, but also in the way the organisation has been strengthened over the past few years with experienced personnel. The commitment and focus of the team are very strong, and this was very attractive to us. Exciting too.”
“He's very competitive – always with a view to winning”;
https://f1i.com/news/556468-watanabe...g-special.html
Lawrence Stroll's vital plea ahead of Aston Martin's F1 2026 key transition
23 DEC 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin F1's owner, will oversee the outfit's transition into a full works team when its exclusive power unit deal with Japanese manufacturer Honda starts in 2026, and admits expectations couldn't be higher.
"We're really looking forward to next year with a huge rule change. It's going to be another big step forward; we have Honda as our power unit partner, we're going to be a works team for the first time ever, it's a completely different experience," Stroll told Motorsport.
"[Expectations] are very high, as high as they can be. Now we need to give everyone some time to come together and work to bring these exciting new rules and regulations coming next year up to our very high expectations—as high as they can possibly get," the Canadian team owner concluded.
“Another big step forward”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/lawre...key-transition
Adrian Newey spots F1 'loophole' as 'frightening' Aston Martin results revealed
19 Dec 2025
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible
Ahead of 2026, it has been claimed that Newey may have found a loophole in the new regulations. According to News F1 Italy, Newey has ‘found a ‘grey zone’ in the interaction between the flexibility of the floor and the new mobile wing profiles’.
In 2026, F1 cars will have dynamically adjustable front and rear wings. It has been reported that while others are concentrating on the power units, Newey has focused on the mechanical sealing of the car’s floor.
‘F1 'loophole' as 'frightening' Aston Martin results revealed’;
https://www.sportbible.com/f1/adrian...89799-20251219
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How brutal Red Bull demotion saved Liam Lawson from F1 demise.
Liam Lawson endured a difficult start to the 2025 season, but in many ways, it saved his F1 career. …proof that, in Formula 1, survival often matters more than speed alone.
15 December 2025
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
Lawson’s brief stint at Red Bull bordered on the nightmarish. A crash in Australia was followed by a disastrous weekend in China, where he qualified last for both the sprint and the grand prix. The writing was on the wall. "Unfortunately, I don’t really have time," Lawson admitted at the time, a rare moment of candour that underlined the pressure of adapting to a car developed around Verstappen.
Helmut Marko was typically unsparing. "Liam qualified 20th twice. And that’s difficult to do worse than that," he said, later conceding the situation had become "a downward spiral" that needed to be stopped to protect Lawson’s future. That intervention came swiftly, with a return to Racing Bulls. The immediate results were underwhelming — five rounds without a point — but the underlying performances told a different story.
"The confidence came back once I could build things step by step," Lawson reflected later in the season. "That’s something you don’t get time for at the front." Laurent Mekies spoke repeatedly about Lawson’s technical feedback and resilience, qualities seen as vital alongside teenage sensation Lindblad. "Liam showed maturity in the hardest circumstances," Mekies noted. "That counts for a lot."
‘Survival often matters more than speed alone’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-brutal...from-f1-demise
Lawson reveals moment that confirmed 2026 F1 seat
Liam Lawson has revealed the moment he was informed his Formula 1 future had been settled, confirming the decision came only after a post-race meeting following the Qatar Grand Prix.
19 Dec 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
Speaking on the latest episode of the KTM Summer Grill, Lawson explained that discussions around his future had been ongoing for several weeks, but clarity only arrived after Qatar when he sat down with Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane. “I think the final sort of say was after the race in Qatar,” Lawson said.
“I sat down with Alan, which is cool for him to be able to tell me as well that we will be obviously working together next year.” Lawson said arriving at the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi with certainty over his position helped remove a layer of pressure after what he described as an “intense” season.
“It’s been a very busy year. A very intense year,” he said. “And to come to this weekend now with obviously that knowledge of next year as well makes it a bit nicer. I’m excited to get to work on the challenges of next year.”
“We will be obviously working together next year”;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-l...ive-interview/
Liam Lawson explains 'big difference' after vital cost of Red Bull demotion
Liam Lawson endured a turbulent start to the 2025 F1 season, losing his Red Bull seat and returning to Racing Bulls. Speaking to RacingNews365, he explained why having off-season stability is so critical.
19 December 2025
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Upon securing his contract extension, Lawson spoke exclusively with RacingNews365, explaining how the early-season switch left him playing "catch-up" against his rivals. "What I'm looking forward to is that off-season to have time with the team and prepare properly," the 23-year-old says.
"Because I think this year, with the way it all started, I definitely felt like I missed a lot of the preseason development, building... because, especially in a season that's so close, this year, it was tiny margins; it's been tiny margins all through the year. So when I first came [back to Racing Bulls], it was very much: where are things that with the car, what's the direction we're going.”
"It was a new side of the garage for me; it was trying to almost play catch-up with everybody, especially with how rough the first couple of races were. Obviously, I have no idea how next year is going to go, but knowing that I have that time before the season — I have a set amount of days that I can basically make the most of and spend with the team — and that preparation, I'm actually excited for, to try and be as ready as possible for next year."
‘Why having off-season stability is so critical’;
https://racingnews365.com/liam-lawso...-bull-demotion
Liam Lawson is ‘excited’ to do something at Racing Bulls in 2026 that he could not do this year
20 December 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Liam Lawson will also now start a season as a Racing Bulls driver for the first time in his F1 career in 2026. The Kiwi made five mid-season cameo appearances in 2023 and contested the final six rounds in 2024 for Racing Bulls. He started 2025 at Red Bull but only lasted two rounds. The Hastings, New Zealand native got his career back on track after re-joining Racing Bulls in March. The turning point came at the Austrian Grand Prix in round 11 out of 24, as Racing Bulls gave Lawson a front suspension upgrade that helped him extract the VCARB 02’s pace.
Liam Lawson feels he ‘missed a lot’ of development time returning to Racing Bulls mid-season. Lawson will miss the “very fast” speed of Racing Bulls’ 2025 F1 car, as F1’s 2026 regulations are set to make lap times around two to three seconds slower. With rookie Lindblad joining the team, as well, Lawson expects Racing Bulls will “lean on” him in 2026 to steer their ship.
‘Excited’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lia...-do-this-year/
Liam Lawson Thrills Crowds At Highlands, Raises Funds For Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
24 December 2025
Press Release: Highlands
Scoop
In a heartwarming display of speed, community spirit, and remembrance, Formula 1 star Liam Lawson returned to his Kiwi roots yesterday at Highlands Motorsport Park, delivering an unforgettable day of hot laps and fan interactions that raised over $50,000 for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. The event honoured the memory of Louise Scott-Gallagher, a cherished friend of Highlands CEO Josie Spillane, who tragically passed away from breast cancer in May 2025 at just 44 years of age.
"Yesterday was about more than just racing it was a powerful tribute to Louise, whose vibrant spirit and kindness touched so many lives," said Josie Spillane, CEO of Highlands. "Liam's generosity in giving us his time helped us raise crucial funds for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, ensuring her legacy continues to drives real change. We're overwhelmed by the community's support and the joy on every face."
Lawson was blown away by the day “ I can’t believe how many people were here, and how much money was raised for Breast Cancer. I’ve known Josie and Tony a long time, and was so happy to come and help – and drive the Vulcan of course!! The day kicked off with Lawson greeting fans, signing autographs, and posing for photos, creating magical moments for young admirers and lifelong motorsport fans alike.
‘Liam Lawson was blown away by the day’;
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU25...ndation-nz.htm
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Toyota Power Play: Haas Transforms Into TGR Haas F1.
Haas is getting a new name — and a bigger ally. From 2026, the American squad will enter as TGR Haas F1, a rebrand that formalizes Toyota Gazoo Racing’s move to title partner and signals a deeper technical and operational tie-up after their first year working together.
4 Dec 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Haas to become TGR Haas F1 in 2026 as Toyota alliance steps up a gear. Haas is getting a new name — and a bigger ally. From 2026, the American squad will enter as TGR Haas F1, a rebrand that formalizes Toyota Gazoo Racing’s move to title partner and signals a deeper technical and operational tie-up after their first year working together. MoneyGram bows out after three seasons on the sidepods, with Toyota taking top billing and bringing its factory motorsport identity to the grid. It’s not a works team in the old-school sense, but the intent is clear: Toyota’s competition arm is invested, active and putting people and tools into Haas at a level that goes well beyond a logo.
The relationship was born in late 2024 as a “burgeoning technical partnership.” In 2025 it matured into something more structured: Toyota helped commission and develop a new simulator at Haas’ Banbury base, plugged into the team’s R&D projects, and — crucially — rolled out an aggressive Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) program that Haas had never run at this scale. That TPC effort did real work. Fourteen days across Silverstone, Paul Ricard, Imola, Mugello and Fuji gave Haas engineers mileage and data while opening the door for Toyota-backed talent to get a genuine feel for modern F1 machinery.
Ryo Hirakawa, Sho Tsuboi, Ritomo Miyata and Kamui Kobayashi all turned laps, an unmistakable sign of the pipeline Toyota wants to build and the kind of program Haas is happy to host. It’s no accident the initiative is being rebranded as the TGR Haas Driver Development Programme for 2026. The personnel component — not just drivers, but engineers and mechanics — is central to this partnership. Haas has long operated lean. Toyota can supply depth: more hands, more experience, more structure.
‘TGR Haas F1’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/toyota-p...o-tgr-haas-f1/
Ocon: Haas’ expanded partnership with Toyota is ‘fantastic’ for 2026
14/12/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Esteban Ocon is brimming with optimism about Haas’ future – and a big part of that excitement comes from Toyota stepping up its involvement with the US outfit. He revealed that Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu had already hinted at a deeper technical collaboration when discussions began. “Ayao [Komatsu, Haas Team Principal] told me that we were going to have TPC [running], and we were going to have some good stuff coming in,” the Frenchman added.
“When I signed, he didn’t tell me the reasons why, but everything was held.” That secrecy, Ocon admits, only added to the sense that something special was brewing behind the scenes. Ocon is adamant that Toyota’s involvement goes well beyond sponsorship optics. For him, the partnership resonates on a personal level, rooted in shared values and a genuine love of motorsport.
“Toyota is a brand that I really enjoy working with. I’m not saying that because they are working with us; I really mean it,” Ocon added. “They have great values, they have great respect, and they are passionate about racing. They are petrolheads, basically.” That passion, he says, has already translated into hands-on experiences well outside the traditional F1 environment — experiences he and team-mate Oliver Bearman have relished.
‘Brimming optimism’;
https://f1i.com/news/556375-ocon-haa...-for-2026.html
People, Not Paint: Inside Toyota’s Quiet Haas Revolution
17 Dec 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Komatsu cools the “works team” talk: Ayao Komatsu isn’t entertaining the easy narrative. “It’s easy for people to say ‘Toyota works team’ or ‘Toyota is going to make an engine,’” the Haas team principal said in Abu Dhabi. “Toyota’s objective is not really branding; Toyota’s objective is to make us competitive, grow people, and make this team competitive together.”
That’s the spine of the project. The Toyota relationship has already underwritten a busy Testing of Previous Cars programme through 2025 — notably putting Toyota-affiliated drivers into Haas machinery — and it’s funding a new simulator scheduled to come online at Banbury in 2026. Next year, the TPC effort hardens into a more structured Driver Development Programme. The headline changes are visible; the intent is internal. “Even the TPC, we’ve been doing it, but that was the first year,” Komatsu added. “Next year, it’s going to be a bit more structured… everything is going to be more developed.”
The title deal also means the Toyota name will appear in Haas’s official entry. Inevitably, that’s triggered the usual paddock whispers — is this the path to a full works return for Toyota, dormant in F1 since 2009? Is a shareholding next? The line from Komatsu has been steady all season: this is a long-term collaboration with a very specific purpose.
“More developed”;
https://fastestlap.com/news/people-n...as-revolution/
Haas deepens Toyota relationship with F1 title partnership deal
4 Dec 2025
Motorsport Week
Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman, added his own sentiments about the increased partnership, focusing on the growth it has helped to give to its own staff. “Throughout our challenges in the 2025 season, I witnessed young TGR drivers and engineers begin to believe in their own potential and set their sights on even greater dreams,” he said.
“Seeing this transformation moved me deeply. And today, I can say this with confidence, Toyota has finally begun to move – really move. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for standing alongside our young members, believing in their potential, and facing the future with the same passion and perspective.”
“By taking our partnership with Haas another step forward next year, TGR’s ‘People, Product, Pipeline’ mantra – will accelerate in a way we have never seen before. The time has come for the next generation to take their first steps toward the world stage. Together with Gene Haas, Ayao, and everyone at TGR Haas F1 Team, we will build both a culture and a team for the future. Toyota is now truly on the move.” The team will unveil its new challenger – the VF-26 – on January 23, three days before F1’s first test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
“Toyota truly on the move”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...tnership-deal/
Toyota Gazoo Racing will be title sponsors of Haas F1 Team from 2026 following expanded partnership
5 Dec 2025
Gerard Lye
Paul Tan's Automotive News
Toyota is deepening its partnership with the Haas F1 Team by announcing it will be the team’s title sponsor for the 2026 season, replacing Moneygram. Both parties previously entered into a multi-year technical partnership in October 2024, which saw the execution of the team’s first fully-fledged TPC (Testing of Previous Car) programme through the 2025 season.
This year’s TPC programme spanned 14 days and utilised the Haas VF-23, with Japanese drivers Ryo Hirakawa, Ritomo Miyata, Sho Tsuboi and Kamui Kobayashi lapping notable circuits such as Silverstone, Paul Ricard, Fuji Speedway, Imola and Mugello. From 2026, the programme will be officially rebranded to the TGR Haas Driver Development Programme.
For now, there’s no word on whether Toyota will have any say in Haas’ future driver line-up – Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman have already been confirmed for 2026. The expanded deal will likely lead to speculation that Haas will serve as vessel for a possible fully-fledged F1 return for Toyota – the last time it competed in F1 was in the 2009 season with the TF109.
‘Multi-year technical partnership’;
https://paultan.org/2025/12/05/toyot...d-partnership/
Suzuka To Haas: Inside Doohan’s Toyota-Powered Comeback
8 Dec 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
After a stop-start 2025 that saw him dropped as Alpine’s race driver early and parked for the final stretch, the Australian is lining up a reset that keeps him in the F1 orbit while getting his elbows out again in Japan. He’s set to take part in this week’s Super Formula rookie test at Suzuka with an eye on a full campaign next season, and there’s more to it than just seat time. The move is expected to come with Toyota support—and that could be the hinge on a bigger door opening at Haas.
With Haas and Toyota drawing closer—title branding is due to arrive next season, and talk of a deeper tie-up isn’t going away—Doohan is being positioned for a 2026 reserve role with the American team to complement a Super Formula programme. The play is obvious: stay sharp, be visible, and be first in line if the 2027 grid shuffles.
The timing isn’t accidental. Haas is set with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman for 2026, while Toyota’s World Endurance champion Ryo Hirakawa, 31, has been the team’s reserve. But both race seats are understood to be up at the end of that year. A strong Super Formula season—Toyota’s backyard, in cars that reward precision and aggression—plus regular F1 mileage would have Doohan right where he wants to be when the music stops.
‘Doohan’s Toyota-Powered Comeback’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/brundles...he-wont-again/
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Audi confirms F1 team name and launch date.
The German manufacturer will compete as the Audi Revolut F1 Team when it joins the grid for the new regulations era in 2026, with its race livery set to be revealed on January 20 at an immersive event in the German capital.
16 Dec 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
Audi AG chairman Gernot Dollner described the announcement as another defining moment in the project’s evolution. “Unveiling the Audi Revolut F1 Team name and logo marks another major milestone on our journey into the pinnacle of motorsport,” Dollner said. “Both give our ambition a clear identity, reflecting a strong vision and innovative spirit.”
“We now look ahead to Berlin in January, where we will officially present this exciting new chapter for the Audi brand to the world.” Revolut CEO and co-founder Nik Storonsky highlighted the broader significance of the partnership, which Audi says will play a role in the fintech company’s global expansion and ambition to reach 100 million customers.
“Revolut and Audi are uniting in Formula 1 with a global ambition to challenge the status quo and a shared obsession with engineering excellence,” Storonsky said. “The Audi Revolut F1 team name and logo are the first symbols of a powerful alliance that will accelerate Revolut’s global growth.”
‘Audi Revolut F1 Team’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-a...ry-event-2026/
Audi issue plea to 'manage expectations' ahead of F1 2026 uncertainty
Audi is putting the final touches in place ahead of its F1 debut in 2026. Speaking exclusively to RacingNews365, project leader Mattia Binotto has tempered expectations.
21 December 2025
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
The scale of Audi's operation has not been understimated by the project's leader Mattia Binotto, who insisted it will be several years before the team is in a position to fight at the front of the field. “It’s more about managing expectations first and then about delivering in a way that for us, 2026 is day zero,” Binotto exclusively told RacingNews365.
“We should not forget we are newcomers, it’s really a different environment, specification and competencies. The knowledge is very specific. It will be a continuous learning process. I'm not expecting to be the best power train at the start. That's not the goal.”
“Instead, I'm happy to see how the team is developing, the way we are developing, but it will be for us, 2026 a day zero. It’s again a matter of speed, how long it will take for us to catch up, how long it will take for us to become the best power train.”
‘Tempered expectations’;
https://racingnews365.com/audi-issue...26-uncertainty
Round-up: Binotto ‘not expecting Audi to have best engine next year’, and more
19th December 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Binotto says Audi will have confidence and credibility for F1 debut (Reuters): 'I'm not expecting to have the best engine next year at all, but still it doesn't matter because we know that we have set our objectives for 2030.'
‘Not expecting’;
https://www.racefans.net/2025/12/19/...december-2025/
Binotto compares Red Bull and Audi's power unit approach ahead of 2026
26 Dec 2025
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Mattia Binotto has shared his thoughts on the Red Bull engine compared to Audi’s for the 2026 season. The 56-year-old appeared cautiously optimistic, noting the challenges in directly comparing the engines of both teams. However, Binotto emphasised Audi’s extensive expertise in engine development, which he believes will pay off in the long term.
"I think they’ve got more specific skills. We have the background of Audi, the knowledge of Audi, which in the long term will certainly make the difference,” Binotto said via Reuters. "I think we need patience. We are still in the building phase. I’m not expecting to have the best engine next year at all, but that’s fine because we know our objectives are set for 2030. We don’t intend to be a surprise next year,” he concluded.
‘Cautiously optimistic’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/binot...-ahead-of-2026
END OF YEAR REPORT: Kick Sauber’s best and worst moments from 2025 and driver head-to-heads
Kick Sauber finally found the momentum they’ve been searching for with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.
25 Dec 2025
Formula One - Official Site
Kick Sauber finally found the momentum they’ve been searching for with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. An overhaul of leadership and the driver line-up doesn’t always work out, but fortunately for Kick Sauber, they seemed to thrive off the back of the shake-up going into 2025. Their spot in the Teams' Championship standings might not entirely reflect what Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley called their “extraordinary” achievements, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto both experiencing incredible highs to wave a perfect farewell to the Sauber name. Here is the squad’s end of year report…
Hulkenberg – 3rd in Britain: Hulkenberg delivered a stellar drive at the action-packed British Grand Prix, where the changeable weather conditions caught many drivers out while the German fell back on his years of experience to charge from 19th place to the podium. Prior to his remarkable drive, he had the unwanted statistic of the most race starts in F1 without a top-three finish, finally bringing an end to it in his 239th Grand Prix.
‘Found momentum’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...WQJiM7Nxk20Ola
F1 uncovered: Exposing the details of Sauber’s last car
19 Dec 2025
Matthew Somerfield
PlanetF1.com
2025 could be considered a transitional year for Sauber which will become a full works entity next season, as they become Audi and will design both their own chassis and power train.
And, whilst you might have expected them to have focused most of their effort on the next campaign, they still exerted a significant amount of effort into improving the C45 throughout the course of the season…
‘Sauber’s last car’;
https://www.planetf1.com/f1-tech/f1-...auber-last-car
Sauber F1 founder recalls greatest memories ahead of Audi arrival
After 33 seasons in F1, the Sauber name is no more. In this exclusive interview, founder Peter Sauber recalls some of his highlights.
26 December 2025
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Peter Sauber has highlighted three of the most significant moments of his staggering motorsports career after finally bowing out of F1 earlier this month. There were, though, particular memories - and "more than one" - he recalled in speaking exclusively with RacingNews365. "On one side, it's the double victory in Montreal, together with BMW - or BMW with us! Because it's important to win races," he said, referencing the one-two finish from Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld in the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.
"But for me, the most important was the P4 [in the constructors' championship] in 2001 with more or less two rookies in Nick, after a bad year with Prost, and Kimi [Raikkonen]. With these two guys, to clinch P4 was fantastic." It proved to be the team's highest finish over its first 14 seasons in F1, which exceeded expectations.
"Of course, I was surprised," he said. "But Kimi was an excellent driver that season. Nick was the better driver, but this combination was very good, and, of course, the car was okay. You need a good car. And then I go back to my end. I stepped back in 2012. That season we had four podiums, twice finishing P2, including beating Ferrari at Monza [that year, the team was powered by the Scuderia]."
‘Peter Sauber has highlighted three of the most significant moments’;
https://racingnews365.com/sauber-f1-...f-audi-arrival
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Alpine’s 2026 Gamble: Revival Plan or Another False Dawn?
Alpine’s 2025 numbers don’t need much dressing up. Tenth in the Constructors’ standings, 22 points on the board, and one driver doing all the scoring.
December 26, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Alpine eyes 2026 reset after bruising 2025: “We’re on plan, on track”. The A525 never quite woke up, and when it did, Pierre Gasly’s sixth at Silverstone was the outlier, not the trend. Franco Colapinto and Jack Doohan left their rookie stints empty-handed. But the story inside Enstone was never really about 2025. It was about calling time early and pushing chips across the table on 2026. Renault’s works power unit project wound down, Alpine inked its Mercedes customer deal for next year, and the factory lived under new leadership in a turbulent season that saw team principal Oli Oakes resign after Miami.
In came long-time paddock operator Steve Nielsen as managing director, working alongside executive advisor Flavio Briatore — a structure that raised eyebrows but, by all accounts, tightened the focus. Now, with the new rules looming and an A526 due to break cover on January 23, Alpine insists the long game is paying off. “I think we’ve done all the right things,” Nielsen said in Abu Dhabi. “The chassis has passed its crash tests. It’s lighter, it’s stronger. Looks good — but every team says that before it hits the circuit. The stopwatch decides.”
There’s no pretending 2025 was anything but attritional. Development on the A525 slowed to a crawl as the team pivoted early to the new regs, leaning hard into the fresh aerodynamics, energy management demands and the much-talked-about straight-line mode. That trade-off only makes sense if the new car lands on its feet fast. Racing director Dave Greenwood sounds confident it will feel natural soon enough. “Next year looks a bit more complicated, but only at the start,” he said. “Three races in, it’ll feel like the norm. The job is to develop our tools and help the driver as much as we can.”
“The stopwatch decides”;
https://fastestlap.com/news/alpines-...er-false-dawn/
Alpine abandon F1 goal 'timelines' ahead of new era
Alpine has endured a difficult F1 campaign but is hoping to commence the sport's new era under fresh technical regulations in strong fashion.
20 December 2025
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen has asserted he is not focusing on timelines to bring the team into a successful position in F1. Nielsen has declared he will not seek to impose a timeline on Alpine's latest quest to turn around its form.
“I’m not a person who believes in a '100 race plan' or a 'three-year plan' or a 'five-year plan',” Nielsen told select media including RacingNews365. “I believe you put the best people you can get in the right positions. You give a clear mission, get the army marching all in the same direction, and you just work as hard as you can and do the best job you can.”
“You mill away at it. It's a slow grinding process, and you hope eventually you do a better job than everybody else. I can tell you we're building a better car next year than we have this year. I can't tell you whether that will line-up on the grid in first or 10th for 20th - I don't know.”
“Get the army marching all in the same direction”;
https://racingnews365.com/alpine-aba...ead-of-new-era
Pierre Gasly: 2026 Mercedes engine “in a great place”
24 Dec 2025
Last Word On Sports
Roughly a year ago, Alpine made the controversial move to abandon Renault engines in favour of Mercedes for 2026 and beyond. The French squad determined that Renault’s power units were becoming a limiting factor to the team’s success. Despite having dedicated a few years to developing their 2026 engines, Alpine opted to relinquish their manufacturer status.
This decision was motivated by the belief Mercedes were the best option for the new regulations. Pierre Gasly’s recent comments have further validated this sentiment. Regardless, the belief at the factory in Enstone is that Mercedes power will pay off. Pierre Gasly shares this optimism, based on his own information: “We open a new chapter with Mercedes, and obviously, looking at their CV, how many times they’ve been Champions – I’m sure it’s going to be a great adventure.”
“I’m not going to lie, I’m very excited about it. From what I’m hearing, the [Mercedes] engine is in a great place. So I’m looking forward to that first test and feeling what it’s like to have Mercedes horsepower on my back. I have very high expectations for us as a team next year. We made tactical sacrifices on 2025 to reward all of us by starting on the right foot from 2026 onwards… Next year, I want to be fighting at the front of the grid. As it stands, I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to be right up there.”
“In a great place”;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...a-great-place/
Gasly backs Alpine’s long game: ‘Much brighter days are coming’
26/12/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
After a 2025 season defined by growing pains and technical pivots, Pierre Gasly is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. “I feel like we’ve been through the rough part of the journey, and much brighter days are coming,” Gasly said in an interview with F1.com. That sense of disruption has made time blur for the 28-year-old.
“It doesn’t quite feel like 3 years,” he said. “Maybe because I had to go through so many changes, whether it was the management point of view, the team structure, teammates… It almost feels like every time it’s been a fresh start, not the continuity of working with the same people.”
“There have been some clear highlights… but I think it’s fair to say that, overall, we’re quite far from our expectations,” he explained. “I expected a lot more, which unfortunately didn’t happen. If you ask me now, it’s the most confident I’ve been for the coming seasons, compared to the end of 2023 or the end of 2024,” he said. “I was the first one to say, ‘Just forget about this year. Even stop earlier and just start working on 2026,’” he revealed.
‘Much brighter days are coming’;
https://f1i.com/news/556789-gasly-ba...re-coming.html
Alpine Bet It All. Can Gasly Cash In 2026?
December 27, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
After a bruising campaign that left Alpine marooned at the wrong end of the order, the Frenchman says he’ll be one of the hardest-working drivers over the winter — and he’s not hiding the reason: the reset that arrives with F1’s new regulations in 2026. “You can be sure I’m going to be one of the drivers that’s going to put the most work in,” Gasly said, reflecting on a season he plainly didn’t enjoy. “After the season I’ve had, I’m more eager than ever to bounce back next year.”
Alpine’s year was defined less by upgrades and more by triage. The team effectively de-emphasised 2025 to pivot early toward 2026, banking on the sport’s wholesale technical overhaul and a fresh power-unit supply to pull them out of a rut. It was a blunt strategy in public view — and, at times, painful — but internally they’ve been consistent: short-term pain for a shot at a big step when the reset kicks in.
Gasly has doubled down on that bet. He signed fresh terms in the autumn, the kind of move that only makes sense if you believe the people back at Enstone are about to turn the corner. “We get to the bottom of these reasons, we know why,” he said of the current struggles. “We know the strategic reasons we’ve made this year, which are costly for the performance of this year, but I think from next year onwards, I fully believe the team will be able to give me a car to compete at the front.”
‘Alpine Bet It All’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/alpine-b...-cash-in-2026/
Alpine reveal name of 2026 challenger as Mercedes engine era looms
24 DEC 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
The name chosen for the French team’s first-ever Mercedes-powered car will be A526, continuing the naming continuity seen with previous cars. Like the other ten teams, Alpine is now ready to unveil the shape of its first car for the new regulatory cycle, with the French outfit aiming to play a leading role after four years marked by few highs and many lows — capped off by last place in the Constructors’ Championship last season.
Adding to all of this is the fact — as briefly mentioned — that for the first time in its history Alpine will race without its long-standing Renault engines, in the hope that the switch to Mercedes power units will deliver the long-awaited step forward in performance. Alpine on track with 2026 car 'targets' as Gasly prepares for busy winter.
Like many others, Alpine chose to sacrifice development of its 2025 car in order to focus fully on next season, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest technical shake-ups in Formula 1’s recent history.
The Frenchman carried the team on his shoulders last year, scoring all 22 of Alpine’s points, although it was still not enough to avoid finishing last in the standings. More recently, Gasly has spoken about the current state of development of the 2026 car and what expectations are heading into the new season.
‘A526’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/alpin...gine-era-looms
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Perez Reloaded: Cadillac’s 2026 F1 Upset Bid.
Cadillac’s arrival swells the field to 11 teams for 2026, the first expansion since Haas in 2016. It’s a big swing at a complicated moment: brand-new cars, revamped power units, sustainable fuels, reshaped tyres and electronics, and all the headaches that come with stitching together a fresh F1 operation.
Dec 28, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Inside the paddock, there’s quiet respect for the scale of the effort. “They’re obviously putting together a very professional team, and they have good finances behind them,” said Aston Martin sporting director Andy Stevenson, another of Perez’s former colleagues. “I’m a huge fan of Checo, and I’d love to see him relaunch his career. He is a fantastic talent, he’s a great race driver… I’m hoping that Cadillac don’t go too well — but they’re certainly someone we’re not going to dismiss.”
That last bit only half-joking. The blueprint looks serious from the outside. Simone Resta, now deputy technical director at Mercedes and once part of Haas’s own start-up journey, believes Cadillac’s approach can pay off under the 2026 reset. “First of all, let’s not forget Valtteri — who is going to be back in the business for Cadillac,” Resta said. “It is very exciting for him, and it’s a good opportunity to be back after one year of stop. And Cadillac, they are investing a lot, hiring a lot of people, they are approaching the problem in a nice way, as far as we can see from outside. It’s a lot of challenge, like we said, but also they count on a Ferrari power unit only. So they’ve got one problem less, let’s say, to look after. I think they can be in the mix.”
Where does Perez fit into all this? Perfectly, according to those who know him. He’s always been a racer first—clever in traffic, hard on the elbows, instinctive with tyre life. If Cadillac rolls out a car that’s somewhere near the midfield, those skills translate immediately. And if it takes longer, he’s shown he can carry a project through the grind. The sabbatical might just have cleared the fog.
‘Quiet respect for the scale of the effort’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/perez-re...-f1-upset-bid/
Cadillac's virtual race weekends - how sim work got new F1 team up to speed
Dec 11, 2025
James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine
Cadillac is in a race against time to get its new F1 car ready for 2026 – sim driver Pietro Fittipaldi explains how it's running in the virtual world first
TV viewers saw 20 cars on track in Abu Dhabi last weekend but, from a darkened room in North Carolina, an 11th F1 team was joining the fray. Simulating the race weekend in real-time was Pietro Fittipaldi, development driver for the new Cadillac F1 team, to ensure engineers, mechanics and drivers will hit the ground running when it joins the grid in 2026.
Team radio crackled away, data was pored over by technical minds and those that will be working hands-on with the car were prepped to know exactly where they’re supposed to be, at exactly the right time. Having had just over a year to prepare for its F1 debut at the 2026 Australian GP, no current team is in a race against time for the new season like Cadillac.
‘New F1 team up to speed’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1
Cadillac promotes ex-Charles Leclerc engineer to new F1 role
22 Dec 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Cadillac has promoted Charles Leclerc’s former race engineer to a major role in its new Formula 1 team after a brief spell working in its endurance squads. Xavier Marcos Padros, who left Ferrari midway through 2024, will become the American outfit’s Chief Race Engineer for its debut season in the sport.
After being replaced by Bryan Bozzi in his role working for Leclerc after the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Marcos Padros was shuffled into additional roles at Ferrari. But it transpired that in January of this year, he had joined Cadillac, becoming Technical Director of its V-Series.R programme, which spread across its WEC and IMSA teams.
It is believed that Marcos Padros was present at its first TPC test in Imola last month, in which Sergio Perez drove a blacked-out Ferrari SF-23 as part of its preparations for 2026. Perez will be supported by Carlo Pasetti as his race engineer, who moves across from Aston Martin, in the Mexican’s first season back in F1 after a year-long hiatus.
‘Ex-Charles Leclerc engineer’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...o-new-f1-role/
Ferrari Insider Becomes Cadillac’s F1 Secret Weapon
December 21, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Xavier Marcos Padros, the voice in Charles Leclerc’s ear for five seasons at Ferrari, has resurfaced in Formula 1 as chief race engineer for the Cadillac F1 project — another key brick laid as the American outfit builds toward its 2026 debut. Marcos Padros is a familiar name to anyone who’s followed Leclerc’s rise. After spells with HRT and Williams — including a stint as Felipe Massa’s performance engineer — he joined Ferrari in 2018 and became Leclerc’s race engineer from 2019. The partnership produced five grand prix wins and a calm, methodical radio tone that Ferrari fans came to recognise instantly.
His time on the pit wall in red ended abruptly after the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, when Ferrari reassigned him to other internal programmes. Bryan Bozzi stepped in and the Leclerc–Bozzi pairing hit the ground running, winning Monaco in emotional fashion and adding victories at Monza and Austin before Ferrari’s form nosedived into a winless 2025 campaign. Marcos Padros then popped up in January as technical director of Cadillac’s LMDh programme in WEC and IMSA. Now comes confirmation he’s moved across to the Cadillac F1 arm, taking on a leadership role that will shape the team’s trackside operation.
It’s a smart pickup: he’s worked inside modern Ferrari, navigated the politics and pressure, and understands how to guide an elite driver through the fog of a grand prix. Cadillac, preparing for a 2026 entry, has been quietly busy. After spending much of 2025 running through simulated race weekends, the team conducted its first real on-track exercise last month at Imola with Sergio Perez driving a black-liveried 2023 Ferrari. Marcos Padros was understood to be among the personnel on site — a useful shakedown for processes, people and nerves as much as for the car.
‘Cadillac’s F1 Secret Weapon’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/ferrari-...secret-weapon/
Perez is happy that Cadillac doesn't have Red Bull's 'influence' problem
25 Dec 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Sergio Perez is coming back to F1 in 2026 as a driver for Cadillac, a night and day switch from his previous stint as a Red Bull Racing driver. After a troubled 2024 season Perez was ousted from Red Bull, a blessing in disguise says the Mexican as quoted by Autoracer.it. “I didn't feel it at the time, but I needed a break,” he says. “When you're in this sport, you're always thinking about next year, the next race, the next contract. It's like you're on autopilot. But when you're forced out, like I was, you realize a lot and see the sport differently.”
"I feel like I've fallen in love with F1 all over again," he said. "It's important to remember that my last six months at Red Bull were very difficult for me, in every way. I'd started to lose some motivation towards this sport, and I can't allow that because it's a sport that has given me everything.” Perez then praised the American outfit for their listening capabilities, which Perez suggests he did not have before, in yet another veiled dig at Red Bull.
“It was great to discuss things with the team," he continued. "I focused on some specific aspects, giving them guidance. It's fantastic to have a team you feel you can influence and ask for certain things. For me, it's a bit irrelevant where we start. What matters most is how quickly we can progress. I want to push the team forward from day one. I think we'll be able to surprise a lot of people. This is a goal for us, to be able to make a strong impact in Formula 1 from day one.”
‘Perez then praised the American outfit for their listening capabilities’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/perez...earing-problem
Red Bull figure makes Sergio Perez prediction ahead of F1 2026 return with Cadillac
28 Dec 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan suspects that Sergio Perez will come back “fighting fit and fairly quick” with Cadillac in F1 2026. “He finished with us struggling a little bit to keep up with his teammate,” he said of Perez. “Perhaps a year off, a bit of sunshine, reset the brain, and he’ll come back — and he’ll be fighting fit and fairly quick, I feel.”
Another of Perez’s former colleagues, Aston Martin sporting director Andy Stevenson, called the Mexican a “fantastic talent”. “I’m a huge fan of Checo, and I’d love to see him relaunch his career,” said Stevenson. “He is a fantastic talent, he’s a great race driver, and I think it would be great to see him back on the circuit again. So I’m looking forward to that.”
Simone Resta, now Mercedes’ deputy technical director, was previously a part of Haas, the most recent new team to join the F1 grid before Cadillac. He believes that Cadillac can place themselves “in the mix” in 2026.
‘Cadillac can place themselves “in the mix” in 2026’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/paul-m...quick-cadillac
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Where 'a large part of responsibility lies' in Hamilton's forgettable 2025.
“I’d say a large part of the responsibility lies with the team as well” - Luigi Mazzola, Former Michael Schumacher engineer.
27 Dec 2025
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Former Michael Schumacher engineer Luigi Mazzola has placed much of the blame for Lewis Hamilton’s disappointing 2025 season at Ferrari on the team itself. “I don’t put all the blame on Hamilton — I don’t see it as a case of saying, ‘You, Hamilton, messed everything up.’ I’d say a large part of the responsibility lies with the team as well. Because over 24 races, you simply can’t still have failed to understand how this guy drives, or at the very least not be able to give him a car that works consistently for him.”
“Everything that’s been said is true — the cultural shift, the language, the food, the procedures, whatever you like. But a driver is like a machine when he’s in the car: you tell him what this thing is doing, and he isolates himself, gets on with it, and goes.”
“The real problem comes when there’s a car he simply can’t drive. That’s what leaves me a bit puzzled. And I don’t even blame the race engineer either, who’s been under fairly heavy scrutiny, because I don’t know how much freedom a race engineer actually has when it comes to deciding what can be done to the car.”
“The real problem comes when there’s a car he simply can’t drive”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/where...rgettable-2025
F1 uncovered: A final probe into the hidden details of the Ferrari SF-25
26 Dec 2025
Matthew Somerfield
PlanetF1.com
Ferrari being behind the eight ball from the get-go made this task all the more difficult but they did make some changes throughout the course of the season to tidy up some of their weaknesses. They also worked tirelessly to find the right balance at each Grand Prix that suited each of their drivers.
‘Hidden details of the Ferrari SF-25’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1...-ferrari-sf-25
From Red Dawn to Red Flags: Hamilton’s Ferrari Reckoning
December 30, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Lewis Hamilton’s first year in red ended with a thud, not a flourish. And Martin Brundle didn’t sugarcoat it. “Not on this year’s results, no,” the Sky Sports pundit said when asked if Hamilton still has the toolkit to beat Charles Leclerc in equal machinery. Hard to argue: Ferrari’s seven podiums in 2025 all belonged to Leclerc, who outscored his new teammate by 86 points. Hamilton’s lone piece of silverware? The China Sprint. The grand prix podiums never came.
For a signing that shook the sport, the stat line is stark. Leclerc looked at ease, relentless on Saturdays and tidy on Sundays. Hamilton, by contrast, closed the year with four straight Q1 exits across sprint and grand prix sessions. That’s the sort of run that earns a thousand think pieces in Maranello, and none of them are kind.
Brundle’s broader view is less fatalistic. He doesn’t see Hamilton walking away now. With 2026 bringing a full reset—new chassis rules, new power unit architecture—the seven-time champion has the perfect excuse to play the long game. “I’d be very surprised if he just switches it off this winter,” Brundle noted. Sensible. If you’ve come this far to wear Ferrari red, you don’t quit on the eve of a rulebook revolution.
‘Hamilton’s Ferrari Reckoning’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/from-red...ari-reckoning/
Hamilton thinks Ferrari highlights are yet to come with lots of 'firsts ahead'
30 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Lewis Hamilton thinks many of his best moments with Ferrari are yet to come. When asked about his best moments, Hamilton explained that his standout moments with the Scuderia did not only come on track this year. "Highlights were the first day at the factory. My family was just there with me, driving around Fiorano for the first time, meeting the whole team for the first time." - Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton cleared of blame for a challenging 2025 season. Former Michael Schumacher engineer Luigi Mazzola believes a large part of responsibility for the Briton's difficulties lies with Ferrari. According to the Italian, the team should have done more to help Hamilton get more comfortable.
‘Ferrari highlights are yet to come’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...f-firsts-ahead
Ralf Schumacher explains how Lewis Hamilton treats him differently to Charles Leclerc in F1 paddock
29 December 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari looked like they had hit the jackpot in 2025 with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc as their drivers, but their campaign was a complete disappointment. The Maranello outfit went without a win and finished P4 in the standings, with Hamilton going without a podium for the first time in his career. Leclerc managed to secure seven podiums and a pole position, but ultimately struggled to fight the top three teams.
His teammate’s season was utterly miserable. Hamilton ‘gave up’ at Ferrari as he does not feel integrated in the team, having constantly complained about the car and the team’s operational errors. The Brit’s upgrade requests were ignored and his feedback to the team via private documents was not taken on board. Hamilton described his season as a ‘nightmare’ and his worst in F1 to date, and his body language paints a very telling picture.
Asked if he talks to Hamilton in the paddock, Schumacher told F1-Insider: “No, Lewis ignores me in the paddock. But that’s OK. The thing is, we’re different types of people. I met him for the first time back then, and he had just started Formula 1. We were still at the evening party at Lawrence Stroll’s private home. So Michael had us, yours truly, and Lewis was there too, and it was a very nice dinner. At that time, Lewis was new to Formula 1, of course, and everything was still very different, and Formula 1 does something to people. That’s just how it is.”
“Lewis ignores me in the paddock. But that’s OK”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ral...in-f1-paddock/
Alain Prost’s 1991 sacking is starting to closely mirror Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari
26 December 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Why Alain Prost got sacked by Ferrari in 1991 after calling their Formula 1 car a ‘truck’. Prost went from winning five races in 1990 to failing to stand on the top step of the podium the following year. The relationship between Prost and Ferrari started to break down, and a disagreement over strategy at the Spanish Grand Prix saw the Frenchman come out publicly and say, “If I’d had them, I could have won,” when asked about not starting on slick tyres.
At the penultimate race in Japan, Prost’s shock absorbers failed, and he said the car had been “like a horrible truck to drive,” after finishing fourth more than 80 seconds behind race winner Gerhard Berger. On top of this, Prost suggested that no one was listening to him about the issues he had with the car, and the atmosphere was ‘strictly negative’. This is despite being in negotiations with Ferrari just weeks before getting sacked about becoming the team’s sporting director in 1992, alongside his position as one of their two drivers. However, Prost was replaced for the final race in Australia by Minardi driver Gianni Morbidelli, with their relationship coming to an end.
How Alain Prost’s struggles relate to Lewis Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari. Hamilton will know exactly what Prost is talking about when it comes to the criticism of the Italian media. While Fred Vasseur and Ferrari’s poor development of the SF-25 have been targeted, Hamilton’s inability to match Leclerc for much of the season has also been a key talking point. Hamilton has been negative about his own ability rather than criticising Ferrari directly like Prost did, and has left much of the critique of the car to Leclerc, who has more credit with the team and the tifosi. Hamilton is quickly learning why Sebastian Vettel and other champions struggled at Ferrari, but he will hope that his time in Maranello ends more positively than Prost’s did.
‘Hamilton will know exactly what Prost is talking about’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...-with-ferrari/
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All you need to know about every F1 team’s 2026 launch plans.
All the dates for 2026 car, livery, and team reveals ahead of the new F1 season. F1 is braced to enter a new era with arguably the biggest regulation overhaul in the world championship’s history upon us.
1 Jan 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
The 2026 season will feature much-changed cars and engines as part of a rules reset that could shake-up the competitive order. With F1 poised to enter the unknown, there is extra excitement and intrigue surrounding each team team as they show-off their new designs ahead of the season.
There will be an air of secrecy this year given the first pre-season test at the end of January in Barcelona will take place behind-closed-doors, further fuelling the anticipation. Here is a full breakdown of every F1 team’s 2026 launch plans…
‘F1 team’s 2026 launch plans’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108823...6-launch-plans
Everything you need to know about the 2026 Formula 1 calendar
1 Jan 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
The long-awaited 2026 season is behind the corner: here’s everything you need to know about the F1 calendar for the upcoming campaign. The full breakdown of the F1 2026 calendar.
Round Date Grand Prix Location
1 Mar 06–08 Australian GP Melbourne
2 Mar 13–15 Chinese GP Shanghai
3 Mar 27–29 Japanese GP Suzuka
4 Apr 10–12 Bahrain GP Sakhir
5 Apr 17–19 Saudi Arabian GP Jeddah
6 May 01–03 Miami GP Miami
7 May 22–24 Canadian GP Montreal
8 Jun 05–07 Monaco GP Monaco
9 Jun 12–14 Spanish GP Barcelona
10 Jun 26–28 Austrian GP Spielberg
11 Jul 03–05 British GP Silverstone
12 Jul 17–19 Belgian GP Spa-Francorchamps
13 Jul 24–26 Hungarian GP Budapest
14 Aug 21–23 Dutch GP Zandvoort
15 Sep 04–06 Italian GP Monza
16 Sep 11–13 Spanish GP Madrid
17 Sep 25–27 Azerbaijan GP Baku
18 Oct 09–11 Singapore GP Singapore
19 Oct 23–25 United States GP Austin
20 Oct 30 – Nov 01 Mexican GP Mexico City
21 Nov 06–08 São Paulo GP Sao Paulo
22 Nov 19–21 Las Vegas GP Las Vegas
23 Nov 27–29 Qatar GP Lusail
24 Dec 04–06 Abu Dhabi GP Yas Marina
‘2026 Formula 1 calendar’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/every...ula-1-calendar
Every F1 track on the 2026 calendar ranked from worst to best
January 1, 2026
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk
1. Interlagos, Brazil: The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, better known as Interlagos, has everything Silverstone has – plus huge elevation changes, undulating corners and the best atmosphere from the grandstands. If there’s one thing all F1 fans can agree on, it’s that Brazil not Abu Dhabi should be the venue for the season finale. But for now, it can celebrate taking the No.1 spot on this list.
2. Silverstone, UK: Variable weather, huge crowds, high-speeds, countless overtaking opportunities and iconic corners with even more iconic names like Copse, Stowe, Maggots and Becketts.
3. Red Bull Ring, Austria: Sneaking onto the podium is this the former Osterreichring, which was saved by Red Bull and has not disappointed since returning to the calendar a decade ago. Located in the picturesque Styrian mountains, drivers not only battle each other but also fight to stay within track limits on the twisty, fast tarmac.
‘Every F1 track ranked’;
https://metro.co.uk/2026/01/01/every...o=newsnow-feed
Four ridiculously early bold predictions for the F1 2026 season
1 Jan 2026
Editor
PlanetF1.com
Watch out for Audi as a dark horse: By Henry Valantine. In both team and power unit terms, Audi F1 will arrive on the grid as the great unknown heading into 2026, but the team’s long run-up makes me think it might hit the ground running.
Pierre Gasly will win a race: By Oliver Harden. Call me crazy, but I have a good feeling about Alpine this year. The team’s disastrous 2025 belied the quiet confidence with which the team, now with a Mercedes power unit at its disposal, is approaching 2026.
Red Bull Powertrains-Ford engine delivers: By Jamie Woodhouse. F1 2026 should serve up a treat. Major chassis regulation changes are already enough to shake-up the pecking order. Add in new, 50/50 electric and biofuel engines, and that really is throwing a hand grenade into things. Mercedes is the popular pick to develop the top engine. I’m backing the Red Bull Powertrains-Ford creation to be a match for it.
Neither of the McLaren drivers will be in the top three. By Sam Cooper: As the reigning prediction champion – I will be saying this until it is no longer factually accurate – I have looked deep into my crystal ball and foresaw that neither McLaren driver will be in the top three of standings come the end of the year.
‘Bold predictions’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/ri...f1-2026-season
Lawrence Barretto’s 5 bold predictions for the 2026 season – which of these could materialise?
Ahead of the 2026 campaign, F1.com's Lawrence Barretto shares his five bold predictions for what might unfold.
1 Jan 2026
F1 Correspondent & PresenterLawrence Barretto
Formula One - Official Site
1. Mercedes will reclaim the Teams’ Championship
The ground-effect era has not been a fun time for Mercedes. The Silver Arrows entered the period in 2022 as eight-time defending World Champions, and leave it having failed to ever get on top of the rules and subsequently never contending for either title.
‘5 bold predictions’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...fvk7JLC3hO8kvT
The game-changer in F1's 2026 fuel revolution
Jan 1, 2026
Edd Straw
The Race
History of Race Fuels from 1950 to today: So what exactly are Advanced Sustainable race fuels and how big a challenge is their development? Nobody is better placed to explain that than Shell’s Principal Scientist for Motorsports, Valeria Loreti.
History of Race Fuels from 1950 to today: So what exactly are Advanced Sustainable race fuels and how big a challenge is their development? Nobody is better placed to explain that than Shell’s Principal Scientist for Motorsports, Valeria Loreti.
Shell and Ferrari: How the innovation partnership comes to life from factory to track: While the key change to the fuels is in the origin of the components and sustainability of the entire process, with the supply chain certified by the FIA, the fuel itself will ideally be similar to what is currently used.
‘The game-changer’;
https://www.the-race.com/promoted/ga...el-revolution/
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Gary Anderson fears F1’s 2026 rules may destroy years of progress.
"I am not optimistic that these regulations will work as intended or at all,” Gary Anderson warned in a column published in The Telegraph. “In fact, the teams could be faced with a series of difficult problems to solve throughout the season.”
30/12/2025
Phillip van Osten
Crash.Net
Formula 1 is bracing itself for one of the most dramatic rule changes in its history, but not everyone is convinced the sport is heading in the right direction. Gary Anderson’s biggest fear is the competitive spread. The tightly packed grid F1 just enjoyed may be a distant memory.
Gary Anderson warned in a column published in The Telegraph “I would not be surprised to see some teams at least three or four seconds off the pace at the first Grand Prix next year because the new regulations are so complicated and overly technical.” That kind of gap would be a seismic step backwards for a sport that finished 2025 with just 1.6 seconds separating the slowest car in Q1 from the fastest in Q3. “Even now we see cars ‘clipping’ at the end of the straight,” Anderson explained.
“That means there is not enough power in the battery to deploy extra grunt at high speed – and that is with only 20 per cent electrical power. What will it be like with 50 per cent?” For drivers, this could be deeply frustrating. “It is always crucial to give the driver the power when he needs it,” he added. “When he puts his foot down to the floor he wants full power, on average this is between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the lap. I think this has the potential to be the biggest issue in 2026.”
‘Not optimistic that these regulations will work’;
https://f1i.com/news/556903-gary-and...-progress.html
Which F1 team is under the most pressure heading into the 2026 season?
All teams will have to endure the weight of expectation in F1 2026, but which is under the most pressure to perform?
1 January 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
McLaren’s return to the front has raised expectations considerably. After proving it can win races again, the pressure is on to show that success is sustainable through a regulation reset. A step backwards in 2026 would cast doubt over its long-term trajectory. Mercedes cannot afford another slow start to a new regulatory era. Its reputation as an engine powerhouse sets high expectations for 2026, but rivals are better prepared than ever. A misstep could see Mercedes lose its position as a reference point in Formula 1.
Red Bull faces one of its biggest technical challenges yet as it introduces its first in-house power unit, developed with Ford. The risk is significant: success would underline its operational excellence, while early struggles would invite questions over timing and ambition. By contrast, its second team, Racing Bulls, could be considered under the least pressure, with expectations naturally lower.
Ferrari enters 2026 with the weight of history firmly on its shoulders. Armed with vast resources and full works status, it is expected to fight for championships. Failure to capitalise on a fresh start under new power unit rules would intensify scrutiny from all sides.
‘The weight of expectation’;
https://racingnews365.com/which-f1-t...he-2026-season
The F1 drivers who need a big season in 2026
January 1, 2026
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine
As Formula 1 resets for 2026, it’s a moment of reckoning for some drivers whose racing career has reached a crunch point.
Lewis Hamilton: Perhaps no driver arrives at the 2026 reset with more to prove, or more to lose, than Lewis Hamilton.
Oscar Piastri: Oscar Piastri’s 2025 season was strong enough to confirm his status as a genuine championship-level driver, yet awkward enough to raise the stakes heading into 2026.
Isack Hadjar: Few drivers will face a steeper learning curve in 2026 than Isack Hadjar.
Charles Leclerc: Charles Leclerc doesn’t enter 2026 under pressure because of anything he failed to do.
Kimi Antonelli: Kimi Antonelli’s rookie season in 2025 was always going to be uneven, and it largely unfolded that way: flashes of speed and composure offset by errors that underlined just how steep the step into F1 remains.
Franco Colapinto; Franco Colapinto enters 2026 with less margin for error than almost anyone else on the grid.
‘Moment of reckoning’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1
The one area Ferrari is exercising caution on for 2026 F1 reset
January 1, 2026
Fleur Rogerson
Motorsport Week
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has already been open about how car development will play a significant role in the pecking order under the new regulations. With that, he specifies that the cost cap will be a key player in the title contenders. “I think the driver of the introduction of upgrades won’t be the capacity to develop into the wind tunnel,” Vasseur told media including Motorsport Week. “The driver of the introduction of upgrades will be the cost cap.”
“It means we will have to be clever to make good use of the budget that we have for development, and to cope with this budget to introduce upgrades. For sure, the sooner the better and the more important the better on this. But it’s not a given that if you start to introduce four or five upgrades in the first couple of races… if you have to send a floor to Japan or to China, you are burning half of your budget on development,” he said.
“It means we will need to be clever in the plan, perhaps to develop sometimes more in the wind tunnel and to introduce in race three or four, when we are going back to Bahrain. It’s a question we’ll have to deal with; we’ll have to deal with it in the future, on a day-to-day basis, seeing on one end what we are getting from the wind tunnel and what the cost of the development is.”
'Car development ';
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...2026-f1-reset/
Two F1 teams kickstart year with new logos for the 2026 season
1 Jan 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Mercedes: The classic Mercedes three-pointed star remains the main feature of the German team's logo, but it is now completely white. The team of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli does not yet have an announced launch date for the 2026 campaign.
Haas F1: Starting with the 2026 season, Haas will have Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) as the team's title sponsor, replacing MoneyGram. The duo's partnership began in 2024, and together they carried out the team's first TPC programmes in the 2025 season. Now, the 'TGR' abbreviation has a more prominent position in the team's logo as well.
‘Kickstart year’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/two-f...he-2026-season
F1: Aston Martin and Honda’s secret weapon for 2026
1 Jan 2026
Last Word On Sports
After flying high in the first eight rounds of 2023, Aston Martin have spent two seasons in the midfield. For a team with title aspirations, these results have been unsatisfactory. To change Aston Martin’s fortunes, team owner Lawrence Stroll has facilitated a series of key acquisitions. Adrian Newey, Enrico Cardile and Andy Cowell are among the heavy-hitters at the Silverstone outfit.
Looking ahead to 2026, one of the team’s biggest challenges will be operating as a manufacturer for the first time. Aston’s partnership with Honda is integral, and has already prompted structural adjustments for 2026. However, an often overlooked but nonetheless crucial player is Aston’s fuel supplier – Aramco.
Newey, Cardile and Cowell hard at work. Evidently, power unit development is just one aspect of the upcoming 2026 season. Aston Martin must deliver a pioneering aerodynamic package if they are to reach their objectives. This is where Adrian Newey is expected to make a difference. The 66-year-old works with Enrico Cardile, who was previously Ferrari’s Technical Director.
‘Secret weapon’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...apon-for-2026/
Aston Martin passes essential hurdle in 2026 F1 preparations
1 Jan 2026
Motorsport Week
Aston Martin‘s preparations for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign are continuing at pace as the team has fired up its 2026 car. Along with Newey, Fernando Alonso will be hoping that his own second spell with Honda will give him the chance to return to the top step in 2026. “I’m optimistic, because it’s a reset of things. You know, everyone has the chance to do a better job than the others,” Alonso told media including Motorsport Week.
“We start from scratch, so that’s one thing that offers always hope. We have our new facilities completed now, we have our own wind tunnel. We have Honda as engine supplier – and only for us. Aramco, Adrian Newey… so we have some good things to be optimistic [about], but this is a very competitive sport, and everyone is doing a very good job. So we’ll see.”
“I’m relaxed. You know, it’s a long championship ahead. I think a lot of things will happen in the first three or four months of the year, when you discover the cars and which direction and philosophy everyone took, you learn a lot of things in the first two or three races. So, you know, I think we have the right people and the right facilities and environment to have a good season. So it’s up to us.”
“I’m optimistic… … I’m relaxed”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...-preparations/
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Former F1 team boss warns of “outliers” at start of 2026 car era.
“In the beginning, there will be some outliers — some very fast cars, and maybe somebody will get it completely wrong and be slow for a year or two.” Guenther Steiner.
25 Dec 2025
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net
Former Haas Formula 1 team boss Guenther Steiner believes there will be “outliers” at the beginning of the new car era in 2026, which someone “will get completely wrong”. “The aerodynamic rules, the chassis rules are changing, the cars get smaller and get completely different new power units,” he told Lottoland. “There is changeable aerodynamics — on the straight, you can take downforce away, so you reduce drag and go faster.”
“I have no idea who will be good, who will be bad. It’s a completely new game — nobody knows, not even the teams, because the teams only know their own car. Some people will get it right, and some people will not get it so right. The people not getting it right will need to catch up. Formula 1 always needs a change in regulations, because otherwise all the cars end up the same and you stop developing technology.”
“With the next generation of cars, sustainable fuels are being developed for the combustion engine. That could be huge for normal people on the road. Combustion engines will change, but with better, sustainable fuels, they can still have a future. Change is good. People reinvent themselves, put a lot of effort in it, and it keeps it interesting.”
“Outliers”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108822...t-2026-car-era
F1’s 2026 Reset: Ocon Predicts Rally-Car Mayhem
January 1, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Esteban Ocon isn’t dressing up what’s coming. With Formula 1’s next rulebook set to rip up the playbook in 2026, the Haas driver says the new cars will feel so different it’ll be like “jumping from an F1 car to a rally car.” That’s more than a line for effect. The 2026 chassis and power unit overhaul will dial back ground-effect dependence, layer in moveable aerodynamics, and lean harder on electrical energy deployment. Expect higher straight-line speeds and a hit to mid-corner performance, with energy management pushed right to the heart of racecraft. It’s a new game, not just a new level.
“It’s like if you jump from an F1 car to a rally car next year, pretty much, it’s that different,” Ocon told media, underlining just how far the pendulum is swinging. The move away from floor-driven downforce should soften the brutal ride that’s defined this ground-effect era, but it’s also likely to reshape how drivers approach every phase of a lap. The honest answer, though, is that nobody truly knows yet what the racing will look like. Teams are deep in their simulations, each working in isolation.
Those single-team models can’t replicate how a whole grid of rival concepts interacts once the lights go out. That uncertainty is a breeding ground for bold design bets—and early gaps. History says a fresh ruleset can scatter the pack. While the last cycle eventually compressed the midfield, 2026 opens the door for someone to nail a concept first and bank points while everyone else reverse-engineers the idea. Equally, the field has never been quicker at spotting and copying what works. Expect winners and losers early; expect convergence later.
‘Rally-Car Mayhem’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/f1s-2026...ly-car-mayhem/
Major F1 2026 design change prompts rally car comparison
1 Jan 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
Esteban Ocon likened the difference between the ground effect generation of cars and those set to be introduced for F1 2026 to like jumping into a rally car. That will be complemented by a different style of racing, with energy management predicted to play a far more significant role.
Such a significant change in the shape of the on-track action has generated strong opinions from the drivers. “It’s like if you jump from an F1 car to a rally car next year, pretty much, it’s that different,” he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media.
However, it’s also likely any such discoveries will quickly be made by their rivals, while the pack will take time understanding the nuances of their new machines. “There are going to be much bigger issues than that, I think, to tackle initially,” said Ocon, referencing a braking issue he struggled with in the latter stages of F1 2025.
‘F1 2026… …jumping into a rally car’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/major-...car-comparison
Mercedes are ‘bothered’ by one emerging doubt about George Russell’s 2026 F1 car in the simulator
2 January 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
According to FunoAnalisiTecnica, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is striving to lower the expectations about their car for the new rules. Despite the widely held belief that Mercedes will create the best engine for the 2026 F1 regulations, questions remain about their chassis. In particular, Mercedes’ simulator tests with their 2026 F1 regulations car have revealed one question about the handling of their new challenger that is now ‘bothering’ the team.
Their simulator cannot sufficiently replicate the physical sensations when their car begins to slide. Mercedes hope George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli can start to give them ‘important’ answers about the handling of their 2026 car when pre-season testing begins behind closed doors in Barcelona on January 26-30, before testing in Bahrain on February 11-13 and 18-20.
Mercedes’ questions about their 2026 F1 rules car could encourage McLaren. Mercedes are in the final stages of designing their car for the 2026 F1 regulations, which the Brackley crew will only truly know whether it is a title-challenging package when the season starts in Australia on March 6-8. Qualifying in Melbourne will see the first real pecking order.
‘Simulator cannot sufficiently replicate the physical sensations when their car begins to slide’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mer...the-simulator/
Ferrari set for radical multi-version 2026 F1 car approach
RacingNews365's technical analyst Paolo Filisetti takes a look at the two versions of car Ferrari will introduce at the start of the 2026 F1 regulations.
29 December 2025
Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365
Ferrari has confirmed that its 2026 Formula 1 car will be unveiled on 23 January, as the Scuderia aims to leave behind the limitations that plagued the SF-25 last season. Across the paddock, teams have committed substantial resources to interpreting the revised regulations, with each constructor seeking to exploit every available performance opportunity from the outset.
However, this aggressive development approach carries inherent risks given the fundamental nature of the changes. The regulatory overhaul effectively requires teams to start with a near-blank canvas, with limited carry-over knowledge from the current generation of machinery.
This challenge is compounded by reduced development time, particularly affecting the implementation of unconventional solutions across multiple car systems, from internal fluid dynamics to comprehensive aerodynamic packages. Fred Vasseur has confirmed that Ferrari's launch-spec car will differ substantially from the machine that takes to the grid in Melbourne.
‘Radical multi-version 2026 F1 car’;
https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-se...1-car-approach
Toto Wolff makes a ‘fascinating’ prediction after seeing Mercedes’ 2026 F1 rules car in the simulator
21 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
During the Mercedes team principal’s end-of-year review on the team’s official YouTube channel, Wolff was asked for his expectations on the new season of racing… He said, “We had a very successful spell over those years. We won eight championships, but we had difficult years that followed. One era ends, an era that we will be looking back on with a lot of positive memories. But now we are starting in the real hybrid era. We are driving 50% electric engines with sustainable fuel. And that almost gives it one notch of innovation more.”
“And I just came out of the simulator watching the car drive. It’s going to be fascinating.” Then asked to elaborate, Wolff added, “It adds a completely new dimension, of which you don’t lose that real racing. But energy deployment will be playing a massive part, and the intelligence of a driver, the driver who puts a lot of work into the preparation for the weekend. Just talk to them, they like it.” In response to a statement that says Mercedes will be strong, he replied, “Well, I would very much hope so, but I’m a notorious pessimist. The glass is always half empty, rather than half full.”
“And we’ve set ourselves targets on the power unit and the same on the chassis. Whether those targets were ambitious enough, whether we have missed the trick, whether our execution is going to be as faultless as it should be. I don’t know. We’re going to see some glimpses of performance balance in testing late in January and then in Bahrain, obviously. But I think the name of the game is going to be the constant development of the tools throughout the season.”
“Energy deployment will be playing a massive part, and the intelligence of a driver”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/tot...the-simulator/
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McLaren have found a 2026 secret weapon that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will both benefit from.
Mercedes are being touted as having the best power unit next year, but whether that’s actually the case will only be known once all 11 teams take to the track.
31 December 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
If the Mercedes-powered teams do have an advantage, then McLaren will need to find an extra edge over Mercedes, Williams and Alpine. A piece of business they did at the end of the season could prove to be the difference after signing Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli. Fornaroli has been tipped for an F1 seat, and while that’s not going to arrive immediately with McLaren, he could be essential to Andrea Stella’s team returning to the top of the standings.
Why Leonardo Fornaroli could be so important to McLaren next season. The Italian has proven to be incredibly consistent, and if his feedback is as impressive as believed, then he could be crucial to the development war that’s set to play out in 2026. Many teams believe that the rate of improvement next season is going to be rapid, with all 11 teams quickly learning from each other. Having someone as detail-focused as Fornaroli in the simulator, constantly testing new parts and configurations, could end up being the secret weapon that McLaren need to win a third consecutive championship.
‘Find an extra edge’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mcl...-benefit-from/
F1 world champion Lando Norris has shockingly been snubbed by King Charles as tradition broken
31 Dec 2026
Christopher Durning
Give Me Sport
The dust has settled on a historic Formula 1 season for Lando Norris after victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix saw the British driver crowned world champion following a dramatic win in the final race of the campaign. Following victory in Abu Dhabi, however, Norris hasn't had a great deal else to celebrate after missing out on BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which ended up being won by golfer Rory McIlroy after securing the elusive fifth Major of his career at Augusta in The Masters. Norris would end up placing third in the public vote behind second-placed England Women's rugby star Ellie Kildunne.
It wasn't just SPOTY where Norris was snubbed, though, as a tradition has seemingly been broken by none other than King Charles. Now, the 2025 New Year's Honours List has been revealed with one notable absentee from those in line for a gong from Buckingham Palace. Norris has sensationally been left off the list following his dramatic victory in the hotly-contested final race of the season that saw the British driver secure the title by the finest of margins.
‘Tradition broken’;
https://www.givemesport.com/f1-world...dition-broken/
Norris 'Royally' snubbed as British crown keeps him out of prestigious list
30 Dec 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
It is customary for British F1 champions to appear on the Royal New Years Honours list. However, Britain's most recent Formula One champion, McLaren driver Lando Norris' name was absent. It was customary that after a British driver won their first Formula One championship they would be awarded an MBE or an OBE, as marked more recently by Damon Hill in 1996, Hamilton in 2008 and Jenson Button in 2009, with Hamilton being knighted in 2020 after services in diversity and motorsport.
‘Norris 'Royally' snubbed’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/norri...estigious-list
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri told the simple reason McLaren could be ‘a step ahead’ in 2026
2 January 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
McLaren’s ‘good group of people’ will put them ‘a step ahead’ under F1’s 2026 regulations. Mercedes are widely expected to develop the best 2026 F1 rules engine, which could be key for the new era owing to the increase in electrical power from a 20/80 split with combustion up to 50/50. F1 is even introducing active aero for the first time to aid the new engine rules.
Mike Hezemans also feels McLaren will “especially” be a “step ahead” of their rivals like Red Bull and Ferrari in 2026, as the Woking natives showed in 2025 that they have built a strong team. So, Hezemans is already backing Norris or Piastri to win the first Grand Prix in 2026. Hezemans told RacingNews365: “I think McLaren will win the Grand Prix in Australia. I think Mercedes can also reach the podium with Russell, or even with Antonelli.”
“After that, I think Ferrari and Red Bull are a bit behind… I think Mercedes and McLaren are simply a step ahead of the rest. McLaren, especially, because they currently have such a good group of people who work so well together. They built such a good car that I think they can continue that into next year.”
‘A step ahead’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lan...ahead-in-2026/
Norris assesses F1 future: ‘It’s all downhill from here!’
30/12/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Three weeks after the champagne dried in Abu Dhabi and the reality of a first Formula 1 world title began to sink in, Lando Norris has had time to reflect on a 2025 season that delivered everything at once. And with the perspective that only hindsight (and a gold trophy) can provide, the newly crowned champion has reached a typically Norris conclusion: it’s all “downhill from here.”
Looking back in an interview with BBC Sport on a season that delivered just about everything at once, Norris summed it up with a grin: “They're really the best runs,” Norris said of his British Grand Prix, Monaco Grand Prix and championship wins. “Just downhill from here,” he added with a smile. The man waited years for this moment – and immediately joked himself into retirement.
“I would have loved to make my life a bit easier, winning earlier next time. But it's always more exciting when it goes down to the final race, final few laps. It's more exciting for everyone, for you guys, most of all. But I won ones that people have dreamt of winning. They are some of the most incredible ones.” Among those dream victories, Monaco stood out—not just for the prestige, but for what it unlocked emotionally. “The lap I did in Monaco in quali was the only other time probably in the last 10 years that I cried a little bit over something. Because there I proved myself wrong.”
‘Typically Norris conclusion’;
https://f1i.com/news/556934-norris-a...from-here.html
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Mercedes “on track” to meet 2026 targets – Toto Wolff.
Mercedes pleased with 2026 trajectory, downplay chances of dominance. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has spent the last few weeks doing expectation management.
02 Jan 2026
Last Word On Sports
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has spent the last few weeks doing expectation management. Not for the first time, Wolff’s Silver Arrows are viewed as the team to watch heading into a new set of regulations. Primarily, the anticipation for Mercedes in F1 2026 stems from their power unit development. The overwhelming consensus is that the Mercedes engine will be superior to its rivals. This includes new manufacturers like Audi and established ones like Ferrari or Honda.
When discussing the team’s 2026 development, Wolff admits key objectives are being hit. Still, he denies that Mercedes are in a position to dominate. Speaking to the media at the end of 2025, Toto Wolff outlined his outlook on the upcoming season: “It is super difficult to predict, because we set ourselves targets that we are on track to meet. But whether those targets we set were ambitious enough, and whether those targets have been set in the right place in terms of priorities, only the future will show…”
“In 2014, I had the feeling already in the winter. When we were the first ones running a full car dyno, the engine was more reliable than with others. And on day 1 of testing, nobody did the laps we did – and it was the same on day 2. So it is not comparable, I would say that the grid is just much more competitive than it was in previous years.”
‘Expectation management’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ts-toto-wolff/
Why Mercedes went from F1 dominator to four years of failure
Jan 3, 2026
Edd Straw
The Race
Mercedes is tipped by many to be back on top in Formula 1 for the start of the new regulations era in 2026… However, there are also doubts. That’s because Mercedes failed to conquer the ground-effect regulations of 2022 to 2025. It will only be by avoiding the mistakes that blighted the past four years, when it was only the fourth-most-successful team in terms of results, that it can live up to its prodigious potential.
And everyone in the team knows that, as the difficulties of the past four years leave no room for complacency. “I’m never confident,” said team principal Toto Wolff. “I’m a glass-half-empty person, so we’ll just do everything we can that is in our power to come out with a car, with a power unit that is competitive enough to fight for a world championship.”
“We got off to a wrong start,” said Wolff of Mercedes' problems under the 2022-25 rules. “We tried to solve it problem by problem and while peeling off and sorting these problems, new problems occurred and we were never able to correlate and understand.”
Mistake 1 - Making a bad start
Mistake 2 - Tricked by false dawns
Mistake 3 - Development errors
Mistake 4 - Not copying others
“I’m never confident,” said team principal Toto Wolff. “I’m a glass-half-empty person…”;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...rs-of-failure/
Antonelli reveals dream scenario amid promising Mercedes verdict
2 Jan 2026
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Kimi Antonelli has revealed his hopes for a 2014-style introduction to the new Formula 1 regulations, which would be the “dream” scenario for him. Testing will provide the first indicator of how the field may stack up heading into the Australian Grand Prix, but Antonelli, heading into his sophomore season in Formula 1, admitted his team getting the jump on the rest of the field would be the ideal scenario for him.
“I mean, hopefully it would be like 2014 – will be the dream,” Antonelli told PlanetF1.com and others. “But you never know. I think these are even bigger regulation changes than 2014 because, also on the chassis side, aerodynamic side, everything is changing – but I have full trust in Mercedes, in the work they’ve been doing.”
“I’ve been spending quite a lot of time at the factory, seeing the progress in the wind tunnel, also going to HPP [High Performance Powertrains], seeing the progress on the dyno. So definitely, it looks promising, but we don’t know what the others are doing, and I think the most important [thing], when we go for the first test in Barcelona, [is] having a reliable car, being able to put the laps in, and then make the most learning.”
‘The “dream” scenario’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kimi-a...dream-scenario
The FIA have accidentally given one F1 team a ‘head start’ over Mercedes for the 2026 season
3 January 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
Aston Martin were given a ‘head start’ on the new regulations through their fuel supplier, Aramco. According to a report from Grada3, Aramco provided data from initial tests that were commissioned by the FIA regarding the new synthetic fuel that will power Formula 1 engines in the new era of regulations.
Aramco is the sole supplier of Aston Martin and has been providing their fuel in F1’s junior categories, Formula 2 and Formula 3, since 2023. In one example given in the report, the boost could compensate for ‘the advantage’ that Mercedes and Red Bull have gained through their compression ratio tweak. Ferrari have already brought this ‘loophole’ to the attention of the FIA.
Given Honda’s recent experience of being the benchmark for F1 engine manufacturers through their success with Max Verstappen and Red Bull, they reportedly have ‘many areas’ in which they can make up for the deficit that is posed by the Silver Arrows’ ‘trick’. The report concludes by saying Aramco’s fuel is Aston Martin and Honda’s ‘ace up their sleeve’, which bodes well for the title hopes of the British constructor and the man who has been eluded by a third world title since 2006, Fernando Alonso.
‘Ace up their sleeve’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/the...e-2026-season/
Mercedes hasn’t missed Hamilton in the car since his move to Ferrari
31 Dec 2025
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com
Mercedes has shown little sign of suffering following Lewis Hamilton’s departure in 2025. Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin explained why the team believes Kimi Antonelli is a worthy successor to the seven-time world champion.
Mercedes absorbed losing Hamilton. However, Shovlin explained that Mercedes’ development process is far less dependent on driver feedback than many might assume. "I mean to be honest, with George, it’s fine," the Briton said in response to GPblog’s question. “The bigger point is we don't really develop a car predominantly on what the driver is telling us. Most of it will come from simulations, you're searching for downforce, you're searching for certain balance characteristics that you know will deliver lap time, you're trying to reduce drag.”
"You're developing suspension characteristics that can put the car in a better aerodynamic window. So the vast majority of it isn't the driver saying ‘I need this’ and us rushing off and trying to find it. It's very, very helpful that you have the consistent element of George in the car. He's known these cars through this regulation set. So there was never really any worry of would we lose our way from a development point of view. And as I said, Kimi's great at telling you what the car's doing. So there's no bit there that needed work on.”
‘Mercedes absorbed losing Hamilton’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/features/m...ove-to-ferrari
Juan Pablo Montoya explains why Toto Wolff may lose interest in bringing Max Verstappen to Mercedes
2 January 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
During the height of Red Bull’s turmoil in 2025, it looked like Max Verstappen would potentially leave Milton Keynes for greener pastures at the Austrian constructor’s fierce rivals, Mercedes. Rumours of Max Verstappen holidaying in the vicinity of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff sent the links into overdrive, which was later debunked by Red Bull sources.
However, speculation of a potential partnership between the two parties is ever-present, but former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes the Austrian executive may start to lose interest in a move in the coming months. On a recent episode of the MontoyAS podcast, he said, “I think so, but the complicated thing is that George and Antonelli are both starting to do a very good job. If they both do a good job, they won’t need Max.”
Now, it does beg the question of whether Verstappen’s talents deserve more than what an in-form driver can offer. On the other hand, Antonelli is still only 19 years old, and it is all still possible for his talents to potentially usurp those of Verstappen in future years, albeit being very unlikely. Aston Martin is also a potential option for Max Verstappen if he opts to depart Red Bull.
‘Toto Wolff may lose interest’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jua...n-to-mercedes/
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Former Red Bull Head of Race Strategy, Will Courtenay, has completed his long-awaited switch to Formula 1 rivals McLaren as Sporting Director.
Courtenay, who has held various roles at the Milton Keynes-based squad since its inception, was announced to be moving as far back as September 2024.
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...ch-to-mclaren/
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Ford issues response to Toto Wolff’s ‘Mount Everest’ Red Bull engine claim.
Wolff described it as a “Mount Everest” project for the new engine manufacturer, and while Rushbrook does not argue that, he believes that Red Bull-Ford is “in a good place” ahead of the hotly-anticipated new season.
30 Dec 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull takes the plunge in becoming an engine manufacturer for the first time, working alongside Ford, Toto Wolff spoke of the enormity of the challenge. “This project is like climbing Mount Everest,” said Wolff about Red Bull Powertrains-Ford, when speaking with De Telegraaf. “They are taking on manufacturers with decades of experience. But everyone joked when Red Bull entered the sport too. It was like an energy drink manufacturer taking on Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren. Well, they’ve won quite a lot. But given the complexity of the engines, I do think it will be a huge challenge for them.”
Rushbrook responded to Wolff’s comments when speaking with Motorsport.com. “What Toto said is true, right?” Rushbrook stated. “It’s true in the sense that this is new a start-up. But, it’s a combination of people coming in from different programs. We think we’re in a good place, but we will only see the full picture once we’re on track.” Should Red Bull-Ford see any deficit on the internal combustion engine compared to rivals, Rushbrook believes “it would only be slight.
“Because yes, existing engine manufacturers have all those years of experience, but it’s still a bit different again with these rules for 2026. And we’ve got a lot of experienced people that came in from other programs to find it together. So even if we’re a little bit behind with the combustion engine, we don’t think it’s going to be by much, and we’ll make up for it in everything else.”
“This project is like climbing Mount Everest”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ford-t...ll-engine-true
Ford reveal additional contribution to Max Verstappen's new Red Bull.
The expanded partnership represents the natural result of two technical organisations working closely together rather than any admission of deficiency from Red Bull's side.
2 January 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
Initially, the American manufacturer was expected to focus primarily on the electrical components that will become increasingly crucial under the new hybrid regulations. "The initial list focused on the electrical part of the engine: the battery, inverter, software, calibration, et cetera," Ford performance director Mark Rushbrook told Motorsport.com. "That was on our initial list, and we certainly delivered in that area.”
"But what we didn't expect at first, and what wasn't a priority for us at the beginning, was about the internal combustion engine. That has changed as the program has gone along, as our schedule with the road cars has also changed. In terms of the plans with our road cars, we are still going ahead with internal combustion engines now, in addition to hybrids and all-electric cars," Rushbrook added. "As a result, it has gradually become more and more important to be involved in the internal combustion engine in Formula 1 as well."
"While we were working on the electric side and seeing what was happening with the internal combustion engine, we also saw opportunities on the internal combustion engine side to contribute," he said. "From then on, parts for that internal combustion engine were actually made in Dearborn. Those parts are even made and shipped daily."
‘The expanded partnership’;
https://racingnews365.com/ford-revea...n-new-red-bull
Red Bull’s Quiet Rebrand Hints at Ford-Powered Reckoning
January 2, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Red Bull’s new bull: subtle logo tweak hints at bigger shifts for the Ford era. Red Bull has quietly rolled out a refreshed team logo ahead of F1’s 2026 reset, a small visual nudge that carries a lot of meaning as the team prepares to build and race its own power units with Ford. The update won’t knock your socks off at first glance. The charging bulls and the core wordmark stay put, but the “Red Bull” lettering now wears a crisp white outline for the first time since the mid-2010s. It’s a knowing wink to an era of glossy, deep-blue cars and silverware by the truckload — and a departure from the matte navy aesthetic that’s defined the team since 2016.
Online, the tweak set off the usual livery guessing game. Nostalgia-heavy fans are already lobbying for a full throwback: darker, shinier, angrier. They may have an ally in the cockpit. Max Verstappen, a four-time World Champion, has previously pushed for a return to the “shiny” finish on the team’s own podcast, making the case that after so many matte iterations, it’s time to spice things up.
There’s timing to all of this. Red Bull heads into 2026 with a brand-new heartbeat. After ending its title-winning spell with Honda at the conclusion of 2025, the team flips the switch to Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Ford — the first full works engine project in its history. The logo refresh is the first public breadcrumb of that new identity, with a more comprehensive reveal to follow at Ford’s season-launch event in Detroit on January 15, where Red Bull and Racing Bulls are expected to lift the covers on their 2026 liveries.
‘Quiet Rebrand’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/red-bull...red-reckoning/
Red Bull receives additional help from Ford on a crucial '26 engine component
3 Jan 2026
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com
The collaboration between Red Bull Powertrains and Ford is proving to be more extensive than originally planned. Ford was originally meant to focus on the electric side of the F1 power unit, including the battery and software. “That was primarily the list, and that has certainly been delivered. But what we didn't expect, and what wasn't a priority for us initially, was the combustion engine,” he explains to Motorsport.com.
“As we were working on the electric part of it, and we saw what was going on with the combustion engine, we saw an opportunity to participate and contribute,” he explains. Rushbrook says that Ford's additional involvement did not happen because Red Bull had issues. He explains that collaboration between the two engineering teams can move the project forward.
“It wasn't necessarily that things were lacking, but as you have the technical minds together, and they're working on certain things, they overhear or get asked questions. What would Ford do in this situation? And that's where we were able to say, we can actually help, and we have been able to contribute to that part.” Later this month, the new Formula 1 power units will be tested on track for the first time at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The test, which will take place behind closed doors, should reveal where the Red Bull Ford power unit stands compared to its rivals.
‘Additional help’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-b...he-2026-engine
‘We don’t see it as a landing point’ – Mekies sets out expectations for Hadjar at Red Bull in 2026
With Isack Hadjar confirmed as Max Verstappen's Red Bull team mate in 2026, Team Principal Laurent Mekies has revealed what the squad will be hoping to see from the Frenchman.
1 Jan 2026
Formula One - Official Site
Laurent Mekies has shared an insight into Red Bull’s expectations for Isack Hadjar as the French driver prepares to make the step up from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen at the squad in 2026. Reflecting back on how Hadjar performed in 2025, Mekies explained: “Isack has had an unbelievable first season. There is no doubt that in terms of starting point – so where he started in January – the starting point was outstanding.
“Then we are strong believers not only in the raw talent, but also the ability of the drivers to develop. We have seen so many champions developing through the years, doing things that they had not done in the car a few races before. We've seen that with Isack this year too. We’ve seen him making stuff in the car that he was not doing three races before.”
“We see it as another start for him to continue to develop, to continue to impress us, to continue to surprise us. And you will expect that in the second year. You will expect that in the third year, perhaps in the fourth year. So that's a little bit the journey for us together.”
‘Expectations’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...XqW8JiBvZ5PFQc
Verstappen delivers on 2025 promise with helmet gift for Sergio Perez
1 Jan 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen delivered on his word to give Sergio Perez a helmet, completing their swap. "Thank you for being a great teammate and friend." - Max Verstappen to Sergio Perez
During the press conference at this year’s Austrian Grand Prix, the four-time Formula 1 world champion was asked a question about an interview Perez gave regarding the 2022 season. Verstappen explained that the Mexican's words were misinterpreted. He said at the time: "I have a lot of respect for him, he has a lot of respect for me. That’s it from my side.”
"I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing him again soon in the paddock. I still need to give him a helmet of mine – I promised him that, because he gave me one of his with a very nice message on it.”
‘completing their swap’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...r-sergio-perez
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Ferrari stirs engine ruckus over Mercedes and Red Bull at FIA.
Ferrari is continuing efforts to have a Mercedes and Red Bull engine solution banned ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, despite repeated attempts failing so far.
31 Dec 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Mercedes, and reportedly Red Bull Ford, are understood to be using a design that increases the cylinder compression ratio beyond the stated 16.0:1 limit once the engine reaches operating temperature.
While the regulations set the limit, the measurement is taken when the engine is cold, allowing components to expand when warm and increase compression within the rules. The solution is reported to deliver up to four tenths of a second per lap, placing Ferrari, Audi and Honda at a disadvantage.
The FIA has so far approved the engines, having been involved throughout development and homologation. Ferrari is said to be lobbying for regulatory intervention after several races, with speculation that a protest could be lodged at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
‘Ferrari stirs engine ruckus’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/general/fe...ed-bull-at-fia
Ferrari are now lobbying the FIA about Mercedes using a ‘loophole’ in the 2026 F1 engine regulations
19 December 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
A huge storm is now brewing in the F1 world ahead of the 2026 regulations, as Ferrari are concerned that Mercedes have already found a ‘loophole’ in the new engine rules. Mercedes are widely expected to have the best 2026 F1 regulations engine and return to the front of the field, after struggling throughout the ground-effect era from 2022-2025. But how Mercedes have designed their 2026 engine has triggered the alarm at Ferrari.
Ferrari fear Mercedes have found a 2026 F1 engine rules ‘trick’ worth three-tenths of a second. That is according to Motorsport-Magazin, which reports that a dispute between the engine manufacturers has been ‘raging for some time’ due to how some have interpreted the new rules. So, Ferrari, Honda and Audi are now lobbying the FIA to put an end to the ‘loophole’. Mercedes have widely been expected to be the F1 team that adapts to the new engine rules the best for some time.
In contrast, there have often been concerns that Ferrari’s engine for the 2026 F1 regulations will be behind the eight ball when the new power unit rules arrive. Additionally, it is now being reported that there are concerns about the reliability of Ferrari’s 2026 rules engine, with the Maranello squad frantically working to avoid starting the year at a disadvantage. Also, Red Bull’s 2026 engine is expected to be off the pace by two-tenths. If Mercedes have, indeed, found a loophole that will give them as much of an advantage as three-tenths of a second a lap, then the Silver Arrows and engine customer teams McLaren and Williams will expect to dominate when the 2026 season starts in Australia on March 8.
‘Concerns about the reliability of Ferrari’s 2026 rules engine’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...e-regulations/
Williams boss accuses ‘one team and PU manufacturer’ of creating F1 2026 engine ‘narrative’
1 Jan 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Williams boss James Vowles said no manufacturer knows where they really stand, and that one rival created a “narrative to push some changes” regarding the engines. Vowles added: “No one knows, no one of any engine manufacturer, where they’re going to fall out. And part of the speculation that appeared, I think, was one team and PU manufacturer trying to create a narrative to push some changes, to be completely clear.”
“But no one really knows. I strongly doubt that Ferrari have done a poor job. They’re very good at getting this right year on year as well. Honda this year have produced a benchmark engine as well. So, I don’t think it’s going to be like 2014 where you have such a runaway that you can have all the teams carried with it.”
“I think Mercedes, we’ve been working specifically on 2026 with them since early 2024 when we signed the agreement. And what I can say is they’ve done good preparation. Let’s see what that translates to. In terms of our aspirations, I think top three, again, would be above what we’re expecting. Stepping forward year on year is a sensible goal for us. Top three would be aspirational.”
“Ferrari”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-...ting-narrative
Ferrari already ‘up in arms’ and planning protest against F1 rivals at the 2026 Australian GP
4 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has played down expectations going into the first race of the 2026 Formula 1 season, but the tifosi are under no illusions about how important the upcoming campaign is going to be. After a disappointing 2025, Ferrari know that F1’s upcoming rule changes need to represent a change in their fortunes. The Scuderia haven’t won a championship since 2008, and in Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari have two drivers more than capable of winning a title.
Ferrari planning ‘protest’ against Mercedes and Red Bull after the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. Formula 1’s new regulations are stricter than ever, with the rulebook stretching over more than 100 pages. However, it’s believed that a loophole surrounding the compression ratio of the combustion engine has been found. The report from Blick has suggested that a ‘frustrated’ Ferrari team are already ‘up in arms’ about the discovery.
It’s been suggested that Ferrari, and their fellow manufacturers who have not exploited the loophole, are already planning to ‘lodge a protest’ as soon as the race in Melbourne ends. This wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened, with Brawn GP in 2009 discovering a workaround in the sport’s ruleset that year.
‘Up in arms’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...australian-gp/
Hamilton 'hugely disadvantaged' by Ferrari's first crucial F1 2026 decision
4 Jan 2026
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com
Ferrari's first crucial decision regarding Lewis Hamilton's side of the garage ahead of the F1 2026 season has been interpreted as a setback by former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who outlines further obstacles for the British driver's upcoming Formula One campaign. “The car will be more nervous. Leclerc can handle that. Hamilton needs stability at the rear.” - Ralf Schumacher
The Scuderia, according to reports, seems to have confirmed Adami will continue to serve as Hamilton's race engineer going into F1 2026, a vital year in the seven-time world champion's F1 career - which could potentially be his last in the team and in the series as well -, and one Schumacher believes could be hampered by the way the cars will behave, where he tips Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc to have the edge on the seasoned British driver.
“The chemistry isn’t right. That’s a huge disadvantage,” Schumacher said. "They should go on holiday together." Regarding the way Schumacher thinks cars will handle next year, and what he believes Hamilton's preferred driving style is, the German former F1 driver turned pundit backs Leclerc over Hamilton to come to grips with the 2026 regulation cars. “The car will be more nervous,” he said. “Leclerc can handle that. Hamilton needs stability at the rear.”
'Hugely disadvantaged';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...-2026-decision
Vasseur reveals how Hamilton "is putting a positive energy into the team"
3 Jan 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
On the back of Lewis Hamilton's tough maiden season with Ferrari, the Scuderia's team boss Fred Vasseur revealed how the seven-time world champion "is putting a positive energy into the team." The Briton described the constant cycle of commitments — photoshoots, media duties, sponsor obligations — as exhausting, and said he wanted to step away from the “matrix” for a period of genuine rest. Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur offered strong public support for Hamilton, particularly during the difficult final stretch of the season.
Speaking to Autosport.com, Vasseur said he expected a driver to be “mega upset” after suffering three consecutive Q1 exits, and he dismissed the idea that a calm, media friendly façade would be preferable. “When you are out in Q1, I hope the driver is mega upset with himself and with the team. I'm not sure that you, journalist, you prefer to have someone going to the TV pen saying, ‘no, everything is normal, blah, blah, blah’ — all the usual bullshit.” He stressed that what mattered most was Hamilton’s commitment to returning to the debriefs, engaging with the engineers, and working constructively to find solutions.
“I respect perfectly the position of the drivers when they have this attitude. Then the most important for me is also to have someone collaborating with the team.” Vasseur praised Hamilton for maintaining that approach even during the toughest moments of the season. “It's much better to have someone not speaking in the TV pen and coming back to the debriefing, speaking with the engineers, trying to find solutions and it's the attitude that Lewis had even when he had a tough moment in the last part of the season and this is putting a positive energy into the team.”
“When you are out in Q1, I hope the driver is mega upset with himself and with the team”;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28106
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Ferrari are failing to silence ‘fears’ about one ‘important’ part on Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 F1 car.
Ferrari suffered a setback with the exits of ‘several’ key engineers to rival F1 teams. Corriere Della Sera now reports that while Ferrari should be in full swing with their 2026 regulations car, the pride of Italy are failing to silence the ‘fears’ that their new engine is not on track.
9 December 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari are failing to silence the fears that their 2026 F1 regulations engine is not on track. Team principal Fred Vasseur stopping the development of Ferrari’s 2025 car in April to focus on the 2026 F1 regulations was decisive in the outcome of the Scuderia’s season. Ferrari did not want to use any wind tunnel time on aerodynamic upgrades at the expense of next year.
The Scuderia are now striving to get their engine project back running smoothly. Ferrari plan to unveil their car for 2026 at Fiorano in the week of January 20 and also immediately hold a shakedown at their test track before the behind-closed-doors pre-season test in Barcelona. Audi are among the rival F1 outfits who have raided Maranello ahead of the German brand’s debut in 2026, having taken over Sauber. Wolf Zimmermann was one of the central figures in Ferrari’s engine department since his arrival from Mercedes in 2014, but he has joined Audi.
There have been whispers in the paddock over recent months that Audi’s 2026 engine could be ahead of Ferrari’s power unit for the new regulations era. Zimmermann and Lars Schmidt both leaving Ferrari to join Audi also played a part in their engine producing a lack of results. Ferrari have hired several new faces to help get their engine project back on track, with a lot joining from Renault after the French automotive giant closed Alpine’s works engine division. But Ferrari’s new engine staff from Renault instantly shared concerns that the unit is lacking.
‘Audi are among the rival F1 outfits who have raided Maranello’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...s-2026-f1-car/
Fred Vasseur sends Ferrari 'other issues' warning as new F1 era looms
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has pointed out that whilst the problems of the SF-25 are now gone, the Italian team will face "other issues" in 2026.
6 January 2026
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has cautioned that the Italian team will undoubtedly face "other issues" in 2026 after a campaign dogged by the underperforming SF-25. And although the season ahead is an entirely new proposition, with all-new chassis and power unit regulations, Vasseur is certain his team will encounter fresh issues.
"I think the philosophy of the car [in 2026] will be completely different," the Frenchman told media, including RacingNews365. "Mainly because half of the car won't be the same. And the issue that we had all of last season won't be there, but we'll have other issues, for sure." So when it was put to Vasseur that the new car will be his "first", he playfully deflected, highlighting Loic Serra, who is his new chassis technical director.
"It's more the Loic Serra car," the 57-year-old joked. "I don't want to escape any responsibility, but if you speak about Cardile, you have to speak about Loic. No, Enrico left the team in June '24, and Loic joined in October '24. It means that the car was almost designed. It's why I was a bit upset when [the media] put the name of Loic under the bus at one stage of last season. I think it was a bit unfair, but, at the end of the day, next year's car is the first — not the first baby, he had a baby before — but the first product of Loic."
"Other issues";
https://racingnews365.com/fred-vasse...w-f1-era-looms
Ferrari reveals its 'spec A' plan for 2026 F1 car's debut
Dec 18, 2025
Jon Noble, Edd Straw
The Race
Ferrari has revealed plans to launch with a basic "spec A" version of its 2026 Formula 1 car to help prove out reliability in early testing. The team will launch its new design on January 23 – most likely at its own Fiorano test track where it will then be able to get some first mileage done as part of a filming day. This running can be completed either under the rules relating to demonstration events (limited to 15km) or a promotional event (limited to 200km).
The new Ferrari will then be shipped directly to Barcelona over the following weekend, prior to taking part in the private test that teams are allowed to join from January 26. But the specification of car that Ferrari runs in that first test looks like it will be nothing like what it starts the season with – because the final race one parts are only set to appear much later.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has revealed that his squad will join many others – and potentially the entire grid – in starting testing with a very simple concept that will allow it to focus on getting as many laps under its belt as possible with the all-new cars. "I think everybody will do it," he said, speaking at Maranello this week. "In this situation, the most important [thing] is to get mileage. It's not to chase performance, it's to get mileage to validate the technical choice of the car in terms of reliability. Then [after that is] to get performance.”
"Spec A";
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...f1-cars-debut/
Ferrari facing a ‘critical issue’ with their 2026 F1 car that could impact every team on the grid
30 December 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
The upcoming new regulations are undoubtedly throwing a few curveballs for F1 engineers as they ready their cars for pre-season testing, and Ferrari are already facing a ‘critical issue’ with one aspect of the new ruleset… …the development of their 2026 front wing. A report by La Gazzetta dello Sport outlined Ferrari’s plan during pre-season testing for the upcoming season, stating that the iconic racing outfit will be verifying the ‘functionality’ of their package in Barcelona before it adopts a more ‘definitive structure’ in certain areas in Bahrain.
One of those areas is the front wing, which is understood to be a ‘critical issue’ for them, as well as every other team on the grid, due to the new active aerodynamic systems that will be in place. In contrast to the new system’s predecessor, DRS, the active aerodynamics will feature movable flaps on the front wing, which requires ‘a complete redesign’ of the area in order for the optimisation of floor-directed airflow.
This development is also understood to be the leading factor behind Ferrari’s decision to develop the car alongside the data that will be collected during the early testing sessions. Technical director Loic Serra will be given the necessary amount of time to evaluate the areas for improvement of the implemented solutions, and hopefully arrive at the first round of the season with confidence in the new F1 car.
‘Critical issue’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...m-on-the-grid/
Ferrari’s Steel-Head Revolution: Win Big or Burn Out?
January 5, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Ferrari’s big 2026 bet: steel heads, bold packaging, and a two spec launch plan. Ferrari is pushing ahead with steel alloy cylinder heads for its 2026 power unit, doubling down on a concept that was once parked over durability worries and now looks central to Maranello’s reset. Multiple Italian reports indicate the breakthrough came in recent months, with Ferrari enlisting Austrian engine specialists AVL to lift the mileage and reliability of the steel solution. It’s a significant pivot from the autumn chatter that had Ferrari shelving steel for aluminum at launch, fearing the heads wouldn’t survive the 24-race grind with just four internal combustion units permitted per driver next season.
The timing fits the moment. Ferrari just trudged through a winless 2025 and slipped to fourth in the Constructors’ standings, with Charles Leclerc banking seven podiums and new signing Lewis Hamilton enduring the first podium-less season of his career. The 2026 overhaul—chassis and power unit in one hit—offers a hard reset. Ferrari appears determined to make theirs count. Why steel now? Two reasons, chiefly. First, the minimum weight of the power unit jumps from 120 to 150 kilograms in 2026, blunting aluminum’s long-standing trump card. Shedding a handful of grams matters less when the rulebook sets a heavier floor.
Second, steel’s strength opens the door to higher peak pressures and combustion temperatures—“never seen before,” as the whispers go—which, if you can keep it alive over thousands of kilometers, yields efficiency and performance in an era where every drop of energy matters. Ferrari’s engine program—internally dubbed Project 678—has been described as “revolutionary” for months, complete with a closely guarded intake concept. The steel heads would be the headline, but not the only card in the hand. Maranello has also developed a new, compact battery and reduced radiator size, improvements that feed directly into car packaging. Less cooling drag and tighter bodywork are gold dust when you’re chasing lap time under fresh aero regs.
‘Ferrari’s Steel-Head Revolution’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/ferraris...g-or-burn-out/
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Mark Hughes: Ferrari too flawed to answer the Hamilton question.
Hamilton has fallen foul of reruns of what they (Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel) endured there, but with two added horrible complications: 1) His own personal performance is in question… 2) The incumbent driver…
5 Jan 2026
Mark Hughes
The Race
If Lewis Hamilton had been able to join Ferrari with, say, Adrian Newey (in the Rory Byrne role), Andrea Stella (in the Ross Brawn role) and Christian Horner (as Jean Todt), and as a four-headed force they had been able to demand just a budget and a totally hands-off approach from corporate management, then Hamilton may - just may - have had a chance of achieving what Michael Schumacher did at Ferrari in Formula 1…
The potential of Ferrari is only ever fully accessed when a brilliant, strong-headed, dominant character is both the lead driver and the inspiration for the team. Whatever they demand happens. In super-quick time. That's how it was with Schumacher and Lauda before him. In the 1960s another brilliant driver with a strong personality, John Surtees, had understood the sort of changes required at Maranello and had gone about getting them made.
"But in doing that I fell foul of certain people," as he recalled when I interviewed him in 1998, "which led to me leaving in protest. Which in hindsight was a mistake. But in an Italian team - and I found this in motorcycles as well as cars - you need to be sure of yourself and behave as if you are sure of yourself and then prove it by performance. Otherwise you're finished."
‘Ferrari too flawed’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...n-mark-hughes/
Is Ferrari Listening? Hamilton’s Red Revolution Meets Resistance
24 Dec 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Bernie Collins sees a familiar story playing out at Ferrari: a world champion walks through the door with a bulging notebook, a clear view on how to sharpen the team, and the patience to push until people listen. The twist, of course, is that this time it’s Lewis Hamilton.
Over the radio, Hamilton’s exchanges with race engineer Riccardo Adami were sharper than anything we grew used to in the Mercedes era. Elsewhere, Ferrari chairman John Elkann made headlines with a blunt “focus on driving, talk less” message to his drivers after São Paulo. Those aren’t the sort of optics that say “perfectly aligned.”
None of this is simple. Ferrari is, as ever, Ferrari — the closest thing F1 has to a national team — and Hamilton turned up largely without his old guard. There’s history with team principal Fred Vasseur from Hamilton’s junior days, and chassis chief Loïc Serra knows him well from Mercedes. But Peter Bonnington, the trusted voice in his ear for a decade of title fights, stayed put. As Collins pointed out, “Bono” was never likely to uproot his family to Italy. The upshot for Hamilton has been a new voice on the radio, a new garage rhythm, and a new culture to sync with, 24 weekends a year.
‘Ferrari, the closest thing F1 has to a national team’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/is-ferra...ts-resistance/
Ferrari can’t afford to underestimate Lewis Hamilton issue again after 2025 ‘wake-up call’
7 Jan 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari ‘underestimated’ the impact of giving up 2025 on Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Journalist Chris Medland was speaking on the RACER Debrief about Ferrari’s 2025 season and what they need to do this year. He explained: “I think it’s been a wake-up call for Ferrari and Lewis about how tough this will be and whether actually he’ll get to a level he wants next year too. But I think for the team, they had to write off last year, as painful as it was."
“If they are at least one of the leading challenges to any team, if it’s not a Ferrari engine that’s the best one, let’s again theoretically say it’s a Mercedes engine, then Ferrari engines need to be one of the leading challenges to Mercedes-powered teams. They don’t have to be winning. That’s obviously what they want to be doing. But it’s far harder to say that’s what you’re going to do at the start of a new ruleset. So they just need to be competitive and have good foundations to build from.”
‘Ferrari wake-up call';
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...-wake-up-call/
Ferrari’s Gamble: Adami Set To Stay With Hamilton in 2026
28 Dec 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Report: Ferrari leaning toward keeping Riccardo Adami as Hamilton’s race engineer for 2026 Lewis Hamilton’s first season in red never really settled. The radio snippets were awkward, the results thin, and every Sunday felt like an exercise in recalibration. Now, with 2026 looming and Ferrari’s own leadership publicly “evaluating all options,” the noise around his pit wall looks set to quieten down — for now. Multiple Italian reports suggest Riccardo Adami is likely to remain on Hamilton’s side of the Ferrari garage next season after what’s been described as a constructive off track reset between the pair. That tracks with the pragmatic mood at Maranello: change for change’s sake is out; continuity ahead of the biggest rules overhaul in a decade is in.
Adami, of course, isn’t new to the high-wire act. He’s worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, and his engineering lineage at the team runs deep. But engineer-driver relationships aren’t plug-and-play. Styles clash, language shifts matter, and when a season tilts away early, the radio becomes a billboard for the strain. In 2025, it too often did. Ferrari insists the outside view is harsher than the reality. Matteo Togninalli, the team’s head of track engineering, was bullish late last year about the foundations being laid with Hamilton despite the rough optics.
‘Constructive off track reset between the pair’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/ferraris...ilton-in-2026/
Think Lewis Hamilton regrets his move to Ferrari? Just wait until 2026
25 Dec 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Lewis Hamilton’s dream move to Ferrari turned into a nightmare over the course of the F1 2025 season. The really worrying thing? It could get even worse if the Mercedes team he left behind ends up dominating in F1 2026… The great irony that the main problem he encountered at Mercedes – a badly born, fundamentally flawed car with its biggest weakness baked in for the season – is identical to the one he has found at Ferrari. Put simply, there were a variety of reasons – not all related to competitiveness – behind Hamilton’s decision to sign on the dotted line with Ferrari in the winter of 2023/24.
To judge it purely through the prism of results on track – even if that, of course, should always be considered the ultimate metric – is to overlook his motive for becoming a Ferrari driver. Looking for a way out of Mercedes in response to two consecutive winless seasons in 2022/23 seems more than a touch hasty – an emotional spasm of a decision – now that 2026, and the promise offered by the new regulations, is on the horizon. Who knows?
Ferrari might just ace the new rules from the start of next season. Maybe. Possibly. Perhaps. The worst-case scenario for him now? Watching the car he walked away from, the car that could so easily have been his, storming to the title in George Russell’s hands next season. Now that would be the final insult. Think Hamilton regrets his Ferrari move now? Just wait until 2026.
‘Maybe Possibly Perhaps’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/le...f1-2026-regret
From Drained to Dangerous: Hamilton Rewrites Ferrari’s 2026
8 Jan 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Lewis Hamilton draws a line under ‘draining’ 2025, tightens the screws on Ferrari workload for 2026. Lewis Hamilton has set out a firmer plan to protect his time and energy at Ferrari after a bruising first season in red, saying he’ll lean on his personal team to build a “more efficient” way of working in 2026. Hamilton made clear at the season finale in Abu Dhabi that 2026 needs a smarter cadence, not just at the factory but away from it too.
“We just need to analyse where we’ve been, what’s been good, areas that we can improve on,” he said. “I’ll look internally with my personal team away from the track and see what we can do to make things more efficient with timing and travelling and all these different things, and I’ll do the same with the team.” That personal team has been visibly present again. Longtime performance coach Angela Cullen — a familiar constant through his Mercedes peak years… The social post read like a reset. “I’m incredibly grateful for this break. Time to disconnect, recharge and find a bit of inner peace… after a very draining year,” he wrote, urging fans to “let go of things that don’t serve you,” before adding: “The time for change is now.
Starting new routines, leaving behind unwanted patterns and working on growth.” Hamilton also nodded to the Chinese zodiac — “leaving behind the Year of the Snake” and “entering the Year of the Horse” — a poetic flourish, sure, but also a neat metaphor for a driver who’s decided it’s time to stop treading water and start galloping again. Inside Ferrari, one of the off-season questions hung over radio dynamics... The latest indication, however, is that Hamilton and Adami will stay paired after a constructive off-track meeting. A change would’ve been drastic; Ferrari appears to be betting on continuity and calmer communication to smooth the edges.
‘More efficient way of working in 2026’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/from-dra...ferraris-2026/
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The concerns emerging for Newey’s Aston-Honda F1 superteam already.
Behind the scenes, though, Honda's F1 programme had been gutted… …which meant when the 2026 programme started… …starting up again almost from scratch.
Jan 8, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
Honda technically withdrew from F1 at the end of 2021, even though its engines continued to be used by Red Bull through to the end of last season. It was a convoluted and peculiar arrangement that was a consequence of a poorly justified original decision to quit. Honda U-turned on that call in early 2023 when its 2026 project with Aston Martin was announced but the damage had already been done.
From 2022 to 2025, Honda continued to maintain and assemble engines for Red Bull's two F1 teams based off the frozen specification from the title-winning 2021 season. Honda's name disappeared entirely at first, then came back slightly apologetically on the engine itself and with branding on Red Bull's cars. Behind the scenes, though, Honda's F1 programme had been gutted. Resources were diverted to other R&D projects within Honda as that was the whole point of quitting F1 - which meant when the 2026 programme started in earnest, Honda was starting up again almost from scratch.
The Sakura engine facility that Honda has is raved about by anyone that goes there: even ex-Aston Martin CEO and team principal Andy Cowell, who oversaw Mercedes' initial domination at the beginning of the V6 turbo-hybrid era. And he knows a thing or two about proper engine programmes. But that same engine facility colossally underachieved in 2015, when Honda made its first hybrid F1 engine, then again in 2017 when it rolled out a brand new design - which nobody needs to remind Aston Martin's lead driver Fernando Alonso about, given his past grievances with Honda from that time.
‘The concerns’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...-martin-honda/
Aston Martin warned of ‘really difficult year’ by former strategist despite ‘hype’
6 Jan 2026
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins has warned her old team it is in for a “really difficult” season despite “hype” surrounding it. Collins, who worked for Aston in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, though said it would be “really difficult” for all the moving parts to come together. “I actually think, although there’s a lot of hype around the new project, the new factory, I think it’s going to be a really difficult year for them next year,” she told Sky Sports.
“I think to do any of the little things they’ve done, to change the engine, to change the gearbox, to change the chief designer, change the wind tunnel, have a new factory – any of those individual components would worry me for the performance of the team for the next year, because they’re big changes. To change all of them together, I think I’m not sure how phenomenal it’s going to go year one, even though we all know Adrian Newey, he’s a fantastic designer.”
‘“Really difficult” for all the moving parts to come together’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...cult-year-2026
Newey’s Aston Coup: The 2026 War Starts Now
Jan 1, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Adrian Newey has stepped into the team principal role at Aston Martin, a move that turns the sport’s most storied designer into the man with the final word on Sunday nights.
Step back and the Newey move says plenty about Aston’s 2026 intent. With the ruleset flipping to 50 percent electrical power, fully sustainable fuels and active aero, the competitive order is ripe for a shuffle. And Newey—now with a boardroom remit—has the latitude to align the whole project around that pivot. Technical directors manage philosophy. Team principals set culture. If he stitches both together, that’s a powerful combination.
‘Newey move says plenty about Aston’s 2026 intent’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/neweys-a...ar-starts-now/
Aston Martin’s ‘best secrets’ will be hidden by Adrian Newey ahead of 2026 car launch
8 Jan 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
The upcoming regulations changes in 2026 give Aston Martin and new team principal Adrian Newey a blank canvas to work on. Journalist Jon Noble has been speaking about the upcoming launch event and has taken a particular interest in what the Silverstone-based team are doing. His suggestion is that out of all 11 teams in the paddock, Aston Martin will give the least away because of Newey’s expertise. Noble was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast ahead of the start of pre-season and said: “I am most intrigued to see what Adrian Newey’s first kind of interpretation of the 2026 cars is like.”
“I’m sure that car that we get to see, I think the launch is in Saudi Arabia after the Barcelona test, so I’m sure images will have leaked out because there’s no way nobody’s going to get photos of any of those cars over the Barcelona test. Whether that’s come from marshals with their iPhones out or team members or things leaking out from teams, so the images are going to get out. But I am intrigued to see what Newey’s done and the interpretation of it and how that compares to other people. Although Newey is the absolute master of making sure that nothing that will be displayed on that car will be performance critical.”
“That all the best secrets will be either hidden away so out of view or won’t feature on the car, and will be replaced with fake parts to divert attention. Even though teams do play games, and I quite like the games they play when you kind of see what they’ve done and how they’ve done it and what they’re keeping secret, you still get a sense of the design and the concept and what’s really going on. Even if I think launch spec cars this year are going to be perhaps the most different that they can be between what actually appears in race one.”
“Best secrets will be either hidden away so out of view or won’t feature on the car”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ast...26-car-launch/
Aston’s Secret Map: Where 2026 AMR Bites Hardest
Jan 8, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Aston Martin quietly confident it knows where the 2026 AMR will bite hardest. Adrian Newey in green still takes a second to process. The most decorated designer of the modern era now fronting Aston Martin’s F1 effort is a visual that does a lot of heavy lifting for the team’s 2026 narrative: big brains, big hires, big promises. But there’s also a hint of steel behind the smile. The group in Silverstone doesn’t want to overplay its hand.
That much was clear as Aston’s chief trackside officer Mike Krack laid out, in guarded terms, how the team views the first year of F1’s new ruleset. No grand predictions, no chest-beating—just a quietly confident assertion that Aston already has a pretty solid map of where the AMR’s strengths will show up. “We’ve got a good handle on which circuits should suit us and which might not,” Krack said. The subtext: they’ve built an aerodynamic platform with a specific character, and they know how it will couple with the 2026 ecosystem—more electrical deployment, active aero doing the heavy lifting, and stricter limits on what you can spend and when you can spend it.”
Aston’s build-up has been years in the making. The investment run-up at Silverstone—new wind tunnel, new campus, new toys—wasn’t just vanity. It’s already enabled Newey, now steering the project from the team principal’s chair, and Enrico Cardile, the incoming chief technical officer, to shape a car around the toolkit rather than fight it. Add the factory Honda power unit arriving in 2026 and you’ve got a package that at least looks coherent on paper. That’s why the paddock keeps reaching for the “dark horse” label. But the better-informed voices are a touch cooler.
‘Aston’s build-up has been years in the making’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/astons-s...bites-hardest/
New Aston Martin AMR26 performance clue as ‘good understanding’ emerges
8 Jan 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
While it may not know exactly where in the pecking order it might sit, Mike Krack believes the squad already knows the tracks that will suit it. “I think we have a good understanding in general,” said Krack, Aston Martin’s chief trackside officer, when asked if the team had any concept of what 2026 looks like.
“We know, for example, which circuits should be better suited to our car and which circuit may be less good for us. There are circuits where you will be strong, and circuits you will be less strong, and you have to manage to get the maximum out of it. You can see there is some cars in some circuits that are super quick, and then in others they are not.”
“This comes from the characteristic that you have developed your aerodynamic platform. It is important that in circuits where you are maybe a bit a bit less performing, that you still get the maximum out of it,” Krack noted. “And because the gaps are so small, and we must not forget, when we say a bit worse or a bit better, it is a lot of positions; it’s not a lot of lap time.”
‘Good understanding’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...-understanding
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Audi teases first images of real 2026 F1 car after fakes.
Some video and photographs taken from a distance outside the circuit grounds did seem more legitimate but none gave a clear view of the car.
Jan 9, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
Audi did run its 2026 car in the test, though, and even showed it - in obfuscated form - in two pictures from a batch of images shared from Barcelona. Both were pitlane shots. One is from the front, in colour but from a distance and with the car mostly a silhouette, while the other is a black-and-white photo from the rear of the car in its pitbox.
A third image shows a glimpse of the corner of the new-look rear wings in this ruleset, but no more. The other pictures are atmospheric and team photos, which only show members including team principal Mattia Binotto wearing simple Audi Revolut F1 Team gear - black with white stripes, by new partner Adidas.
‘Audi teases first images’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/a...r-after-fakes/
Audi run 2026 car on track for the first time
With the countdown now on to the start of the 2026 season, Audi’s new car has hit the track as part of a filming day.
9 Jan 2026
Formula One - Official Site
Both Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto got behind the wheel, with the filming day marking the latest milestone in Audi’s progression to the start of the season.
The team confirmed on January 7 that they had successfully completed the first fire-up of their new challenger, while it was announced last month that the outfit – who will be known as the Audi Revolut F1 Team – will host their official launch in Berlin on January 20.
This will see the squad present their full race livery before holding a public opening on the following day, allowing fans to experience the unique occasion after they revealed an early concept livery in November that featured titanium, carbon black and Audi red as the predominant colours.
‘Both Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto got behind the wheel’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...9y8cJnxdLtqPy5
What ‘Spanish spies’ noticed when watching Audi’s first-ever F1 lap in Barcelona
9 January 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Audi became the first F1 team to run their 2026 car on track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday. Auto Motor und Sport believe that German driver Nico Hulkenberg had the honour of inaugurating the car at the long-standing F1 venue, which will also host the first pre-season test later this month.
At the time of writing, Audi have not issued any comment on the test. It took place with the ‘highest security level’ possible, though ‘Spanish spies’ did notice that the car was running in an unpainted, all-black livery, aside from the ‘Four Rings’ logo on the rear wing.
Because Audi don’t want to give anything until the competition – for as long as it can be avoided – they aren’t expected to publicise many details. On a warm and dry day in Barcelona, they were able to log some representative initial data.
‘Spanish spies’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...-in-barcelona/
First 2026 F1 car spotted on track in Barcelona as Audi begins shakedown
9 Jan 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
The very first images of the R26 on track in Barcelona have emerged — the car that will mark Audi’s debut in Formula 1 in 2026. Today’s on-track running at Barcelona’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya — which will also host pre-season testing later this month — represented a significant milestone for the project spearheaded by Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley.
In line with filming day regulations, running was limited to a maximum of 200 kilometres, with the car fitted with special Pirelli demonstration tyres rather than the compounds due to be used during the 2026 campaign. For now, no details have emerged on how the shakedown unfolded — whether the team encountered any early teething issues or if everything ran smoothly according to plan.
‘RobertoF1 @robertofunoat: La prima monoposto 2026 e’ Audi che sta girando al Montmelo’. #F1 #AudiF1 #ShakeDown VIDEO’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/first...gins-shakedown
Audi release first official images of 2026 F1 car shakedown
Audi completed a successful shakedown of its 2026 F1 car on Friday in Barcelona.
10 January 2026
Nick Golding
RacingNews365
Throughout the test on Friday, images and videos of Audi's R26 were leaked on social media, with a black livery having been run. A series of photos of team personnel and some of the car were posted by Audi, who also wrote: "We’re officially rolling.”
"A milestone moment in Barcelona as the R26 hit a racetrack for the very first time. First day. First laps. First chance for our drivers to experience the car. The road ahead starts right here."
"We’re officially rolling”;
https://racingnews365.com/audi-relea...-car-shakedown
Audi’s Shadow Laps Ignite F1’s 2026 Power Shuffle
January 9, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Night Shift: Audi’s stealth R26 stretches its legs, Honda hums for 2026, Ferrari names its next act, Lawson resets, Norris relives Abu Dhabi. Audi finally let the R26 breathe on a cool Montmeló afternoon, a blacked-out, camera-shy concept car rolling into the light for its first public laps at Barcelona. Call it a filming day if you want. In reality, it was a slick shakedown of the first true 2026-spec machine we’ve seen turn a wheel.
The Ingolstadt squad split the mileage between Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, with both expected to cover around 100 km each on demo tyres — the standard allowance for a filming day, and just enough to surface gremlins before they become headaches. What they didn’t share was much aero detail: the car ran in full stealth livery, every contour effectively buried under matte black.
The proper look will come with the Berlin launch on January 20, and Audi seems determined not to give anyone a head start on deciphering its concept. For all the cloak-and-dagger treatment, the takeaway was simple: the R26 ran cleanly, and it sounded like a fully sorted power unit mated to a very modern chassis philosophy. With 2026’s powertrain split and aero reset looming, that’s the kind of first impression you want.
‘R26 ran cleanly’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/audis-sh...power-shuffle/
Audi become first F1 team to complete laps in new-look 2026 car
The German team, who have taken over the Sauber outfit, had a filming day in Barcelona on Friday
9 January 2026
Kieran Jackson Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent
Audi have become the first team to drive their 2026 car after the new outfit completed a filming day in Barcelona on Friday.
The German manufacturer, who will also use their own power unit, have taken over the now-defunct Sauber team as the sport enters a new phase of rules and regulations this year.
Drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were at the wheel of the new Audi car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya- as the team utilised one of two 100km filming days permitted under the regulations.
‘First F1 team to complete laps in new-look 2026 car’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/aud...-b2897717.html
-
Be Selfish, Oscar: Hill’s Brutal Title Blueprint.
“Next year, if I were him, I’d be coming back saying, ‘Listen, I love the team, and it’s been great, but I have to think of myself. It’s my career…”
Jan 10, 2026
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Damon Hill to Piastri: stop being the nice guy if you want that title. Oscar Piastri doesn’t need many lessons in racecraft. Speaking on the Drive to Wynn podcast, the 1996 world champion laid out a simple message for the McLaren driver heading into 2026: be selfish. “I think he probably felt the worst he was going to feel after Qatar,” Hill said, reflecting on McLaren’s strategic misstep under the lights that handed the upper hand to Verstappen at Losail. “He had some misfortune… and he’s lost out because of some decisions with McLaren, trying to be fair.”
The example that still stings? Monza. Piastri, then leading the standings after a commanding win in Zandvoort, was set for second behind Verstappen when a slow stop for Lando Norris shuffled the order. McLaren asked Piastri to hand the place back, citing team error. He did it. Verstappen chuckled about it on the radio. And the air went out of Piastri’s title run. From there the tide turned. A crash in Baku and a flat patch that followed left the Australian scrambling to rediscover the form that had carried him to a 34-point advantage over Norris with nine rounds left. He found it again late — strong drives in Qatar and Abu Dhabi — but not in time. Third in the championship wasn’t the script he’d been writing through the European summer. For Hill, those weekends should sharpen Piastri’s edges, not dull them.
“Wow,that’s quite a big thing to do, isn’t it, to give points away to a guy you could be fighting for the world championship?” Hill said of Monza. “He will probably look at that and go, ‘Well, maybe I won’t do that again.’” Hill’s advice for 2026 is blunt: put your own campaign first. “Next year, if I were him, I’d be coming back saying, ‘Listen, I love the team, and it’s been great, but I have to think of myself. It’s my career… If the situation arises and you ask me to return points to my teammate… I can’t afford to do that. I did it last year. That could have cost me the World Championship.’”
‘Stop being the nice guy’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/be-selfi...tle-blueprint/
Piastri put on the spot by Australian TV with Lando Norris question
28 Dec 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
During the off-season, Piastri travelled home to Australia for the holidays. In an interview with Channel 7, Piastri was asked by the reporter: "Now, it’s just you and me. Is Lando a mate of yours? Good bloke?" Piastri answered with a smile: "No, he’s good, he’s good. We get on well. We work together well. But yeah, I think we’re going to be battling each other hopefully for championships for many years to come," he concluded.
Australian media’s past jabs at McLaren. Local media showed continuous support for their home hero Piastri throughout the season. In reports, they also took jabs at McLaren beginning with the Italian Grand Prix. In one segment, for example, the presenter concluded: "Let’s hope Oscar can do it next year… if McLaren don’t work against him."
‘Australian media’s past jabs at McLaren’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/piast...orris-question
Oscar Piastri “Hungry and Ready” After Title Miss Sets Sights on 2026
Dec 29, 2025
James Rees
F1 Chronicle
McLaren attributed much of Oscar Piastri’s downturn to struggles on low-grip circuits, while higher-grip tracks consistently played to his strengths. Despite the setback, Piastri believes the experience gained from fighting Norris and Max Verstappen has strengthened him heading into 2026.
“Just hungry and ready for it. I’m obviously looking forward to a couple of weeks just to chill out and not think about racing. But when we get back into it, there’s, there’s a lot of things to learn for next year, a lot of differences with the cars and the engines. So, you never quite know how you’re going to come out of the gate when there’s such a big change, but I think we’re confident in the people around us.”
“And yeah, for myself, I’ve really gained a lot of confidence from some of the things from this season that I can take forward to next year, regardless of whatever car we’ve got.” Piastri now turns his focus to applying those lessons as McLaren prepares for a new technical era and another title push.
“Hungry and Ready”;
https://f1chronicle.com/oscar-piastr.../?nowprocket=1
Did McLaren unconsciously favour Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri?
There was little to separate Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri throughout the 2025 F1 campaign.
8 Jan 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
McLaren asserted throughout the entire year that it was treating both drivers equally and providing identical chances to their pairing.
But former Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski has suggested that McLaren may have unconscious bias within the team, which may have played against Piastri.
Certain decisions, including a controversial team order swap at the Italian Grand Prix, drew a lot of discussion from fans and pundits alike
‘McLaren may have unconscious bias within the team’;
https://racingnews365.com/did-mclare...-oscar-piastri
Ferrari 'plotting shock McLaren swoop' as Lewis Hamilton succession plan emerges
Fred Vasseur is reportedly monitoring the McLaren driver situation as Ferrari consider their 2027 options with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc's futures uncertain
9 Jan 2026
Harry Smith
The Mirror
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is reportedly monitoring the driver dynamics at McLaren to assess whether Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri might become available for the 2027 season. Zak Brown's gifted pair are being considered as potential replacements for Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc. Both Hamilton and Leclerc's long-term prospects are under scrutiny as the sport prepares for the inaugural season under fresh technical regulations in 2026, albeit for different reasons. The British driver has sparked retirement speculation amongst experts, though it's understood he possesses contractual options that could extend his Maranello stay through 2027.
Leclerc, meanwhile, is approaching his peak years and remains secured by a lengthy deal. Nevertheless, the Monaco native has been rumoured to be considering a move to Mercedes, and worryingly branded the 2026 campaign as "now or never" for his Ferrari team. According to Autosport Web Japan, Vasseur is closely watching developments at McLaren. Whilst both Norris and Piastri are bound by extended contracts, the Australian's circumstances could shift in 2026 following his failure to clinch the 2025 Drivers' Championship ahead of his teammate.
‘Fred Vasseur is reportedly monitoring the McLaren driver situation’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ilton-36526532
Piastri reveals what he’ll ‘take forever’ from 2025 F1 season
02/01/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Oscar Piastri doesn’t talk like a driver licking his wounds. He talks like one who has been sharpened by them. “The amount of confidence that I found throughout the year, in myself and my own abilities, is something I can take forever.”
That self-belief was forged through pressure – through leading a championship, through expectation, and through the inevitable corrections that followed. Piastri is clear-eyed about where it went wrong, and just as clear about why it mattered.
“Definitely some things to work on, and [there were] a few moments that I probably wish I had again, and I'm sure the team think the same. But it's all going to make me stronger for the future, and we've got plenty more years of success to come, hopefully.”
‘Sharpened’;
https://f1i.com/news/557024-piastri-...f1-season.html
Piastri: 2026 F1 Will Be Chess at 200mph
Dec 27, 2025
Alex Albuquerque
FastestLap.com
Oscar Piastri spent part of the winter back in Melbourne, swapping pit walls for picket fences at the cricket, but his mind is already on 2026. And the McLaren driver thinks the next rules shake-up will hand drivers a bigger role in how races are won. Speaking to Fox Sports while home in Australia, Piastri said the incoming power unit era will ask different questions of the driver.
The cars will still look like Formula 1, he said, but the balance under the skin will shift. “It’ll still be an F1 car,” he noted, “but the engines are going to be very different — a lot more electrical power compared to the combustion engine. There’ll be a lot for us to get used to, things we’ve never had to do before in terms of managing that battery power.” That’s the heart of his point: energy management goes from a background task to something that can swing a fight. “There’ll be lots of places where you can make a difference as a driver, which should be exciting for the fans.”
Piastri has made a habit of thriving when the brief gets more complex. His racecraft’s neat, his decision-making’s tidy, and McLaren’s playbook has become progressively sharper. But he’s not sugarcoating what a full regulation reset does to pecking orders. “With a new ruleset, you never really know who nails it and who doesn’t,” he said. “Hopefully we’re one of the ones who nail it.”
‘Chess at 200mph’;
https://fastestlap.com/news/piastri-...ess-at-200mph/
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Aston Martin bends knee to Adrian Newey F1 demand.
Last year, he dubbed the team’s driver-in-the-loop simulator “weak” and one that “needs a lot of work.”
11 Jan 2026
Anirban Aly Mandal
Motorsport Week
The combination of Adrian Newey and Honda was critical to Red Bull’s success in the ground-effect era. Stroll Sr. hopes to make it work for his team, too. Stroll Sr. has been quick to accede to his Team Principal’s demands, by hiring his former partner-in-crime Giles Wood, a highly-rated simulation technician.
To round this off, Aston Martin have also secured services of Marco Fainello – who has worked with Ferrari on its simulator. Heading into the private test at Barcelona, later this month, and the first race of the season in Melbourne, Stroll Sr. kept his cards close to his chest in terms of the expectations within the team and back at the factory.
“No one knows at this time of the year how everyone’s going to look in Melbourne,” he said. “For sure, we don’t have all the tools to be a top team, so there’s no hiding behind that, but time will tell how good we look. I think, for us, it’s exciting, going forward to the new regulations, with everyone coming on board, the new structure and all the people. We’re looking forward to it as a team.”
“Time will tell how good we look”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...wey-f1-demand/
Honda have ‘growing concerns’ over 2026 engine as Lawrence Stroll personally bankrolls development
11 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
The partnership between Aston Martin and Honda should be incredibly exciting for both parties, but before a wheel has even turned during pre-season testing, concerns are already emerging. After being a Mercedes customer engine team for some time, Aston Martin acquired exclusive rights to use Honda power units from 2026 onwards. There might be mixed feelings for star driver Fernando Alonso about linking up with Honda again after a disastrous partnership during his time at McLaren.
Alonso previously called Honda’s power unit an F2 engine, but the Japanese manufacturer went on to help Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominate the sport. Honda initially looked like they were going to pull out of Formula 1, with Red Bull seeking a partnership with Porsche before eventually teaming up with Ford going into 2026. Aston Martin convinced Honda to continue in the sport, but that U-turn might have set them back heading into F1’s new regulation set, despite chairman Lawrence Stroll throwing money at the problem.
“Honda can’t throw unlimited resources at the 2026 project. There’s an engine cost cap now, and this Honda arrangement is a bit more, shall we say, sensible than the success at any cost project that led to the Red Bull championship wins. It’s also been rumoured that the Lawrence Stroll Aston Martin side is bankrolling development, and Honda itself is more reluctant to spend excessively on F1.”
‘Lawrence Stroll personally bankrolls development’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/hon...s-development/
First look: New Honda power unit for the F1 2026 season
9 Jan 2026
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Aston Martin engine partner Honda has released the first images of its new power unit for the F1 2026 season. As reported by PlanetF1.com, Honda became the first 2026 engine manufacturer to publish audio footage of its 2026 power unit last month. And the marque has followed that up by revealing the first images of its new powertrain.
The first look at the new Honda power unit comes ahead of the Japanese marque officially launching its new engine later this month. As reported by PlanetF1.com last month, Honda will hold a rare engine-launch event in Tokyo on January 20. The event will fall six days before the start of F1’s first pre-season test in Barcelona, which is to be held behind closed doors.
The Aston Martin AMR26, driven by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, is set to make its on-track debut at the Barcelona test, where teams will be permitted to take to the track on any three days between January 26 and January 30. Aston Martin will then hold an official launch for the AMR26 on February 9 ahead of the final two tests in Bahrain.
‘Honda has released the first images of its new power unit’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/honda-...-engine-images
Adrian Newey is copying one of Christian Horner’s ideas to create a ‘purge list’ at Aston Martin
8 January 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Adrian Newey has copied Christian Horner by hiring an internal mole at Aston Martin. A number of staff members have also been relieved of their duties at Aston Martin over the last few months, as Newey strives to weed out any weak links. That is according to Fanpage, which reports that Aston Martin have laid off several top-level figures and various engineers.
Newey is keen to streamline Aston Martin’s operation to concentrate their resources on the areas he feels need them most. The Briton has also copied one of the tactics that his former boss at Red Bull, Christian Horner, favoured by hiring an internal ‘mole’ to review their staff. The insider is producing detailed reviews about every aspect of Aston Martin’s setup, from their processes to team dynamics. Newey is using the reports to create a ‘purge list’, which now-former aerodynamics director Eric Baldin is the most high-profile casualty of thus far.
Stroll recognises that Aston Martin need more than just his fortune to become a successful F1 team. So, he has given Newey complete freedom to make any changes that can take the Silverstone natives from the middle of the pack to the very top in search of their first titles.
‘Purge list’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...-aston-martin/
New Aston Martin clue as Adrian Newey finds agreement over F1 2026 ‘tools’
11 Jan 2026
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Lance Stroll has conceded that Aston Martin does not yet have “all the tools to be a top team” ahead of the launch of the new ARM26 car for the F1 2026 season. Asked about his gut feeling over where Aston Martin will be in the 2026 pecking order, he told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets: “It’s a big question mark for everybody.”
“No one knows at this time of the year how everyone’s going to look in Melbourne. For sure, we don’t have all the tools to be a top team, so there’s no hiding behind that, but time will tell how good we look. I think, for us, it’s exciting, going forward to the new regulations, with everyone coming on board, the new structure and all the people. We’re looking forward to it as a team.”
Asked directly by PlanetF1.com if Newey’s promotion to a senior role has applied more pressure on the team to perform, he added: “I think it’s just good for everyone because Adrian is just all about performance and winning. That’s what we’re here for, to be fast and competitive, and that’s what Adrian’s pushing everyone to be better at. Having Adrian around is only positive for everyone to push, everyone to be better and to make the car faster.”
“It’s a big question mark for everybody”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...clue-agreement
Lance Stroll dubbed ‘even sharper’ than Fernando Alonso in Aston Martin feedback analysis
8 Jan 2026
Lena Ferle
Motorsport Week
Aston Martin believes it has two drivers in Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso who are offering different but complementary strengths as the team prepares for Formula 1’s major reset in 2026. While the 2026 rules will introduce an entirely new generation of cars, Cardile said Alonso’s experience remains useful for Aston Martin when comparing similar concepts or behaviours.
“Among same generation of cars, he can help,” Cardile said. “He can help for being even more clear, so, ‘Guys, look back when I drove that car in that specific corner, with memory, that car I felt was better’. Then it’s up to us to understand what better is, which characteristic he liked the most. He has a very good memory. He’s a smart guy.”
According to Cardile, Lance Stroll speaks less, but his feedback is highly focused. “He’s a very talented guy,” Cardile said. “He talks less than Fernando, perhaps he is even sharper than Fernando, or [what] Fernando says. The nice thing for us is they are pretty much aligned, which is, I would say simplifying, but simplifying our life, because we are receiving comments which are along the same side. They have a different sensibility on different aspects of the driving, but they are just the details.”
‘Offering different but complementary strengths’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...back-analysis/
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Red Bull have now strengthened in one area that could make Max Verstappen a title favourite in 2026.
Red Bull understand where part of their success has come from, and a recruitment drive to bring key staff from previous engine suppliers Honda, could be the difference between Verstappen winning and losing the title.
12 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Red Bull hiring Honda engineers could be the key to Max Verstappen winning the 2026 title. Red Bull Powertrains have left Martin Brundle impressed in the past, but it will only be when Verstappen’s new car takes to the track in Barcelona, Bahrain and then Melbourne that anyone will know how their hybrid engine stacks up against the competition.
A report from Motorsport has shared more details about the work going on behind the scenes at Red Bull to compete with their rivals. The reports state that Red Bull have ‘recruited’ from Honda and Mercedes to try and bring together as much knowledge as possible from their rivals.
This might have already had an impact, with Mercedes and Red Bull accused of finding an engine loophole that could give them an advantage over the competition. Verstappen has previously been extremely complimentary about Honda, as they have powered all four of his world championships, and he paid tribute to them after his win at the Japanese Grand Prix last year.
‘A recruitment drive’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...urite-in-2026/
Damon Hill explains why his ‘guts’ are telling him Max Verstappen is in no rush to leave Red Bull
12 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Red Bull Racing know that producing a competitive car is incredibly important for the short and long-term future of the team. For the first time since 2021, Max Verstappen will go into an F1 campaign without the number one on his car. Damon Hill’s ‘guts’ tell him Max Verstappen is very happy staying at Red Bull. Hill was speaking about Verstappen’s situation on the Stay on Track Podcast, and he explained: “So I suppose a big question then is, Max, can he win? Our Red Bull up for it?”
“Have they been decimated by the loss of so many key personnel over the last 18 months or so? Adrian [Newey], Christian Horner. I mean, you’ve got Jonathan Wheatley who’s gone off to Audi. Helmut Marko is gone as well. And they’ve lost one or two other key people as well. The team has been stripped of some fairly major personalities, but the ball kept rolling.”
“I mean, they kept the fight up to the end. So something is still there that is making Red Bull a very effective fighting force. So I think, my guts are telling me, that team has still got what it takes. And I think Max would be making more noise. He would be unhappy. And he doesn’t seem to me to be unhappy. No, he didn’t finish 2025 unhappy. And what he said was, at the end, I think we should be proud of ourselves. I know he came second, but we fought brilliantly. He was lifting the team up.”
“The ball kept rolling”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...eave-red-bull/
Max Verstappen future pressure addressed by senior Ford figure
Ford has returned to Formula 1 after over two decades away, in the form of a technical partnership with Red Bull for the new power unit regulations.
13 January 2026
Nick Golding
RacingNews365
Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook has addressed the uncertain future of Max Verstappen and whether it adds pressure to the American manufacturer’s partnership with Red Bull getting off to a strong start. For the first time in its history, Red Bull — with technical support from Ford — is producing its own power unit, placing it in direct engine competition with Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Audi.
"As racers, we always want to win, right?" Rushbrook told Motorsport Italy. "So it’s important to get out there and perform. We know 2026 will be a challenging year for everyone in the paddock due to the new rules. And regardless of the driver, it’s crucial that the team delivers."
Red Bull and Ford cannot afford a poor start to the new regulations if they are to challenge for the drivers’ and constructors’ titles, placing immediate pressure on performance. That is without even taking Verstappen’s uncertain future into account — something Rushbrook is keen to distance himself from. "My comments are independent of Max," he said. "We want to go out there with the intention of winning."
“It’s crucial that the team delivers";
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...or-ford-figure
Max Verstappen suggests Oscar Piastri sold his ‘soul’ by listening to McLaren team orders
13 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has weighed in on the McLaren team orders that dominated the front of the grid during the 2025 Formula 1 season. When Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix from Red Bull star Max Verstappen, he was 34 points clear of Lando Norris and had a three-figure advantage over the Dutchman.
Piastri’s camp was left upset in Monza, when a slow pit stop for Norris saw him asked to give a position back that created a six-point swing in the British driver’s favour. Norris then received no instructions to hand a place back to Piastri in Singapore despite making contact with his teammate to complete an overtake on the opening lap. McLaren then decided not to split their strategies in Qatar, costing the 24-year-old the victory he needed to keep his faint championship hopes alive.
In an interview with Blick, Verstappen was asked if he would have let Norris go if he was asked to by McLaren in Piastri’s situation and said: “Certainly not. If you do that even once without a clear reason, you’ve sold your soul. The team can then do whatever they want with you. And let’s not forget: Piastri was right in the middle of the title fight.” On top of this, he was asked about comments where he suggested he would have won the championship far earlier if he were in a McLaren in 2025, and continued: “That’s true. But I never actually interfere in my opponents’ internal problems. I can always give them a fighting answer on the track.”
“You’ve sold your soul”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...n-team-orders/
Isack Hadjar reveals what he’s desperate to learn from Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2026
12 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Isack Hadjar says being Max Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate is a ‘huge privilege’. Hadjar was asked on the Talking Bull podcast how it feels to be driving alongside Verstappen in 2026, and he simply replied: “So cool! I’m just 21 years old, I started in single-seaters in 2019, and I get to be teammates with the best driver on the grid.”
“It’s a huge privilege. Ahead of 2026, [I’ve] not really [spoken to him]. But I think the driver’s parade is the right time to go and have good chats with him, but he’s a very nice dude.” The Frenchman was then asked if there was anything he looked at in Verstappen that he needed to work on, and Hadjar continued: “Why did he finish so close to being world champion without the best car? “There’s been races where there’s very tricky conditions, and he’s always going to be here.”
“When conditions are a bit difficult, he’s there, and also his ability to just… he always turns up in Q3, he always goes and finds more lap time. If there’s like a single opportunity, if there’s a scenario out of 10 million, there’s only one where he’s going to win the race, he’ll win the race. You can really feel that once he goes in the car, you can tell there’s a mix of his natural ability, and you can tell that his 11 years of F1 are paying off. He goes in, and I just feel like he drives this F1 car like a go-kart, that’s the difference.”
‘Huge privilege’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/isa...-bull-in-2026/
Why Isack Hadjar’s mum was first to know about his Red Bull F1 drive
Isack Hadjar's mum knew that her son would be a Red Bull F1 driver before he did.
13 Jan 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Speaking in his first interview as a Red Bull driver, Hadjar explained how he found out the news and revealed that his mother Randa, an HR director who also acts as his manager, was informed before him. "I just called my mum," he told Red Bull’s in-house Talking Bull podcast. "She said that she actually got the phone call before I had it. She knew. Because she's my manager and she knows more than I do.”
Hadjar admitted he still has moments of disbelief as he prepares to contest his first F1 season at the Red Bull senior team. "There are moments where I do realise what's happening and I'm up for the challenge and sometimes like, 'What the hell am I doing here?’” Hadjar said. "It's so far away from my go-kart days. I'm like, 'Why me? How did I get chosen?’”
‘Moments of disbelief’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/108841...eammate-he-did
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Fred Vasseur ‘went berserk’ when he was told about a ‘disturbing’ problem with Ferrari’s 2026 car.
Delaying the launch would be a PR nightmare for the Scuderia, but more importantly, it would confirm that they are at a competitive disadvantage heading into the new season.
13 January 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Italian outlet Top Speed relays rumours that the Ferrari SF-26 is ‘seriously behind schedule’. There are concerns that it won’t be ready for the 23 January launch, a ‘disturbing’ development. When this was communicated to Vasseur, he ‘went berserk’. Some within the team are even worried about making it to the Barcelona test on 26 January, but Ferrari are still expected to be there.
Delaying the launch would be a PR nightmare for the Scuderia, but more importantly, it would confirm that they are at a competitive disadvantage heading into the new season. It sounds as if it will be tight. Is this the reason Ferrari’s 2026 car build has been delayed? One journalist who has written a book about the team says nobody ever leaves Ferrari. But perhaps that is starting to change.
Technical director Enrico Cardile was poached by Aston Martin ahead of the 2025 season, while engine bosses Wolf Zimmermann and Lars Schmidt moved to Audi last year. Some at Ferrari blamed Cardile for the SF-25’s problems. Perhaps the untimely exits of Zimmermann and Schmidt are taking their toll too.
‘Went berserk’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fre...aris-2026-car/
Only one F1 team have convinced their staff that they should ‘never leave’
6 January 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
F1 journalist Nate Saunders explained on Nailing The Apex last year, the Cardile case is an exception. ‘90%’ of Ferrari’s staff have been there for at least a decade. For the most part, staff ‘never leave’ Maranello. Ferrari are the oldest, most successful and most prestigious F1 team on the grid. “When people work at Ferrari, when they get a job there, whether it’s at 21, 28, 31, 35, once they join Ferrari, unlike any other team in Formula 1, they never leave,” Saunders, who has written a book about the Italian marque, said.
Ferrari already have a scapegoat if the 2026 season is a failure. Ferrari privately blamed Cardile for the problems with their 2025 car. He formulated the concept but left before the design process was complete. A year later, engine chief Wolf Zimmermann left Ferrari to join Audi, along with his assistant, Lars Schmidt.
While he has been replaced, one can see how his untimely exit may have destabilised 2026 development. Ferrari fans will have to wait until the season gets underway to see if it has a perceptible impact. There’s a school of thought that engines will be more significant than aerodynamics in determining the pecking order.
‘Ferrari already have a scapegoat’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...d-never-leave/
F1: Vasseur outlines Ferrari’s 2026 development strategy
January 10, 2026
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
The noise around Ferrari can be particularly noticeable in pre-season, when speculation about development for the upcoming season often runs wild. Ferrari will keep their cards close to their chest.
The Ferrari team principal insists that even when the Championship commences, it would be unwise to draw conclusions: “Next year it won’t be about the first picture of the season,” he told Autosport.
“It won’t be all about the classification of Australia. It will be a lot about the capacity for quick development. The season won’t be over in Australia for sure, it doesn’t matter if we are P1 or P10 – but it will be a long way until the end, it will be a long way for everybody.”
“Next year it won’t be about the first picture of the season”;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ment-strategy/
Ferrari already plan to throw away two parts on Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 F1 car before the first race
13 January 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari will also unveil the livery for the SF-26 that Hamilton and Leclerc will race in 2026 on January 23, with no team expected to reveal any technical details before their car goes on a track. Yet Ferrari also plan to use sidepods in Bahrain that they will not then use in Australia. That is according to FunoAnalisiTecnica, which reports that Ferrari intend to throw away the sidepod designs that they use in Bahrain come the first race of the 2026 season in Australia. Ferrari already have two specifications of sidepod concepts ready for the two Bahrain tests.
The Scuderia intend to use a ‘basic’ aerodynamic package in Barcelona, as they feel it will be more beneficial to record the most miles possible. Ferrari have also designed a sidepod with a ‘more generous’ entry section to be used in Bahrain, but they do not plan to race the part. Ferrari foresee the pre-season tests posing a ‘daunting challenge’, as they must correlate the data that their CFD simulations and wind tunnel have generated prior to the first round. The Maranello squad have also encountered regular issues correlating their data in recent years.
‘Throw away the sidepod designs’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...he-first-race/
Lewis Hamilton handed unwanted verdict on eighth F1 drivers' title chances
Lewis Hamilton continues to dream of an eighth F1 drivers' title, but the majority of fans believe it is not on the cards.
11 January 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
A large portion of Formula 1 fans do not believe Lewis Hamilton will ever claim an unprecedented eighth drivers' title and will retire as a seven-time champion. According to a recent RacingNews365 poll, 57.1% believe the Ferrari driver will retire with his current tally of seven titles.
Hamilton failed to secure a single podium finish in a grand prix, marking the first podium-less season of his 22-year career. His 86-point deficit to Leclerc highlighted significant adaptation issues during his transition from Mercedes, where he spent 12 seasons. However, the substantial minority backing Hamilton reflects optimism surrounding the 2026 regulatory overhaul.
‘Unwanted verdict’;
https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...-title-chances
Ferrari are already ‘freezing’ development of one part on their 2026 F1 car before testing
13 January 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari ‘freezing’ development of mobile wing system for the 2026 Formula 1 season. A report from Formula Uno Analisi Tecnica has shared more details about Ferrari’s plans for pre-season testing. The Scuderia have different plans for each stage of testing, with the three days they get in Barcelona dedicated to ‘identifying and resolving any systemic anomalies or bugs’ with their electronics system.
Ferrari’s new power unit will need calibration to avoid turbo lag created by the new hybrid engine. On top of this, Ferrari want to understand the energy regeneration better that comes from the brakes, and this calibration will be vital as the season goes on. The more mileage Ferrari can complete, the better, and it will also help them understand their aerodynamic package better, with Vasseur’s team expected to bring several different variations in order to find the car’s optimum balance.
Ferrari are also said to be ‘freezing’ the mobile wing system that debuted at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi last year. It will be used for the initial stages of the season due to the fact that Ferrari don’t want to repeat the crash tests already completed.
‘Ferrari are already ‘freezing’ development’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...efore-testing/
