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Ferrari will finally unleash their ‘complete’ 2026 car at Miami Grand Prix after successful test.
Ferrari’s vision for their 2026 Formula 1 car will finally be realised at the Miami Grand Prix next weekend, according to a report. The landscape at the front of the grid could change as Mercedes’ rivals ready major upgrades.
26 Apr 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari expect to show their ‘true potential’ at the Miami Grand Prix. While Ferrari’s Monza test was nominally a ‘filming day’ – each team is allowed two such promotional outings every year – they used it to test a raft of car developments, most notably an updated ‘Macarena’ wing.
The rotating wing left fans, and even some rival teams, stunned, but it hasn’t yet been used in a competitive session. That could yet change during the Miami Sprint weekend. According to Motorsport IT, Ferrari will ‘finally’ unleash a ‘complete’ version of their 2026 car in Florida. Loic Serra and his design team are optimistic that they can display the ‘true potential’ of their concept.
The Scuderia are about 25 horsepower down on Mercedes, which puts extra pressure on the aerodynamic department to close the gap. Ferrari don’t anticipate a significant engine upgrade until July, even though they will likely have access to Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) under the new rules. It’s estimated that Ferrari have changed almost half of their car since Japan, though it remains to be seen whether McLaren and Red Bull will bring similarly transformative upgrades.
‘The landscape at the front of the grid could change’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fer...ccessful-test/
F1TECH: How has Ferrari updated its Macarena rear wing?
27 Apr 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
During the Monza filming day, Ferrari tested what sources describe as a “significantly” updated version of the wing. According to the reports the Scuderia has reworked the endplates, modified the actuator integration, and adjusted the geometry of the upper elements to improve airflow management and mechanical robustness.
Key visual differences between Macarena V1 and V2
More squared off endplates
The V2 endplates adopt a sharper, more angular profile, replacing the rounded contours of the original design.
Repositioned pylons for structural rigidity
The support pylons have been shifted to improve load distribution and reduce flexing at high speed—an area Ferrari had been refining since the wing’s first appearance.
Smaller, steeper internal accents
The accents inside the endplates are now smaller and angled more steeply downward at their initial section, helping condition the airflow feeding the rotating flap.
New vertical flap on the third element
A distinctive vertical flap has been added to the centre of the third element, improving stability in the inverted profile configuration that defines the Macarena concept.
‘Key visual differences’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28451
Tifosi forced to wait for new Ferrari engine amid Mercedes fight
Ferrari may not be ready to unleash a new power unit before summer, but Hamilton’s extra Fiorano mileage still offers value
25 Apr 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Ferrari fans, affectionately dubbed Tifosi, may be forced to wait until July to see the Scuderia debut a new engine as part of the FIA Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) initiative amid their fight against Mercedes. This means that the earliest chance for the new ICE to be fitted to the Scuderia‘s SF-26 challengers would come at Round 9 of the season, at the British Grand Prix from July 3-5 but it could also be as late as the Hungarian GP too.
This is because the FIA regulations restrict teams to four power units per season or they suffer the risk of incurring grid penalties, so in a bid to stretch the engines across the remaining 22 races, the team are expected to only debut their second-round ahead of the Barcelona GP (June 14). In line with their current path, that would place the third power unit, the one expected to carry the ICE upgrade, around the time of July – with a fresh PU needed ahead of power circuits such as British GP, Belgian GP, Italian GP and Azerbaijan GP.
‘Tifosi, may be forced to wait until July’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/fer...ercedes-fight/
Ferrari spark Tifosi intrigue with mysterious social media teaser
25 APR 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Ferrari have sparked curiosity among fans by hinting at an announcement set for April 30 through a post shared across their social media channels. As they prepare to pack their bags for Miami, the Maranello outfit has teased its fans with a cryptic 13-second video shared across its social channels, featuring Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc and ending with a date: April 30.
Ferrari tease fans with cryptic video ahead of Miami GP: The short clip has sparked plenty of speculation among fans, with some suggesting the timing could point to Miami-themed merchandise, or even a special livery, while others believe it could be something entirely unrelated. The mystery will be revealed in just a few days.
‘Tifosi intrigue’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ferra...ial-media-post
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc lap times leaked as Ferrari test 'major upgrade' at Monza
Ferrari are going all out in Miami, and we've got our first signs of what to expect.
23 Apr 2026
Ben McCrum
SPORTbible
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been testing out Ferrari's new upgrades in Monza, and the lap times have emerged online. Ahead of bringing he upgrades to an actual race weekend, Ferrari has been testing them during a day on their home track, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. As reported by Autoracer, the Ferrari completed the 200 km at Monza with both Hamilton and Leclerc completing laps on the Monza track.
In total, Leclerc completed 19 laps with a fastest time of 1:27.138 meanwhile Hamilton put in a faster time of 1:26.585 after completing 15 laps testing the new upgrades. Comparatively, Max Verstappen's pole lap time at Monza last year was 1:18.792, nearly eight seconds faster than Hamilton's lap during the test.
Meanwhile Leclerc qualified in fourth with a 1:19.007 time with Hamilton just one place behind him with a 1:19.124 lap. Of course, race times from last year will have been achieved with different tyre setups and lower fuel than Ferrari's test laps.
‘Lap times leaked’;
https://www.sportbible.com/f1/lewis-...20421-20260423
Juan Pablo Montoya believes new F1 regulation changes will ‘take away’ key Ferrari advantage
26 Apr 2026
Aaditya Krishnamurthy
F1 Oversteer
Ferrari could lose key advantage over Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull due to key regulation change. Juan Pablo Montoya spoke on his show with AS Colombia about the recent changes made to start procedures under the new F1 regulations. He believes that the adjustment to the energy deployment levels at the start of races is bound to hurt Ferrari and help Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren going forward.
“Personally, I think the changes at the starts, and how they are going to adjust the energy at the starts, is going to help Mercedes. It removes a disadvantage they had. And not just Mercedes as a team, but all cars with a Mercedes engine. So not the team itself, but the power unit. If you look at the starts of most Mercedes cars, they weren’t strong. And Red Bull’s starts were often not good either, or not bad, but inconsistent. And this takes away a bit of an advantage from Ferrari in the opening phase.”
‘Bound to hurt Ferrari’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jua...ari-advantage/
Lewis Hamilton takes aim at 'certain individuals' after 2025 horror
Seems like Lewis Hamilton was far from happy with those who dared to suggest last season he was finished in F1.
24 Apr 2026
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Lewis Hamilton has conceded to taking great delight in silencing "certain individuals" who believed his F1 career to be finished as he endured a torrid debut season with Ferrari last year. Although not naming names, taking aim at those who dared to suggest he was on his way out, speaking to F1, Hamilton said: "When you have difficult years, there are a lot of questions all over the place.
"Ultimately, I saw certain individuals who haven't had anywhere near the success that I've had, just talking negatively, as they continue to do. And it felt great to be able to come back, to come into this season, and start strong, to be able to show that I still have what it takes to compete at the front. I'll continue to try and show up and deliver in that way."
‘Taking great delight in silencing certain individuals’;
https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...er-2025-horror
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Red Bull tipped to be the ‘big surprise’ in Miami after what Max Verstappen did during April break.
Red Bull have been tipped as the ‘big surprise’ of the Miami Grand Prix thanks to what Max Verstappen did during Formula 1’s April break.
28 Apr 2026
Marcus Chan
F1 Oversteer
Speaking on the recent episode of the RacingNews365 podcast, Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel claimed that Red Bull could be the ‘big surprise’ of the Miami Grand Prix. The Dutchman stated that Verstappen was able to race during the break due to his GT3 commitments, but other F1 drivers have ‘taken on a bit of rust’. Coronel explained: “Red Bull, one hundred per cent. Max was able to continue driving well, so he is still sharp. The rest has taken on some rust.”
“And we know that many changes have been made to the RB22, including weight reduction. So Red Bull are just the big surprise.” Dutch F1 journalist Ruud Dimmers also agreed with Coronel as he stated that the Red Bull RB22 ‘can’t get any worse’. He said: “At Red Bull it just can’t get any worse. If that car is a little better again and Max feels more comfortable in it, he will also perform better again.”
“The rest has taken on some rust”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...g-april-break/
Red Bull ready ‘central’ Miami Grand Prix upgrades to address ‘fundamental’ RB22 weight disadvantage
28 Apr 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Weight reduction is ‘central’ to Red Bull’s Miami Grand Prix upgrade plan. Verstappen called his Red Bull “undriveable” in Japan owing to its chronic balance problems, while Hadjar branded the RB22’s chassis “terrible”. They encountered understeer on turn-in, oversteer under acceleration, and Red Bull’s 2026 F1 regulations chassis is also overweight.
So, according to RacingNews365, Red Bull have made reducing the weight of the RB22 with their upgrades at the Miami GP the ‘central’ part of their plan. It is a ‘fundamental’ issue as Verstappen and Hadjar are at a disadvantage in several ways that Red Bull hope to address. Red Bull have used the break since the Japanese Grand Prix to design new components that look ‘identical’ but weigh a lot less than before. The team hope that the updates make their chassis lighter and also improve their energy efficiency, before any major changes are ready.
It has been said since the 2026 season started in Australia in March that the Red Bull RB22 is around 10kg overweight, which equates to a loss of almost three-tenths of a second per lap. Hadjar qualified P3 in Australia, but was 0.785s off the pole position time George Russell set. Qualifying proved to be a much bigger problem for Red Bull in China and Japan, with Alpine ace Pierre Gasly able to out-qualify Verstappen and Hadjar at both rounds. Verstappen in P8 was 0.938s off pole in China as the lead Red Bull and Hadjar was 1.2s off pole in P8 in Japan. Verstappen even failed to reach a Q3 session at Suzuka for the first time since 2015 with his P11 during qualifying for the 2026 Japanese GP.
‘Weight reduction is central’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...-disadvantage/
Hamilton tipped to unleash Ferrari surge amid predicted Miami breakthrough
28 Apr 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Martin Brundle has backed Lewis Hamilton to deliver stronger results and potentially mount a race-winning challenge, predicting that Scuderia Ferrari will be more competitive at the Miami Grand Prix.
“Lewis clearly enjoys these cars much more. Ferrari is more competitive, and I think again will make a big step for Miami. Lewis obviously prefers this type of car to the seasons we had with the ground-effect cars that were smashing against the ground and were quite brutal things; it didn’t seem to suit his style. But just his mood and the way he’s going about it, he just seems a lot happier because Ferrari is more competitive,” Brundle said to Sky Sports News.
Hamilton must first overcome teammate Charles Leclerc if he is to mount a serious challenge, while still refusing to rule out race wins for the Briton. “He’s got to beat Charles Leclerc if he’s going to win the world championship in the other Ferrari, and others. Let’s see if he can sustain that. If there’s a sniff of a victory, I think Lewis is still very much capable of taking that,” he concluded.
‘Hamilton tipped to unleash Ferrari surge’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...i-breakthrough
Martin Brundle expects F1’s rule changes for Miami Grand Prix to be ‘story of the season’
28 Apr 2026
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer
F1 icon Martin Brundle was initially asked if he thinks the amendments have the potential to change the competitive order of the grid, to which he replied, “Yes, I think it can. It’s more like a relaunch of the season, frankly, to get it right. I think it’s going to be the story of the season, actually, with such a massive change that we’ve had for 2026. So, I’m really looking forward to it.” Brundle was also asked whether he thinks it will satisfy the grid’s occupants, given the vocal outcry from some of F1’s biggest stars regarding the 2026 ruleset.
“It’s quite clear that the drivers who have got fast cars and are winning are somewhat more satisfied than those drivers who are not,” Brundle answered. “So, uh, I guess that’ll carry on. There’s always a huge amount of unintended consequences in anything you change in Formula 1; it’s a pretty complex business. So what we are in the process of is smoothing out the power delivery of these complex hybrid cars, and I think it will be a step forward, as the drivers are concerned about closing speeds.”
“We always did have that sort of thing; if somebody missed a gear in front of you, for example, back in the day when you shifted your own gears or suddenly blew up. But back then, you could smell a little bit of oil or hear the engine or whatever. Obviously, you can’t see that now, with a lot of it being it battery driven. So yes, in summary, it will improve the racing. It will improve the cars, but I’m sure there’s more to be done yet.”
“There’s always a huge amount of unintended consequences”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...of-the-season/
FIA confirms rejection of proposed radical F1 engine solution
28 Apr 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
The FIA has confirmed it has rejected a proposal to cut power to Formula 1‘s much-maligned 2026 power units ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. Detailing the rationale, Tombazis confirmed the rejected proposal cut could have lessened reliance on energy deployment. “We knew that from day one of these regulations, and I think we’ve worked to mitigate a lot of these compromises.”
“One of the reasons it hasn’t been right there from the start, is that the cars are going a bit faster, have found a bit more downforce than we were expecting, and therefore their energy recovered during braking is a bit lower than it would normally be, so we have a bit more of a challenge than we would have liked to have.”
“We did propose the reduction of power about a year ago, and it was rejected. The point there was that we were going to wait for the first few races, which is what we did. Now, is that the final time we talk about it? I don’t think so. We will continue monitoring whether there will be extra additions that would have to be further discussed.”
“We will continue monitoring”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...gine-solution/
Aston Martin hit with blunt Honda verdict ahead of Miami Grand Prix
28 Apr 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Honda chief Shintaro Orihara has delivered a measured outlook on what to expect from Aston Martin at the Florida event. “It has been a long but intense period between the races, with lots of work happening in collaboration with the Aston Martin team both in Japan and in the UK.”
“The Japanese Grand Prix showed that the work is going in the right direction and helped us to find the motivation to keep pushing forward. After that race, we took the opportunity to keep one of the AMR26 cars on site for further static testing in Sakura for the first time, focusing our efforts on reducing vibrations and thus increasing reliability.”
“We have made some progress, allowing us to implement further countermeasures in Miami and later in the season. Realistically, this progress will not have a visible impact on the power unit performance on track, so we shouldn’t be expecting big jumps forward here,” he said via a press statement.
‘Hit with blunt Honda verdict’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/aston...ami-grand-prix
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The Miami Grand Prix is at serious risk of being cancelled.
Florida is predicted to suffer heavy rainfall during the race weekend with thunderstorms threatening to disrupt proceedings.
30 Apr 2026
Rosie Cowell
Give Me Sport
There is a 70% chance of rain looming, coinciding with the start of the race. Rain after lights out always adds an intriguing jeopardy, testing the drivers' skills and nerve to remain on the circuit. However, there's a thin line between challenging and dangerous and the FIA will need to strike that balance carefully.
The intensity of the rainfall is causing concern, as if it is too extreme, the FIA helicopter will struggle as it must be able to take off in an emergency. There is good reason for this. Jules Bianchi's death at Suzuka in 2014 stemmed from his loss of control in the wet, which caused him to collide with a recovery vehicle. The visibility had been extremely limited, so Bianchi was taken to hospital by ambulance despite the confirmation that this would impact his prognosis.
The racing world was devastated by the loss of the 25-year-old, with the FIA implementing a measure to ensure a helicopter can always escort drivers to the nearest specialist centre in the case of surgery or specialist treatment being required. In the past, the FIA have seen fit to cancel practice and qualifying sessions if this regulation cannot be fulfilled. The weather looks to be more settled for Friday and Saturday, but lingering doubts are still cast over the race.
‘Serious risk of being cancelled’;
https://www.givemesport.com/miami-gr...ancelled-risk/
Miami Grand Prix ‘far from certain’ to take place as planned with ‘severe thunderstorms’ forecast
29 Apr 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
The Miami Grand Prix is under threat due to Sunday’s weather forecast, according to a report from the German press. According to sport.de, ‘alarm bells are ringing’ over the forecast for this weekend. Strong winds and ‘severe thunderstorms’ are due to hit the area on Sunday. Conditions are expected to ‘worsen’ in the afternoon and the race is currently scheduled for 4pm.
Last year, the F1 Sprint at Miami was delayed after complaints from the drivers on the formation lap. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed on his way out of the pits due to aquaplaning. The 2026 cars haven’t yet raced in wet weather. As part of the pre-Miami changes, maximum energy deployment will be reduced in the rain to improve car control. Teams can also set their tyre blankets to a higher temperature, which should mean that the initial grip level is higher.
‘Alarm bells are ringing’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mia...orms-forecast/
The potential cancellation threat looming over F1 Miami GP
29 Apr 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
The 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix is at risk of cancellation due to adverse weather conditions descending on the Sunshine State. The potential of adverse weather conditions is threatening to derail the weekend before a wheel has turned in anger. Heavy rain including thunderstorms is forecast to fall at the Miami International Autodrome, with a 70 per cent chance of rain at the start, which could spice up the action.
Should the rain intensity prove to be as bad as predicted, this will cause issues for the FIA helicopter, as it must always be ready to take off in an emergency. Practice and qualifying sessions in previous seasons have been cancelled in the past, as should a driver require surgery or specialist care, it is imperative that the helicopter can take a driver away to the nearest specialist centre.
‘Risk of cancellation’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...r-f1-miami-gp/
F1 Miami Grand Prix weather: Rain set to dampen return to action
The fulll weather forecast for the Miami Grand Prix
29 Apr 2026
Sam Hall
Crash.Net
Formula 1 returns to action this weekend with the Miami Grand Prix, with rain set to fall on race day. Miami has previously thrown up some spectacular action when the weather has been involved, and it looks likely that this will be the case once again.
Adding a further complication, the weekend will be run to a sprint format, giving teams just one practice session to get the car setups sorted, while also learning the effect that a number of tweaks to the regulations will have on their energy deployment, and cars in a wider sense. As a result of this elongated to-do list, practice has been extended by 30 minutes, to a 90-minute duration.
With the threat of thunderstorms that could affect the planned schedule on Sunday, an FIA spokesperson told Crash.net: "We are closely monitoring the weather forecast for this weekend. Having faced a similar situation last year in Miami with threats of thunderstorms, we have a contingency plan in place and will activate it if needed to minimise disruption to the on-track programme."
‘Threat of thunderstorms’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109373...-return-action
Extreme conditions forecast for Miami GP as McLaren highlight 'significant step' - RacingNews365 Review
Catch up on the biggest news stories of the day with the RacingNews365 Review!
29 Apr 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
The Miami Grand Prix is facing the increased possibility of disruption due to heavy thunderstorms ahead of Sunday's race and F1's return to action. At the time of writing, 0600 ET/ 1100 BST, on Wednesday, April 29th, the current forecasts are for heavy thunderstorms to blow through the city on Sunday morning ahead of a 16:00 local time start of round four of the 2026 season.
McLaren will make a "significant step" forward in unlocking performance from its Mercedes F1 power unit in Miami, after early teething troubles. In the first three races of the season, the team felt it was on the backfoot in understanding its Mercedes HPP unit, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failing to start the Chinese GP owing to power unit electrical glitches pre-race.
'Significant step';
https://racingnews365.com/extreme-co...news365-review
What is the weather forecast for the Miami Grand Prix?
The weather forecast is in ahead of the fourth race weekend of the season from Miami.
29 Apr 2026
Formula One - Official Site
SUNDAY, MAY 03 – RACE
Conditions: Race day is expected to experience warm conditions. Temperatures will range from 22°C in the early hours to a peak of 28°C, with a track temperature of 37°C. Winds will blow at an average of 10.4 km/h, gusting up to 36 km/h, and drivers should prepare for fluctuating conditions due to possible showers and changing wind speeds.
Maximum temperature expected: 28 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 22 Celsius
Chance of rain: 30%
‘The weather forecast’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...K3rExPLuiqrbTW
FIA confirms Boost Mode ban for wet races before Miami GP
30 April 2026
Jawad Yaqubon
Motorsport Week
The FIA has confirmed an immediate ban on boost mode usage in wet conditions ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, following driver concerns over the behaviour of the 2026 Formula 1 cars in low-grip environments. The revision removes a key overtaking tool whenever track conditions are classified as wet. A new technical directive states that boost mode “will be inhibited and is not allowed” in these scenarios, eliminating access to a system capable of delivering up to 350kW of additional power.
The decision is linked to the characteristics of the current hybrid power units, which produce immediate torque through their electrical systems. Drivers have reported that this delivery can trigger instability, particularly on corner exit, with the risk amplified on damp or wet surfaces. With boost removed, energy deployment in wet conditions will instead be controlled through standardised engine maps rather than driver-activated systems. This change is intended to produce a more predictable power curve and reduce sudden spikes in acceleration.
‘Immediate ban on boost mode usage in wet conditions’;
https://f1chronicle.com/fia-ban-boos.../?nowprocket=1
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Kimi Antonelli expects Mercedes' rivals to close gap at Miami GP.
Kimi Antonelli holds the top spot in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship standings, but the youngster appears to hold no illusions that he and Mercedes will run away from the pack.
30 April 2026
Field Level Media
Miami Herald
Kimi Antonelli spoke to reporters Thursday ahead of the Miami Grand Prix and predicted a close battle when the rubber hits the road this Sunday. "It's going to be a very interesting weekend for us," the 19-year-old Italian said. "Let's see how we do. For sure, (our rivals are) going to get closer, and we might have to fight quite a bit more this weekend, but we'll do our best and we're going to keep our heads down.”
"On my side, I'm going to try to maximize the performance in the car, I'm going to do my best and we'll see what the result will be." Antonelli said Mercedes has been clear with both drivers about how they're expected to handle themselves as they jostle for a championship. "They said we can race each other, but obviously with respect, not doing any stupid things between each other," Antonelli said.
"At the end of the day... We race for each other, we want to win, we want to be the best, but at the same time we want the best for the team as well. Me and George are very well aware that we can race each other, but with respect, and without trying to do any stupid things. The team has given us the green light, because they want to give both of us the same opportunity. They said we can race each other, but just be clean."
"It's going to be a very interesting weekend for us";
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/n...mainstage_card
Why lift and coast in qualifying 'should no longer be a thing' at the Miami GP
30 Apr 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com
McLaren's technical director for performance, Mark Temple, has explained why drivers' frustrations with having to lift and coast during qualifying should be eased thanks to the latest tweaks introduced for this weekend's Miami Grand Prix. After a series of April meetings, F1 stakeholders agreed on a set of revised rules to be introduced in Miami, addressing concerns around qualifying, racing, and safety. Among the changes are a reduced recharge in qualifying, increased super-clipping power, a boost cap of +150 kW, as well as aids to slow race starts.
The former two - a reduced harvesting limit from eight megajoules (MJ) to seven, and an increase in super-clipping power from 250kW to 350 - are changes focused on by McLaren's Temple, who believes the need to lift and coast in qualifying should now be a thing of the past. "The biggest impact is from a driving point of view. The idea is to get rid of some of these things that the drivers don't like doing in qualifying. The idea of the car coasting for a long period of time into the high-speed chicane rather than a more natural feeling of staying on full throttle and then braking harder.”
"There are two parts to it. One of them is what we call lift and coast, which should no longer be a thing in qualifying, which is where the driver actually lifted off the throttle and then coasted into the braking zone and then hit the brakes. We've now got a situation where it's more efficient and that's controlled by the power unit, so the driver can stay at full throttle and the power unit will recover the energy, straight mode will stay active, so the car slows down less."
“Get rid of some of these things that the drivers don't like doing in qualifying”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/why-l...t-the-miami-gp
Alonso fires reality check as FIA rolls out regulation changes in Miami
30 Apr 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Fernando Alonso has struck a pessimistic tone about the impact of the changes made to F1’s regulations ahead of the Miami Grand Prix weekend. Speaking to GPblog and other media at the Miami Grand Prix media day, the Aston Martin driver said: “Let’s wait and see. I think on the regulation change, let’s wait and see. I don’t think that it will completely change what we saw in the first three races, to be honest. This power unit and these regulations will always reward going slower in the corners, because you have more energy.”
“So the small tweaks can improve a little bit the clipping, which, again, I’m not sure. If we go back to Suzuka, where I spoke with the team and we race with the current rules, we will have more clipping than what we had in Suzuka, so it’s a little bit contradictory what I read in the last few weeks and what I heard today.” The two-time world champion doubled down on his cautious stance, stressing that a clearer assessment will only come once he gets behind the wheel. “That’s why I need to see on track how it feels for us in particular.”
‘Alonso fires reality check’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/alons...anges-in-miami
Steiner’s bold Verstappen prediction ahead of the Miami GP
30 Apr 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Max Verstappen will join Kimi Antonelli and George Russell on the Miami Grand Prix podium, but he’ll be behind the Mercedes team-mates. That’s former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner’s bold prediction for this weekend’s wet race in the Sunshine State.
Four races into the Formula 1 season, and it seems everyone but Steiner is predicting a big reset in the championship. Steiner, though, reckons Mercedes will still come out on top with Red Bull and Verstappen making big gains to join the team-mates on the podium.
‘Steiner’s bold Verstappen prediction’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/miami-...stappen-podium
Red Bull label Miami GP a 'season reboot' after early 2026 struggles
30 Apr 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has said the upcoming Miami GP represents a "reboot for the season"… In a Red Bull press release, Mekies said: "Everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing is excited to be going racing again after the enforced break. There is no denying that these past few weeks have proved useful for teams, the FIA and Formula 1: for the teams to further develop these very new cars and for all three parties to work together to fine tune the regulations based on learnings from the first three Grands Prix."
The Red Bull boss focused on the 'season reboot' at Miami with a degree of optimism, highlighting both Verstappen and Hadjar's role during the five-week hiatus, but wary that rivals will also have had the time to develop more competitive 2026 challengers. Mekies continued: "Effectively, Miami will be a reboot for the season, after this unexpected and exceptionally long hiatus. As for ourselves, everyone has been working flat out in Milton Keynes on the Chassis side and PU side, with Max and Isack also involved.”
"We do not expect to have solved all our issues in one go, however we certainly aim to give Max and Isack a car they will feel more comfortable to push with. Ultimately only the Miami track will reveal the answer to how good a job we have done and how much we still need to find."
Mekies concluded with a special nod to the Miami GP as the first American race for the new Red Bull Ford power unit partnership. "The Miami GP is also the first of three races to be held in the USA this season and is therefore a significant moment for us, as Red Bull Ford Powertrains makes its North American debut."
'Season reboot';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-b...2026-struggles
Leclerc cools hype around upgrade wave with brutal Miami pecking order claim
30 Apr 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Speaking to GPblog, among others, Charles Leclerc suggested that while gaps between teams may narrow, a significant change in the overall hierarchy is unlikely. “It’s going to be pretty unusual to see so many upgrades on so many different teams in a season’s regulations, also for the way the season has been with the five-week break. So I’m pretty sure most people will have kind of new cars here. Whether it will change significantly the pecking order that we have seen since the beginning of the year, I doubt it. We might see fewer or more gaps between some teams. But I don’t know,” Leclerc said.
“I mean, at least for us, there’s McLaren. That was very close in the last few weeks, and last weekend, so I think the package will make a difference on that, hopefully for us, for the better. But when it comes to going and getting Mercedes, I think they were too far ahead for us to actually catch them, only with what we are bringing here. But it’s going to be very interesting. I think it’s going to dictate a lot of what’s going on after that because there will be new directions of development and new things that we might want to explore after the weekend and after having analysed what the other teams will bring.”
‘Leclerc cools hype around upgrade wave’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/lecle...ng-order-claim
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Miami GP: Leclerc edges Verstappen in single practice session.
Miami Grand Prix practice delivered an early suggestion that that Formula 1’s competitive order may be far from settled, as Charles Leclerc edged out Max Verstappen in a frenetic, extended opening session –while early trouble struck championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
01/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
The real pace, however, only emerged in the closing stages. Verstappen was the first to show his hand on soft tyres, jumping to the top with a 1m29.776s. But his advantage was short-lived. Leclerc responded immediately, first reclaiming P1 and then sealing it with a 1m29.310s – aided by a well-timed tow from Lando Norris down the back straight.
Verstappen improved again late on to a 1m29.607s, but it left him 0.297s adrift, settling for second after a session that had earlier seen him complain over the radio about poor gear shifts. Behind the leading duo, Oscar Piastri ensured three different teams occupied the top three, underlining the competitive spread. His 1m29.759s kept McLaren firmly in the mix. Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton followed in fourth, less than half a second off the pace, reinforcing the Scuderia’s encouraging start to the weekend.
For Mercedes, dominant winners of the season’s opening three races, the session proved far less straightforward. Antonelli — fastest overall in the championship standings — could only manage fifth with a 1m30.079s, set on hard tyres before a power unit issue curtailed his running and ruled him out of the crucial soft-tyre phase. Team-mate George Russell slotted into sixth, just behind Antonelli, as Mercedes lacked the final punch seen from Ferrari and Red Bull.
‘Formula 1’s competitive order may be far from settled’;
https://f1i.com/news/563465-miami-gp...e-session.html
Miami GP: Leclerc edges Verstappen in single practice session
01/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome, round 4 of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.
2026 Miami Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:29.310s 41
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.297s 41
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.448s 35
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.467s 35
5 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.769s 24
6 George Russell Mercedes +0.790s 34
7 Lando Norris McLaren +0.898s 35
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.277s 34
9 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +1.563s 40
10 Carlos Sainz Williams +1.620s 37
‘Free Practice 1 results’;
https://f1i.com/news/563465-miami-gp...e-session.html
Everything that happened in extended, sole Miami GP F1 practice
01 May 2026
SAMARTH KANAL
The Race
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of an extended 90-minute first practice session for the 2026 Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix, where 10 of the 11 teams have declared upgrades. Most of the session was spent conducting long runs on hard and medium compounds, and evaluating those upgrades, before the field re-emerged on softs for qualifying runs in the final quarter of an hour. Ferrari looked assured, Leclerc consolidating his advantage on hards to post the session's best time, a 1m 29.310s, on his second push lap on the softest compound.
On hard tyres, Leclerc had been fastest with a time of 1m29.855s, ahead of Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and the other Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton. Red Bull's Max Verstappen was second fastest, 0.297s off Leclerc, and the four-time F1 champion looked far more assured than Red Bull team-mate Isaac Hadjar who was ninth, 1.563s off the lead. McLaren declared numerous performance upgrades and it was an encouraging session for the team, with Oscar Piastri 0.448s off the lead in third and Lando Norris 0.898s off top spot in seventh - though he'd surely have been higher up had he not had to abort a lap to avoid Alex Albon's Williams at the hairpin.
Between them were the two Mercedes: Antonelli fifth overall and George Russell sixth - both just over three quarters of a second off the pace. Antonelli had to step out of the car before enjoying any soft-tyre running due to a power unit issue and Russell was anonymous. Alpine was again best of the rest with Pierre Gasly eighth fastest, three places ahead of team-mate Franco Colapinto. They were 1.277s and 1.705s off respectively. Carlos Sainz completed the top 10 for Williams with Albon 12th, the pair separated by under a tenth.
‘The Race Analysis’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/m...that-happened/
Miami Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc lands first blow in upgraded Ferrari
1 May 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari set the pace as F1 2026 resumed with Free Practice 1 at the Miami Grand Prix. Max Verstappen finished an encouraging second for Red Bull, the team debuting its take on Ferrari’s ‘macarena’ rear wing. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top three, while Championship leader Kimi Antonelli missed out on a soft tyre run.
There were upgrades galore for Miami. Ferrari has introduced the most of any team with 11. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc wasted no time hitting the Miami track in the updated SF-26 machines. Audi’s new racing director Allan McNish was on the pit wall for the first time, as Audi enters post-Jonathan Wheatley life.
A 1:30.688 from Lando Norris in the McLaren served as an early benchmark. Hamilton’s Ferrari was getting snappy. Pierre Gasly’s Alpine was smelling strange. George Russell wanted some strange turbo noises investigating, as he did his best impression of a steam train on the radio to demonstrate. The hard compound tyre was proving popular in the early stages of FP1.
‘Charles Leclerc lands first blow’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/miami-...026-fp1-report
Every F1 team except Aston Martin brings car upgrades to Miami Grand Prix
1st May 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
All bar one of the 11 Formula 1 teams have brought upgrades for the first event event in five weeks. e only team which has declared no upgrades to its chassis for this weekend’s race is Aston Martin, which has been frustrated by power unit vibration problems since the season began. Honda said it will implement new “countermeasures” to address those problems this weekend.
Championship leaders Mercedes have only brought a modest revision to their W17. Its changes are limited to a reshaped exhaust tailpipes and front brake drums to give minor gains in downforce. In contrast McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari have declared extensive revisions to their cars. Ferrari listed no fewer than 11 different changes to their SF-26. These include revisions to the floor, suspension, rear wing and other surface bodywork as part of a package to generate more downforce and make it more efficient in Straight Mode.
Red Bull have tested a version of Ferrari’s novel rotating rear wing which they have also brought to Miami. The have also reshaped the sidepods of their RB22 and made other changes to the front wing and floor in order to improve the airflow around it. Most of McLaren’s revisions are also aimed at improving their car’s aerodynamic performance. They have made extensive changes to the MCL40’s floor which is designed to work in conjunction with other, more minor changes to improve the car’s performance “across all conditions”.
‘McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari have declared extensive revisions to their cars’;
https://www.racefans.net/2026/05/01/...mi-grand-prix/
Oscar Piastri tempers expectations on McLaren's upgrades at Miami GP
1 May 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com
Oscar Piastri has tempered expectations surrounding the extensive upgrade package brought by McLaren to this weekend's Miami GP. The Aussie has said while he hopes to be faster in the US, "it's not going to be enough to challenge Mercedes this weekend." Speaking to media, including GPblog, in Miami, the 25-year-old was asked on what he expects from his team's upgrades this weekend.
He said: "I think hopefully we’ll be faster. Obviously, that’s the plan. We’ll have to wait and see where exactly we come out. I think it’s, again, a step in the right direction for us. It’s not going to be enough to challenge Mercedes this weekend, I don’t think, but it’s definitely in the right direction. Obviously, we’re expecting a lot of other teams to bring upgrades as well, so hopefully ours are better than theirs.”
"That’s the plan. But I think the motivation and the confidence in the team at the moment is high. I think we’re on a good trajectory again. And I think Japan was nice to go into the break with a bit of confidence in showing our potential and hopefully we’ve just added to that now. So hopefully it’s a good step forward."
‘Oscar Piastri tempers expectations’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/oscar...es-at-miami-gp
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Miami GP: Norris beats Antonelli to Sprint Qualifying pole.
Lando Norris signaled a potential shift in the 2026 running order by securing Sprint pole at the Miami International Autodrome.
01/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Driving a heavily revised McLaren, the reigning champion halted the early-season dominance of Mercedes to claim the top spot for Saturday’s sprint race. After a month-long hiatus, the grid arrived in Florida sporting various development paths. While Mercedes opted to delay its major updates, McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull arrived with significant aerodynamic overhauls. This shift in momentum was evident as early as SQ1, where Norris edged out Charles Leclerc by a mere 0.010s.
The session also served as the debut for the FIA’s mid-season rules refinement. Designed to reduce excessive energy management and allow drivers to push closer to the limit, the new regulations saw a more aggressive approach from the leaders, even if the tight, technical confines of the Hard Rock Stadium circuit offered a unique challenge for the new systems. In the mid-field, Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon narrowly escaped the first cut but found themselves eliminated in SQ2.
They were joined on the sidelines by the Audi pairing of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg, with the young Brazilian missing out on the top ten by just two-hundredths of a second. As the sun beat down on the Miami asphalt, SQ3 transformed into a high-stakes, single-lap gamble. With the field switching to soft tires, the drivers held their nerve until the final minutes. Norris, returning to the scene of his first career victory, delivered a clinical 1m27.869s to secure the front of the grid.
‘Potential shift in the 2026 running order’;
https://f1i.com/news/563487-miami-gp...ying-pole.html
Miami Grand Prix results: Lando Norris defeats Mercedes to kickstart F1 2026 title defence
1 May 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Sprint Qualifying 3 Results
1. 1. Lando Norris McLaren 1:27.869
2. 2. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.222
3. 3. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.239
4. 4. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.370
5. 5. Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.592
6. 6. George Russell Mercedes +0.624
7. 7. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.749
8. 8. Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.451
9. 9. Isack Hadjar Red Bull +1.553
10. 10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.605
‘Sprint Qualifying 3 Results’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...int-qualifying
Lando Norris learns stewards' verdict after Miami GP sprint pole threat
Lando Norris was summoned to see the F1 stewards after sprint qualifying on Friday.
2 May 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Lando Norris has avoided a penalty for the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race after being summoned to the stewards on Friday evening. However, his achievement was soon clouded in doubt as the stewards flagged Norris for “driving unnecessarily slowly” at Turn 17, potentially blocking Nico Hulkenberg's Audi.
In the stewards verdict, they said: "Car 1 (Norris) failed to stay below the required time limit as stipulated by the Race Director’s Competition Notes. "Car 1 was within the approved delta time for almost the whole lap until just before Turn 17, where he was suddenly passed by Car 27.”
"That then forced Car 1 to react to create a necessary and appropriate gap to set up a push lap. The Stewards considered this an extenuating circumstance and determined that he did not drive unnecessarily slowly."
‘Lando Norris has avoided a penalty’;
https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...nt-pole-threat
McLaren “did a very big step forward” with Miami GP upgrade, says Leclerc
1st May 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Charles Leclerc was impressed by improvement McLaren have made after Lando Norris took pole position for the sprint race. “[Our] upgrades are fine, it’s just that everybody brought upgrades,” said Leclerc after qualifying fourth behind the two McLarens and Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes.
“We kind of expected that situation where Mercedes is probably still the car to beat. McLaren did a very big step forward, but I felt like they didn’t really optimise their first races of the season, so they were always there, but they didn’t put everything together. On our side, we have just been, today particularly, we’ve struggled with tyres, Medium were working very well. On the soft it wasn’t a nice feeling, so on that we’ve got to look at it.”
However Leclerc is confident Ferrari can perform better over the rest of the weekend. “We know that in the race pace we are stronger,” he said, “but in terms of qualifying there’s still some work to be done. I think in qualifying [for the grand prix] tomorrow we can try and fine-tune a little bit and find a bit of performance,” he added. “But I hope that in the race we can come back in the front. We’ve got the pace to do that, let’s just see if we are able to overtake.”
“McLaren did a very big step forward”;
https://www.racefans.net/2026/05/01/...-says-leclerc/
McLaren strike back at Mercedes as Charles Leclerc deals Ferrari blow - RacingNews365 Review
2 May 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
Charles Leclerc has dealt Ferrari a blow by revealing that he does not feel its upgrades for the Miami Grand Prix will be enough to catch Mercedes, despite most teams having "close to a new car".
The vast majority of teams, including Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull, are set to introduce major upgrade packages at the Miami International Autodrome, having capitalised on the unexpected five-week break.
‘McLaren strike back’;
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-st...news365-review
Lewis Hamilton “hoped it would be better” for Ferrari in F1 Miami Grand Prix sprint qualifying
Lewis Hamilton was frustrated by Ferrari's lack of pace in sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix.
1 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he “hoped it would be better” for Ferrari in sprint qualifying at Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix. Ferrari brought an upgrade package to Miami and made a promising start to the weekend as Charles Leclerc topped the only practice session before his impressive pace translated into the early parts of sprint qualifying.
However, Ferrari’s challenge faltered when it mattered most in SQ3, with Leclerc ending up nearly four-tenths adrift in fourth place. Hamilton could only take seventh in the other Ferrari, a further three tenths behind his team-mate. After sprint qualifying, the seven-time world champion bemoaned the pace of his SF-26.
“We didn’t really know what to expect, I’d hoped that it would be better but yeah, the car didn’t feel particularly great,” Hamilton said. When asked if the team had expected the upgrades to perform better, the 41-year-old Briton replied: “I have no idea. I thought we would be stronger than we were today. We’ll have to do some work overnight to try and figure out why we’re not that quick.”
“Hoped it would be better”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109396...int-qualifying
Stewards' decision shakes up the Miami GP Sprint grid
2 May 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Alexander Albon will start the Miami GP Sprint from P19 on the grid. The Williams driver should not have progressed to SQ2 after exceeding track limits, but this was only discovered after the session had already begun. Albon was through to SQ2 in Sprint Qualifying, but did so with a lap that exceeded track limits at Turn 6. In that session, he finished 14th, but will now be relegated to P19. As a result, Carlos Sainz, Arvid Lindblad, Liam Lawson, Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez all gain a position.
The stewards wrote in their verdict: "During SQ1, Car 23 clearly exceeded track limits in turn 6. However this was not reported to the Stewards until SQ2 had commenced. Car 23’s time recorded on the lap that track limits were exceeded was sufficient to place it in SQ2. Hence at the time the Stewards were informed that Car 23 had left the track and that its lap should have been potentially deleted, it was already on track in SQ2.”
"As this was an unusual situation, the Stewards have decided to settle the matter by exercising their authority under Article 11.7.1.a of the International Sporting Code by deleting the lap time of the lap in question in SQ1. As Car 23 should not have proceeded into SQ2, all lap times from SQ2 will consequently be deleted."
‘Stewards' decision shake up’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...gp-sprint-grid
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Miami Grand Prix: Lando Norris wins Sprint; Hamilton and Verstappen fireworks.
Lando Norris took a comfortable victory at the Miami Grand Prix Sprint, as Oscar Piastri completed a McLaren one-two.
2 May 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
The top 16 all opted for medium tyres, as Lando Norris launched from pole. McLaren and Ferrari impressed on Friday with their upgraded machines. Norris got the perfect launch. Piastri was up one to establish a McLaren one-two. Championship leader Antonelli was swamped, dropping to fourth behind Leclerc.
Russell, and a wheel-to-wheel Hamilton and Verstappen followed. Hamilton emerged ahead, as Pierre Gasly got a clip on the outside of that duo. All three escaped without damage. Antonelli quickly went on the offensive, leaving Leclerc complaining about the Italian moving under braking. Norris, meanwhile, had put a second and a half between himself and Piastri by Lap 4.
Russell went for it into Turn 17, passing down the inside. Antonelli looked to retaliate down the main straight into Turn 1, but Russell held the inside line, and fifth place, for now. As Antonelli struck back at T11, Verstappen and Hamilton were in the run-off, Verstappen returning to the circuit ahead. Hamilton complained of an off-track pass, as Verstappen returned the position. Verstappen re-passed Hamilton at Turn 17, the Ferrari unable to respond into T1. Job done for Verstappen.
‘McLaren one-two’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/miami-...-sprint-report
2026 Miami Grand Prix Sprint – Official F1 results (Miami Gardens)
2 May 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
F1 2026 Miami Grand Prix, Sprint Results
1. Lando Norris, McLaren, 19 Laps
2. Oscar Pisatri, McLaren, +3.766
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, +6.251
4. George Russell, Mercedes, +12.951
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, +13.639
6. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, +13.777
7. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, +21.665
8. Pierre Gasly, Alpine, +30.525
9. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, +35.346
10. Franco Colapinto, Alpine, +36.97
‘Sprint Results’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...nd-prix-sprint
Kimi Antonelli handed costly penalty after Miami Sprint rules breach
Kimi Antonelli's fourth-place finish from the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race was scrubbed after the penalty.
2 May 2026
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Kimi Antonelli was stripped of his fourth-place finish in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race after a post-race FIA penalty. Crossing the line in fourth on the road, having started in second following another bad launch off the line, the championship leader was placed under investigation for breaching track limits, having already received the black and white flag for three warnings.
His fourth breach earned him a five-second time penalty, which dropped him from fourth to sixth in the final classification, and promoted George Russell and Max Verstappen up one place each. Instead of extending his points lead over Russell to 10 points, Antonelli now leads by seven points, with 75 to his name versus 68 for Russell.
‘Costly penalty’;
https://racingnews365.com/kimi-anton...t-rules-breach
McLaren secure Miami GP one-two, as Norris dominates ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes
2 May 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com
McLaren have secured their first one-two race finish of the season at the Miami GP Sprint, after Lando Norris got away from the slow-starting Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, while Oscar Piastri fended off Charles Leclerc for P2. It was another slow start for Kimi Antonelli, who fell back to P4 behind Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, respectively. Lando Norris kept his Pole lead at the start, and made a 1.5s gap on his McLaren teammate by Lap Five.
Max Verstappen dropped back a couple of places from P5 in the opening stages, coming close to contact with old rival Lewis Hamilton, who passed him for P6. Speaking of close contact, Cadillac's Sergio Perez made an impressive start at the manufacturer's home race - making moves on Liam Lawson, Alex Albon, and attacking the Williams duo.
On Lap Seven, the Mercedes pair clashed, with George Russell taking Antonelli at Turn 17. But it was only a lap later until Antonelli had P4 back at Turn 11, with Hamilton and Verstappen going off the just behind them. Verstappen got ahead of the Ferrari driver in the move, but quickly gave the spot back. On Lap 9, Verstappen got the move done cleanly enough this time at Turn 17, the Briton without the answers to fight back for P6. All of this battling behind was good news for the McLaren drivers and Leclerc, with the top three eking out a three second gap to P4's Antonelli.
‘Norris dominates’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...i-and-mercedes
Lando Norris wins F1 Miami sprint as points leader Kimi Antonelli penalised
Lando Norris triumphs to Miami Grand Prix sprint race win ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
2 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix sprint race ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton reignited their old Formula 1 rivalry. Reigning world champion Norris, who became the first non-Mercedes driver to take a pole position in 2026 on Friday, led from start to finish and took a controlled victory in the 19-lap sprint race ahead of Piastri, who kept Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at bay to secure a McLaren one-two.
It was a bad day for championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who lost early ground with another dreadful start. The Italian teenager beat Mercedes team-mate George Russell on the road to take fourth, but was handed a five-second penalty after the chequered flag for repeated track limits infringements. That dropped Antonelli to sixth on the road, behind Russell and Verstappen. In what was a fairly uneventful sprint race, Verstappen and Hamilton engaged in arguably the most entertaining on-track battle.
The pair somehow didn’t crash as they ran side-by-side through the opening sequence of corners at the start, before Hamilton snuck past with an overtake that was missed by the TV cameras. Verstappen barged back ahead of Hamilton at Turn 17 but had to give the place back after going off track to complete his move on his great title rival. On the following lap, the four-time world champion was able to pull off a clean pass on Hamilton to seal the position and conclude a thrilling battle.
‘Lando Norris triumphs’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109409...-hamilton-duel
2026 F1 championship standings after Miami GP Sprint
Find out how the 2026 F1 Miami Grand Prix Sprint has affected the drivers' and constructors' championship standings!
2 May 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
Kimi Antonelli saw his championship lead eaten into after the Miami sprint race after being handed a post-race penalty. The Italian was found guilty of track limits, and lost two positions to George Russell and Max Verstappen.
The Mercedes duo crossed the line in fourth and fifth, respectively, before the penalty was applied, behind the front trio of Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. In the team's standings, Mercedes still holds a strong lead out front, while Red Bull has moved itself up the order.
# Driver Team Points
1 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 75
2 George Russell Mercedes 68
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 55
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 43
5 Lando Norris McLaren 33
6 Oscar Piastri McLaren 28
7 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team 17
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine F1 Team 16
9 Max Verstappen Red Bull 16
10 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 10
‘2026 F1 championship standings’;
https://racingnews365.com/2026-f1-ch...iami-gp-sprint
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Antonelli survives surprise Verstappen challenge for Miami GP pole.
Formula 1 world championship leader Kimi Antonelli resisted a surprise challenge from Max Verstappen to take Miami Grand Prix pole as McLaren slumped after its sprint breakthrough.
02 May 2026
MATT BEER
The Race
Antonelli held an advantage of over three tenths of a second going into the final moments of Q1, but that was slashed to 0.166s by Verstappen at the end - in what was comfortably Red Bull's strongest performance of 2026 so far. Verstappen had hinted at what was to come by topping Q2. McLaren had taken a commanding 1-2 in the sprint earlier in the day, yet never looked a pole threat in this session.
Oscar Piastri had a power issue in Q1 - when he was only 16th - and Lando Norris had a boost concern in Q2, leaving McLaren confident it would be in the pole fight once those were resolved for Q3. Instead Norris and Piastri were a muted fourth and seventh.
Charles Leclerc had been on course for a front row for Ferrari until Verstappen's improvement pushed him back to third, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton sixth behind Russell. Franco Colapinto starred in qualifying for a second day in a row as he led the next group in eighth ahead of the second Red Bull of Isack Hadjar and his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly.
‘Verstappen had hinted at what was to come by topping Q2’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/a...miami-gp-pole/
2026 Miami Grand Prix – Qualifying F1 results (Miami Gardens)
2 May 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
F1 2026 Miami Grand Prix, Qualifying Results
Qualifying 3
1. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, 1:27.798
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 1:27.964
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1:28.143
4. Lando Norris, McLaren, 1:28.183
5. George Russell, Mercedes, 1:28.197
6. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, 1:28.319
7. Oscar Pisatri, McLaren, 1:28.500
8. Franco Colapinto, Alpine, 1:28.762
9. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, 1:28.789
10. Pierre Gasly, Alpine, 1:28.810
‘F1 2026 Miami Grand Prix, Qualifying Results’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...rix-qualifying
Antonelli delivers jaw-dropping lap in brilliant Miami GP pole position
2 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Kimi Antonelli put together the perfect lap to secure an impressive pole position in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix: here’s how the session unfolded.
At the end of the first runs in Q3, Antonelli moved into provisional pole after setting an impressive 1:27.798, putting nearly four tenths between himself and Leclerc and Verstappen. Russell could only manage fifth, also four tenths off the pace, while Hamilton went sixth and Piastri seventh.
Russell failed to improve on his second attempt and remained fifth, while neither Piastri nor Norris managed to find more time either. Both Ferraris also stayed on their previous laps. Verstappen was the only frontrunner to improve, moving onto the front row ahead of Leclerc. Antonelli lifted off on his final attempt but still secured pole position thanks to the lap he had set earlier.
‘Jaw-dropping lap’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...-pole-position
Teen F1 leader Antonelli takes Miami pole as start time moved
03/05/2026
CHANDAN KHANNA
France 24
Mercedes' championship-leading teenager Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position Saturday for the Miami Grand Prix, as the race's start time was brought forward by three hours due to expected heavy rainstorms.
The Miami Grand Prix will start at 1.00pm local time (1700 GMT), rather than 4.00pm, due to a forecast of extreme weather including potential thunderstorms, officials announced on the eve of the race.
The sport's governing body FIA, along with commercial rights holders and local promoters, acted "due to the weather forecast that is expected to bring heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon close to the original planned race start time," they said in a statement.
‘Start time moved’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...rand-prix-pole
VERSTAPPEN SEEING ‘LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL’ AFTER P2 IN MIAMI QUALIFYING
Max Verstappen was left feeling encouraged by Red Bull's improvement after claiming P2 in Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix.
2 May 2026
Formula1.com
When asked after the session about what Red Bull had done to the car to find something extra, Max Verstappen explained: “For me it’s been two things. For sure, the car has not been great in the previous races, but also from my side I’ve never felt comfortable with the layout of the car.”
“I think over those last few weeks the team has been pushing flat-out to try and bring upgrades to the car, and making me feel more comfortable with a lot of things in the car. It really pays off. I feel more in control of the car again, then I can push a bit more, then the upgrades are working. To be on the front row is way better than I expected heading into the weekend.”
Max Verstappen said: “Let’s start with a good start. I’ve not had a lot of them this year! We’ll try to have a look at that, for sure, and see what the weather will do tomorrow, but I’m already very happy with where we are. From here there’s like light at the end of the tunnel, and we can just push on and try to close the gap further.”
‘The team has been pushing flat-out’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...sm9opyIZbSsQIW
Verstappen points out something 'very strange' after Miami GP qualifying
3 May 2026
Estéban den Toom
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen had a bit of a tough time during qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix with the varying performance of the tyres on the RB22. After the session, the Dutchman said it felt a bit strange.
Verstappen found it rather odd that not all the tires performed equally well during qualifying. “It was very strange. I had one set that worked, then another set that didn’t. Q1 was good on the used set. Q2 on the first set was disastrous. Then you bolt on a new set and suddenly it works. And in Q3 the first run wasn’t optimal either, and then it was better on the second set.”
“I didn’t expect that! I thought I wouldn’t see that anymore this season, but unbelievable! I really didn’t expect this to be possible. If you look at yesterday, I should’ve been P7 if everyone put their laps together, but today we also pieced ours together well,” Verstappen told Viaplay after qualifying. Team principal Laurent Mekies was also thrilled with the RB22’s performance during qualifying for the Miami GP in the United States. The Frenchman from Red Bull Racing thanked everyone at the factory in Milton Keynes.
“I didn’t expect that!”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...s-pretty-weird
Why is George Russell so far off Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli at the F1 Miami Grand Prix?
George Russell offers an explanation for his struggles relative to Kimi Antonelli at the Miami Grand Prix.
2 May 2026
Lewis Larkam, Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
George Russell has admitted Miami is one of his weakest Formula 1 circuits after a difficult qualifying. “I just made a mistake on my last corner, last lap. I was about three tenths up,” Russell said in response to a question from Crash.net. “A little bit annoyed, but it's just a track I've always struggled with. Kimi was on pole last year, I was P5. Today he’s pole and I’m P5.”
“It's just very low grip here, you’re sliding around a lot, the tarmac's hot. It's similar to Brazil. I think Kimi, again, was more competitive with me there. Whereas I most prefer the high grip conditions where the tyre and the car is more connected with the ground. I just want to get through this weekend really.”
“I just struggle on these low grip circuits, to be honest,” he explained. “Here, Zandvoort, Brazil. It’s something I do want to work on, but I would say there’s probably three tracks from the 24 that are outliers for me, and Miami is definitely top of that list.”
“I just made a mistake on my last corner, last lap”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109420...ami-grand-prix
Winners and losers from Miami Grand Prix qualifying 2026
3 May 2026
THE RACE TEAM
The Race
Miami Grand Prix qualifying produced a massive shift in the Formula 1 pecking order compared to the sprint race that had run just hours beforehand.
Here's our pick of stars and flops from all the fluctuations.
Loser: McLaren (4th & 7th)
Winner: Red Bull (2nd & 9th)
Loser: George Russell (5th)
Winner: Kimi Antonelli (1st)
Loser: Audi (11th & 22nd)
Winner: Franco Colapinto (8th)
Losers: Alpine's rivals
Loser: Cadillac (20th & 21st)
Arvid Lindblad (17th)
‘Winners and losers’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...fying-f1-2026/
-
Antonelli completes hat-trick as late spin for Leclerc triggers dramatic end to race.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli scored his third consecutive grand prix victory in Miami to extend his championship lead over George Russell.
3rd May 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
It got off to a dramatic start as Charles Leclerc made his usual rapid getaway, which put him in between pole-winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen. As Leclerc nailed his braking point and let the other two ran wide, Verstappen got greedy with the throttle and spun in front of the oncoming pack. Somehow Verstappen’s rivals all missed him, leaving Antonelli to take up the pursuit of Leclerc followed by the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. George Russell held fifth while Lewis Hamilton completed the first lap in sixth place after damaging his car in a clash with Franco Colapinto at turn 11.
While the sprint race saw few of the “yo-yo racing” which characterised the opening rounds, the grand prix soon proved different. Antonelli and Leclerc exchanged the lead twice, then Norris took second place off the Mercedes driver. But further exchanges of position were halted by a pair of crashes. Isack Hadjar, who started from the pit lane on the hard compound tyres, had just passed Arvid Lindblad when he found the barrier in the awkward turn 14-15 chicane. Around the same time, Pierre Gasly fell victim to Liam Lawson locking up on his inside at turn 17, and rolled over before coming to a stop perched on a barrier. Only Verstappen changed tyres during the resulting Safety Car period which dropped him to the tail of the field. Leclerc led the field at the restart while Russell failed to select the correct strat mode and lost a place to Piastri.
Meanwhile Leclerc had come under attack from Piastri, who completed a straightforward pass on the Ferrari driver. Leclerc then performed a copy of Verstappen’s spin from the start of the race, but clouted the barrier as he drove off. The Ferrari was wounded, and he was caught by Verstappen and Russell at the end of the final lap. Russell attacked at turn 17 and passed, the pair making contact as he did, and Verstappen pipped Leclerc to the line by two tenths of a second. Antonelli’s run to victory was less dramatic, while Norris was plainly disappointed at missing his chance to win both of the weekend’s races. Piastri joined his team mate on the podium.
‘Antonelli completes hat-trick’;
https://www.racefans.net/2026/05/03/...c-end-to-race/
2026 Miami Grand Prix – Official F1 results (Miami Gardens)
3 May 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
F1 Results, Miami Grand Prix
1. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, 57 Laps
2. Lando Norris, McLaren, + 3.264
3. Oscar Pisatri, McLaren, + 27.092
4. George Russell, Mercedes, + 43.051
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, + 43.949
6. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, + 44.245
7. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, + 53.753
8. Franco Colapinto, Alpine, + 61.871
9. Carlos Sainz, Williams, + 82.072
10. Alex Albon, Williams, + 90.972
‘F1 Results, Miami Grand Prix’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...ami-grand-prix
Race Report: What Happened at the Miami GP 2026
Kimi Antonelli claimed his third straight Formula 1 victory...
3 May 2026
John Smith
Total Motorsport
Kimi Antonelli arrived in Miami under pressure to prove he could win a different kind of race. His victories in China and Japan had been built on control, clean air and devastating pace. This time, the 19-year-old had to survive a poor start, a wheel-to-wheel fight, an aggressive strategy call and sustained pressure from reigning world champion Lando Norris. He passed every test.
Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix to make it three consecutive Formula 1 victories, extending his championship lead after a race that started chaotically, threatened to be shaped by rain, and ended with late drama behind him. Norris finished second for McLaren, with Oscar Piastri completing the podium after Charles Leclerc spun on the final lap.
Antonelli still had his own problems to manage. He reported an issue with his gearbox paddle and later a throttle concern, while Norris stayed close enough to keep the pressure alive. But the Italian gradually edged clear, opening the gap beyond two seconds in the closing laps. “The start was not as bad as yesterday, a little bit better,” Antonelli said. “I locked up, I was a bit lucky with what happened in Turn 2, but I did a bit of a mistake with the energy management trying to overtake Charles, and lost out to Lando. But the pace was good.”
‘Race Report’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/mia...elli-mercedes/
To be young, gifted & fast — Antonelli, 19, wins the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix
3 May 2026
David J. Neal
Miami Herald
History from 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver became the first driver in Formula 1 history to win his first three grands prix from pole position, outrunning by 3.2 seconds 2024 Miami Grand Prix and 2025 and this year’s F1 Sprint winner Lando Norris. “The team did a great strategy, did a massive undercut and we were able to bring it home,” Antonelli said. Antonelli’s win, the first for a Miami Grand Prix polesitter, ended the four-race winning streak in Miami by McLaren Racing. McLaren had to settle for Norris and 2025 Miami Grand Prix winner Oscar Piastri joining Antonelli on the podium.
Kimi Antonelli failed to hold the first corner. He just went off the course, but Verstappen spun as he went wheel-to-wheel inside Leclerc in the second corner. “Sorry, guys,” a chagrined Verstappen apologized into his team radio. That dropped Verstappen back to ninth and an early pit stop pushed him back farther. Meanwhile, up front, Antonelli found controlled pace to start trading spots with Leclerc, who ripped Antonelli — “too harshly” he admitted afterwards — as too reckless in wheel-to-wheel situations during Saturday’s Sprint race.
‘To be young, gifted & fast’;
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/n...mainstage_lead
Kimi Antonelli wins the Miami Grand Prix for his third straight F1 victory
3 May 2026
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) - Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday for his third consecutive Formula 1 victory as the 19-year-old Mercedes drivers continued to show he's a legitimate championship contender. Antonelli started from the pole but had a slick start on a damp surface at the Miami International Autodrome. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari had a spectacular start from third and surged to the lead when Antonelli went wide off course trying to defend. A split-second later, Max Verstappen spun trying to hold off Leclerc when the two cars made contact.
The contact caused Verstappen, who started a season-best second, to plummet to ninth after the spin. Verstappen worked his way through the field and briefly took the lead as others pitted, but Antonelli beat Norris off pit lane and reclaimed the lead for good once everything cycled out. Norris finished second, 3.2 seconds behind Antonelli, as the Italian and teammate George Russell have won the first four races of this season for Mercedes. Leclerc was going to finish third until Oscar Piastri of McLaren passed him on the final lap. Leclerc spun and settled for sixth. Russell was fourth and Verstappen finished a season-best fifth for Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari was seventh.
‘Third straight F1 victory’;
https://www.dailymail.com/wires/ap/a...1-victory.html
Antonelli wins again as Verstappen delivers impressive Miami GP recovery
3 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli claimed his third consecutive victory by winning the Miami Grand Prix despite another poor start off the line: here’s how the race unfolded. The championship leader suffered another poor getaway off the line, immediately losing the advantage of pole position and forcing himself into a recovery drive.
Verstappen then went side-by-side with the Monegasque in the fight for the lead at Turn 1, but spun after losing control, although he avoided contact with the cars behind and was able to continue. The Dutchman dropped back to eighth place, while Hamilton picked up damage to both the sidepod and floor of his SF-26 but stayed out in sixth.
On Lap 13, the reigning world champion made his move on the Ferrari driver before the stadium section, with Antonelli looming large behind them and soon making his own move into second place shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, Verstappen took advantage of the safety car to make his pit stop, rejoining in 12th before rapidly climbing back up to eighth by around one-third distance.
‘Impressive Miami GP recovery’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...mi-gp-recovery
F1 drivers’ standings update | Antonelli strengthens title lead over Russell after Miami GP
3 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli extends advantage over team-mate George Russell after third straight win: here’s how the 2026 F1 drivers’ standings look after the Miami Grand Prix.
F1 Drivers' standings after 2026 Miami GP
Pos. Driver Points
1 Kimi Antonelli 100
2 George Russell 80
3 Charles Leclerc 63
4 Lando Norris 51
5 Lewis Hamilton 49
6 Oscar Piastri 43
7 Max Verstappen 26
8 Oliver Bearman 17
9 Pierre Gasly 16
10 Liam Lawson 10
‘F1 Drivers' standings’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-dr...after-miami-gp
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‘F***’s sake’: Norris left fuming over costly Miami call as ‘gutted’ star throws team under bus.
“F***’s sake, how did we not win this? We should have won.” Lando Norris muttered on the team radio.
4 May 2026
Nic Savage
Fox Sports (Australia)
On Lap 26, Norris was undercut by Antonelli after the Mercedes driver, who at the time was trailing by two seconds, produced an impeccable outlap and faster pit stop. The duo were practically neck-and-neck when Norris emerged from the pits the following lap, with Antonelli ultimately taking the lead. After the race, Norris muttered on the team radio: “F***’s sake, how did we not win this? We should have won.” He continued during the post-match presentation: “We just got undercut - no excuses other than that.”
“We got undercut, we should have boxed first. Kimi did a good job. Hat’s off to Merc and Kimi, they drove a good race. I’m gutted to miss out on a win here in Miami - I think it was possible today. But not the pace to get past him in the end, so we take it on the chin. But it’s still a positive weekend altogether.” Later in the cooldown room, Norris asked Antonelli: “Where were you when I came out of the pits, I couldn’t see you?” Antonelli indicated that we right next to Norris, adding: “I almost crashed into you”.
Norris continued venting his frustration while speaking to Sky Sports: “We should have boxed first, simple as that. We just have to be honest and say we should have boxed before, we shouldn’t have been waiting. We have to go revive things ... we could have done more to defend for the win.”
‘Throws team under bus’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...ab7af9d1935b39
Our verdict on dramatic Miami Grand Prix's big flashpoints
3 May 2026
THE RACE TEAM
The Race
The Miami Grand Prix had a little bit of everything: multiple incidents, two of Formula 1's best drivers winning, a three-car scrap at the final corner on the final lap (that resulted in contact) and more.
Scott Mitchell-Malm: I really like that we have some old-fashioned stuff to care about after that race! It's just a shame, purely for the sake of variety, it didn't result in a different winner.
Jack Benyon: I'd be really cautious to write off George Russell. You can't take away from what Antonelli has done: no one has converted their first three poles in a row before in F1!
Eden Hanigan: Miami promised us so much in the opening laps, and even at the end with Leclerc almost binning it. But scattered incidents couldn't save this race from its fate of becoming another happy hunting ground for Mercedes in 2026. If anything, this race has taught us that we are fortunate that Mercedes struggles so much at race starts because it actually allows us to get some racing for the big positions early on.
Gary Anderson: I enjoyed the race. There's still a bit too much of that yo-yo effect that actually in my book doesn't constitute real overtaking, but the changes made to the deployment and harvesting have levelled things out just that little bit. I will add the proviso here that compared to Suzuka, the Miami circuit is energy-rich because of the increased braking time, so for other circuits there will still be some fiddling to do. It looks like we now have four teams in the battle at the front. Mercedes has been caught by Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull,
‘Miami Grand Prix's big flashpoints’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/d...x-our-verdict/
Miami GP conclusions: Antonelli insecurity, Verstappen impatience, F1’s TV fail
4 May 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
The brilliance of teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli was the shining beacon of the Miami Grand Prix, helping smooth over the muddied execution of the weekend. It was the great relaunch of F1 2026, a race after a long break and the promise of (another) bright new future. And it very nearly didn’t happen. A joint announcement between the FIA and FOM that confirmed it would be a 1pm start, a time that arguably works better for much of the world (sorry Australia) and perhaps should be considered as a better option than the original 4pm start time going forward.
The earlier start was good for television audiences globally, but it also gave stewards more time to deliberate post-race. It remains one of motorsport’s great weaknesses that, for all the investment and technology and global interest, it remains commonplace that we don’t know the outcome of a race for several hours after crossing the line.
‘Miami GP conclusions’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/mi...26-conclusions
F1 Miami Grand Prix Winners and Losers: Antonelli's Rally, Leclerc's Stumble
3 May 2026
Zach Koons
Miami Herald
Winners
Kimi Antonelli: Once again, Antonelli showed that the hot start to his second season in F1 is no fluke. The Mercedes driver very well could have ended up in the other category of this list based on what happened on Saturday in the sprint race. Despite qualifying on pole, the starting issues that have plagued him all season reared themselves once again. He fell all the way to sixth and admitted he got "very frustrated" inside the car after the poor getaway.
Franco Colapinto: What a weekend for the Argentinian Alpine driver. Whether posing for photos with national hero Lionel Messi or notching a career-best finish was the real highlight, we may never know, but it was all positives for Colapinto on Sunday.
Lando Norris (& McLaren): Speaking of the reigning champ, there was an air of disappointment from the McLaren driver following Sunday's result. And that's perhaps a testament to just how far the team has come in his time since he first raced in F1 in 2019. There's expectations for a team and driver who won two titles last season and want to stay at the top.
‘Winners and Losers’;
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/a...mainstage_card
Adjusted 2026 F1 Miami Grand Prix results after huge Ferrari penalty
Check out the adjusted results from the Miami Grand Prix after a huge penalty for Charles Leclerc.
3 May 2026
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
RESULT RACE - MIAMI
Adjusted 2026 F1 Miami Grand Prix results after huge Ferrari penalty
# DRIVER TEAM TIME
1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
2 Lando Norris McLaren +3.264
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +27.092
4 George Russell Mercedes +43.051
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull +48.949
6 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +53.753
7 Franco Colapinto Alpine +61.871
8 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +64.245
9 Carlos Sainz Williams +82.072
10 Alexander Albon Williams +90.972
‘Adjusted 2026 F1 Miami Grand Prix results’;
https://racingnews365.com/adjusted-2...errari-penalty
In Antonelli, Russell may have met his match -- and F1 may have its new superstar
3 May 2026
Nate Saunders
ESPN.com
MIAMI -- Mercedes wonderkid Kimi Antonelli continued his charge towards Formula 1 megastardom with his third straight victory at the Miami Grand Prix, one which boosted his fairytale championship lead. The Italian teenage sensation, who only turned 19 last August, has seized control of the early stages of the championship race in only his second F1 season.
To most observers, it was an unlikely situation -- many fans and pundits thought the early season would be dominated by his much more experienced Mercedes teammate, preseason favourite George Russell. Russell even strengthened that feeling by winning 2026's opening race, Melbourne's Australian Grand Prix, but Antonelli has now won three straight and leaves Miami with a 20-point advantage over the Englishman.
It's early days in a championship which stretches to 22 races and ends in early December, but Antonelli's Sunday performance in Miami was a mighty statement, holding off reigning world champion Lando Norris to claim victory. It was not flawless -- even by his own admission -- and he clearly still has a lot of work to do when it comes to his starts, but Antonelli has been mistake-free when it counts and has shown the blistering pace Mercedes predicted he would eventually carry over from his phenomenal karting and junior career into Formula 1.
‘Mercedes wonderkid Kimi Antonelli’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/4...rand-prix-2026
F1 | MIAMI GP, GIAN CARLO MINARDI: “ITALIAN MOTORSPORT AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD”
3 May 2026
Gian Carlo Minardi
Minardi F1 - The Official Site
Andrea Kimi Antonelli had the Italian national anthem played once again in Florida a few after Gabriele Mini’s win in F2. This was a day of special significance for those who love this sport. Once again Antonelli proved his worth with an exceptional weekend, starting with the commanding pole position. In the race he fought it out on the edge of thousandths of a second against the world champions McLaren and Lando Norris.
We are talking about a young man who is only 19 years, who still has wide room for improvement, and is making rapid progress, even though this does not come as a surprise for those who have followed him since the karts. Year after year he has deserved the place he is now occupying. I have every confidence in him because he has a maturity beyond his age. As is my habit, I followed the GP keeping an eye on the times lap by lap, and it was impressive.
‘Andrea Kimi Antonelli had the Italian national anthem played once again’;
https://www.minardi.it/en/f1-miami-g...-of-the-world/
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‘Next time, speak with me’: Star’s Miami meltdown laid bare as ugly Ferrari vision emerges.
“In the space of four corners, I put a very strong race in the bin -- so I am very frustrated about that.” Charles Leclerc.
4 May 2026
AFP
Fox Sports (Australia)
Charles Leclerc admitted he threw away a podium finish for Ferrari with a wild penultimate lap as he dropped from third to finish eighth in Monday’s Miami Grand Prix. “I was third and I pushed very hard in the second-to-last lap. I thought it was a good idea to kind of let Oscar (Piastri) go for me to get the overtake (of him),” said Leclerc. “I knew it was going to be very difficult to stay in front of him otherwise, and it was a very poor decision.”
“In the space of four corners, I put a very strong race in the bin -- so I am very frustrated about that. I did my best to try and make the corners first of all... But it was probably a lot more difficult for me than it looked to be from the outside,” Leclerc said before the ruling. Speaking of the damage to his car, he said: “The damage was significant. To tell you exactly what was the damage, I’m not so sure.”
“I’m pretty sure there was a puncture, there was probably some suspension damage as well, as I couldn’t really turn to the right anymore. So yeah, I’m very disappointed with myself. It’s all on me and it’s a mistake.” The Monegasque was also heard questioning his team over team radio earlier about the timing of his pit stop. “Why did we stop? When is the rain?” Leclerc said. “Next time you make a decision please speak with me. I am here as well.”
“I put a very strong race in the bin”;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...4c9281ae8d92fd
Charles Leclerc on Miami GP error: I put my race in the bin
3 May 2026
Nate Saunders
ESPN.com
MIAMI -- Charles Leclerc took full blame for the late Miami Grand Prix mistake that saw him "put a very strong race in the bin" and drop from third to eighth on the final lap. The Ferrari driver and McLaren's Oscar Piastri were fighting for a spot on the podium at the start of the final lap Sunday. Piastri had got past him on the penultimate lap, but Leclerc had one final attempt to get by with his battery boost. But Leclerc spun while fighting for the position and tapped the wall with his left front tyre.
The slow-moving Leclerc then lost fourth position to George Russell at the penultimate corner -- where the two also made contact -- before Max Verstappen caught him in a drag race for fifth position as they approached the start-finish line. Leclerc finished sixth on the road, and that became eighth after a post-race 20-second penalty for skipping a number of corners as he nursed his car to the finish line.
Leclerc refused to blame the strategy for how his race unfolded. "I think that without the mistake, I could have done a podium," he said. "More than strategy, it's easy to blame on the strategy afterward; even with the best strategy with that mistake on the last lap, I probably wouldn't have been on the podium. First, I'll look at myself, and then surely I'll speak with the team to try and improve whatever we haven't optimized today."
‘Final attempt to get by’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/4...ce-bin-ferrari
Charles Leclerc demoted behind Lewis Hamilton, Franco Colapinto in Miami GP results after chaotic finish that was 'all on me'
4 May 2026
Sky Sports
Charles Leclerc said it was "all on me" after he "put a very strong race in the bin" in a torrid, chaotic end to his Miami Grand Prix which later saw the Ferrari driver demoted to eighth place by a stewards' penalty.
Leclerc told stewards that the car would not take right-hand turns properly after contact with the wall but officials ruled after their investigation that "the fact that he had a mechanical issue of some sort did not amount to a justifiable reason" for cutting several corners.
"We determined that the fact that he had to cut the chicanes (i.e. to leave the track) meant that he gained a lasting advantage by leaving the track in that manner," stewards said. "We accordingly impose a Drive Through penalty on Car 16 [Leclerc], given the number of times the car left the track and gained an advantage."
‘Charles Leclerc demoted’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-was-all-on-me
Leclerc and Hamilton left frustrated after tough Miami Grand Prix
4 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Ferrari leave Miami with mixed emotions as Leclerc’s late mistake and penalty overshadow Hamilton’s damage limiting drive Ferrari’s Miami Grand Prix delivered a split narrative for the Scuderia. Lewis Hamilton salvaged what he could from a compromised car, while Charles Leclerc’s podium contending afternoon unravelled through a combination of strategy frustration, late race errors and a post race penalty that dropped him to eighth.
Hamilton hampered from the start after contact with Colapinto. Hamilton’s race was effectively shaped within seconds of the lights going out. The Briton made contact with Williams rookie Franco Colapinto off the line, an incident the stewards later deemed a straightforward racing incident. But the consequences were immediate and lasting: Hamilton’s SF 26 suffered damage that robbed him of downforce and left him unable to compete with the leading group.
Leclerc’s strong start unravels through strategy, traffic and a last lap error. While Hamilton was battling damage, Leclerc was very much in the fight at the front. He was the only one of the top three to navigate Turn 1 cleanly on the opening lap, emerging in the lead after chaos behind him. But the race soon turned more complicated. He lost out to Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris in the early phases, and Ferrari opted to pit him earlier than both to cover off a potential George Russell undercut. That decision dropped Leclerc into traffic, compromising his pace and costing him track position — a strategic call that left the Monegasque frustrated.
‘Mixed emotions’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28503
Lewis Hamilton reveals staggering Ferrari damage impact
Lewis Hamilton's Miami Grand Prix was undone on the opening lap of the race after contact with Franco Colapinto.
4 May 2026
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Lewis Hamilton has revealed he was losing half a second per lap due to extensive damage to his car during the Miami Grand Prix. Although he was able to hold on to seventh place at the chequered flag, Hamilton stated he was carrying significant damage. “I was really unlucky to get caught up in Max's spin and obviously lost positions from there,” he told media including RacingNews365.
“Then I got damage from Franco and that lost me a ton of downforce. I was just in no man's land after that. I lost half a second of downforce on the car, I was just driving around, trying to get as many points as I could with the damage.” Hamilton asserted confidence that he would have been in the mix if not for the damage he picked up.
“We progressed going into qualifying and the laps to the grid felt really strong,” he added. “I was feeling like ‘we're going to be strong in this race’ - and then obviously, with the damage, it's the worst when it happens on lap one. There’s just nothing you can do.”
“Losing half a second per lap”;
https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...-damage-impact
Hamilton hints Ferrari might "have the best car, but it’s hard to fight with Mercedes” due to PU limitations
4 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Speaking to Mara Sangiorgio of Sky Italia, Lewis Hamilton was explicit about where Ferrari is losing its fights: “Engine upgrade? Yes, this really is what we need so much. "Now it's very hard for us to fight against the power of the Red Bull and Mercedes power units, which both have a big advantage over ours," the Briton continued. Ferrari’s deficit — widely believed in the paddock to be in the region of several tenths per lap depending on circuit layout — has become the defining limitation of the SF 26.
Lewis Hamilton repeatedly emphasised that Ferrari’s foundations are strong — strong enough, in his view, to fight for victories once the engine deficit is addressed. “For the rest, we have a great car, perhaps even the best, so we have to solve this problem because, if we succeed, we could really be fighting for victories.” This is the clearest public endorsement yet of Ferrari’s 2026 chassis concept from the seven time world champion. Internally, the team has been encouraged by the SF 26’s cornering performance and tyre management, both of which have been competitive even on circuits where Ferrari traditionally struggled.
A damage limited Sunday: “I had nothing”. Hamilton’s race unravelled early when Max Verstappen’s spin forced him off line, leaving him boxed in and then his SF26 suffered major floor damage due to a contact with Alpine's Franco Colapinto on the first lap. “I felt like we would have been more competitive, so I really felt optimistic for today. I got held up at the beginning when Max spun and I was in the wrong position for that, and then obviously the damage that I got after that then I was just… I had nothing.” From that moment, Hamilton was stuck in what he called “no man’s land”...
'PU limitations';
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28511
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How Red Bull got Verstappen back in the fight.
Max Verstappen is back in the fight, but how did Red Bull turn things around so quickly in 2026?
5 May 2026
RacingNews365
From fixing a crucial steering issue to introducing a completely revised aerodynamic package including a new front wing, updated floor, redesigned sidepods, and their own version of the ‘Macarena wing’. The RB22 suddenly looked like a different car. In this video, we break down exactly what changed and why it worked.
‘Back in the fight’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-red-bu...k-in-the-fight
Red Bull apologises to Max Verstappen for not fixing F1 steering issue earlier
5 May 2026
Ronald Vording
Motorsport.com
Technical Director Pierre Wache explains that Red Bull tried multiple fixes for a steering issue on the RB22, but that identifying the root cause proved complex.
Max Verstappen revealed during his Dutch media session that there is another factor at play as well: Red Bull discovered an issue in the steering system and has finally been able to address it.
‘Identifying the root cause proved complex’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/r...lier/10818389/
Max Verstappen hailed for 'genius' recovery: 'I can't tell you how hard that is'
Max Verstappen was involved in a high-speed spin on the opening lap of the Miami Grand Prix last weekend.
5 May 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
“On a bone-dry track, Charles Leclerc's fast-starting Ferrari, from third on the grid, would be side-by-side with Max Verstappen as they exited Turn 1, even though pole-sitter Antonelli had a reasonable start this time,” Brundle wrote in his column for Sky F1.
“Pinched to the Turn Two apex by Leclerc, Verstappen was too eager on the throttle and looped around, an unusual mistake for him for which he would hurriedly apologise to the team on the radio.” While Verstappen dropped to the midfield, Brundle was impressed by the Dutchman's car control to ensure he was not collected by a rival driver.
“Before that we saw some of his genius in the recovery,” he said. “In front of the whole pack except Leclerc, he deftly used the throttle, brakes, and steering wheel to execute a full 360-degree turn, pointing nicely down the racetrack and somehow maintaining some forward speed. I can't tell you how hard that is in these plus-sized F1 cars full of fuel in the heat of battle. This dramatically minimised the chances of being run into and kept him in ninth place at the end of the lap.”
'Genius';
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...w-hard-that-is
Red Bull Boss reveals how Verstappen escaped Miami disqualification drama
5 May 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Red Bull Racing team principal Laurent Mekies has explained how Max Verstappen avoided disqualification during the Miami Grand Prix weekend, despite teammate Isack Hadjar suffering that very fate. Asked whether the two cars had been set up differently ahead of qualifying, Mekies clarified that both drivers ran identical specifications, with the issue on Hadjar’s car coming down to a costly human error.
“They were on the exact same spec. We made a mistake on Isack’s car. It’s very simple: the car was found to be two millimetres too wide. We should have spotted it earlier in our routine checks. We did not, and it’s painful, but it’s easy to fix,” Mekies told GPblog. Hadjar’s floor was found to be illegal as it protruded two millimetres beyond the dimensions defined in the F1 2026 technical regulations.
Max Verstappen passed the post-qualifying scrutineering and subsequently kept his front-row start. The race itself in Miami unfolded in a manner that left little to be desired for the Red Bull outfit, with Hadjar suffering a crash on the sixth lap and Verstappen spinning on the opening lap, which saw him slide down the running order.
‘Miami disqualification drama’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-b...fication-drama
Verstappen makes ‘rally’ joke as pundits debate ‘talent v luck’
5 May 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Max Verstappen joked that if F1 doesn’t work out for him, he might need a future in rallying after a dramatic 360 spin at the Miami Grand Prix. It went wrong for the four-time world champion on the opening lap as he challenged Charles Leclerc only to spin at Turn 2. Verstappen managed to execute a perfect 360, impressing with his ability even in the face of a mistake.
The Dutch racer joked he could try his hand at rally after that manoeuvre. “I lost the rear in Turn 2 and then of course I tried to minimise the time loss by doing a 360,” Verstappen told PlanetF1.com and other media. “Yeah, I thought I was going to crash but then I floored it, so I managed to do a good 360. If F1 doesn’t work out I can always go rally.”
Asked if his minor contact with Leclerc as they battled for P1 had played a part in his spin, Verstappen denied that. “Just one of those things,” he said. “I don’t think so. I mean, we just pushed, of course, into the corner, but, yeah, just lost something. The rear just started to slide. And once it goes, you know, with heavy fuel it’s hard to catch.”
‘Could try his hand at rally after that manoeuvre’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...ke-f1-analysis
Red Bull – more than just an F1 team in Miami
5 May 2026
Elizabeth Blackstock
Motorsport Week
Over the weekend of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, motorsport journalist, historian and award-winning podcaster, Elizabeth Blackstock, spent time with Red Bull’s American division. In a special feature for Motorsport Week, Elizabeth shows us that in Miami, Red Bull is more than just a race team.
Throughout the weekend, multiple members of the Red Bull staff shared their belief that the Miami Grand Prix is their most challenging — and rewarding — event of the year. Preparations for 2026 kicked off the moment the checkered flag flew on 2025’s edition of the race, drawing in almost every department of the company to work a little magic. Things only ramped up in the weeks ahead of the Grand Prix, and during the weekend itself, days were long.
One of the most fascinating elements of the Red Bull program is how it positions its athletes. Yes, Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen were hard at work throughout the weekend, but countless other sports personalities were on hand all weekend. Whincup and Polvoorde were able to flaunt their skills at Homestead, but the centerpiece of the weekend was the trackside Red Bull Energy Station. Yet simply branding it a “hospitality experience” would be a major disservice; it’s more akin to joining the exceptional milieu of the Red Bull athlete program for the weekend.
‘More than just an F1 team’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...team-in-miami/
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How did Williams achieve its first double-points finish with its 500 part Miami upgrade package?
Williams arrived in Miami with the largest upgrade package it has produced in years — around 500 new parts in total, including the first major round of weight saving measures.
6 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
In aerodynamic terms, this was effectively the car the team had intended to race in Australia, but delays over the winter meant the Grove outfit only now reached its planned baseline. The result was immediate and tangible. Williams was not suddenly a frontrunner, but it was back in the fight — competitive in the midfield, operationally sharp, and rewarded with its first double points finish of the season as Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon brought the FW48 home in ninth and tenth. It was a weekend that showed both how far Williams has come, and how far it still needs to go.
A car finally in the window: The scale of the upgrade — and the fact that it arrived later than intended — underlined how far behind Williams had fallen in the off season. But Miami marked the first time the team could combine aerodynamic development with weight reduction, even if it still cannot do both at the pace it would like. The FW48 behaved more consistently, allowed both drivers to race in the midfield, and gave Williams the platform to capitalise on a chaotic opening lap. Both Sainz and Albon kept clear of trouble, gained positions early, and executed clean, well timed pit stops that protected their track position.
Team Principal James Vowles highlighted both the achievement and the long road ahead: "Well done to the team. It's great to see the hard work of the last five weeks, and the aero package all adding up, putting us in stronger place than we started the season. It's still a long road, but the positive news is that there's more performance to come throughout the rest of the season," Vowles noted.
‘500 part Miami upgrade package’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28514
Williams achieve F1 2026 milestone with delayed "race one package"
Carlos Sainz hailed the delayed Williams Formula 1 upgrades that powered him to points at the Miami Grand Prix
5 May 2026
Sam Hall, Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
Carlos Sainz expressed his relief after Williams finally fitted its planned ‘race one’ package for the Miami Grand Prix, with both cars scoring points. Williams has endured a difficult start to the 2026 season – the only team to miss the Barcelona shakedown entirely, struggling with debilitating weight issues, and running so late with its development that the first three rounds were contested without the package planned for Australia.
Having struggled for points across those initial races, both Sainz and team-mate Alex Albon were able to finish inside the top 10 on pure pace in Miami, recording a first double-points outcome of the campaign. “We finally put on the upgrade of the car that was supposed to come to race one,” said Sainz. “Because of all the delays we had at the start of the season, now we have finally put the car [on track] that was supposed to be the race one package.”
“Now it’s on the car, it is performing at least at the level of the midfield cars. We know we still have a lot of weight to shed off the car, and when you look at that, it’s positive.” Williams had made no secret that it expected to gain ground in 2026, having languished for much of the last decade towards the foot of the constructors’ table, and after switching development away from its 2025 car at the earliest opportunity in order to focus on the new rules.
"Race one package";
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109449...ce-one-package
Williams trims weight as Sainz plays down rule tweaks
Williams has taken a step forward in Miami after a difficult start to 2026, with a key part of its upgrade focused simply on reducing weight.
3 MAY 2026
GrandPrix.com
Driver Carlos Sainz said the car is at least more competitive than before the April break. “The good thing is that we were able to recover,” he said. “We were faster than the Haas cars, which we weren't five weeks ago, so it's positive.”
However, as a GPDA director, Sainz also played down the impact of the new regulation tweaks, designed in part to appease the increasingly-critical driver contingent. “Very little has changed. We knew very little would change”, he said. “We'll have to wait until later in the season, or even next year, for the FIA and the teams to dare to make bigger changes.”
Behind the scenes, much of Williams' progress has come from a major weight reduction program. Team boss James Vowles revealed the scale of the effort. “The engineering work they've completed at the factory has removed all the weight from the car plus 10 kilos”, he said. “That's the engineering work that's been completed - it hasn't been delivered to the car because, with the current cost cap, it's no longer efficient to do so.”
‘Williams trims weight’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/willi...le-tweaks.html
Carlos Sainz hails Williams progress after F1 Miami GP
6 May 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Carlos Sainz outlines next step for Williams. With progress now made, Sainz outlined the next steps for Williams in the coming races. outlining one clear target. “Now it’s on the car, it is performing at least at the level of the midfield cars. We know we still have a lot of weight to shed off the car, and when you look at that, it’s positive.”
“Clearly, this weekend, I think we were about sixth fastest, but then Alpine is 20-seconds in front of us here. It would have been 25-30 without a safety car. So to Alpine, there is still a bit gap, and to the front-runners, I cannot even tell you. We need to put our heads down, make this our new baseline, and start improving.”
Williams’ step forward is only the start of its journey to master these new regulations. The knock-on effects of its delays will likely continue for the next few races as it is now behind in the development race.
‘Next step for Williams’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...r-f1-miami-gp/
James Vowles admits Williams ‘gap is large’ despite 2026 progress push
3 May 2026
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
James Vowles has admitted Williams are facing a steep climb in 2026, despite believing the team is finally heading in the right direction. “A really messy winter and the break gave us an opportunity to reset, take a breath, catch up, form a plan for not just Miami, of which we brought upgrades here, but really what we’re doing now across everywhere up until the end of the season to put ourselves back into a sensible position, fundamentally,” Vowles said.
“I am proud of the work that the team did. Every area was basically working at maximum capacity and that’s despite a difficult winter where people were putting in big, big hours. However, the gap is so large from where we are to the front that I’m sure we’ve made a small step into that, but it is a small step and we need to keep doing that across the number of races in the future in order to make a tangible difference. So positive first session but it is literally just one session and the gaps are still large.”
“For me, it’s as we get to where we finish developing the car, which will be after the August break, that the car is sensibly back to being the top of the midfield, with everything in a sensible position, building on next year’s car. What I enjoy about Williams is there is no resistance to change for greatness. What I mean by that is we will point ourselves in the right direction and follow along with that as long as there is clear ambition and drive to this being at a championship level and former Mercedes engineer Dan Milner brings that.”
‘Williams are facing a steep climb in 2026’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-...s-messy-winter
Why it will 'take time' for Williams to cut weight off its heavy 2026 F1 car
2 May 2026
Ed Hardy
Motorsport.com
The FW48 is understood to be 28Kg above the regulated minimum weight of 768Kg, down from 800Kg last year as part of the drastic rule change for this year’s campaign.
But driver Carlos Sainz doesn’t believe Williams will see the benefits of that until later in the year, as Vowles revealed only “a couple of Kilos” has been taken out of the car this weekend.
That’s despite the factory having already engineered the FW48 to the ideal weight, it’s just that it “will take a bit of time” to apply the work to the car with gradual steps at each race.
‘28Kg above the regulated minimum weight’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/w...-car/10817281/
SHOULD HAVE POSTED THURSDAY 8th May 2026, but Motorsport Forum was offline most of the day…
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Hamilton reveals the reason for his setup woes with the SF26.
Lewis Hamilton left the Miami Grand Prix weekend with mixed emotions: encouraged by the progress Ferrari eventually unlocked, yet frustrated by how long it took to find it.
6 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Across three days that swung from confusion to clarity and finally to damage limitation, the seven time world champion offered a remarkably candid assessment of where things went wrong — and what must change. By the time the main qualifying session arrived, the SF 26 had been transformed. Hamilton described the shift as dramatic, and his relief was evident.
“It was an improvement. We made lots of changes to the car, we didn't have software issues. So I think we progressed, we stepped forward. I think Q2 was feeling really solid, and then when I got to Q3 I just wasn't able to extract the maximum.” The pace was there — but the execution was not fully polished. Hamilton believed a top three start was within reach.
“I don't feel comfortable in P6, that's not where I want to be. So quite unhappy with P6, naturally, but I'm happy that we made changes going to qualifying and we progressed. We did improve. I think top three was probably possible, so I just got to work on it.” The frustration was not about the final position alone, but about the lost opportunity. Had Ferrari found the correct setup direction earlier, Hamilton felt the entire weekend would have unfolded differently.
‘Mixed emotions’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28512
Hamilton ‘just a passenger’ in Miami GP after first lap damage
04/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Even beyond Sunday’s race, there was a sense that the foundations of the weekend had been shaky from the outset. “I think, as I said, we just started on the wrong foot this weekend,” Hamilton said. “So the car was very snappy on the way into corners, and massive understeer mid-corner. So that's not the balance that you want. It was better for qualifying than going into the race.”
For Hamilton, Miami wasn’t defined by a lack of pace or effort, but by circumstance – the kind that leaves a driver watching opportunities disappear in real time. One lap. One incident. One piece of damage. And from there, nothing but “no-man’s land.” The trouble began almost immediately. As Max Verstappen spun ahead at Turn 2, Hamilton was forced to take evasive action, running wide and losing crucial track position.
That avoidance dropped him into the path of the Alpine of Franco Colapinto – and into further trouble. As Hamilton tried to recover ground, contact at Turn 11 inflicted damage that would define the rest of his afternoon. “I was really unlucky to get caught up with Max's spin, and obviously lost positions from there,” he said. “And then got damage from Franco, and then that lost me a ton of downforce. And I was just in no-man's land after that.”
“Started on the wrong foot”;
https://f1i.com/news/563966-hamilton...ap-damage.html
Vasseur reveals limitations that hindered Hamilton and Leclerc at the Miami Grand Prix
4 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Team Principal Fred Vasseur summarised the situation bluntly: “With Lewis, the race was largely about managing the damage from lap one, which meant dealing with overheating and doing a lot of lift and coast just to bring the car to the finish.” Despite the limitations, Hamilton kept the car in contention for points and ultimately finished sixth, the maximum Ferrari believed was achievable given the compromised condition of the SF 26.
Despite the setbacks, Vasseur stressed that Ferrari leave Miami with clear areas for improvement and some encouraging signs: “Overall, it was a challenging Sunday on both sides of the garage.” “However, there are some positives to take from the weekend: the starts were good and the upgrades worked as expected. We know where we need to improve – consistency, managing traffic and extracting the full potential of the package.”
‘Vasseur reveals limitations’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28504
Lewis Hamilton ditches Ferrari simulator ahead of Canadian GP over correlation concerns
6 May 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
“I’m going to have a different approach in the next race,” Lewis Hamilton declared to PlanetF1.com and other accredited media following the Miami GP. Because the way we’re preparing at the moment, it’s not helping. So we’ll see how that goes for the next race. But also, we’re going to another track with long straights, and we’re losing three to four tenths just on straight line speed. So that’s there, and it’s going to be there until we fix it.”
For Hamilton, what he is experiencing in the Ferrari simulator versus the real-life SF-26, does not align. “Ultimately, it’s always correlation,” he added. “We go on it [the simulator], and then you get to the track, and the car feels different when you get to the track. I’m not going to go on the simulator between now and the next race. I’ll still go and hold meetings at the factory and stuff, but just going to back away from it for a little bit and see. When we went to China, I had the best weekend, and without sim.”
‘Correlation concerns’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...nadian-gp-plan
Lewis Hamilton confirms radical Ferrari F1 decision for Canadian GP
6 May 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he will take a radical new approach to preparation for the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix. Hamilton and Ferrari endured a frustrating weekend in Miami, despite bringing 11 upgrades to the SF-26.
Effectively running a completely new car, the hope at Maranello was that the team could challenge the dominant Mercedes, with extensive simulator testing taking place in preparation. Hamilton’s decision to avoid simulator points to a lack of confidence in trusting the data it provides. If the seven-time world champion performs well in Canada, he will no doubt feel vindicated.
‘Radical new approach’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...for-f1-canada/
Why Hamilton thinks Ferrari simulator is hurting him right now
'No simulator'? Hamilton's bold idea to fix 2026 mini-slump
5 May 2026
VALENTIN KHOROUNZHIY
The Race
Believing the Ferrari simulator has been "sending me in the wrong direction"… …Lewis Hamilton - who pointed out that his best weekend in China came without the chance to do sim prep in the run-up (as it was a back-to-back weekend after Australia) - acknowledged that it's widely known he "doesn't like simulators in general". But I'm at the simulator every week in the build-up to this race and working on correlation constantly.”
"You go on it, you prepare for the track, you drive it and you get the car set-up to a certain place - and then you come to the track and that set-up doesn't work," he lamented. "And in the sprint weekend for example, you've only got practice one, you don't really want to veer off from your set-up too far, like with a big suspension change, and so you stay with it. And then you make a change going into qualifying and you've only got six laps to get on top of it.”
"So in an ideal world I should have started where Charles was at the beginning of the weekend and I think we would have just had a stronger weekend from there on. So I'm not going to go on the simulator between now and the next race [in Canada]. I'll still go and hold meetings at the factory and stuff - but I'm just going to back away from it [the simulator] for a little bit and see."
'No simulator?’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/n...26-mini-slump/
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Piastri: McLaren not yet back to best level, but ‘getting there’.
Momentum is beginning to build again at McLaren, but Oscar Piastri is keeping expectations grounded as the team looks ahead to the next phase of the season.
05/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
After a difficult start to the year, the papaya squad showed renewed promise across recent rounds, culminating in a strong Miami Grand Prix weekend where both cars joined Kimi Antonelli on the podium. Still, for Piastri, the bigger picture remains a work in progress.
“I think yes,” he said when asked if McLaren can consistently challenge Mercedes. “We’ll obviously have to wait and see what Mercedes bring, because they didn’t bring much this weekend and were still - in qualifying and the main race - probably the same, if not a tiny bit quicker, over one lap.”
“We’re certainly not quite back in the position we were last year, but we’re getting there. With more to come, it’s a good place to be. We kind of need to see where we stack up at a few different tracks,” Piastri explained. “I think especially in the Sprint side of this weekend, to have a one-two in the Sprint on pure pace, that was a pretty big surprise for us. So, things are working well.”
‘Getting there’;
https://f1i.com/news/564047-piastri-...ing-there.html
Oscar Piastri makes bold McLaren claim for remainder of F1 2026
5 May 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Oscar Piastri praised the impact of the Miami upgrade package, which effectively turned the MCL40 into an almost brand new car, but urged caution on evaluating their impact. “We kind of need to see where we stack up at a few different tracks”, he said.
“I think especially in the Sprint side of this weekend, to have a one-two in the Sprint on pure pace, that was a pretty big surprise for us. So, things are working well. We expected the upgrades to be a good step forward and they have been, and hopefully they are again in Canada. But obviously Mercedes didn’t bring a lot this weekend and they also have an upgrade package for Canada, so we’ll have to wait and see how much that’s worth for them.”
McLaren’s performance in Miami underlines its strengths in developing a car, indicating that wind tunnel and simulation data all correlate correctly, a feat that is hard to achieve in modern-day F1.
‘Bold McLaren claim’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...iveness-claim/
Stella reveals McLaren has "lots in the pipeline" for the coming races
4 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella brought a major upgrade package to Miami, and Stella confirmed that the new components performed exactly as intended. “Our upgrades performed exactly as we had hoped, and I want to thank every single person back at McLaren for their talent and hard work that made this step forward possible.” However, he acknowledged that Mercedes still hold a small but meaningful advantage — and that McLaren must execute flawlessly to beat them.
“We know Mercedes still has a slight advantage; a couple of tenths, and we really need to rely on a perfect execution to be in condition to beat them at this stage. We lost some small margins in execution today, that we will review and improve back in Woking ahead of our next race in Canada. The development battle will be crucial this season with four teams in condition to fight for Pole position and victories.”
He confirmed that McLaren’s upgrade pipeline remains active, with new parts scheduled for the next several rounds: "Our development pathway has lots in the pipeline, with parts planned for Canada and a few more in Monaco, and Spain.” For Stella, Miami was not an isolated high point but a sign that McLaren are firmly in the championship fight: "We are in the fight, and we believe this sets the stage for a very interesting championship battle for the fans and Formula 1.”
"Lots in the pipeline";
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28506
‘Stir up the pot’: What’s behind the Piastri-Red Bull rumours… and why they don’t stack up
Antonelli does it AGAIN in Miami | 03:01
from
7 May 2026
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports
The Formula 1 world loves a rumour — and you’d better believe, with just one grand prix in seven weekends, it prefers its speculation spicy. It’s why the words Juan Pablo Montoya have travelled so far and wide this week. Montoya, the seven-time grand prix winner, 1999 CART champion and now F1 pundit, told his preferred betting website that there is “a suggestion” in the paddock that Oscar Piastri could defect to Red Bull Racing, with Max Verstappen replacing him at McLaren.
“From what I’m hearing Mark Webber is not happy the way things are going for Oscar at McLaren,” he claimed. “A lot of times people that look after drivers will run a story like that just to stir up the pot and put pressure on the team. Piastri would find a seat anywhere. There’s a suggestion that Max and Piastri could do a straight swap. That makes some sense. Webber raced for Red Bull before. He knows Red Bull. So that would be a sensible thing.”
“That would be a logical thing to do. The question is, would McLaren be comfortable spending the money that Max would want?” Montoya’s speculation follows comments from Ralf Schumcaher, the six-time grand prix winner, suggesting much the same because Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is headed to McLaren in 2028 at the latest.
‘Piastri-Red Bull rumours’;
https://duckduckgo.com/?ia=web&origi...turner+24+hour
Oscar Piastri reveals ‘the worst result’ in ‘double-edged sword’ title fight
8 May 2026
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Oscar Piastri, whose seven race wins last season were complemented with nine further podiums, admitted that because McLaren had the best package for most of the season, P2 was one of the worst places to be as, more often than not, it was Norris ahead of him at that time.
“So, when finishing second feels like a bad weekend, it’s tough and important to kind of look at it in a more holistic way and go, ‘okay, yeah, it wasn’t a good weekend’ or whatever in the grand scheme of things, but I still just finished second in an F1 race, thinking I probably didn’t do as good of a job as I should have or I could have. So, yeah, it’s a double-edged sword, and you’ve got to be careful to not get carried away either.”
“I don’t think there was ever really the thoughts of, ‘I’m going to win the world championship’, or if there was, if there were, I was very quick to go, ‘calm yourself down, because there’s a long way to go.’ After Melbourne, I knew within myself that it was within my power to win the world championship. I wasn’t certain it was going to happen, but I knew that if, and it’s a big ‘if’, if you did a good enough job, and if certain things go the right way, then it can happen.”
‘Double-edged sword’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...25-title-fight
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'Can we already crown Antonelli the F1 2026 champion?'
Antonelli again showed he had the measure of his teammate, George Russell, who was dubbed the bookmakers’ favourite for the title heading into the campaign. At the race in Miami, he finished 43 seconds ahead of the Brit.
5 May 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Despite the upgrades from the McLaren team, Antonelli was also able to hold off a charging Russell around the street circuit of Miami. While several individuals, including Toto Wolff inside the Mercedes camp, have continued to temper talk of Antonelli being the favourite for the title, the young Italian continues to eke out a lead in the standings and currently sits 20 points ahead of Russell in second place.
Earlier, Russell also responded to being beaten by Antonelli in the intra-team battle at Mercedes. The British driver noted that he hasn’t forgotten how to drive an F1 car. Russell currently trails Antonelli by 20 points in the drivers’ standings, despite kicking off the campaign with victories at the Australian Grand Prix and the Chinese GP sprint race. The 28-year-old, however, is currently without a podium over the last two races and will have his sights set on a recovery performance when the sport heads to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Canadian Grand Prix.
‘43 seconds ahead of the Brit’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/videos/can...-2026-champion
Has the 2025 George Russell ‘gone missing’ at Mercedes?
10 May 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Kimi Antonelli who has opened up an early lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Mercedes’ Italian teenage star has won three grands prix in a row to move 20 points clear of Russell. “He has found something in himself,” Hill, the 1996 world champion, said of Antonelli on the BBC Chequered Flag podcast.
“Obviously the talent was there. That’s why Toto [Wolff] and Mercedes have invested in him. But we did see a bit of a wild kid coming into Formula 1. When he went to Monza and he crashed and all these things, and he struggled a little bit last year.”
‘Gone missing’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...nelli-mercedes
MPH: Antonelli is ravaging Russell's golden chance of F1 title — Canada is critical
6 May 2026
Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine
Although there’s no need for George Russell to panic just yet, four races in and trailing his young team-mate Kimi Antonelli by 20 points at the head of the world championship presents him with a worrying situation. Given how narrow the window of opportunity can be for a world title, obviously 2026 is Russell’s golden chance. It has taken until his eighth season to get into a title-calibre car.
Early in his F1 career, he was frustrated to have been placed by Mercedes at Williams for three years, which he felt was two too many, feeling he could have been doing justice to the title-calibre cars Mercedes was running then.
By the time he got his Mercedes chance, the team had fallen into the abyss, lost in a blurred vision of ground effect porpoising as Red Bull and McLaren between them ruled the roost for four years. Finally, a formula reset and Mercedes comes out the ’26 blocks like it was 2014 all over again
‘Antonelli is ravaging Russell's golden chance’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1
George Russell’s Miami GP struggles deemed irrelevant to F1 title outcome
7 May 2026
Anirban Aly Mandal
Motorsport Week
Kimi Antonelli now has exactly half the win tally of Russell (six) in only his second full-time season in F1. And while the 19-year-old’s rise to the top of the sport has been meteoric, Wolff has refused to count out a “killer” Russell from title contention.
“I’ve always said George wouldn’t be a Grand Prix winner if he wasn’t a killer,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “These things, he analyses them, looks at the data, comes to his conclusions, and the conclusion is that he’s never been quite that easy with the track.”
He believes Russell will come back stronger in Canada, next time out. “He never liked the smooth surface, and that’s it,” Wolff added. “Tick the box tomorrow. He’s looking forward to Montréal, and it’s 18 races to go, many points to score.”
‘Miami GP struggles deemed irrelevant’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...title-outcome/
Russell told what he must do to stop Antonelli’s dominant run
8 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Speaking on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, Juan Pablo Montoya suggested Russell’s priority should now be finding a way to consistently match Antonelli’s performances, believing that sustained pressure on the Italian could eventually force him into mistakes as he pushes even harder to stay ahead: “I think what George really needs to do is figure out how to match Kimi. Because if he starts matching Kimi, Kimi will try to step even further to keep beating him, and I think mistakes can come.”
“I think he’s quicker than Kimi. Kimi is very good at hustling the hell out of the car, but George can put that ultimate lap together and be very clean. But the problem is, I think he’s more concerned about all the noise with Kimi. And I don’t know, maybe by just getting a one-year deal, his mindset is in the wrong place. When they give you a one-year deal, they’re telling you: ‘We’re going to extend you, but we’re not sure about you.’”
‘Russell’s priority’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/russe...s-dominant-run
David Croft pinpoints when ‘alarm bells’ will start ringing for George Russell in F1 title battle
George Russell continues to lose ground to Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
6 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
“I would want Montreal to come next weekend, if I was George Russell,” Croft told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “I wouldn’t want to be waiting a couple of weeks, dwelling on what happened in Miami and thinking about how big Canada is now becoming.”
“He won there last year, it’s a track he’s really strong at. And Kimi finished on the podium, so it was a very good weekend for Mercedes last year.”
“But if George doesn’t beat Kimi - with Mercedes’ upgrades that are coming- on a track that he regards as one of his best, and Toto Wolff says is one of his best, then the alarm bells really start to ring. There’s still a long way to go in the season, but this is a massive weekend for George Russell. He needs that commanding performance. But Kimi’s on a roll.”
‘Alarm bells’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109451...ssell-f1-title
George Russell issued ‘alarm bells’ warning after early F1 slump
7 May 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Sky Sports commentator David Croft also believes the fledgling partnership between Anotnelli and Peter Bonnington on the pit wall is proving unexpectedly effective. “George is not just racing against Kimi, he’s racing against what is a very good new partnership,” Croft added.
“Bono was coaching Kimi lap-by-lap. The reassurance that comes from the pit wall, the guidance that comes from the pit wall. He’s got an excellent comfort blanket, safety net, coach and guru, whatever you want to call it, in his corner.”
“Bono has been there with championship-winning seasons and how to take the pressure of it. He is the perfect man for Kimi Antonelli. It’s not just George against Kimi, it’s George against a partnership, and that’s going to take some cracking.”
‘Alarm bells’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...fter-f1-slump/
Why Montreal could prove a mental turning point for Russell against Antonelli
5 MAY 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Juan Pablo Montoya believes a potential fourth win for Kimi Antonelli in Montreal would deal a critical psychological blow to George Russell. "Kimi knows that George is really strong there, and in his mind, he knows he needs to beat (him). If he can beat George there, he has him mentally covered and that's a big thing.”
“The other thing is everybody else that brought upgrades here, one of them struggled with the car. So that's going to be a big question mark. Once you put the upgrades in the car, yes the car goes faster, but it behaves differently. Who's going to like the car? That's another big question."
‘Mental turning point’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/why-m...inst-antonelli
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Pierre Gasly issues Alpine plea after 'surprisingly good' F1 return.
Pierre Gasly has implored Alpine to maintain the pace advantage it enjoyed over the F1 midfield after a "surprisingly good" Miami Grand Prix weekend.
10 May 2026
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Pierre Gasly has sent a clear message to Alpine after another strong weekend for Team Enstone in Florida. Obviously, I hope that it's going to be the same in Canada," Gasly told media, including RacingNews365. "I think [Miami] seemed to be surprisingly good on our side compared to the rest of the midfield, and hopefully it's not track-specific.”
"There'll be more work to do over the next two weeks, but that's why I think it was quite important to capitalise on this good form, and now we've just got to work and make sure we still have this pace advantage going to Canada. I think the field is just slightly more spread than we thought," the one-time grand prix winner said.
"So the gaps probably with the cars ahead were a bit bigger, but I think on my side, there are three or four tenths we need to find, like just understanding the struggles I've had with the traction. But the cars behind clearly seem to have taken a step back in terms of pace compared to us. Still, I'd rather be in this position going into Canada, but we just need to make sure we keep that advantage."
‘Pierre Gasly has sent a clear message’;
https://racingnews365.com/pierre-gas...good-f1-return
Pierre Gasly details close call with Max Verstappen in Miami GP lap one chaos
4 May 2026
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Speaking after the race, which later saw him flipped into the barrier after contact with Liam Lawson, Gasly suggested the braking had cost him up to six spots on the grid. “Honestly, it was one of those situations where I took a really good start, and if I had a worse start, I would have actually got out of lap one in a better position,” he told media including PlanetF1.com.
“So it was quite unfortunate, quite unlucky timing. [To] exit turn one, [position] seven, or maybe close to six and then I see him coming back, and I had to hit the brake to avoid him, because obviously it was extremely slow. Then I just got swallowed by the whole bunch of cars behind me. So I think we lost five, six positions there.”
‘Close call’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...ost-six-places
Pierre Gasly voices deep disappointment after 'very scary' Liam Lawson shunt
Pierre Gasly was flipped upside down in a scary crash during the Miami Grand Prix.
4 May 2026
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Pierre Gasly has described his race-ending crash at the Miami Grand Prix as “very scary” after his Alpine was flipped upside down. “I [hit] the wall rear-end first. I didn't even know where I was going to land. So it wasn't pleasant. “I knew he was there, I knew we were side by side. Unfortunately, we'd probably just have to accept losing the position.”
“But I knew he would still try, so that's why I left the space, a car and a half on the inside. Just for him, at least, to have the choice to stay there if he really wanted. I haven't seen the footage but clearly it was too optimistic coming in.” Lawson avoided a penalty as it was later found that a gearbox failure resulted in his dramatic lock-up.
‘Deep disappointment’;
https://racingnews365.com/pierre-gas...m-lawson-shunt
No penalty for Lawson as gearbox fault caused collision with Gasly
3rd May 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Liam Lawson was not penalised for his dramatic collision with Pierre Gasly as it was caused by a technical fault on his car. “It sucks for both of us, obviously,” said the Racing Bulls driver. “I just went into the last corner and when I braked, I lost the gearbox and I went into neutral. So I basically had no gears and I couldn’t stop.”
Lawson’s Racing Bulls team said fifth gear broke in his car which caused his loss of control. “It’s not something I’ve had before,” Lawson continued. “Obviously it’s quite a big issue for us and it’s what meant we had to retire the car. But it’s a shame because it’s obviously taken out Pierre as well.” Both drivers retired following the collision. The stewards accepted Lawson’s explanation for the incident and issued no penalty.
Gasly said Lawson apologised to him following the crash. “It was definitely a scary feeling being flipped over in a Formula 1 car so I am glad it wasn’t too serious and I was able to climb out and walk away,” he said. “My race was over with the incident with Liam, which, in my mind is totally avoidable and should not happen,” he added. “He has visited me to say sorry but I am just disappointed for the team as we had the pace and we deserved points.”
‘Gearbox fault’;
https://www.racefans.net/2026/05/03/...on-with-gasly/
Mercedes bid for Alpine could be blocked by FIA multi-team rule change
4 May 2026
Frank Dalleres
City AM
Any move by the FIA to outlaw multi-team ownership could also force Red Bull to divest its junior team, Racing Bulls, which it has owned for 20 years. It could also open the door for Horner – nemesis of Mercedes principal Toto Wolff – to return to F1 at Alpine following his abrupt departure from Red Bull last year.
Ben Sulayem appeared to welcome the idea, saying: “Who can remove Christian Horner’s name from motorsport and Formula 1? You can’t. It was always success. But success also has enemies, as we know. If you ask me, we miss him in this sport, and I keep in touch with him, and he was good for the [Red Bull] team, good for the sport. We welcome him back, and someone like him would always find his way.”
‘FIA multi-team rule’;
https://www.cityam.com/mercedes-bid-...m-rule-change/
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Red Bull car set to reach ‘minimum weight’ for Austria.
Team boss Laurent Mekies made it clear the improvement was not imagined. "There is a definitive step forward".
12/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Team boss Laurent Mekies said, "We left Japan 1.2 seconds away from pole, China 1.0 seconds away from pole; [the] competition was not going to wait for us with their updates. So everybody has updated the car, but certainly we knew that on top of the development race, we had to solve some of our issues, and we knew there was lap time in it.”
"So to see us qualifying six tenths away from pole on Friday and less than two tenths away from pole on Saturday is a big indication of the size of the progress. Compared to where we were, it's something much better than anything we have been able to show this year."
Pierre Wache: “We have to wait a little bit longer, just a little step for Montreal”. Wache confirmed, “I think there will be another step. I don't know when, but we will have a weight reduction happening for maybe Austria. It’s not easy, but I'm for sure disappointed with the result. I think the result [in Miami] doesn't show our pace,” concluded Wache. “But it's good for the team to show that the car has some pace on it and that we are in the mix again.”
‘Minimum weight for Austria?’;
https://f1i.com/news/564270-red-bull...r-austria.html
Verstappen still heart of the project at Red Bull
11 MAY 2026
GrandPrix.com
Speaking to AFP during the Grand Prix De France Historique at Paul Ricard, Mekies dismissed the growing rumours linking Verstappen with Mercedes, Aston Martin or even a shock exit from Formula 1. Max is at the heart of the project”, the Frenchman insisted. “He is with us on all subjects. He is involved in all our strategic decisions for the future. He remains with us no matter what happens.”
Mekies acknowledged Verstappen's frustrations earlier this season, particularly after Red Bull's poor start to the new and highly controversial regulations. “Verstappen was just as frustrated as we were by the lack of performance of the car in the first three Grands Prix and by the initial complexity of the 2026 regulations. He made that quite clear”, said the Frenchman.
“We just celebrated Max's 10 years at Red Bull Racing. As long as we manage, as the team has done year after year, to give him a fast car, you will see Max smile. The rest is part of the usual noise in Formula 1 and it changes depending on whether it's a good or bad weekend.”
“Max is at the heart of the project”;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/verst...-red-bull.html
Gianpiero Lambiase: What's going on with Max Verstappen's race engineer after McLaren, Red Bull disagreement in Miami
11 May 2026
Sky Sports
Discussing Lambiase's departure at the Miami Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies told Sky Sports F1 that his current employee "is going to be a team principal" at McLaren. Reacting to a question about Lambiase becoming the latest key figure to leave Red Bull in recent times, Mekies said:
"We don't want to be defensive about it. We have lost quite a few key people in the last four, five years, it is very true. We take it very seriously and everything we do is to try to make sure that we have the best environment to attract, to develop and to retain our people. I'm confident it's an area we will succeed in.”
"Is it going to be a linear way to it with nobody leaving anymore? No. GP (Lambiase) had an extraordinary opportunity. You know, he is going to be a team principal there. It's not something that I can do anything else than wishing him well." Amid initial doubt over whether Mekies' comments could have been misconstrued, Red Bull confirmed to Sky Sports F1 that the Frenchman believes Lambiase will become McLaren team principal.
“What's going on”;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...ement-in-miami
Sensational rumor: 'Max Verstappen and McLaren already in talks'
11 May 2026
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen has long been linked with a move to McLaren. On Monday, the experienced Joe Saward went a step further: the British journalist heard the rumor that Verstappen and McLaren had already begun talks. Saward writes in his newsletter that he has heard Verstappen is already in talks with the reigning constructors’ world champion.
Which driver would have to make way for Verstappen also seems clear. That would have to be Oscar Piastri; the Australian driver whose manager has been looking around the F1 paddock for some time for potentially interesting options elsewhere. GPblog was the first to report several weeks ago, that Piastri tops Red Bull Racing’s list if Verstappen leaves the Austrians. It could therefore become a straight swap between the two drivers.
If CEO Zak Brown does indeed want to secure Verstappen, he will need to dig deep into his pockets. The four-time world champion is reportedly the most expensive driver on the grid with an annual salary of $70 million. Lando Norris is also high on the list of top earners. Financially, that need not be a problem for McLaren, as the Bahraini owner—the state investment fund Mumtalakat—has the financial resources.
‘Sensational rumor’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/rumors/sen...ready-in-talks
Oscar Piastri could be set for a SHOCK Red Bull swap with Max Verstappen
8 May 2026
ICHAEL PONTICELLO FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
MailOnline
Aussie Motorsport star Oscar Piastri could replace Max Verstappen at Red Bull, with the future of both drivers firmly up in the air. Piastri, 25, is currently contacted to McLaren until the end of 2028. He has so far claimed nine wins for the team, and has played a major role in McLaren winning back-to-back constructors titles.
But with Verstappen's next move being unknown, new reports have emerged claiming the teams could agree to a swap between the two drivers. Piastri has obtained the attention of Red Bull before. Former team principal Christian Horner was especially a fan, and was open in his regret in the team's missed opportunity to sign Piastri years ago.
Reports of Piastri not being too fond of the state of McLaren have surfaced recently, so a move would be understandable. 'Piastri would find a seat anywhere,' former Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya told a bookmaker. 'There's a suggestion that Max and Piastri could do a straight swap.'
‘SHOCK Red Bull swap’;
https://www.dailymail.com/sport/form...erstappen.html
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No backing down: McLaren ‘definitely wants to defend’ its world title.
Despite a rocky start to his team’s 2026 campaign in F1, Andrea Stella isn’t backing away from McLaren’s biggest ambition. Not even close.
13/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
While Stella remains cautious about reading too much into one circuit, the Italian made one thing unmistakably clear: McLaren still fully intend to defend their crown. “I think if we now start to consider championships at the end of the season, then I think we need to be a bit careful because we are just at the fourth race,” he explained in Miami.
“We have just delivered our first upgrade, we are in Miami and McLaren looks like they traditionally have done very well in Miami, so it could be that the way we develop our cars kind of suits this circuit, so we will have to see more. But at the same time, because it's only the fourth race and we have scored a good chunk of points even compared to Mercedes, we know that we can further develop our car.”
“We have said already before Miami that the championship is not a sign-off, so our logic is to look at the long term, try and defend the championship, but as soon as we say that, we come back in the present and we do the right thing today because there's really not much point in thinking so far forward, but definitely we want to defend the championship.”
‘No backing down’;
https://f1i.com/news/564308-no-backi...rld-title.html
McLaren targets title defence despite slow start
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says Miami’s breakthrough weekend has strengthened the team’s belief it can still defend its Formula 1 titles in 2026.
12 May 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
The reigning drivers’ and constructors’ champions arrived in Florida under pressure after a difficult start to the year, including a double non-start for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in China and an early pace deficit to Mercedes. But McLaren showed clear signs of progress in Miami after introducing its first major upgrade package of the season, with Norris winning the sprint before the pair secured second and third in the grand prix.
McLaren currently sits third in the constructors’ standings behind Mercedes and Ferrari, but Stella said the team’s long-term focus has not changed, particularly given the strength of its driver line-up. “We have said already before Miami that the championship is not a sign-off, so our logic is to look at the long term, try and defend the championship, but as soon as we say that, we come back in the present and we do the right thing today because there’s really not much point in thinking so far forward, but definitely we want to defend the championship,” he said.
“At the same time, I think we have seen for McLaren that in Japan, with a car that wasn’t competitive yet, Oscar was in condition to fight for the win again and score a podium. Oscar, confirming a podium finish here [in Miami], and Lando, one win in the sprint and in the fight for the victory here. I think when we look in particular at the constructors’ championship, I think we are, from a driver’s point of view, probably the strongest pair. We want to capitalise on this strength that we have at McLaren, but we need to make the car a little bit faster.”
‘McLaren targets title defence’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-m...ercedes-fight/
McLaren drops big hint on being latest F1 team to adopt radical upgrade
13 May 2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has indicated that the Woking-based squad may be the next Formula 1 team to adopt the radical ‘Macarena’ wing, the third team to do so. “We have [thought about it], he said. “As you can imagine, all the teams look at what each other do. It’s clever and we think it could be beneficial, so not surprised to see another team using it.”
McLaren have been genuinely considered as one of the teams with the most ingenuity in recent years, debuting its ‘flexi-wing’ in 2024, which led to an FIA clampdown on the design. This was also followed by unfounded suspicions from Red Bull that it was deploying a suspect procedure to keep its tyres cool in races, which was giving them an overall performance advantage.
‘Keep its tyres cool in races’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...ena-wing-hint/
Zak Brown hints McLaren could unleash its own ‘Macarena’ wing
12/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
McLaren may be preparing to join Formula 1’s latest aerodynamic arms race after Zak Brown dropped a strong hint that the Woking squad is seriously evaluating its own version of the now-infamous “Macarena” rotating rear wing. What began as a curious Ferrari experiment earlier this season is rapidly becoming one of the paddock’s hottest technical trends – and now McLaren appears to be circling the innovative concept.
After briefly trialing the idea in pre-season testing, the Scuderia gave the rotating element a more complete outing in Miami. Red Bull then arrived in Florida armed with its own interpretation as part of a major RB22 upgrade package. The result? A clear performance leap, although it’s unclear how much of that improvement was to the novel rear wing.
Max Verstappen returned to the sharp end with a front-row qualifying performance, while McLaren itself enjoyed its strongest weekend of the season as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a double podium finish. The intrigue surrounding the rotating rear wing is only adding fuel to an increasingly intense development battle at the front of the grid.
‘Aerodynamic arms race’;
https://f1i.com/news/564276-zak-brow...rena-wing.html
Lando Norris explains F1 drivers' fault in call for major change
The F1 drivers' lack of enjoyment with the new-for-2026 cars has sparked suggestions they should be more involved in the decision-making process.
13 May 2026
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
“From first place to last place, we all want the same thing,” Lando Norris told media including RacingNews365. “We all just want to go flat out, race closely and at the same time, that's the show that the fans want. Having a seat at the table, it's something we've spoken about as the GPDA. We're all very aligned with that.”
“Sometimes I think we have to accept, as drivers, we're very blindsided to the externals from a business side of things, how teams work, how all of that is organised. We have to accept that we're maybe not always completely correct, but I think the majority of things that we think of as drivers and what we want for the sport is a win-win.”
“It's better for us and it's better for the fans, and that's our side of things. It's just how some of those things are done and not always able to be easily implemented, because of how the sport is as a whole, the money and the cost of things and all that, regulations, rules.”
‘F1 drivers' lack of enjoyment’;
https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...r-major-change
Wolff urged to halt Mercedes engine supply to title rival McLaren
12 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Guenther Steiner believes Mercedes should reconsider supplying engines to McLaren, especially given the Woking-based team’s resurgence and growing competitiveness over the past few seasons. This year, partly due to the arrival of the new regulations, the papaya team initially started the season on the back foot… However, McLaren managed to turn things around within a matter of weeks, stringing together an excellent second-place finish with Oscar Piastri at Suzuka, followed by a highly competitive weekend at the latest round in Miami.
Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner admitted that, if he were in Toto Wolff’s position, he would seriously consider stopping Mercedes engine supplies to McLaren in order to avoid strengthening a direct rival. The former Haas team principal pointed out that manufacturers are only required by the regulations to supply a maximum of two customer teams, suggesting that Mercedes could simply continue working with Alpine and Williams instead.
“If I were Toto, I would do that. It’s an easy solution to avoid getting beaten. All right, I just wouldn’t give you an engine anymore. You need to supply engines by regulation, but only to a maximum of two other teams. You’re not obliged to do more than that. Alpine and Williams, done. But again, Toto is a sportsman. He gives his best piece to his biggest opponent.”
‘Seriously consider stopping Mercedes engine supplies to McLaren’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...-rival-mclaren
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Ecclestone offers brutal 2026 F1 title verdict – writes off Russell.
According to former F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone, the Briton is already out of the 2026 title conversation. And in classic Ecclestone fashion, the 95-year-old did not waste time dressing it up.
14/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
“Antonelli or Verstappen will be world champion,” Ecclestone bluntly told Blick’s Roger Benoit. While Mercedes continues to steamroll the field this season, it is not Russell leading the charge. Instead, the sport has been swept up by the astonishing rise of Antonelli, whose third consecutive victory in Miami turned whispers of a title challenge into full-blown expectation.
Just four races into the campaign, the 19-year-old Italian has already opened a 20-point advantage over his experienced team-mate and appears to have seized control of both the momentum and the Mercedes garage itself. For Ecclestone, that shift already looks irreversible. And while many in the paddock had expected Russell to emerge as Mercedes’ long-awaited championship leader, the former F1 supremo clearly believes Antonelli has skipped the apprenticeship phase entirely.
"Red Bull has apparently overcome the slump,” he said. “Max has caught fire again – and then he’s dangerous.” Formula 1 has seen this movie before. Last season, Verstappen looked down and out before Red Bull clawed its way back into contention during the second half of the year.
‘Antonelli has skipped the apprenticeship phase entirely’;
https://f1i.com/news/564347-ecclesto...f-russell.html
George Russell snubbed as Bernie Ecclestone names two F1 title contenders
14/05/2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Bernie Ecclestone has remarkably ruled George Russell out of the 2026 F1 title race. Bernie Ecclestone has written off George Russell’s chances of winning the 2026 Formula 1 world championship, and whittled down the title contenders to two drivers. Former F1 supremo Ecclestone does not view Russell as a championship challenger, instead believing the fight will ultimately boil down to Antonelli or Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Four-time world champion Verstappen sits seventh in the championship on 26 points after a difficult start to the campaign which has left the Dutchman 74 points adrift of Antonelli. Red Bull brought an upgraded car to Miami that revived Verstappen and significantly improved the team’s performance, but it would still take some turnaround for Verstappen to emerge as a title contender from here.
However, history suggests that Verstappen should never be written off. After all, last season Red Bull transformed its season in the second half of the year as Verstappen clawed his way back into the title race.
‘Two F1 title contenders’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109494...tle-contenders
Kimi Antonelli earns praise from former F1 driver after Miami GP battle with Lando Norris
13 May 2026
Lydia Mee
Motorsport.com
“He got on the plane and he looked at me and he had that smell of champagne and sweat,” Karun Chandhook recalled on the Sky Sports F1 Show. ‘That smell of success, Simon. Straight off the podium and he looked at me and almost apologetically said, ‘Sorry, I didn’t have time for a shower.’
“And I said, ‘Mate, just soak it up You’ve got the smell of success. It doesn’t matter.’ But he was there, no entourage, carrying his little rucksack and wandering through the airport like a college student, wasn’t he? And he’s ever so friendly, chatting with other people in the cabin and there were so many people congratulating him and he couldn’t b friendlier to everybody there.”
‘Kimi Antonelli earns praise’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/k...rris/10819509/
Antonelli won’t ‘nuke’ Mercedes team in title fight with Russell - Palmer
13/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer suggested Antonelli is not yet in the mindset of turning intra-team rivalry into outright warfare – even if the championship stakes continue to rise. “He [Antonelli] is young. He's out of contract at the end of the year currently, which seems amazing right now,” Palmer told the F1 Nation podcast.
“I don't think he's going to nuke the team by going all acrimonious on George for the gain of seven points or 10 points, or whatever the swing might be, at least at this stage. Maybe, if they're close in September, October, we'll start to see what the real Kimi is like at that point.” It is a telling phrase – “nuke the team” – but Palmer’s point is less about aggression and more about maturity. In his view, Antonelli is not yet prepared to sacrifice harmony for marginal gains, especially this early in what could become a long title campaign.
The other thing is, I don't see Toto favouring Kimi in the same way that Helmut Marko was absolutely in Sebastian Vettel's camp at Red Bull,” he said. “Toto will be completely fair, because he's had this experience as well with Rosberg and Hamilton. He'll have a better idea in his head how he's going to manage it.”
‘Antonelli won’t ‘nuke’ Mercedes team’;
https://f1i.com/news/564330-antonell...ll-palmer.html
Wolff on the importance of keeping the pressure off Antonelli
After an impressive run of three victories, Toto Wolff has explained why Mercedes need to keep Kimi Antonelli grounded.
14 May 2026
Formula One - Official Site
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has emphasised that Kimi Antonelli will have to play the “long game” by remaining calm… “I think all of us collectively that are close to him, we need to keep re-emphasising and repeating the message: this is a long game,” Wolff said after Antonelli’s victory at the Miami Grand Prix. “He has a killer of a team mate that is extremely fast.”
“The others are catching up in performance, and we want to play the long game. He can hopefully win many Championships over 10 years, 15 years. We don't want to stumble now with these huge expectations that will sit on him because the moment he has a bad race – which will happen, where he makes a mistake – people will say maybe Kimi is not the one superstar that we thought.”
“Let's keep that trajectory. It's a share price that's going up. He's 19 years old. I don't think I was able to take my own flight when I was 19 and slide my way to the terminal of the airport, so it's incredible what he's doing.”
‘Remaining calm…’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Qc4MubArhnOSAd
George Russell handed boost in tense Kimi Antonelli fight
George Russell has been beaten by team-mate Kimi Antonelli at the last three grands prix events.
14 May 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
“It’s tough when your younger team-mate is that fast and consistent as well,” Jenson Button told Sky F1. “When he was alongside Lewis, he could look up to Lewis and go, ‘if I beat him, that's great’. But now, for him, it must feel like he has to beat Kimi every race. He's the elder statesman. He’s the guy with experience. He's the one who's supposed to be ready to fight for the world championship.”
“It’s tough when your younger team-mate is that fast and consistent as well,” Button told Sky F1. “When he was alongside Lewis, he could look up to Lewis and go, ‘if I beat him, that's great’. But now, for him, it must feel like he has to beat Kimi every race. He's the elder statesman.
“He’s the guy with experience. He's the one who's supposed to be ready to fight for the world championship. He’s got this 19-year-old kid beating him. I wouldn't worry too much, I think he's going to take the fight to Kimi.”
“It’s tough when your younger team-mate is that fast and consistent as well”;
https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...ntonelli-fight
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Mercedes admit being ‘scared’ of Kimi Antonelli’s stellar F1 season run.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has admitted Andrea Kimi Antonelli‘s stellar start to the 2026 Formula 1 season “scares me”.
11 May 2926
Anirban Aly Mandal
Motorsport Week
“Kimi is doing an exceptional job at the start of this season,” Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “It’s only his second year in F1, and he’s won three races in a row. He deserves all the recognition he’s receiving, but at the same time, we need to maintain a sense of proportion. F1 is based on consistency, not just on individual moments of success, and Kimi needs the space to grow and write his own story without too much pressure.”
Wolff admits he is scared for when Antonelli makes his first mistake, or rather, the scale of the fallout he predicts that will ensue. “That’s exactly what scares me,” Wolff explained. Kimi is young, he’s charismatic, a little big star… but after a great start, he could have some bad moments, and I don’t want the public to start saying, ‘Oh, what’s happening? We were wrong about him?’”
“It will all be part of the growth process we, as a team, are ready for, but the response from the public, especially in Italy, scares us a little. We all want Kimi to become one of the greats of F1, but it’s only the beginning, and we have to treat him like a rough diamond. The media, the fans, and even us at the team have to make this effort.”
“Response from the public, especially in Italy, scares us a little”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...tellar-f1-run/
Toto Wolff shares opinion on 'big surprise' from Red Bull
Toto Wolff expected McLaren to take a step forward at the Miami Grand Prix, but did not anticipate Red Bull's rapid improvement.
12 May 2026
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted his surprise at the scale of Red Bull's performance leap at the Miami Grand Prix, describing the Milton Keynes squad's progress as the standout development of the weekend. Red Bull introduced seven updates to the RB22 in Florida, including their interpretation of Ferrari's "Macarena" rear wing, which propelled Max Verstappen from midfield obscurity to genuine front-running pace.
"We're only at the beginning of this new regulation cycle, and the development curve is very steep, so we expected McLaren, with a significant update package, to gain even half a second," Wolff told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have to say that Red Bull was a big surprise because they made a huge step forward, going from more than a second behind the leader to being right there at the front, fighting with Verstappen."
‘Standout development of the weekend’;
https://racingnews365.com/toto-wolff...-from-red-bull
WOLFF EXPLAINS HOW BONNINGTON HAS BEEN A ‘GOOD MENTOR AND STRONG BOSS’ FOR ANTONELLI
Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington, Kimi Antonelli’s race engineer at Mercedes, has received praise from team boss Toto Wolff for how he has handled working with the youngster.
8 May 2026
Formula One - Official Site
Speaking to the media after Antonelli’s latest win in Miami, Toto Wolff was quizzed on how important Bonnington has been in terms of looking after the teenager on the radio, having been heard to warn Antonelli about track limits during the race.
“Bono has learned from the greats, from Schumacher to Hamilton for many years and then now to Kimi,” Wolff responded. “He's been a good mentor to him, but also a strong boss.
“There were a few times today when he had two strikes with the track limits – I said to Bono, ‘One more and I'm gonna go on the radio’, and he said, ‘No, no, you leave that to me’. That shows he just knows how to handle it. That's good, he's been part of the success.”
‘Bono’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...dOxhjvRGV0UclL
Toto Wolff backed to share the love as Mercedes fight intensifies
Martin Brundle does not feel Toto Wolff will struggle to manage George Russell and Kimi Antonelli fairly through an intra-Mercedes F1 drivers' championship battle.
11 May 2026
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Martin Brundle believes Toto Wolff will have no problem supporting George Russell and Kimi Antonelli simultaneously if the current F1 season develops into a two-horse race between the pair. "They're both protégés of Mercedes-Benz," Brundle said on Sky Sports F1. "They've been brought through the system together.”
"But is Toto one of those team bosses... We know a few of them who can only love one driver at a time. I think he's shown that he can handle two fast drivers in the team, even if they run into each other every so often. You can't underestimate Kimi Antonelli," the former F1 driver added.
"When you saw Antonelli's pace to win the Japanese Grand Prix, that was something quite special, but then of course, he got quite lucky with the safety car, and George [got] unlucky with the safety car. So I'm still of the opinion that George's experience will play out a few times this year, which will give him the upper hand. But as with any sport at the highest level, you can't underestimate anybody."
‘Toto Wolff backed to share the love’;
https://racingnews365.com/toto-wolff...ht-intensifies
Wolff sends clear message on Russell form amid Antonelli dominance
11 MAY 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
Toto Wolff has offered his assessment of George Russell’s recent dip in form, contrasting it with the rise of teammate Kimi Antonelli. While Antonelli continues to flourish, Russell’s season has taken a tougher turn, with the 28-year-old now on a two-race run without a podium finish. Reflecting on the contrasting fortunes of his drivers, Wolff admitted that Antonelli has been the more consistent performer on race weekends, while also backing Russell to rediscover his best form.
"What we love about this sport is that the clock never lies at the end of the race, and the clock says Kimi deservedly won the last three GPs. Russell hasn't done as well, in some cases due to team problems, or bad luck, and in Miami due to his own mistakes. That said, we know George's value, and we know he'll return, starting from Canada, very competitive and ready to make life difficult for his opponents,” Wolff said via Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The clock never lies at the end of the race”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...-surge-in-form
Toto Wolff drops honest Antonelli admission amid title charge
10 MAY 2026
Samson Ero
GPblog.com
The Mercedes team boss, who has watched his prodigy surge to the top of the drivers’ standings in only his second season in the sport, reflected on the expectations now being placed on Antonelli and the reaction he could face from the public when setbacks inevitably arrive after such a flawless run of form.
The 54-year-old stressed that Mercedes’ primary objective is to carefully nurture Antonelli’s development, describing the teenager as a “rough diamond”. "That's exactly what scares me. Kimi is young, he's charismatic, a little big star... but after a great start, he could have some bad moments, and I don't want the public to start saying, 'Oh, what's happening? We were wrong about him?'”
“It will all be part of the growth process we, as a team, are ready for, but the response from the public, especially in Italy, scares us a little. We all want Kimi to become one of the greats of F1, but it's only the beginning and we have to treat him like a rough diamond. The media, the fans, and even us at the team have to make this effort, Wolff said to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
‘Watched his prodigy surge to the top’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/toto-...d-title-charge
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Why F1 star Max Verstappen is racing in Nuerburgring 24 Hours midway through the season?
Nuerburgring 24 Hours is an iconic endurance race which has gained an even greater significance this year due to the participation of Max Verstappen.
16 May 2026
FP Sports Desk
Firstpost
Why Verstappen is racing in Germany: Verstappen has been among the biggest critics of the new F1 regulations and has even hinted at being willing to retire from the sport. He has previously also stated that he wanted to compete in other racing categories.
When his Red Bull-backed entry to the Nuerburgring 24 Hours was confirmed, he revealed that the race was on his bucket list for a long time. He also said that he wants to try out other things as he is currently in the perfect age to do that. “The 24h Nuerburgring is a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time, so I’m really thrilled we can make it happen now,” Verstappen had said in March.
“All the big endurance races I want to do, it’s something that when I was a kid, my dad was doing them,” Verstappen said. “I don’t need to be only an F1 driver, I can also do other things. I’ve done this already for a while, achieved everything I want to achieve so that’s why I want to explore other things and I don’t want to do them when I’m 40 years old. Now is the perfect age to do it.”
“The 24h Nuerburgring is a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time”;
https://www.firstpost.com/sports/max...-14011797.html
What Max Verstappen's rival's post-qualifying comments reveal about his Nurburgring 24 approach
Max Verstappen's Nurburgring 24 Hours entry will start from fourth on the grid on Saturday afternoon
15 May 2026
Sam Hall
Crash.Net
Rival drivers have praised the impact of Max Verstappen’s efforts at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, after the F1 champion qualified in the top four for this weekend’s race. “I felt comfortable in the car because we were targeting to get to the top qualifying three, which of course is not easy with the competition out there," said Verstappen.
“It's super tough, a lot of fast cars around, but we just managed to sneak in. So the final lap was just good enough and it was nice. Luckily, it was dry, the car felt all right and we managed to sneak in. So that was the target and yeah, yesterday, a lot of changing conditions and for me the first time in the night.”
‘Rival drivers have praised the impact of Max Verstappen’s efforts’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109513...nurburgring-24
Max Verstappen reacts to Nurburgring 24 Hours start with grid in awe of F1 star
15 May 2026
Ed Hardy
Motorsport.com
‘Max Verstappen reacts’;
https://www.motorsport.com/endurance...star/10821016/
MAX QUALIFIES FOR THE BATTLE FOR POLE AT THE RING: 'GOAL ACHIEVED'
15 May 2026
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl
“I felt good in the car. Of course, our goal was to get into the Top Qualifying 3. That isn’t an easy task with this level of competition. There are a lot of fast cars, but we managed to do it. The last lap was just fast enough. Luckily it was dry and the car felt good.”
Max also reflected on his first Nordschleife laps in the night. “Yesterday, there were a lot of changing conditions and for me it was the first time in probably the worst circumstances with the rain and fog. But at least it gave me a good idea of what could be coming our way in the race.”
'GOAL ACHIEVED';
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/6152/
Mercedes "never seen anything like" Max Verstappen's Nurburgring 24 adaptation
Max Verstappen has earned praise from Mercedes over his adaptation to GT racing at the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
16 May 2026
Sam Hall
Crash.Net
Mercedes has hailed the efforts of Max Verstappen at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, as the Red Bull Formula 1 driver contests the iconic race for the first time. "Thanks to Max, many fans who normally only follow Formula 1 are now also watching," Mercedes’ head of customer racing, Stefan Wendl, told De Telegraaf.
"They see that this is another completely different aspect of motorsport, including exciting wheel-to-wheel fights. They may not be used to that anymore. It's great to see what Max is bringing about. And that even more people now feel how great this event is, with that special atmosphere along the track.”
“And then there are the amateur racers who are chasing their dreams by driving here and then also being in the same race as Verstappen. I met Max in December last year during our first test day in Portugal,” he said. “I learned more about his approach and how he prepares. And I knew immediately: 'okay, this is a case apart', in a positive sense, that is.”
"Never seen anything like";
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109530...-24-adaptation
Verstappen leaves Nürburgring 24H in the lead after remarkable run
16 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen completed an excellent double stint in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, handing the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 over to teammate Jules Gounon in the race lead. After Daniel Juncadella got the action underway in the endurance race, which will only come to an end tomorrow at 3 PM, the four-time world champion can be pleased with what he delivered during his double stint, climbing through the order with a string of overtakes before taking the race lead.
The Dutchman carved his way through the field from 10th to first, extending his lead to as much as 23 seconds over the car behind by the time he came in for his pit stop. The #3 car is currently running second on track at the time of writing, but is effectively leading once the rest of the field completes their stops. Speaking to the media after his opening stint, Verstappen said he was pleased with how things had gone, especially after having to work his way through traffic early on before the worsening weather conditions helped make the difference.
The Dutchman explained that once he managed to clear a few cars, the slippery conditions allowed him to build a stronger pace advantage, while also praising the car’s balance throughout the stint. He admitted it was not easy to find the right compromise between pushing on the limit and staying out of trouble, but felt everything ultimately worked out well. Verstappen also reflected on the scary moment he experienced during the stint, revealing he had turned in slightly too early before losing the rear of the car. However, the four-time world champion managed to keep the car out of the barriers and continue without major consequences, stressing the importance of staying calm and immediately refocusing.
‘Remarkable run’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...remarkable-run
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Max Verstappen grabs Nurburgring 24 Hours lead during stunning night stint.
The 24 Hours of Nürburgring has entered its final 8 hours. Verstappen Racing still leads after a strong night stint by Max Verstappen.
17 May 2026
Pepijn van der Hulst & Nick Golding
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen has put the #3 Mercedes into the lead of the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours, following an exceptional night stint. The Dutchman took over from Dani Juncadella at around 01:30 local time early Sunday morning, with Verstappen immediately in a battle with the #80 Mercedes.
Verstappen overtook Maro Engel for the lead, although it was far from a smooth overtake. Contact was made between the duo which saw Engel end up on the grass. Luckily, Verstappen escaped enscathed and with the lead, before handing the car over to Jules Gounon following a strong double stint.
‘Verstappen Racing still leads’;
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...ng-night-stint
NURBURGRING 24 HOURS, 06:00-09:00: MAX VERSTAPPEN LEADS WITH 6 HOURS TO GO
17 May 2026
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl
With six hours to go in the 54th running of the Nurburgring 24 Hours, Verstappen Racing’s #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 van Verstappen Racing still leads ahead of the #80 Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol and the #84 Lamborghini.
After the last pit stop of both leading Mercs, Verstappen Racing’s Jules Gounon has managed to extend the team’s lead to 28s. The Andorran-French driver then hands over to Lucas Auer. The Austrian settles in for a double stint in which he duels with Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz of the #80 outfit.
‘MAX VERSTAPPEN LEADS WITH 6 HOURS TO GO’;
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/6160/
Verstappen shrugs off scary airborne Nurburgring near miss
Max Verstappen labelled his close encounter with a barrier merely “a little moment” despite threatening to derail his Nurburgring 24.
17 May 2026
Simon Chapman
Speedcafe
During his first stint, Verstappen was trailing the Christian Engelhart-driven #7 Konrad Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan when his car suddenly took flight at Pflanzgarten. The #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG went onto the grass and appeared to give the outside barrier a light graze. The close call came just over an hour into the race having taken the reins of the car from co-driver Dani Juncadella.
“Yeah, we had a little moment,” said Verstappen after his first stint. “I think I turned in a bit too early, and then, yeah, we had a little moment there. But it was fine. You just have to keep yourself together, stay calm, and just focus again.”
“A little moment”;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-m...n-first-stint/
Verstappen and Engel clash in wild overnight Nordschleife battle
17 May 2026
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com
Engel vs Verstappen: Engel stepped into the car one stint before Verstappen and battled with Daniel Juncadella for his first stint. The #80 Mercedes built up a 10-second gap while Engel fought Juncadella and traffic behind the wheel. However, after pitting, Verstappen stepped into the sister Winward Mercedes around 1:30 CET. After that, it was a non-stop battle between the two. Verstappen and Engel both had their elbows out as they battled.
Both Mercedes sliced through traffic and the rest of the field to stay on each other's tails. It was toward the end of Engel's second stint and Verstappen's first that the fight heated up. As the two approached traffic, both were dedicated to being first. Verstappen and Engel both went to the left of the track. It was then that the two touched. Luckily, Engel was able to regain control of the #80 and quickly get back on track. After his stint and battle with Verstappen, Engel said, "Yeah, good double stint, the car's running well. [I] had a lot of fun out there with Max."
"Obviously, the Nordschleife is always special at night. It's a cool place, and I just enjoyed pushing our AMG GT3 through the night with Max. I hope we entertained the fans a little bit, those of them who stayed awake." Both Engel and Verstappen battled during the middle of the night. For Verstappen, this was a career first. Engel added, "I will go for some sleep, and my teammates take over, and then we'll see how the race progresses." As it stands, Verstappen Racing leads the race, with Verstappen set to step back in during the 18th hour.
‘Engel vs Verstappen’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...chleife-battle
Max Verstappen has lucky escape after contact with team-mate
17 May 2026
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen and his #3 car took over the lead in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, but overnight, he had considerable contact with Maro Engel, who is driving the number #80, which is the sister Winward Racing machine!
‘Lucky escape’;
https://racingnews365.com/see-versta...che-with-engel
Max Verstappen hailed as 'amazing ambassador' over motorsport passion
Max Verstappen is bringing major attention to motorsport outside F1, something which has not been done to this extent in recent years.
17 May 2026
Nick Golding
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen has been hailed as an "amazing ambassador" for motorsport because of the awareness he has brought to championships outside Formula 1, according to António Félix da Costa. This weekend, Verstappen is competing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours for the first time, having spent significant time preparing for the event when not racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing in Formula 1.
Discussing the significance of what Verstappen is doing, da Costa told RacingNews365 during an interview: "I think what Max Verstappen is doing this year, and what Fernando Alonso did a few years ago by competing in the WEC and taking two sabbatical years away from Formula 1, is fantastic.”
"I think these two guys understand that there's a lot of talent outside the Formula 1 paddock, and that just brings the whole motorsport world closer together. It shows the fans that there is more racing out there than just Formula 1, right? So we can only thank them. They're amazing ambassadors for the sport, and they're helping us grow."
‘Max Verstappen hailed’;
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...rsport-passion
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Max Verstappen shook Nurburgring to its core — and answered some important questions.
It is no cliché that he loves motorsport from the bottom of his heart. It is worth starting with the fact that Verstappen’s mere appearance carried a powerful message. He had shown before that he enjoys venturing out into the wider world of racing cars, but it is one thing to test and enter shorter races for fun, and quite another to fully commit to the most brutal 24-hour race.
18 May 2026
Sàndor Mészáros
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen could have chosen to relax with his family between two grands prix, sipping refreshments on a Florida beach, but he chose what he loves most in the world: racing, the challenge, and a new territory to conquer. A place where he can truly be himself, where he must simultaneously battle the machinery, his rivals, and — due to the gruelling conditions —himself.
He earned the respect of the global public with this move alone: throughout the weekend, last year's winning driver Augusto Farfus and former F1 driver Timo Glock praised the Dutchman to RacingNews365, while others expressed their admiration on various platforms in different ways. There were even some who explicitly thanked him for bringing so much attention to this historic race.
He really can handle anything. Verstappen also answered the question of whether there is any factor in universal motorsport that he cannot handle. The answer: a definitive no! Sir Jackie Stewart did not name the Nordschleife the "Green Hell" by accident: this track and this race confront drivers with every possible type of corner, situation, and condition. Although the predicted weather armageddon failed to materialise during the race itself, there was plenty of it earlier in the week, but we have already seen many times in F1 that he is a master of chaos.
‘Max Verstappen shook Nurburgring to its core’;
https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...-clear-message
Max ‘absolutely gutted’ over cruel twist... but not before maniac surge brutally settles grudge
18 May 2026
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
An innocuous warning light signalled the beginning of the end of Max Verstappen’s quest for victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Teammate Daniel Juncadella was in the Mercedes AMG GT3 on Sunday morning, the chequered flag just a few hours hence, when the ABS warning light was triggered. Juncadella, an experienced endurance winner, figured he could manage the problem.
He was far in the lead, his half-minute advantage over the field a comfortable buffer with which to get the car home in first place. But it quickly became clear that the warning light was indicative of a far graver problem with his Verstappen Racing car. An unscheduled pit stop with just under 3.5 hours remaining confirmed the team’s worst fears: a drive shaft failure.
It could be repaired, but it would take the replacement of the entire rear axle — a job that would take perhaps as long as an hour. There, propped up on jacks in the no. 3 garage, is where what was shaping up to be a dominant victory pursuit ended for Verstappen and teammates Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer. “Absolutely gutted,” Verstappen said. “But that’s racing.”
‘A drive shaft failure’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...8470df0d374301
Heartbreak for Max Verstappen as Driveshaft Failure Ends Nürburgring 24 Charge
18 May 2026
Jawad Yaqub
F1 Chronicle
Very unfortunate and frustrating ending, but these things can happen.
I still really enjoyed the experience together with Jules, Luggi and Dani. Thanks to the team and everyone around the track for your support. pic.twitter.com/9kvLyvlELK
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) May 17, 2026
Jules Gounon also took to social media to share his heartbreak: “The word heartbroken probably doesn’t even come close to what we feel right now, We were doing everything right with Max, Luggi and Dani, but the Green Hell had other plans. It’s crazy how this sport can give you the highest highs and, in the next moment, make you feel ten feet underground.”
“At the end, an issue with three hours remaining took it away from us. Massive thanks to the whole team for the unbelievable work and effort. Need a little time away to process this one.” Verstappen himself responded to Gounon’s post with a simple but encouraging message: “we will be back mate.”
‘Heartbreak’;
https://f1chronicle.com/max-verstapp.../?nowprocket=1
Nurburgring defeat ‘weighing heavily’ on Verstappen team
Max Verstappen came agonisingly close to clinching victory in the Nurburgring 24 on debut until his Mercedes-AMG GT3 broke down.
18 May 2026
Simon Chapman
Speedcafe
With just over three hours to go in one of endurance racing’s most well-known twice-around-the-clock epics, the driveshaft failed. Dani Juncadella was in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing car when the issue reared its head. Force to slow, Juncadella surrendered the lead to the sister #80 Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol car that went on to win with Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz. There were sad scenes inside the garage as Verstappen, Dani Juncadella and their co-drivers Lucas Auer and Jules Gounon realised their fate. A shell-shocked Gounon was seen slumped against the pit wall.
Team Verstappen were ultimately classified 37th overall and 21 laps down. “We can be very proud of our performance, even if the disappointment over the result is still weighing heavily on us,” said Auer. “Although we managed to get out on track again at the end, it was, of course, a bitter finish for us. The Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing, as well as Dani, Jules, and Max, did an incredibly good job throughout the weekend.”
Dani Juncadella offered a similar assessment. “The race went so well for us,” he said. “We had a good start, great stints, the decision for rain tyres at the right moment. We had built up a two-minute lead over everyone else. Just a dream race, but unfortunately it was three hours too short and three hours too long for us. But that’s just how it is in racing.”
‘Nurburgring defeat weighing heavily’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-m...vers-comments/
Mercedes ban Kimi Antonelli from the Nurburgring after Max Verstappen's devastating loss
18 May 2026
Ben McCrum
SPORTbible
The Verstappen team were forced off the track with a broken driveshaft which, despite being fixed, ultimately cost them the victory. Despite this, Verstappen said post-race that he would be eager to return to the event next year, as long as his calendar permitted it, raising questions about which other drivers could feature in next year's race should the Formula One calendar permit it. Among those to express interest in doing so was current championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who said in a recent video that he hopes to earn a 'Nordschleife permit', which would allow him to compete, by the end of the year.
But, Mercedes’ deputy team principal Bradley Lord has quickly shut down any chances of the Italian driver competing at the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race, revealing that he has been told he will not be allowed to get his permit. “No,” he said bluntly to Nitro when asked whether Mercedes would allow Antonelli to obtain the DMSB Nordschleife Permit (DPN) this year. “I’ve spoken to him about it. I think he meant it more as a joke. Maybe he could try once he’s won four world championships.”
He went on to add that Verstappen, who has been driving in F1 since making his debut as a 17-year-old back in 2015, “perhaps has a bit more range thanks to his experience” compared to Antonelli. Aside from his vast experience in F1, Verstappen had also already competed in several races on the Nordschleife ahead of making his debut at the 24-hour race this year. Instead, Lord stated that Antonelli is expected to keep his “full focus” on Formula One as he hopes to secure his maiden World Drivers' Champion title later this year.
‘Kimi Antonelli, who said in a recent video that he hopes to earn a 'Nordschleife permit'’;
https://www.sportbible.com/formula-1...32037-20260518
Max Verstappen warns Red Bull he could quit F1 at end of season
18 May 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen warns Red Bull he could quit the sport at the end of the 2026 F1 season as he continues to reconsider his future amid the four-time world champion’s frustrations with the new regulations. Verstappen warns Red Bull he could still quit at the end of the 2026 F1 season, putting the pressure on his team to change their form around sooner rather than later to give him an incentive to remain put.
“I still have time and I’m taking my time,” Verstappen told Sky Sport Italia. “We are a little bit further behind at the moment than what we had last year. The rest, I mean, also for myself, I don’t know at the moment. What I said in Japan is still the same, but I also still have a lot of time.”
“I just want to be here. The team has worked really hard to bring updates to the car, so we first have to wait and see what they will do, because I have no idea, of course, what other teams came with as well. I just hope that we can escape a little bit that midfield battle, and we can be actually a bit further up front.”
‘Frustrated’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...could-quit-f1/
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Stopping power - those teams that could prevent Mercedes from winning the Canadian F1 GP.
Mercedes have won four of the opening races, Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers' Championship by 20 points, and the opposition is still searching for answers. The question heading into Montreal is simple: does anyone have what it takes to stop them?
19 May 2026
Ben Hunt
GPblog.com
The short answer, based on pure pace, is not really. The longer answer is that the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has a long history of turning expected results on its head come Sunday evening.
Mercedes' dominance in 2026 has been built on a power unit that appears superior in the new 50/50 hybrid era, combined with two drivers whose strengths complement each other and a team that has executed almost flawlessly in the pit lane. Antonelli, just 19 years old, has converted his first three career poles into victories - a feat no driver has ever achieved before. His teammate George Russell, who won in Canada in 2025, arrives desperate to reassert himself in what is quietly becoming a tense internal battle.
McLaren showed progress in Miami. McLaren are the most credible threat on paper. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have the second-fastest car in the field on most weekends, and Montreal's long straights and heavy braking zones provide exactly the kind of overtaking opportunities that Norris thrives on. Their weakness has been execution; poor pit calls have cost them in recent races, and at a circuit where the safety car appears regularly and strategic windows open and close, that is a serious vulnerability.
Red Bull have plenty of ground to make up. Red Bull, meanwhile, are still finding their feet in 2026. Max Verstappen's best result this season is fifth place in Miami and reflective of a first-year power unit that is simply not competitive yet. At a circuit where Straight Mode top speeds will be decisive and energy deployment determines who can attack and who can only defend, the RB22's structural deficit is more exposed than anywhere else on the calendar.
‘Stopping power’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/features/s...canadian-f1-gp
Mercedes bring first major upgrade of F1 2026 to Canadian Grand Prix in bid to fend off rivals
18 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Mercedes has confirmed it will bring its first major upgrade of the 2026 Formula 1 season to the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. “Our competitors took a step forward in Miami and we need to respond; seven Grands Prix in 10 weekends before shutdown is an opportunity to do that and build momentum,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said.
“We bring our first update package of the year to Montreal, but we know that performance is only performance once it is delivered on track. Despite being in the middle of May, we are just four races into the season. There is a long year ahead and, whilst this is an important weekend, it will not decide any outcomes.”
“We will stay balanced, keep learning, and execute each weekend as well as we can. We won't get too high when we succeed or too low in the difficult moments; that is as true for our drivers as it is for the rest of the team.”
“Performance is only performance once it is delivered on track”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109564...id-fend-rivals
F1 Today | Mercedes and McLaren eye each other as Hamilton labelled 'Ferrari's No. 2'
18 May 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
I have really good confidence in the car. Obviously, we’re in a great momentum. Hopefully, the package is going to work as we hope, but also McLaren is bringing another package and the step they made this weekend was very big. So, we just have to keep pushing, keep raising that bar, because we saw this weekend how much it flipped compared to the first three races. So, we just got to stay on top of the game," Kimi Antonelli said.
Lando Norris also pinpointed that they should not get carried away despite improvements the last time out. "[Miami] is a track that suits us and in the past has not suited the Mercedes quite so well. Yet they were still very fast, and we’re going to go to a track that Mercedes have probably been the best at over the last five, six years. So, we have to wait and see."
Verstappen remained more mysterious. The Dutchman had a simple answer on what he expects from Montreal. Speaking to GPblog, among others, he explained: "Let's see. I mean, it's a completely different track, of course, to here [in Miami]. So let's see how competitive we can be there." Hamilton highlighted where Ferrari needs to improve to be more competitive. "I'm looking forward to it, but, we need to see if we can cut some drag before the next race because we're on the straight line, we've got that deficit and so we've got to have a look into that."
‘Eye each other’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-to...-ferraris-no-2
How Canadian Grand Prix prepared for early F1 return through "rough" winter
The promoters of the Canadian Grand Prix had to ready the race for an earlier slot in F1 2026.
18 May 2026
Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
The long Quebec winters always make that process hard, and this year the earlier race date meant that the work had to commence in the autumn. “We are a Nordic country, so we started our build in the fall,” said Sandrine Garneau, the event’s Chief Operating Officer Brand and Strategy, when asked by Crash.net about the impact of the weather.
“Without having our build started in the fall and being able to start most of our scaffolding structures, it would have been very difficult for us to deliver this, given the winter that we had. There were people with torches in the Olympic basin to be able to melt the ice to be able to put in the anchoring for the team hospitalities and the paddock. So it was a very rough winter. It started about mid-November, which caught us a little bit off-guard, and then lasted until March.”
“The advantage that we were able to start most of our scaffolding build,” she said. “Which meant that in our timeline we had allowed ourselves for a two-week grace period for all finishing touches. We did have some freezing rain, we did have a little bit of rougher weather, a lot of cold temperatures as well. At one point, we did need to put in more effort, and to bring in more crews, and nights and weekends to be able to bridge that gap.”
‘How Canadian Grand Prix prepared’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109565...h-rough-winter
Canadian GP weekend set for dry start and potentially rainy finish
18 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Formula 1 is set for the fifth round of the 2026 season at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: here is the latest weather forecast currently expected for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Friday - which will host the only free practice session and Sprint Qualifying - is currently forecast to feature intervals of clouds and sunshine, with temperatures reaching around 21°C and WSW winds between 8 and 16 km/h, while the chance of rain is close to zero, according to The Weather. The risk of rain increases slightly on Saturday, the day dedicated to the Sprint Race and qualifying, with cloudy conditions expected, temperatures peaking at around 22°C and ESE winds between 8 and 16 km/h, while the current chance of rain stands at 15%.
On race day Sunday, however, the scenario could become more threatening, with showers expected in the morning before cloudy conditions arrive in the afternoon. Temperatures are forecast to reach around 23°C, with SE winds between 8 and 16 km/h and a current chance of rain standing at 30%. However, even in the event of rain, the scenario should be far less drastic than in Miami, where strict lightning and thunderstorm protocols forced race control to bring the start of the Grand Prix forward in order to avoid major disruptions.
‘Dry start and potentially rainy finish’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/canad...y-rainy-finish
IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 STORYLINES WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT AHEAD OF THE 2026 CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
18 May 2026
Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site
Chris Medland picks out the biggest stories as F1 heads to Canada for the third Sprint weekend of 2026.
RUSSELL RETURNING TO A HAPPY HUNTING GROUND George Russell was the favourite heading into the season for many, and his strong performance in Australia only served to strengthen that belief as Mercedes started the year in dominant form.
THE CHASING PACK TRYING TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON MERCEDES The Miami Grand Prix saw a huge amount of upgrades introduced by a number of teams, including McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull who all made significant steps compared to Mercedes to close up the field at the front.
WHAT IS ADUO? As the fifth round of the revised 2026 season, the Canadian Grand Prix marks the end of the first period of monitoring before the FIA communicates the results and any potential ADUO allocations.
A TRACK THAT OFTEN PROVIDES EXCITEMENT The Canadian Grand Prix has been a highlight of the calendar for many drivers for some time, due in part to the combination of the crowd, venue and propensity for some chaotic races in the past.
A FIRST SPRINT WEEKEND IN CANADA If this race didn’t already provide enough excitement, how about adding an extra layer with more competitive sessions?
‘5 STORYLINES’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...hr6ZHFriJrYEnA
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Canadian Grand Prix preview: Key storylines, form guide and what to expect in Montreal.
The Canadian Grand Prix could prove a pivotal moment in the F1 2026 season as Mercedes early-season dominance comes under increasing pressure.
20 May 2026
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com
Can Ferrari and Red Bull join the fight? Ferrari is expected to introduce further upgrades in Canada after debuting 11 new elements in Miami, with team boss Fred Vasseur revealing more are to come this weekend. And what of Red Bull? A resurgent performance in the United States offered hope that Max Verstappen would soon prove a factor at the front of the field once more.
The Dutchman faded during the race, not helped by an opening lap spin and an aggressive recovery drive, but could Red Bull build on those Miami foundations? Its RBPT power unit is thought to be second only to Mercedes, while Pierre Wache’s team continues refining the RB22.
What could decide the weekend? Russell’s response to Antonelli, McLaren’s search for a first grand prix victory of the season, Ferrari’s latest upgrades and the unpredictability of a Sprint format weekend all have the potential to shape events in Montreal.
‘Pivotal moment’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1...d-prix-preview
Mercedes confirms ‘first update package of the year’ for F1 Canadian GP
19 May 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff confirmed that the team will bring a substantial upgrade package to Canada, with the details to be released ahead of the race. “Our competitors took a step forward in Miami and we need to respond; seven Grands Prix in 10 weekends before shutdown is an opportunity to do that and build momentum,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said.
“We bring our first update package of the year to Montreal, but we know that performance is only performance once it is delivered on track. Despite being in the middle of May, we are just four races into the season. There is a long year ahead and, whilst this is an important weekend, it will not decide any outcomes.”
“We will stay balanced, keep learning, and execute each weekend as well as we can. We won’t get too high when we succeed or too low in the difficult moments; that is as true for our drivers as it is for the rest of the team.”
‘First update package of the year’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...1-canadian-gp/
'It's psychological' - Martin Brundle issues warning to George Russell about Mercedes F1 team-mate Kimi Antonelli
Martin Brundle offers George Russell advice heading into the F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
20 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
George Russell needs to beat Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix for a “psychological” gain, according to Martin Brundle. "I don't think the points deficit is that much of a problem for George Russell. For example, last year in Canada, Lando Norris had a clumsy accident with his team-mate Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, and that looked like he'd hurt his championship chances, then he goes on to become world champion.”
"This is only our fifth Grand Prix of the season, and it's going to be a challenging one. It's the first Sprint in Canada. It's going to be cold. It might be wet on race day. It's going to be quite the challenge. George needs to stop Antonelli in his tracks and get a few points back against him, but I think it's more psychological than the mathematics.”
Reflecting on the impressive start to the season Antonelli has made, Brundle added: "He's been mighty, his speed, his consistency. He kept his head under pressure in Miami. George Russell struggles in Miami, but is very strong in Canada, so Kimi will have a bigger fight on his hands across the garage and a lot of teams are bringing upgrades. But, Kimi's raw pace and consistency has been super impressive.”
'It's psychological';
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109567...f1-canadian-gp
Honda spies key to ‘unlock’ Aston Martin F1 performance in Canada
20 May 2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Ahead of this weekend’s race in Montreal, Honda trackside chief Shintaro Orihara revealed how it will look to take further steps to maximise the package to ensure a more positive home outing for Stroll. “At the Miami Grand Prix, we confirmed our battery vibration improvements and our overall power unit reliability,” he said.
“It was also a key opportunity to learn on the energy management side under the updated 2026 regulations, and this will continue in Canada. In Montreal, which is Lance’s home race, we will focus on enhancing the driveability and our energy management strategy to support the drivers in building more confidence.”
“In fact, this is an important target of our race weekend. If we can give more confidence to the drivers in entering the corners faster and carrying more speed, then we unlock lap time.” It is clear that despite the exasperation that is likely to have been felt within Aston’s ranks, work with a sense of unity has really been utilised with the improvements already on show.
‘Honda spies key to ‘unlock’ Aston Martin F1 performance’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...1-performance/
Canadian GP braced for weather disruption
What weather conditions can the teams and drivers expect in Canada this weekend?
20 May 2026
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365
Friday's opening practice sessions should be straightforward as there is no chance of rain, with temperatures sitting around 19°C and a gentle WNW breeze of 13 km/h. Teams will welcome the stable conditions during the sole free practice session before sprint qualifying. Saturday looks similarly benign for the sprint race and qualifying.
A negligible 1 per cent chance of rain, temperatures again hovering around 19°C, and a light ENE wind at 13 km/h should ensure a clean two sessions. Sunday, however, is a different story entirely. The rain probability jumps to 60 per cent, temperatures drop to around 17°C, and the wind shifts to SSE at a more noticeable 19 km/h with higher gusts.
For a circuit located on an island in the St. Lawrence River, where conditions can close in rapidly, that is a recipe for strategic uncertainty. It is looking increasingly likely that teams will have to keep the wet tyres on standby, as if the track's history is anything to go by, a 60 per cent rain threat on race day rarely passes quietly.
‘Weather disruption’;
https://racingnews365.com/canadian-g...her-disruption
How to watch the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix on TSN
19 May 2026
ESPN
Canadian Grand Prix on TSN schedule
All times in EST
Friday, May 22
Practice One: 12:20p.m. on TSN+
Sprint Qualifying: 4p.m. on TSN3/5 and TSN+
Saturday, May 23
Sprint Race: 11:55a.m on TSN4/5, TSN+ and CTV
Qualifying: 3:55p.m. on TSN4/5, TSN+ and CTV
Sunday, May 24
Canadian Grand Prix: 3:55pm on TSN5, TSN+ and CTV.
The start time for Sunday’s race was pushed back in an attempt to avoid a clash with the Indianapolis 500, which will take place on the same day.
‘TSN schedule’;
https://www.tsn.ca/motorsports/artic...n-n1-48638259/
2026 Canadian GP start time: how to watch, live stream and F1 schedule
20 May 2026
Motor Sport Magazine
2026 Canadian GP F1 start times, streaming and TV schedule
All times are BST for UK viewers
Friday May 22
Session Session start time Live TV coverage Highlights
Practice 1 5.30pm 5pm, Sky Sports F1
Sprint qualifying 9.30pm 9pm, Sky Sports F1 Saturday 1.05am, Channel 4
________________________________________
Saturday May 23
Session Session start time Live TV coverage Highlights
Sprint 5pm 4pm, Sky Sports F1 Sunday 1.10am, Channel 4
Qualifying 9pm 8.10pm, Sky Sports F1 Sunday 1.10am, Channel 4
________________________________________
Sunday May 24
Session Race start time Live TV coverage Highlights
Canadian Grand Prix 9pm 7.30pm, Sky Sports F1 Monday 1.20am, Channel 4
‘BST for UK viewers’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1
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Ferrari identifies crucial factor for Canadian Grand Prix success.
Frederic Vasseur highlighted the challenges Ferrari must overcome at the Canadian Grand Prix, as the team looks to bounce back from a difficult weekend in Miami.
21 May 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Frederic Vasseur said: "Canada is always a special event, with a great atmosphere in the city and at the track, and we know how much support Ferrari has there, including from the many Tifosi with Italian roots. From a racing point of view, Montreal is never straightforward. The track is demanding on brakes, traction is important out of the slow corners and chicanes, and this year the weather and low temperatures could add another layer of complexity, especially with the Sprint format giving us limited preparation time. We will need to be on the ball from the first session, focus on execution and make the most of every opportunity over the weekend."
Supporting Vasseur's assessment of the challenges at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in terms of how tough the track is on braking systems, Ferrari Chief Tyre Performance Engineer Carlos Galbally added: "With its frequent hard stops and low-speed corners, consistent braking comes at a premium on this track. The new 2026 regulations have added an extra layer of complexity to the already challenging circuit due to the increased energy harvesting that mainly off-loads the rear brakes. Getting the brake cooling right is key to avoid potentially costly brake temperature imbalances that could compromise turn-in performance into the corner."
About the cooler conditions expected, he continued: "It is true that the low ambient temperatures, combined with a layout featuring mostly slow-speed corners, will make it difficult to bring the tyres into the correct operating window, especially in qualifying. In these colder conditions, and on a track surface smoother than in the past following resurfacing work, there is also the possibility of graining, particularly on the softer compounds."
‘Crucial factor’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ferra...d-prix-success
Canadian GP predictions: Russell collision, McLaren breakthrough, Mercedes turning point
21 May 2026
Editor
PlanetF1.com
Michelle Foster: Kimi Antonelli will headline a Mercedes 1-2 at the Canadian Grand Prix in a dominant display of engine power and upgrades – but it will be Mercedes’ last one-two finish of the F1 2026 championship.
Oliver Harden: The obvious temptation is to say that George Russell will come back hard at Kimi Antonelli this weekend. And yet it’s alarming how, well… ordinary he’s looked compared to Kimi since starting this season with a win in Australia.
Mat Coch: Lando Norris ends Mercedes domination. I can see Lando Norris winning the Canadian Grand Prix from Russell and Antonelli, with Piastri in fourth.
Sam Cooper: George Russell returns to the title fight. Russell has not been on the podium since China. You get the sense it is now or never for the 28-year-old Briton.
Henry Valantine: Russell to get one back as Mercedes asserts dominance. I think George Russell will look to up his game even further now he knows he doesn’t ‘top dog’ status all to himself.
Jamie Woodhouse: Lando Norris heads a McLaren one-two finish. History has taught us that when McLaren brings an upgrade, expect good things.
‘Predictions’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/ca...26-predictions
2026 F1 Canadian GP: Full FIA press conference schedule revealed
21 May
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com
For the Canadian GP, one driver who will be present in the first scheduled press conference is hometown hero Lance Stroll. The Aston Martin driver is currently the only Canadian driver on the grid. For the Montréal race, he even has his own grandstand. Joining him in the first session are Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. Bottas, who rejoined the grid this year with Cadillac, and Hamilton, who now drives for Ferrari, were once teammates from 2017 to 2021.
In the second press conference on Thursday, George Russell will be joined by Pierre Gasly and Arvid Lindblad. Russell won the 2025 Canadian GP after losing out to Max Verstappen in 2024. After the Miami race, he told GPblog and others that he was not worried about the championship fight just yet. Mercedes has won all four races of the season so far. However, it’s been Antonelli on the top step in three of those races. Russell has not won since the first race of the season.
‘Canadian GP predictions’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/2026-...edule-revealed
McLaren targets Ferrari with MCL40 upgrades for Canadian GP
21 May 2026
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com
Despite its drivers failing to start three of the eight races, McLaren is still close behind Ferrari in the fight for second place. Heading into the Canadian Grand Prix, the team is set to bring further upgrades to Montréal. In its Canadian GP preview, McLaren said, "The competition in Miami was close, but the team secured a Sprint 1-2 and a double podium. The team is recharged after the two-weekend break from racing and is prepared to carry this momentum into the next North American round at a track favoured by many drivers.”
Norris, who secured his first podium finish of the 2026 season in Miami, shared his frustrations with the team after the race. He said, “How did we not win this? We should have won, guys." When discussing McLaren’s strategy later, he said the team did not give itself a fighting chance by allowing Antonelli to undercut them.
Despite these frustrations, the current world champion also noted, “We’ve improved such a big amount, and the fact we’re just fighting for a win, when, if you look at our pace in the races over the last couple, even though we were fighting for podiums and wins, and Oscar was, the pace and the speed we had was certainly not there. So, the fact we made such a big step this weekend is great to see, and I’m very proud of the team. And all the work that’s been put in has paid off immediately.”
‘McLaren targets Ferrari’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/mclar...or-canadian-gp
Why Hamilton is going against standard approach ahead of Canadian GP
19 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Coming off back-to-back sixth-place finishes in Suzuka and Miami, Lewis Hamilton revealed he wants to prepare for the Canadian Grand Prix without using the simulator. Will it prove to be the right call? Hamilton’s comments about preparing for Canada without using the simulator carry even more weight following Nelson Piquet Jr.’s recent remarks, with the Brazilian claiming Leclerc is clearly Ferrari’s number one driver, while Hamilton is merely playing a supporting role as the team’s second driver.
"Leclerc is the No.1 driver, while Hamilton is No.2. Right now, Hamilton finishes behind him in about 80 per cent of the races," he bluntly told during a Pelas Pistas podcast episode. Piquet Jr. also suggested that Hamilton is now entering the final phase of his Formula 1 career after spending two decades competing at the top level of the sport: "Hamilton has spent twenty years in Formula 1, and this is naturally the winding down of his career."
Although the Briton has shown signs of improvement compared to last year, the verdict so far is crystal clear: across 28 races as team-mates, Leclerc has claimed nine podiums, one pole position and no wins, while Hamilton can only boast a single podium finish - the one secured in China - along with a fourth place at Silverstone as his next-best result.
‘Going against standard approach’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/why-h...of-canadian-gp
Lewis Hamilton 'best ever' Ferrari feeling as McLaren reveal major upgrade plan - RacingNews365
As we count down to this weekend's Canadian GP, we bring you all the latest major news.
20 May 2026
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Lewis Hamilton has explained how behind-the-scenes changes at Ferrari have allowed him to be in a "really happy place." "I am in a really happy place," Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365. "With the team, it has taken a long time to adjust, on both sides, and it was a difficult season last year with the car that we weren't developing. But we've made so many changes internally, both within the team and how we operate back at the factory, and it is like the best it's ever been in terms of how we work together. Perhaps there are a couple of sponsor commitments too many, but otherwise, it is really good."
McLaren confirm huge upgrade package for Canadian GP as Mercedes fight looms. McLaren will introduce extensive upgrades across seven areas of the MCL40 for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, continuing an aggressive development push that began in Miami. "As established at the beginning of the season, Miami served as the first big step in our plan to add performance to the MCL40," the team said ahead of the weekend in Canada. This continues this weekend in Montreal, with a number of new components across the floor, chassis, front and rear wings, bodywork, halo and roll hoop."
‘Major upgrade plan’;
https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...-racingnews365
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Groundhog Day: Why Montreal’s resident rodents are a hazard at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
Unfortunately, the small furry animals have often met their end following contact with F1 cars, something the drivers are sometimes helpless to avoid.
22 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
At last year's Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton struck a groundhog during the race, causing severe floor damage to his Ferrari. “I didn’t see it happen but I heard I hit a groundhog. That’s devastating," the seven-time world champion said. "I love animals and I’m so sad about it. That’s horrible. That’s never happened to me here before.”
Two years ago, Max Verstappen almost hit a groundhog as he won the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix. “He was almost dead,” Verstappen said. "I started to get to the last chicane and I thought it was debris initially. I started to close in and then I’m like, oh my god, it’s an animal. So yeah, I swerved right at the last moment. I don’t know what happened after.”
‘Groundhog Day’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/100551...orious-pest-f1
FIA cuts Canada qualifying energy limit to new season-low in Montreal
22 May 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
The FIA has reduced the maximum harvestable energy to a season-low of 6.0 MJ in Canada, as efforts continue to fine-tune the current power unit regulations. This weekend’s race in Montreal will see a new low in harvestable energy during the qualifying sessions, with the change made on the basis of trying to ensure flat-out qualifying laps.
The FIA has published its power unit information for the Canadian Grand Prix, with the information disseminated across the power unit manufacturers and teams. With the energy limits tweaked for each venue, calculated based on the ease of harvesting for the drivers through braking, the Canadian venue will see a maximum harvestable limit of just 6.0 MJ during a lap in qualifying and Sprint Qualifying.
Following the 7.0 MJ limit in Australia, the 6.0 MJ limit becomes the lowest of the season so far, with Miami having run an 8.0 MJ limit through the qualifying sessions. During the month-long break between Japan and Miami, the FIA introduced regulation changes to allow officials to lower the permitted maximum energy to 7.0 MJ at some events.
‘FIA cuts Canada qualifying energy limit’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-can...gy-limit-6-0mj
Max ahead of Canadian GP: 'Focus on improving'
21 May 2026
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl
With his focus firmly back to F1 ahead of the Montreal weekend, Max also addressed the updated regulations for the 2027 season in which the internal combustion engine (ICU) will provide 60% of the power, with the battery the remaining 40%. “It’s a step in the right direction. It’s what I hoped for and it’s what the sport needs. I want a good product in F1 and this will help”, said the four-time champion.
Ahead of the Canadian Sprint weekend, Max remains realistic: “A sprint weekend is always hectic, but we’ll just to deal with it. Miami was a good step forward, but every weekend will be a development race, depending on what every team brings along.”
The Dutchman added: “It’ll be a completely different feel and lay-out, but hopefully we can be near the top three. We’ll keep focussing on improving and to stay in the fight. The team are motivated and excited to go racing.”
'Focus on improving';
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/6163/
“You’re going to be shocked”: Driving warning issued amid wet Canada F1 forecast
Pierre Gasly has issued a warning to fellow F1 drivers about a potential wet race in Canada
21 May 2026
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly has warned fellow Formula 1 drivers that they “are going to be shocked” if the Canadian Grand Prix is wet, following a recent rain tyre test he did. During the break between the Miami Grand Prix and this weekend’s round in Montreal, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly took part in a two-day wet tyre test with Pirelli at Magny-Cours.
Asked about the Magny-Cours wet tyre test on Thursday, he said: “You guys are going to be shocked. “I’m glad I’ve done these two days. It’s going to be interesting for you guys. I mean, I’ve had Silverstone, 21 January, which was memorable and I think will stay with me forever. But Magny-Cours was also something.”
When pressed on why the new cars are tricky in the wet, he replied: “You don’t want me to answer that question.”
“You’re going to be shocked”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109571...da-f1-forecast
Martin Brundle claims drivers ‘scared’ amid latest Canadian GP weather forecast
22 May 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
F1 2026 has now moved on to the Canadian Grand Prix. The forecast remains favourable until Grand Prix Sunday, where a 60 per cent risk of light to moderate showers exists. “The drivers are all a little bit scared of just what these cars are going to be like in the rain,” Martin Brundle claimed via Sky F1.
“They have got so much power and less downforce, less grip, and they don’t know yet. Nobody really had that opportunity to push them in a competitive situation, so we could see some drama.”
“Only one in the last eight Grands Prix in Montreal have gone without the Safety Car of some kind because if you crash, you remain on the race track, effectively. It’s a pretty challenging layout in that respect, old school, and we love it.”
‘Scared’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-202...ng-canadian-gp
'Not deal breakers' - Lando Norris bullish on F1 title defence chances ahead of Canadian GP
Lando Norris faces an uphill battle in defence of his Formula 1 world championship crown
22 May 2026
Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
Lando Norris insists that the next few races are not “deal breakers” for the McLaren Formula 1 team’s 2026 World Championship chances. Norris cited his successful 2025 title campaign, which was nearly usurped by a late charge from Max Verstappen, as evidence of that. “I think one thing I learned after last year, after winning by two points, I learned that every single race matters,” he said.
“Whether I have a bad race or a good race, every single point matters from the beginning of the season. Even if you think you're not in the fight, by the end of the year, you can easily be in the fight. And we've only got four races in – it feels pretty weird to kind of think we're only four races in. The same with Max last year. I'm sure you could say that maybe one or two points, he could have got more earlier in the season, that could have helped out at the end.”
“At the same time, there are a couple of points I could have fought for better earlier in the season, that would have made my life a bit easier at the end. I think that's one of the things you learn over the time is even when you don't feel like quite in it, you don't feel like you're part of that championship fight, one point here or there, because you do a slightly better lap, because you pay a bit more attention to something, because you make one less mistake, can add up at the end of the season.”
'Not deal breakers';
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109572...ad-canadian-gp
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Groundhog collision causes major Canadian GP crash and lengthy FP1 red flag.
Albon crashed his Williams halfway through FP1 in Canada, having lost control due to hitting a small marmot on the exit of Turn 6.
22 May 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Shortly after a brief red flag for a breakdown from the Racing Bulls car of Liam Lawson, a more lengthy red flag period was triggered at the half-hour mark in Montreal when Alex Albon ended up in the wall in the second sector. Exiting Turn 6, the Williams driver was shown with significant damage to his car as he slid across the track, although immediate replays showing the incident weren’t shown despite the driver being clearly uninjured.
The reason for this quickly became clear, with Albon having lost control of his car after a collision with a groundhog, a large ground squirrel that teems across the Île-Notre-Dame island upon which the circuit is situated. With the marmot’s end captured on video, the world feed didn’t show the incident for obvious reasons, although images quickly spread across social media to show that Albon had been powerless against hitting the mammal.
Williams has since confirmed that Albon was unable to avoid hitting the creature, with the lengthy red flag allowing for circuit officials to clean up and recover the damaged Williams. The FIA, having added four minutes extra to the session following the Lawson breakdown, then added another 15 minutes due to the Albon incident.
‘Groundhog collision’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/canadi...h-fp1-red-flag
Canadian Grand Prix F1 practice results 2026
22 May 2026
THE RACE TEAM
The Race
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli headed team-mate George Russell in a Mercedes 1-2 in the only Formula 1 practice session at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix. The session was red-flagged three times - for a Liam Lawson car failure, Alex Albon crashing after hitting a groundhog and then Esteban Ocon spinning into the wall - and extended to allow teams a little more running ahead of sprint qualifying.
Results
1 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 1m13.402s
2 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.142s
3 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.774s
4 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.953s
5 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.964s
6 Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.397s
7 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.561s
8 Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +2.050s
9 Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) +2.296s
10 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +2.461s
‘F1 practice results 2026’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/c...-results-2026/
2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix - Free Practice results
Check out the full results from the sole Free Practice session at the 2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
22 May 2026
RN365 Staff
RacingNews365
Kimi Antonelli topped the only free practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix, beating Mercedes team-mate George Russell by over a tenth of a second at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top three in Montreal in a thrice-disrupted — and extended — hour of running, following three red flags.
First, Liam Lawson's Racing Bulls ground to a halt with a hydraulics issue, which saw four minutes added to the session. Then, Alex Albon unfortunately struck a marmot. Replays suggest that the Williams driver crashed whilst trying to avoid the rodent, which is native to North America (as well as Europe and Asia).
That incident caused the FIA to add 15 more minutes onto the running, for a combined total of 19 minutes. Lawson was subsequently called to the stewards for a post-session investigation into why his CDS (clutch disengagement system) did not work in his VCARB 03. Esteban Ocon triggered the third and final stoppage after he ripped the nose off his Haas with only a matter of minutes to go.
‘Free Practice results’;
https://racingnews365.com/2026-f1-ca...actice-results
Kimi Antonelli tops Canada F1 practice after Alex Albon strikes groundhog
Kimi Antonelli heads a dominate Mercedes one-two in the only practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix.
22 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli continued his fine form by setting the pace in the sole practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix in his upgraded Mercedes. Mercedes’ margin over the rest of the field was impressive, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton 0.774s adrift in third place. The seven-time world champion, who is the joint-most successful driver with seven wins at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, was nearly two tenths clear of team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Max Verstappen put his Red Bull fifth, with the McLaren’s of reigning world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri over a second off the pace in sixth and seventh. Piastri failed to set a representative lap after having a huge lock-up at the final chicane. F1 rookie Arvid Lindblad was eighth-fastest for Racing Bulls on his first visit to Canada, while Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top-10 for Audi and Aston Martin.
‘Kimi Antonelli continued his fine form’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109579...ikes-groundhog
Antonelli starts strong as Albon hits marmot during Canadian GP FP1
22 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
The first and only 60-minute practice session of the Montréal weekend is now in the books: here’s everything that happened during FP1 at the Canadian Grand Prix, which served as the appetizer for the Sprint Qualifying set to take place in just a few hours. Franco Colapinto’s session got off to a difficult start after reliability issues on his A526 forced him back into the pits for an extended period. A few minutes later, Liam Lawson also came to a halt on track, with the Racing Bulls driver forced to park his car after just 10 minutes of running.
This prompted Race Control to bring out the red flag in order to recover the stricken car, with the session resuming after roughly five minutes of interruption. Fernando Alonso enjoyed a brief moment in the spotlight at around the halfway point of the session, setting the fastest time in the opening sector before eventually finishing fifth overall. However, the Spaniard was running on the soft compound, giving him a two-tyre advantage over the drivers at the top of the standings, who were still using the hard tyres.
With just under 30 minutes remaining in the session, Albon brought out the second red flag of the afternoon after crashing heavily at Turn 7. Initial onboard footage from the FW48 appeared to show the Thai driver losing control moments after striking a marmot on the exit of the straight leading into the second sector, before slamming into the barriers and bouncing back onto the track.
‘Antonelli starts strong’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...anadian-gp-fp1
Everything that happened in messy Canadian GP practice
22 May 2026
JOSH SUTTILL
The Race
Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli led a Mercedes 1-2 amid three red flags in the sole practice session at the Canadian Grand Prix. Mercedes is debuting its first major upgrade of 2026 this weekend in Montreal and it kicked off with some blinding pace in the first and only practice session ahead of sprint qualifying on Friday evening.
Points leader Antonelli traded places with team-mate George Russell at the top of the times throughout the session - with Antonelli ending up on top with a 1m13.402s. That was 0.142s quicker than Russell’s best effort and over seven tenths clear of the fastest non-Mercedes car - the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton.
But it was a session dominated by session-stopping incidents with three separate stoppages. Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls caused the first red flag of the session as he had to pull to the side of the circuit on the run to the Turn 3/4 chicane. Then Alex Albon struck a groundhog exiting the Turn 6-7 chicane, which sent him into the wall. It caused extensive damage to the left-hand side of the car, as Albon ground to a halt around 25 minutes into the session, which caused a delay that led to the FIA extending the session by 15 minutes Then, inside the final 10 minutes of the session, Esteban Ocon lost control at the Turn 8/9 chicane and tore the front bodywork of his Haas off.
‘Messy Canadian GP practice’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/e...n-gp-practice/
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Mercedes´ George Russell takes pole for F1 sprint race at Canadian Grand Prix.
George Russell took the pole Friday for the sprint race Saturday at the Canadian Grand Prix, with Mercedes teammate and Formula 1 points leader Kimi Antonelli second on the starting grid.
23 May 2026
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline
"I never doubted myself. I knew what I can do," George Russell said. "Miami was obviously a bit unique. This is an amazing circuit here, high grip, feels like you´re driving a proper Formula 1 car around here, which is how it should be and I´m glad today it came together." Russell edged Antonelli by 0.068 as Mercedes - winners of all four races this season - introduced upgrades this weekend after McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull closed the gap with new parts in Miami.
"It´s definitely feeling great," Russell said. "We obviously saw in Miami, McLaren were really close and Ferrari not too far behind. Pleased to have it on the car, pleased to be back in P1, it´s been a little while. But yeah, obviously still big focus for tomorrow." Antonelli, the 19-year-old Italian star, has won three straight Grand Prix races to top the standings with 100 points, 20 more than second-place Russell.
‘Mercedes´ George Russell takes pole’;
https://www.dailymail.com/wires/ap/a...rand-Prix.html
Canadian Grand Prix - Sprint qualifying results
22/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Full results from Sprint qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, round 5 of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.
2026 Canadian Grand Prix - Sprint qualifying results
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:14.772s 1:13.026
2 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes :14.010 1:13.551
3 Lando Norris McLaren :14.265 1:13.957
4 Oscar Piastri McLaren :14.665 1:13.858
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari :13.889 1:13.465
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari :15.006 1:13.554
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull :14.028 1:14.412
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull :14.541 1:14.239
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls :14.517 1:14.140
10 Carlos Sainz Williams :15.500 1:14.547
‘Sprint qualifying results’;
https://f1i.com/news/564722-canadian...g-results.html
Wolff satisfied with Russell's Canada recovery: 'Never doubted him'
23 May 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Russell finished marginally ahead of his young teammate Kimi Antonelli to secure the best starting position for Saturday's Sprint at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Wolff never questioned George Russell’s abilities despite his difficulties at the Miami Grand Prix. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "It’s only the baby race but still it’s good to see the pace is there, also for his (Russell's) confidence. But I've never doubted, we’ve never doubted in that. Miami was a bad track."
Antonelli finished close behind his teammate, as only 0.063 seconds separated the two competitors. About the young Italian, Wolff added: "It’s always clear that the kiddo is fast and has shown that. I think it’s good for both of them to fight like this. It makes the team faster, and there’s not a lot in it."
Speaking about the changes on the W17, Wolff said: "It was enormous workload that was being brought to the car. I think if Lewis doesn’t make the mistake in the hairpin, he’s probably fighting for pole with us. So, we need to see what it brings in the real qualifying tomorrow and the race. I don’t want to get neither too greedy, (thinking) ‘is that good enough or not?’ But on the other side, also not too negative."
'Never doubted him';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...er-doubted-him
Lewis Hamilton reveals source of sensational Canadian GP Sprint Qualifying pace
Hamilton almost snatched sprint Pole away from Mercedes in an underpowered Ferrari package
23 May 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Lewis Hamilton reveals that abandoning the simulator was the source of his sensational pace in Sprint Qualifying at the 2026 Canadian GP, as the seven-time world champion took the fight to Mercedes. The 41-year-old rolled back the years by topping SQ1 ahead of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli and continued that speed through into SQ3 where he looked as though he could potentially sneak pole away from the Silver Arrows.
“That’s probably the best qualifying session we’ve had for some time,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 in Montreal. “Just really great work with the engineers, setup changes, the car felt really fantastic from P1, and we made just subtle changes going into quali. SQ1 and SQ2 were looking good, and then I don’t know why the others are able to like turn up a little bit more, I don’t know. But I’m just happy to be there in the fight. I was having so much fun out there.”
“And, also, the fact that I didn’t do the sim, and it was the best I’ve felt all year, so I think that’s the way forward for me. We worked really hard sifting through the data the last couple of weeks, and I found that so much more beneficial in terms of… One, I was able to just focus on training and not be distracted, and the second part is just like really going through with a fine comb on ride stability, through corner balances and mechanical balance and I chose a setup that we’ve never used before and it’s transformed the car for me. So I hope that bodes well for the rest of the weekend.”
‘Abandoning the simulator was the source of his sensational pace’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/lew...adian-gp-pace/
Explained: The “serious” car problem that led to Racing Bulls’ penalty at F1 Canadian GP
22 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Racing Bulls has been handed a part-suspended fine for an unusual infringement in F1 Canadian Grand Prix practice. The Faenza-based outfit was subsequently handed a €30,000 (£25,900) fine, two-thirds of which is suspended for 12 months subject to no further breach of this regulation by the team. “The team’s engineer explained how the CDS system worked,” the stewards reported.
“It was noted that the system on this car performs two roles – the one for which is it primarily intended, namely to release the clutch when the car is stopped and the engine is not working, and the other relates to the anti-stall system. In this case, a ruptured joint caused a hydraulic leak, which caused the car to stop.”
The CDS, when activated by the marshal, then failed to release the clutch and hence the car could not be moved. “This is a serious matter. It resulted in the session being red-flagged. Had the system worked as intended by the regulations, the incident could have been dealt with swiftly via deployment of the Virtual Safety Car.”
‘Unusual infringement’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109587...-bulls-penalty
Max Verstappen calls for Red Bull investigation after Canadian GP Sprint Qualifying struggle
Max Verstappen said his feet were “flying off the pedals” during Canadian GP Sprint Qualifying as Red Bull’s RB22 problems returned in Montreal
23 May 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
A frustrated Max Verstappen calls for an investigation into the RB22 by Red Bull as he struggles with drivability issues during Sprint Qualifying at the 2026 Canadian GP, lamenting he could not even use the pedals properly. And now Verstappen calls for Red Bull investigation after Sprint Qualifying at Canadian GP as he insists the issues went beyond discomfort with the aerodynamics, as he says his feet kept slipping off the pedals – potentially indicating a fundamental set-up flaw with his ride height.
“I mean I’m not surprised,” Verstappen said to Sky Sports F1, of his struggles. “My feeling in the car was not very good. I was struggling a lot with the ride of the car. So all of the bumps. I couldn’t put my foot down. Actually my feet were even flying off the pedals.”
“So yeah it just made it very difficult to be consistent. That is something we need to investigate.” He added: “It’s not great. Of course, we are stuck with that for the Sprint. But there’s some other things to understand, and hopefully that will be a better then for quali.”
‘Feet kept slipping off the pedals’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...n-canadian-gp/
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Furious Kimi Antonelli loses out to George Russell in F1 Canadian GP Sprint
Furious, Antonelli protested that Russell “pushed me off,” forcing Toto Wolff to tell him to focus on his driving and not “moaning”.
24 May 2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
At the start, Mercedes appeared to confirm eradication of its issues off the grid, as Russell got away brilliantly, with Antonelli fending off Norris into Turn 1. With Piastri bunched up as a result, Hamilton swooped around the outside on the exit of Turn 2 to nab fourth place from the Australian. By Lap 3, the Mercedes were around three seconds ahead of Norris, with Antonelli approximately half a megajoule up on Russell.
Antonelli was now bringing his teammate’s lead down by two tenths, and with a mistake at the hairpin, Russell gave Antonelli an inroad to attack, which he did at the final chicane. Fended off, the Italian tried once more into Turn 1, and having the inside line into 2, braked late and was forced to take to the grass.
Avoiding him upon returning to the tarmac, Russell held the lead, but the drama was not done then. Antonelli kept trying, and lost it at Turn 8, skidding onto the grass and then losing second to Norris. Furious, Antonelli protested that Russell “pushed me off,” forcing Toto Wolff to tell him to focus on his driving and not “moaning”.
“Pushed me off”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...canada-sprint/
Canadian GP: Sprint Results
Full results from the Sprint Race for the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.
24 May 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
Results: Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, Sprint
Pos. No. Driver Team Laps Time / Retired
1 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 28:50.951
2 1 Lando Norris McLaren 23 +1.272s
3 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 23 +1.843s
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 23 +9.797s
5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 23 +9.929s
6 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 23 +10.545s
7 3 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 +15.935s
8 41 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 23 +29.710s
9 43 Franco Colapinto Alpine 23 +31.621s
10 55 Carlos Sainz Williams 23 +36.793s
‘Canadian Grand Prix, Sprint’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-c...-race-results/
Canadian GP: Russell wins fiery Sprint as Mercedes drivers clash
23/05/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
George Russell turned pole position in Saturday's Sprint event in Montreal into a polished victory, delivering a cool, controlled drive for Mercedes despite a fiery intra-team battle in the opening laps of the race. Behind him, Kimi Antonelli looked eager to turn up the heat, but the Italian rookie quickly learned that chasing a teammate at the limit can come at a cost.
Antonelli didn’t wait long to make things interesting. On lap five, he launched himself at Russell around the outside of Turn 1, only to be firmly rebuffed as the Mercedes leader gave him absolutely nothing to work with. The result was messy: grass, dust, and a bruised sense of optimism. Unbowed, Antonelli tried again at Turn 8, braking a fraction too late and skating across the turf once more. That misstep cost him dearly, dropping him behind Norris.
His radio complaint about Russell’s defense added spice to the drama, though the replay told a more familiar story of a driver simply pushing a little too far. From there, Antonelli regrouped and began reeling Norris back in, while briefly fending off Hamilton in a growing midfield skirmish. On the final lap, he went for one last, ambitious lunge around the outside of Turn 1 – but Norris kept his cool and shut the door. The podium stayed frozen: Russell, Norris, Antonelli.
‘Russell wins fiery Sprint as Mercedes drivers’;
https://f1i.com/news/564864-canadian...ers-clash.html
George Russell wins F1 Canadian GP sprint as Mercedes fight has first flashpoint
George Russell wins the Canadian Grand Prix sprint after clashing with Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
23/05/2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
For the first time this season, the Mercedes pair made contact as Russell and Antonelli duelled for the lead during the early stages of the first-ever sprint race to be held in Montreal. Antonelli was forced to take to the grass after trying to go around the outside of Russell at Turn 1 on the sixth lap after the pair made light contact.
The skirmish continued at the Turn 8/9 chicane, with Antonelli once again taking to the grass after locking up as he unsuccessfully attempted to pass Russell with a dive down the inside. Antonelli lost momentum as he recovered onto the track and lost a position to McLaren’s Lando Norris, before complaining on several occasions that Russell had not played fair in his defence.
“That was very naughty,” the Italian teenager bemoaned, before adding “that should be a penalty, I was alongside the mirror.” Antonelli’s repeated radio complaints led to an intervention from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who told his driver to “concentrate on the driving, not the radio moaning”.
“That was very naughty”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109592...rst-flashpoint
George Russell expresses relief after controversial Kimi Antonelli fight
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli briefly shook hands after their fraught battle during the sprint in Montreal.
23 May 2026
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
The Mercedes pair started the 24-lap race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve alongside each other on the front row, with the Briton holding onto the lead from pole. However, a few laps in, Antonelli launched an audacious move around the outside of the sister W17 into Turn 1. Russell appeared to push him wide, and the Italian was furious with what he perceived to be forced onto the grass.
The 19-year-old immediately took to team radio, calling for his team-mate to be punished for the "naughty" move. Later on the same lap, an error saw Antonelli cut across the grass again, this time losing his second place to Lando Norris, but his complaints would not end there, with team principal Toto Wolff having to tell his driver to focus on the race.
When asked for his take on the incident, Russell chose not to address it head-on, instead sharing his relief that they ultimately avoided coming to blows. "Yeah, it was a cool race," the 28-year-old said after the sprint in Montreal. "I was just talking with Lando, it's definitely very difficult to get a gap around here, and it felt quite easy to follow; the slipstream was quite, quite powerful with the overtake mode.”
‘Russell chose not to address it head-on’;
https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...ntonelli-fight
Russell resists Antonelli in Canadian GP F1 sprint race
23/05/2026
Montreal (AFP)
France 24
Pre-season title favourite George Russell delivered a consummate lights-to-flag drive to win Saturday's sprint race at the Canadian Grand Prix and trim his angry team-mate Kimi Antonelli's championship lead. The incident came on lap six when Antonelli, 19, tried a move around the outside of Turn One, but Russell defended stoutly forcing the Italian to run off with a muscular defence of his leading position.
"That was very naughty," said Antonelli, who accused Russell of pushing him off. "That should be a penalty. I was alongside the mirror." His experienced race engineer Peter Bonnington told him to calm down and concentrate, but Antonelli was still fuming after the race.
"If we race like that, it is good to know," said the teenager before Wolff told him: "Kimi, we don't talk about this on the radio –- we do it internally. l need to review on that because I was quite well alongside him at turn one," said Antonelli. "But it was a good battle."
"If we race like that, it is good to know";
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...f1-sprint-race
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Russell steals Canadian GP pole from Antonelli.
Kimi Antonelli initially appearing set to secure his fourth straight pole. Russell had other ideas, snatching top spot from his young teammate with a 1m12.578s to edge Antonelli by just 0.068s.
24 May 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
George Russell claimed his third consecutive pole position at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a stunning late lap to deny teammate Kimi Antonelli at the Canadian Grand Prix. Lando Norris jumped to provisional pole midway through Q3, going two tenths quicker than Piastri, who had himself laid down a strong banker lap moments earlier.
Hamilton then split the McLarens to move provisionally onto the front row, while Antonelli could only manage fourth and Russell brushed the wall on his banker lap, leaving him bottom of the timesheets with five minutes remaining. But Mercedes’ pace proved untouchable in the closing stages as the Silver Arrows locked out the front row once again.
‘Russell had other ideas’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-c...imi-antonelli/
F1 Canadian GP 2026 qualifying results
23 May 2026
THE RACE TEAM
The Race
George Russell saw off Mercedes team-mate and Formula 1 title rival Kimi Antonelli in a nail-biting qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix.
1 George Russell
2 Kimi Antonelli, +0.068s
3 Lando Norris, +0.151s
4 Oscar Piastri, +0.203s
5 Lewis Hamilton, +0.290s
6 Max Verstappen, +0.329s
7 Isack Hadjar, +0.357s
8 Charles Leclerc, +0.398s
9 Arvid Lindblad, +0.702s
10 Franco Colapinto, +1.110s
‘Qualifying results’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...fying-results/
RUSSELL DENIES MERCEDES RIVAL ANTONELLI POLE POSITION FOR CANADIAN GRAND PRIX WITH LAST-GASP EFFORT
Mercedes locked out the front row for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, with George Russell leading Kimi Antonelli.
May 23, 2026
Formula One - Official Site
George Russell beat Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli and McLaren's Lando Norris to pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix with a last-gasp effort. Russell, who had won the Sprint in Montreal earlier on Saturday, posted a 1m 12.578s with his final effort to finish just 0.068s clear of Antonelli as Mercedes locked out the front row for Sunday's 70-lap race.
The Briton had been on the back foot in the final segment of Qualifying having aborted his first flying lap and he was down the order with his first completed run. But Russell pulled out the fastest lap at the very end as the Mercedes duo beat Norris and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton suffering a mistake on his second run that left him P5.
‘Mercedes locked out the front row’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...JKlwMzExUu9twT
Russell denies Antonelli Canadian GP pole
23 May 2026
SAMARTH KANAL
The Race
George Russell took pole position for Formula 1's 2026 Canadian Grand Prix and denied Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli a fourth-straight pole by 0.068s. The pair ignited their rivalry with a fierce battle in the sprint race earlier on Saturday. Russell aborted his first Q3 lap and his first proper lap, with 2m30s remaining, put him a provisional third.
A last-gasp salvo secured his third consecutive pole in Montreal, while Antonelli ensured a front-row lockout for Mercedes. McLaren locked out the second row with Lando Norris third - having held provisional pole before the Mercedes improved - and Oscar Piastri improving to fourth, just 0.05s behind. A trip through the grass cost Lewis Hamilton but he still managed fifth for Ferrari, three-tenths off pole.
His team-mate Charles Leclerc only narrowly avoided a Q2 elimination as he complained of a lack of clean air then could only manage eighth in Q3. Max Verstappen avoided being outqualified by Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar but struggled to sixth, while Hadjar was just 0.03s behind in seventh. Verstappen had previously remarked in Q2 that it was like “driving on ice” as he grappled with getting the tyres into their operating window.
‘Russell denies Antonelli’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/r...adian-gp-pole/
Russell storms to Canadian GP pole with stunning lap in Montreal
23 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix has just come to an end, setting the grid for tomorrow’s race and seeing George Russell come out on top. Here is everything that happened and the full results. The opening runs saw Lando Norris move into provisional pole with an impressive 1:12.729, with the reigning world champion finishing ahead of fellow Briton Hamilton, Oscar Piastri and Antonelli. Russell continued to struggle, opting to abort his lap and return to the pits instead of completing the run.
On the final runs, Russell initially improved to third place before being pushed down by Antonelli, who snatched provisional pole by just three thousandths of a second over Norris. Norris then crossed the line on his final attempt but remained second, with Oscar Piastri in third. Russell still had time for one final push and ultimately delivered in the closing moments, snatching pole position away from Antonelli at the very end, while Max Verstappen could manage only sixth. Pole went to Russell with a stunning 1:12.578.
‘Russell storms to Canadian GP pole’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...ap-in-montreal
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F1 - 2026 Canadian Grand Prix post-Sprint press conference transcript.
F1’s first ever Sprint race in Montreal, Canada. What a race, guys. I’m joined here by the top three: George RUSSELL, Lando NORRIS, Kimi ANTONELLI.
23 May 2026
FIA (Press Release)
TRACK INTERVIEW (Conducted by Jolyon Palmer) Q: Very well done, George. A great result for you. Quite a lot to unpick from that one. Can we start with the battle with your team-mate? Talk us through lap six from your point of view.
GR: Yeah, it was just a good, hard battle and obviously I defended into Turn 1 and you never get overtaken around the outside of that corner, and so I knew it was, kind of, pretty safe. But kudos to Kimi for giving it a go and I respect that and obviously came out unscathed. And then went into Turn 8. This track is very dirty as well offline. We’ve seen it all weekend, so I was quite nervous to defend too tightly into Turn 8 because I knew that there was a chance of locking up if I went there. And that was about it really. So glad that we’re both sat here now. It could have been something different, but it wasn’t, and that’s how racing should be.
TRACK INTERVIEW (Conducted by Jolyon Palmer) Q: Lando, second place. You managed to be the interloper at this Mercedes party. You must be pretty pleased with that because the pace looked really good.
Lando NORRIS: Yeah, thanks. It was a good race. I mean, it was good just to watch them go at it for a little while. But of course, we were there to pick up the pieces when things happened. And they were quick. I mean, Kimi caught me back up pretty quickly and then I was pretty worried from behind, but also I wanted to try and attack George ahead. It was fun, always a tough track to kind of push on and easy to make mistakes. But today was a good result for us.
Q: (Jon Noble – The Race) To Kimi, on the radio afterwards you said, “If we need to race like this, good to know.” Has today changed perceptions on how you go racing with George? And George, are you surprised? Is there anything unusual in how you battled today?
KA: We do meetings before races and that’s what we say in the room. Then, of course, we race to win and we try to do our best to defend our position. So of course, probably, I understood the significance of that meeting a bit differently. But just obviously I need to recheck. Emotions were very high in the moment and obviously I was very annoyed, but I just need to recheck and for sure we’re going to talk about it and we’re going to clarify on that.
‘Sprint Press Conference’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2026-can...nce-transcript
'We’re not in kindergarten'- Russell cools Antonelli tensions after Canada GP clash
24 May 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com
Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have revealed what was discussed within the team after their Canada GP Sprint battle. Russell and Antonelli finished P1 and P3 respectively in the Sprint, but not before a tense battle that saw Antonelli twice off the track in Montreal.
Speaking after Qualifying, Russell and Antonelli revealed what was said within the team in the hour between Saturday's two sessions, clarifying that their bond remains strong and that the scrap won't affect their respect for each other going forward. Antonelli said: "We had a discussion and we clarified and now it's all good. So we've reviewed, we had a chat with Toto [Wolff] and it's all good now."
Russell was quick to back his teammate up, adding: "Yes, as Kimi said, all good, had a good discussion and we know what we need to do and how we're going to race each other and nothing's going to change because we've always had that respect for one another. We're not going to wave anybody by, it doesn't matter if it's a competitor or a teammate. Of course, we know the number one rule is never to crash with your teammate. That isn't what happened this morning and we finished first and third. And that's what we'll continue to try and do."
"Yes, as Kimi said, all good”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/were-...anada-gp-clash
Mercedes harmony shatters as Max Verstappen makes alarming admission - RacingNews365 Review
24 May 2026
RN365 Staff
RacingNews365
Kimi Antonelli has called for George Russell to be handed a penalty in the sprint at the Canadian Grand Prix after the Italian deemed his team-mate had pushed him off track.
Read more: Kimi Antonelli demands George Russell penalty as Mercedes rivalry begins
Max Verstappen claims F1 'mentally not doable' if sport fails to change. Max Verstappen has issued a fresh warning over his short-term F1 future, insisting it is “mentally not doable” to continue competing under the current regulations if meaningful changes are not made to the cars.
Read more: Max Verstappen claims F1 'mentally not doable' if sport fails to change
George Russell confirms Kimi Antonelli talks after Mercedes tensions flare. George Russell has said he will have a conversation with Kimi Antonelli after the Mercedes drivers almost came to blows during the sprint at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Read more: George Russell confirms Kimi Antonelli talks after Mercedes tensions flare
‘Mercedes harmony shatters’;
https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-h...news365-review
George Russell fires warning to Kimi Antonelli after tense Canadian GP Sprint clash: ‘I’m not just going to wave anybody by’
23 May 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
After the race, instead of issuing an apology, Russell opted to double down as he defends his controversial racing against Antonelli at Canadian GP Sprint Race – and hints that his teammate should expect more of it in the future. “In years gone by it has been discussed that you race each other hard but fair,” Russell told Sky Sports F1. “And from my side there is never ill intentions towards anything.
“On the same note, I am not just going to wave anybody by. We are both fighting for our championship. It is always team first and we will talk about it afterwards. I have the peace of mind that it wasn’t investigated. If the FIA think it’s fine, that’s enough.”
‘No waving’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/geo...-sprint-clash/
'I really feel like myself' – Hamilton finds positives with Ferrari
23 May 2026
Formula One - Official Site
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton feels encouraged with changes made to his engineering team, expressing "I really feel like myself" ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. The seven-time World Champion is enjoying one of his strongest weekends of the 2026 season so far in Montreal, qualifying P5 for both Saturday's Sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix – out-qualifying team mate Charles Leclerc each time.
"Honestly, for me, my engineering team is now just where I need it and we've finally got the car this weekend in a place where I really feel like myself, and I really hope that continues," said Hamilton after Qualifying in Montreal. "I don't need to change up my team, we just need to keep on working and do what works for me. I'll prepare the same for the next race and hopefully we'll be a bit better next race."
"I was feeling great up until the last lap. Basically, I did a good prep, I came out of the last corner to start the lap and didn't get the SM [Straight Mode] on and by the time I realised into Turn 1, I was down two tenths," said Hamilton. "I caught some of it back but then had that wide moment. When you're pushing and trying to get everything out it can be on the knife-edge. But the car was feeling good and the team did a really great job, so I hope tomorrow when the weather is better, when it's raining, hopefully we have a good chance."
“I really feel like myself”;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ulu1aglSVZeovD
Hamilton pinning hopes on rain ahead of Canadian GP: 'I'm hoping it is'
24 MAY 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
“It felt great, we made some good changes in qualifying. I was hopeful for a better result but didn't get my last lap. The car was feeling like we were improving and I think honestly if I got that last lap I probably could have been a bit better.” Asked which areas of the car now allow him to feel more confident when pushing, the Briton added: “It's brakes, it's corner entry stability, and just with the setup that I've migrated to, I'm much, much happier to attack the car.”
Asked about tomorrow’s race, with rain potentially set to play a major role, Hamilton admitted he's hopeful the wet conditions could help Ferrari close the gap to the cars ahead and potentially give the Scuderia a better opportunity to fight at the front: “I'm hoping it is. I hope that levels us out to the guys ahead and maybe gives us a bit of a chance to fight with them.”
“Ultimately the wet tyres aren't spectacular in terms of the way that they've moved to having no blankets, to having low blanket temperatures, and then ultimately they had to build a tyre that worked with those low blankets and the tyres didn't work. So we're constantly battling the tyres that don't work. From my test, I've pushed them to raise the blankets. If I had to raise the blankets, they did it. From the test, I've pushed them to add the blankets onto the extreme tyres, which they have. But that's still not enough. There's still a lot of it.”
“I'm hoping it is”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...m-hoping-it-is
-
George Russell fumes after painful Canadian GP retirement.
The dejected Mercedes driver threw the headrest from the car before banging the W17 with his hands. George Russell walks away from the Canadian Grand Prix with zero points!
24 May 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
George Russell did not hide his frustration after a sudden retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix. Following a tense battle with his team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the opening half of the race, Russell suddenly pulled over on lap 30.
Prior to the retirement, the Mercedes duo were fighting nose-to-tail and swapped positions on multiple occasions as they resumed their battle from the sprint race. Russell was running half a second in front of Antonelli before he skipped across the grass at Turn 8 following a sudden issue with his power unit.
‘Threw the headrest from the car’;
https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...-gp-retirement
George Russell facing stewards’ investigation after Canadian GP retirement
From bad to worse for George Russell who finds himself in trouble with the stewards.
24 May 2026
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Russell's frustration was palpable because before emerging from the cockpit of his W17, he removed the headrest from behind him and then hurled it out of the car and onto the track. The stewards took a dim view of the situation, and the British driver will now have to explain himself, given the safety aspect of his actions after throwing a piece of carbon fibre onto a live track.
‘Facing stewards’ investigation’;
https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...-gp-retirement
George Russell Canadian GP retirement ends explosive Mercedes teammate fight
24 May 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
George Russell has retired from the lead of the Canadian Grand Prix, ending a thrilling race-long duel between himself and Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. But it was far from straightforward, with the duo trading places in an increasingly scrappy duel that saw both lead, with neither able to escape the attentions of the other as mistakes at the hairpin and the power of the Overtake Mode kept them nose-to-tail.
Just before the halfway mark of the race, Russell went off track at Turn 8 as his Mercedes slowed and stopped on the exit of the corner. Clearly furious, Russell threw his headrest in front of his stricken W17, and he clambered out of his car to jump behind the barrier and watch on as his car was recovered under Virtual Safety Car conditions.
‘Explosive Mercedes teammate fight’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...rcedes-failure
F1 2026 Canadian Grand Prix results
24 May 2026
THE RACE TEAM
The Race
Kimi Antonelli emerged victorious at Formula 1's 2026 Canadian Grand Prix as his Mercedes team-mate George Russell retired while leading.
Canadian GP results
1 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +10.7s
3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +11.2s
4 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +44.1s
5 Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1 lap
6 Franco Colapinto (Alpine) +1 lap
7 Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +1 lap
8 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1 lap
9 Carlos Sainz (Williams) +1 lap
10 Ollie Bearman (Haas) +1 lap
‘Grand Prix Results’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...-prix-results/
Canadian Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli wins; Russell DNF disaster, McLaren misery
24 May 2026
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Kimi Antonelli won a thrilling Canadian Grand Prix, one which saw his teammate George Russell retire, ending a sensational ding-dong battle between the Mercedes pair.
Russell’s Mercedes power unit let go, in what could be a pivotal point in the championship fight. Lewis Hamilton secured his best grand prix result with Ferrari, while Max Verstappen scored his first podium of the season. For McLaren, it was a story of what could go wrong, did go wrong.
‘Could be a pivotal point’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/2026-c...ix-race-report
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Toto Wolff reveals hidden Mercedes issue behind George Russell’s Canada heartbreak.
“It looks like a module failure, so a battery failure, because the car was literally going back… There was no electricity in the car anymore.”
24 May 2026
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has revealed the cause of George Russell’s heartbreaking retirement halfway through the Canadian Grand Prix. “As a team, we’ve had so many situations where it was bittersweet; you’re extremely happy for one driver and deserving, and then you feel gutted for the other one,” he said.
“So that is difficult, but, in any case, Kimi has done a splendid job today and deserves the win, but George, it was a shame, he was in the lead of the race.” With the battle between the two Mercedes drivers fierce but never quite boiling over into dangerous territory, Wolff admitted it hadn’t been the easiest race to watch back in the garage. “We half-enjoyed watching them, how they fought it out, and we would have wished we had a 1-2,” he said.
‘Heartbreak’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...rcedes-failure
Wolff plays down Mercedes rivalry as 'good learning'
Montreal (AFP) – Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff recalled his role in managing previous intra-team title battles after calming the strife between championship leading Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli and George Russell ahead of Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.
24/05/2026
Montreal (AFP)
France 24
"We’ve obviously been through all this before, all these motions, with Nico (Rosberg) and Lewis (Hamilton), back in 2015 and '16," said Wolff. "But this was good racing, like sport should be with an inter-team battle, and for us it’s a good learning experience.”
"And it was very easy, too, because we sat them down and said ‘how do we want to race? Are we racing the other car like any third car, which I’m fine with, and then obviously, you don’t leave any space there. Or do you want to leave the space -- which I would not expect, because fundamentally, you are racing for winning and winning the championship.”
"Or are we playing this super-smooth sailing and you only overtake each other on the straight under braking? So, we agreed that we trust them and that they know how to push, but in any case, no one is expecting the other one to leave space, because it’s too important."
'Good learning';
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...-good-learning
Wolff on Antonelli and Russell battle: 'We only half enjoyed it'
25 May 2026
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com
Toto Wolff experienced a day full of mixed feelings in Montreal. Mercedes won the Canadian Grand Prix with Kimi Antonelli, but George Russell could not finish the race. Before that, the two teammates had another hard-fought battle. The team boss was candid about how he experienced it from the pit wall. For Wolff, an internal duel is a double-edged sword, and that feeling is anything but new at Mercedes.
Wolff admitted that Mercedes was closely monitoring the fight and was prepared to step in if the situation required it. The decisive factor was the gap to the chasers: as long as it was large enough, the Austrian let his drivers go at it. "As long as we maintained that gap, it was okay watching it, but it can obviously go wrong. If it was closer behind us, we would jump in."
It's an honest glimpse into the real-time decision making of a team boss: racing enjoyment versus strategic risk. This time the damage was limited — though it hardly felt that way for Russell, and therefore for Wolff as well.
‘Day full of mixed feelings’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...alf-enjoyed-it
Toto Wolff warns Mercedes over “double DNF” risk after Kimi Antonelli and George Russell battle
Toto Wolff doesn't want to stop his drivers from battling on track, but he is urging caution
25 May 2026
Euan Burns
Total Motorsport
Speaking to the press after the race on Sunday, including Total-Motorsport.com, Toto Wolff explained that whilst there was a lot of fun to be had before George Russell‘s retirement from the race, it got too close for comfort at times.
“Before talking about George’s race or Kimi’s race, it’s always easier afterwards to say, ‘Well, that was great for the team, great for the sport, and didn’t we all enjoy the battling?’ And that is true to a degree, but there’s another side we need to look at,” Wolff said. “It was close a few times. Kimi tucking back in and locking the tyres could easily have ended in a double DNF…”
“…not because they were driving aggressively against each other, but simply because of a mistake. The same goes for the situation through the last chicane. It’s important to analyse the race and then discuss with the drivers whether they felt it got a bit too close, and if that’s the case, how we can avoid these very difficult situations in the future.”
‘Urging caution’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/tot...le-double-dnf/
'This fight is on': Mercedes will need to manage more Antonelli-Russell battles
25 May 2026
Laurence Edmondson
ESPN.co.uk
Antonelli on top, but the pressure to win now off for Russell. Mercedes driver George Russell cut a dejected figure following the power unit failure that forced him to retire from Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
"Right now, it's [Antonelli's] to lose," Russell said defensively as the race continued to unfold on TV screens behind him. "He's so many points ahead, it feels like the gods don't want me to be in this fight."
Mercedes driver George Russell's frustration is entirely understandable. Just three months ago, he was being billed as the title favorite -- largely thanks to Mercedes' clear advantage over the rest of the field under the sport's new regulations, but also because of his seniority over his 19-year-old teammate.
'This fight is on';
https://www.espn.co.uk/racing/f1/sto...rcedes-battles
‘Gods don’t want me in this fight’: Russell condemns F1 title hopes
George Russell says the Formula 1 title is now Kimi Antonelli’s to lose after a dramatic Canadian Grand Prix that ended with the Briton retiring while leading the race.
25 May 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe
“I mean, right now it’s his to lose,” Russell said after the race when asked about the title fight. “It’s so many points ahead. It feels like… the gods don’t want me to be in this fight – when I look at the safety car timing in Japan, breaking down in China Q3 [while] fighting for pole, breaking down from the lead here today.”
“But pressure’s off. Go out, enjoy every single race, try and win every single race – and I’ve got nothing to lose, so I don’t want to be stood here talking like that. It is, of course, frustrating and I want to be in that fight. Hopefully, the luck turns. Everything turned off all of a sudden as I went into the corner,” he said.
“The engine stopped, no electronics, no proper braking. I’m proud of my weekend, pole the sprint, won the sprint, pole in qualifying,” he said. “I was leading when I stopped. I had a good battle with Kimi. Hard battles, I really loved the battle and I wanted to continue for 30 more laps. I would have loved to see how it would have panned out but here we are.”
‘Gods don’t want me in this fight’;
https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-c...hy-toto-wolff/
"It's his to lose" - George Russell gives honest verdict on F1 title chances after latest setback
25 May 2026
Rich Fay
SPORTbible
George Russell admits the 2026 Formula 1 title is Kimi Antonelli's to lose after he was forced to retire from the Canadian Grand Prix over the weekend. "I mean, right now it's his to lose," he admitted after the disappointing end to his Canadian Grand Prix. It's so many points ahead…”
"It's his to lose";
https://www.sportbible.com/formula-1...92564-20260524
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Hamilton grateful Ferrari “moved mountains” for him after scoring his best result for team.
“I felt like we started on the right foot, came with the right attitude and the car really generally felt great,” said Hamilton.
25th May 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Lewis Hamilton said his best result for Ferrari to date was a result of the changes the team has made for him since he joined at the beginning of last year. The seven-times world champion passed Max Verstappen to finish second at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Hamilton said he “had so much fun out there all weekend” as he felt more confident in his car.
Hamilton said his pre-race preparation – which included avoiding his usual simulator session – was key to his improved performance. “I chose a different set-up this weekend through just ciphering through the data, working really well with my engineer. He’s absolutely awesome and I’m really loving working with him. And my number two did a fantastic job this weekend and helped me really pull more performance out of the car, getting into a much sweeter place.”
“I was able to attack all the corners finally. And as I said, there’s a lot of changes that I’ve had to ask for. Fred [Vasseur, team principal] has been super supportive and again also moving mountains in order to make me comfortable and it’s finally starting to show in my performance.”
“Moved mountains”;
https://www.racefans.net/2026/05/25/...sult-for-team/
Lewis Hamilton validated after key decision leads to Ferrari breakthrough at F1 Canadian GP
25 May 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Lewis Hamilton says a key change in his preparation was the biggest factor behind his breakthrough weekend as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver at the Canadian Grand Prix.
“I had so much fun out there all weekend," Hamilton said. "Every single lap. I felt like we started on the right foot, came with the right attitude and the car really generally felt great. And so, to come to Montreal, a track that I do love, and get to enjoy a sprint weekend here, which is the first that we've had [here], was awesome. And this is my first second place with the team.”
"It's something I've been working so hard, I can't even begin to explain how deep I've had to dig to be able to get to this point, and the work and moving mountains in the background to enable this sort of performance. But I'm really grateful to the team for continuing to hold me up high and support me weekend in, weekend out.”
‘Validated’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109620...reakthrough-f1
Hamilton hails his “Happiest Day” at Ferrari after brilliant P2 in Canada
25 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
“It’s been a really positive weekend on my side”: Hamilton said, “It’s been a really positive weekend on my side. I felt at one with the car from the first laps in practice, and while qualifying didn’t quite go our way, the pace was there. Today is a testament to the work that’s been put in, both here at the track and back at the factory, so a huge ‘Grazie’ to everyone involved.”
He emphasised how much the team’s support has meant to him, adding, “I’m really grateful for the way the team has supported me and welcomed me from day one. It means a lot. To come away with a strong points finish is important, and there are plenty of positives to take forward.” Hamilton also spoke about the intensity of his battle with Max Verstappen, saying, “The fight with Max was intense and enjoyable, that’s why we race and it shows the progress we’re making. The upgrades we brought in Miami worked well and we’ll keep building on this momentum and stay focused on the journey ahead.”
“The happiest day of my Ferrari career so far”: Hamilton’s joy was unmistakable as he described the emotional significance of the result. “Oh man, it’s the happiest day of my days at Ferrari so far,” he said with a smile. It feels great to be able to put the Ferrari on the podium, and to get my first second place with the team as well in the main race, and this is my second podium as well.”
“Happiest Day”;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28566
How ‘awesome’ Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battle saved the F1 Canadian GP
25 May 2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen traded mutual respect after their thrilling Formula 1 duel in the late stages of the Canadian Grand Prix. The old adversaries rolled back the years in perhaps the highlight of the race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Verstappen looked to have the place in his pocket, despite Hamilton’s best efforts, the seven-time World Champion complaining of not enough power to execute an overtake.
But with Verstappen’s tyres beginning to cool, Hamilton found a way, and after getting good traction on the exit of the final chicane, completed a daring lunge on the outside into Turn 1, covering the Red Bull off as he gained the inside line into Turn 2. Through goes Hamilton. Verstappen was not done yet, though, and continued to press Hamilton as the miles lessened to yards, but the 41-year-old held firm and took second, his best Grand Prix finish for the Scuderia to date.
With 2021 now a long time ago, the media’s necessity to perpetuate a now non-existent rivalry is over, and through the lingering dust of fake drama lay a clear friendly and mutual respect, echoed further in Hamilton’s words. “Absolutely awesome to fight with one of the greats”...
‘Awesome’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...1-canadian-gp/
Hamilton relishes Verstappen duel: 'Thank God I pulled it off'
25 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Lewis Hamilton had high praise for Max Verstappen... “It was awesome. Absolutely awesome to fight with one of the greats. It was massively challenging. I think our cars are relatively close, I would say. You see him in qualifying, we were relatively close. And I think whilst we’re probably a little bit quicker through the corners, everything you gain in the corner, they gain on the straight.”
“And very challenging behind him. Obviously, I lost a bit of time, he was quicker at the beginning of the race and then once he got into the Medium, I was able to hunt him down. And I love that hunt. That’s my whole life has been about that since a kid, since I had a really old go-kart, I was just always hunting. So, it was amazing to be back in that position and hunting down a champion up ahead.”
“And unbelievably difficult and have to be so strategic when you have less power as well than others around. Even if we have the overtake, even in overtake they still have more power in the straights. So, finding a way, I was just having to do these calculations, trying to figure out how to maximise the amount of power on my battery bar each straight and make sure that I have enough at that particular point. Thank God I managed to pull it off. And it’s a great feeling when you overtake as well. So, these cars are awesome to be able to follow.”
'Thank God I pulled it off';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...-pulled-it-off
Hamilton and Verstappen thrilled by Canadian GP battle: ‘It was mad’
25/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
For Hamilton, the podium carried emotional weight... "Firstly, I have to say a huge thank you to my team here,” Hamilton said in the post-race interviews conducted by his former McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen.
“These guys have welcomed me with open arms, and it’s been pretty tough over the past year and a bit, so to finally find our sweet spot and have a good weekends, it’s an amazing feeling to be back up here. Especially with these guys [Mercedes] being so quick, and I actually got to have a race with Max, which was great.”
The respect between the pair was even more evident moments later in Formula 1’s cooldown room, where fans were treated to a warm exchange between two of the sport’s defining figures. "I couldn’t shake you!" Hamilton smiled as they reflected on their heated on-track battle. Verstappen responded: "The middle chicanes, every time you’d pull three tenths, but then I just got it back on the straight," before Hamilton added, "It was mad."
‘It was mad’;
https://f1i.com/news/565133-hamilton...t-was-mad.html
Max Verstappen calls for “more pure” F1 after Hamilton fight in Canada
25 May 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen criticises the new rules in F1 once again... “Most of the rules, the fans don’t even know what we are dealing with while driving... What is allowed when you’re behind or when you’re the car ahead…”
“What we have to do on a formation lap or what we have to do in an out-lap, or how much battery that we’re allowed to charge. All these things are just such a shame that we have to deal with all these things. And, yeah, for me F1 just needs to be more pure and I really hope that what they try to do next year will go through, because I think that is necessary, the minimum necessary, to make it a bit more natural and a bit more back to normal, or at least a bit more pure racing.”
“But like I said, as drivers, give us any kind of car, we’ll always race and give a good entertainment or a good show. Doesn’t matter, people say, ‘Oh, but look now, the show is great, the cars were fighting.’ But it has nothing to do with the car. It just needs to be more pure.”
‘“More pure” F1’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...n-canadian-gp/
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Verstappen mocks McLaren gamble: 'That was a great call, I was like, Thank you'.
Max Verstappen reacted jokingly when asked how he felt after seeing both McLaren drivers opt for intermediate tyres at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix, a strategy call that ultimately proved to be the wrong one.
25 May 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com
Many were left surprised by the decision made by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the start, with the two McLaren drivers the only frontrunners to gamble on intermediate tyres despite the track conditions still clearly favouring slicks, even with light rain falling around the circuit.
The reigning world champion made an excellent launch into Turn 1 and briefly held the lead throughout the opening lap, only to eventually suffer the same fate as his teammate by being forced back into the pits. What initially looked like a bold gamble quickly turned into a nightmare race for the Woking-based team.
Asked for his reaction to McLaren’s strategy gamble, Verstappen responded with his usual sarcastic humour, admitting he had been more than happy to see both rivals start the race on intermediate tyres given how quickly the decision backfired: “That was a great call. I was like, ‘Thank you.’”
“Great call”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...s-a-great-call
Stella: Montreal tyre gamble was shared by pitwall and drivers
25/05/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Andrea Stella has defended McLaren’s controversial tyre gamble at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix, insisting the decision to begin the race on intermediate tyres was a collective call made jointly by the pit wall and the drivers. "You have to consider that the tyres are fit five minutes before the start and that there were kind of seven minutes when we needed to operationally make a decision," Stella explained.
"In our view the track was greasy. Already there was trouble keeping temperature in the tyres on a dry track, but at the time it was greasy, and it was raining. So, we thought that at the time you have to make a decision as to what was the right tyre for the moment. After that the rain very rapidly stopped and also there was a double formation lap which I think took the best out of this decision.”
“I would have been pretty interested in seeing the cars with the dry tyres, had the race started at the time it should have started. So, I think we're a bit unlucky with the fact that the rain had just stopped and the fact that there was a double extra formation lap. In hindsight we were penalised by the decision but at the time that the decision needed to be made, I think the conditions existed to fit an intermediate tyre."
‘Tyre gamble’;
https://f1i.com/news/565196-stella-m...d-drivers.html
Why McLaren made its bold Canada F1 tyre choice, and why it looked worse than it was
McLaren's Andrea Stella has explained why the team opted to start on intermediate tyres at the Canadian Grand Prix
25 May 2026
Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
McLaren’s Andrea Stella says the decision to start both drivers at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix on intermediate tyres was logical, but made to look worse by the extra formation laps. Seven drivers started on intermediate tyres amid cold temperatures and drizzle ahead of lights out, which was delayed several times.
Oscar Piastri pitted for slicks at the end of the first lap, having admitted on the warm-up laps that the choice was wrong, while Lando Norris followed a lap later, having briefly led the race. The five other drivers who started on intermediates further down the field also stopped in the following laps.
Stella says that rain was falling on the grid when the decision was made, and that it was influenced by tricky conditions experienced by the drivers on the laps to the grid. However, the delay to the start caused by Arvid Lindblad failing to get away, which led to two aborted attempts, gave the track time to dry.
‘Tricky conditions on the laps to the grid’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109620...d-worse-it-was
Oscar Piastri Admits McLaren’s Canadian GP Tyre Call ‘Was a Group Decision’
25 May 2026
Jawad Yaqub
F1 Chronicle
When speaking to the media after the 68-lap race, Piastri stressed that “it was a group call” when he, Norris, and Team Principal Andrea Stella were questioned about the controversial tyre choice. “I was one of the people that said yes to the inters,” continued Piastri, whose race unravelled after needing to pit early for slick tyres and losing track position. He ultimately received a 10-second time penalty following a clumsy collision with Alex Albon at the Hairpin and finished 11th.
“Between the anthem and getting in the car, it had gotten significantly wetter on the ground, and given how difficult getting to the grid was, I thought that the inters, if you could get temperature into them, would be faster. That was our whole thinking and then the rain stopped. So yeah, it was a bit of a shame. We thought we were doing the safer thing, and the right thing, and it wasn’t.”
‘Was a Group Decision’;
https://f1chronicle.com/mclaren-cana.../?nowprocket=1
Oscar Piastri delivers damning McLaren F1 Canadian GP verdict: ‘We looked like idiots’
25 May 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week
Speaking after the race. Piastri revealed how the decision quickly unravelled as the formation lap began. “There was definitely no standing water, but you could clearly tell where it was wet and where it was dry, and getting to the grid was not easy on slicks; getting to full throttle was pretty tough.”
“Unfortunately for us, it stopped raining as the formation lap started, basically. Just one of those things where if it had rained a little bit more, we would have looked like heroes, but it didn’t, so we looked like idiots. So just one of those things.”
‘We looked like idiots’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...1-canadian-gp/
“Today was tough," says Norris after McLaren's disastrous outing in Montreal
25 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
After the race, Lando Norris reflected on the strategic call and the challenges that followed. He said: “Today was tough. We made the decision to start on Intermediates because it was still spitting on the grid, and while the start was fantastic, the rain eased and that choice proved wrong beyond the first lap. "That’s racing. Sometimes those decisions win you a race, sometimes they don’t and I take my share of responsibility for that decision.”
He explained that the team’s early race problems were compounded by the cold conditions: “We also had to deal with a couple of early stops and, in the end, a mechanical failure that put us out of the race. In the cold conditions we couldn’t get the fronts up to temperature, which made the car hard to handle, but even so I think we were on for decent points.”
Despite the disappointment, Norris remained positive about McLaren’s underlying pace: “There are still plenty of positives to take from the weekend. Our pace was strong, we fought the Mercedes, and the support from the fans was brilliant.”
"That’s racing”;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28578
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Kimi Antonelli's unseen action towards George Russell during Canadian GP press conference.
…'hinted' at friction between the pair, explaining that they quite literally weren't seeing eye to eye.
26 May 2026
Chris Nee
SPORTbible
Press conference host Tom Clarkson 'hinted' at friction between the pair, explaining that they quite literally weren't seeing eye to eye. "They didn’t look at each other. They came in separately off camera in the press conference," Clarkson told the F1 Nation podcast via F1 Oversteer.
"It was interesting that he actually wanted to come over and chat to me because he just did not want to walk out with George. So, you know, tensions were high." Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer interviewed the drivers over the weekend and believes the rivalry is beginning to calcify. He said: "You could tell the body language has shifted, hasn’t it? From happy days, really great, Kimi’s alongside me in one or two or vice versa, good points for the team. Feels different this weekend.”
"So, we were talking teammate rivalries in that podcast a couple of weeks ago, and we were saying in all of them, you get a flashpoint. Feels like the flashpoint." Antonelli's win in Miami at the start of the month made him the first driver to win three Grands Prix in a row. Canada on Sunday made four. At 19, he's on track to smash Sebastian Vettel's record as the sports youngest-ever world champion.
“Tensions were high";
https://www.sportbible.com/formula-1...59390-20260526
The Canadian GP revealed fierce rivalry between Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, shaking the team's harmony as ambitions clash.
26 May 2026
Sandip Sikdar
Hindustan Times
It was evident not just on Saturday when the two squabbled for the lead in the Sprint which saw a fierce wheel-to-wheel scrap where the traditional hierarchy was publicly defied. Sniffing an opportunity, Antonelli made an audacious lunge as Russell refused to be bullied by his junior, shutting the door in an uncompromising fashion and forcing the Italian onto the grass.
A usually calm Antonelli let his fury be known over the team radio, branding the move “very naughty” as he continued to complain. Team principal Toto Wolff had to personally intervene to calm the nerves as Russell took the Sprint win, with Antonelli following in his wake in third. It was deja vu in Sunday’s Grand Prix as the two Silver Arrows operated less like teammates and more like bitter rivals, reminiscent of the battles seen a decade ago between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in cars for the same team.
Russell and Antonelli traded the lead regularly, brushing the walls of the 4.3km track and pushing each other off which eventually led the team to interject again, telling them not to risk their cars. This continued until Lap 30 when while leading the spectacular duel, Russell’s Power Unit suffered a failure, ending their engrossing battle.
‘Déjà vu’;
https://www.hindustantimes.com/sport...730675581.html
Kimi Antonelli 'lucky' to have 'headmaster' Toto Wolff after Montreal tantrum
26 May 2026
RN365 Staff
RacingNews365
Martin Brundle: "George was marginally more under control and could command track position, but Kimi looked a little faster, something we would see again on race day," he wrote.
"The inevitable happened into Turn 1 when Antonelli attempted to pass around the outside. He was very close to earning the right to racing room from his more senior team-mate, but in the end, any driver fighting for a victory, let alone a championship, was going to run him out of track. Any of us would have done, or expected, the same."
Brundle was less forgiving of Antonelli's reaction, noting that "Kimi lost his head a bit for the duration of the sprint, such that the headmaster Toto Wolff even intervened on the radio." The Austrian told his young driver to concentrate on the driving and save the discussion for the debrief, rather than airing his grievances over team radio.
'Headmaster Toto Wolff’;
https://racingnews365.com/kimi-anton...ntreal-tantrum
‘This fight is on’ – Wolff on his approach to driver battles
25 May 2026
Formula One - Official Site
Toto Wolff has outlined how Mercedes will ensure that Kimi Antonelli and George Russell can battle it out for position, whilst prioritising the team’s mission to win both titles this season – stating that his drivers “have been trained for” such a scenario.
“We will say why we think one or two situations could have been avoided, and 'what do you want to do to mitigate it?' But definitely, more than ever, this fight is on. There's so much at stake for both. There's so much at stake that you have to, as a team, as uncomfortable as the ride is sometimes, you have to accept that this is the fight they've been trained for.”
“Equally, if there was a situation where we believe the team's points are at risk of losing, or there was a situation where we were losing so much time to our competitors behind, then we would not be a millimetre hesitant of putting the handbrake on.”
‘‘This fight is on’ – Wolff on his approach to driver battles’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...x0wvyd1TOprbrc
All the secrets behind Mercedes' upgrades and their dominant performance in Montreal
26 May 2026
Francesco Bianchi
GPblog.com
Mercedes dominated in Montreal thanks both to its latest upgrade package and conditions that perfectly suited the W17. Only Kimi Antonelli ultimately made it onto the podium following George Russell’s retirement, but the two Silver Arrows once again showed in Canada that they currently have an edge over their rivals.
To try and regain part of their advantage, Mercedes arrived in Canada with a package of updates, which included changes to both the front wing and the floor, two crucial areas for generating downforce and controlling the airflow around the car in these new regulations. As for the front wing, it features a completely different philosophy from the previous version.
Furthermore, unlike the spec used in Miami, the new version also features a different connection between the mainplane and the endplate footplate: as shown by the yellow arrow, the new version features a much smaller curl than the previous version, in which the mainplane connected to the endplate with a much wider curve. The footplate also has a curved lower edge (green arrow), which gives continuity to the new mainplane shape.
‘Mercedes' upgrades’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/tech/all-t...ce-in-montreal
‘George’ – Untelevised George Russell radio in Kimi Antonelli battle
27 May 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Toto Wolff didn’t only intervene during Kimi Antonelli’s Sprint rant, he also stepped in when George Russell got heated during his battle against his teammate in the Grand Prix. A stern “George” was followed by a warning that if the teammates cannot clean up the racing, then Mercedes will put a “stop” to it. Running less than half a second apart, Russell was concerned that the Italian had overtake mode on him, which was confirmed by his race engineer Marcus Dudley.
Russell wanted his teammate to back off as he recharged, “he needs to back up a bit”, and was annoyed when Antonelli came out ahead down into the final chicane with both drivers off the track.
Dudley: “Kimi will give you position.”
Russell: “Convenient just [before] Turn 3.”
Dudley: “I think that was when it was given to him. So head down.”
Wolff: “George…
Dudley: “… a lot of laps to go.”
Shortly after on Lap 26 came the warning from Dudley that Mercedes wasn’t happy with how the two were racing one another.
Dudley: “Too close at the moment this is. Just information, if we can’t tidy up the racing, then we will have to stop it.”
‘George’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...tonelli-battle
George Russell suffered hammer blow - but still holds vital edge in F1 title fight
In the post-Canadian Grand Prix edition of The Scoop, I explain why, despite the substantial deficit to Kimi Antonelli in the F1 drivers' standings, George Russell still has many factors working in his favour.
27 May 2026
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Antonelli's title to lose. Now, that's not to say Toto Wolff and Mercedes will encourage, or even permit, Russell and Antonelli to engage in a war of words in the press, or that it will even outwardly turn nasty between them; it's more subtle than that, and the elder team-mate has taken steps, or at least made remarks, that pile the pressure on the 19-year-old in the sister W17.
"Right now, it is his to lose, being so many points ahead," Russell said of Antonelli after any chance of victory was cruelly ripped from his grasp. "It feels like the gods don't want me to be in this fight... But the pressure is off, I will go out, enjoy every single race and try to win every single race, and I've got nothing to lose..."
It may seem obvious, because clearly the Italian has a considerable advantage in the standings, but comments like that can get into an athlete's head. People do funny things when under the weight of expectation; they clam up, overthink things, and start going defensive when they should remain on the offensive.
‘Still holds vital edge’;
https://racingnews365.com/george-rus...f1-title-fight
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Leclerc takes full blame for 'nightmare' Canada weekend: 'There is no blame to put on anybody else but me'.
“It has been a nightmare of a weekend and I have been struggling like crazy." Charles Leclerc.
25 May 2026
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com
From the very first practice session in Montreal, something was not right for Leclerc. The issues that surfaced on Friday never went away, and despite repeated attempts to find a fix over the course of the weekend, the Ferrari driver simply could not unlock the performance that his car is capable of.
What made the situation particularly difficult was that the problem was consistent and identifiable yet still unsolvable. Leclerc knew what was wrong from the outset but found himself unable to correct it: "Since FP1 the problem has been the same and I have not been able to find a solution. That is not nice," he admitted, with the kind of flat understatement that only comes when a driver is genuinely deflated.
Race day offered no relief. Leclerc had hoped that the extended running of a full grand prix distance would allow him to finally dial himself in, but the confidence he was searching for never arrived: "I thought today with multiple laps it would be a lot better but I never put the tyres in the right window and had zero confidence," he said. Tyre management on the demanding Circuit Gilles Villeneuve requires a fine balance between extracting heat and avoiding graining and this weekend, Leclerc could not find that balance at all.
‘Takes full blame’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/lecle...dy-else-but-me
Leclerc’s Ferrari disaster laid bare as Hamilton benchmark leaves him exposed
26 May 2026
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Charles Leclerc labelled the Canadian Grand Prix the toughest weekend of his Formula 1 career after being comprehensively outpaced by Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton has closed the gap to his Ferrari teammate to three points in the early Drivers’ standings, and the seven-time world champion now leads the early head-to-head 3-2 against Leclerc in race trim.
Finishing 34 seconds behind his teammate at the line, and a fastest lap seven tenths off Hamilton’s best, Leclerc admitted his struggles all weekend were such that it puts Canada 2026 as the toughest round of his Formula 1 career to date. Asked if his finishing position was a ‘reward’ for working hard in the race, Leclerc was not so sure.
“I don’t take that as a reward, I say that it’s more out of luck than a reward of my hard work and incredible job,” he said after the race. “Probably the most difficult weekend out of my Formula 1 career.”
‘Leclerc’s Ferrari disaster laid bare’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...eekend-ferrari
Leclerc calls Canada his “Most Difficult Weekend” after salvaging P4
25 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
After the race, Leclerc was candid about the scale of his struggles. He admitted, “It has been a difficult weekend for me, starting from FP, I just didn’t get the right feeling in the car and struggled to put the tyres in the right window.” He contrasted his own difficulties with Hamilton’s strong performance in the same machinery, adding, “Lewis on the other hand had a great weekend in the same car, so I have to look into his data and understand what he did differently to make it work.”
Leclerc made it clear that the issues were not limited to the race itself. The entire event felt off balance for him, prompting him to describe it bluntly as, “a horrible weekend – the most difficult weekend of my Formula 1 career.” Despite the disappointment, Leclerc is already turning his attention to the next round — his home race. He said, “Next up is my home race in Monaco. I look forward to racing there, and I hope that our car will give us an advantage on that track.”
“Most Difficult Weekend”;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28567
Charles Leclerc makes staggering claim after Canadian GP 'nightmare'
Charles Leclerc finished the Canadian GP in fourth place but was not happy with his performance.
25 May 2026
Jake Nichol & Sàndor Mészáros
RacingNews365
Throughout the weekend, Charles Leclerc was struggling for balance and performance in the SF-26, which he put down to issues with the brakes and having "zero feeling" from the Pirelli tyres from his first practice lap. Reflecting, Leclerc explained how the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve does not play to his strengths, and felt the result was more down to "luck", especially with the McLarens botching their strategy and George Russell retiring.
"I have no zero feeling with the tyres from the first lap of FP1 until the very last lap of the race, and in the last 15 laps, I was driving a second-and-a-half off the pace just not to take the risk. Even in these laps, I still had moments that were too close for comfort, and it has been an incredibly difficult weekend.”
"The good thing is that I've got a great benchmark this weekend in Lewis, who was absolutely incredible, and having an amazing feeling with the car, so I can analyse and understand why there was so much difference. Montreal is a track where, historically, I've not been particularly strong, a bit like Melbourne, I just struggle with my driving style, and without going too much into detail, the rhythm of the corner with my driving style doesn't fit well.”
‘Staggering claim’;
https://racingnews365.com/charles-le...n-gp-nightmare
Charles Leclerc bemoans ‘nightmare weekend’ in Canada despite P4 finish
Charles Leclerc did not enjoy the Canadian GP in the way that Lewis Hamilton did.
25 May 2026
Euan Burns
Total Motorsport
Trying to find more reasons as to why he may have struggled so much, Charles Leclerc explained that he has never been a massive fan of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, but there were car-specific issues that played a role as well.
“I would say Montreal is not historically a track where I’ve been particularly strong, a bit like Melbourne. Those are two tracks where I struggle a lot. Without going too much into detail, the rhythm of the corners just doesn’t suit my driving style very well,” Charles Leclerc said.
“And if you add on top of that the brake issues we had on Friday, I never really found the rhythm that day. Then on Saturday, it was more about the tyres, but the tyres were the same for everybody. It’s not like I was in a much worse place compared to Lewis. I just had zero feeling and couldn’t find the rhythm. Today was no exception.”
‘Nightmare weekend’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/cha...an-gp-ferrari/
'Most difficult weekend of my F1 career'- Charles Leclerc's glum Canada GP verdict
Charles Leclerc endured a difficult Canadian Grand Prix weekend
25 May 2026
Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
Charles Leclerc says he will look to his Ferrari Formula 1 team mate Lewis Hamilton as a “benchmark” after experiencing what he termed the “most difficult weekend” of his F1 career in Montreal.
Charles Leclerc had been struggling with brakes earlier in the weekend, but stressed that in the race, tyres were his main issue.
Helped by attrition ahead, Leclerc eventually finished fourth after a scrappy race, his fortunes contrasting with those of Lewis Hamilton, who passed Max Verstappen in the latter stages to claim second place.
‘Glum Canada GP verdict’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109620...ada-gp-verdict
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“The car was very fast but hard to drive,” claims Hadjar after his turbulent Montreal race.
After the race, Hadjar reflected honestly on a challenging but ultimately rewarding afternoon. He said: “I started off with a very good launch but struggled a lot with pace during the race.”
25 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Isack Hadjar delivered a gritty drive to fifth place despite a difficult and penalty filled afternoon. The French rookie picked up two penalties — one for moving under braking in a battle with Charles Leclerc, and another for a yellow flag infringement. Despite losing around 30 seconds of race time as a result, he still managed to hold onto fifth place at the chequered flag, underlining both his pace and his resilience.
"The car was very fast but hard to drive compared to yesterday when I felt more comfortable, so I couldn’t push as hard as I wanted.”
Hadjar believed a stronger result was possible without the setbacks: “I think we could have secured fourth place, but had to settle for fifth in the end.”
Despite the difficulties, he emphasised the team’s progress: “The overall car performance this weekend was very positive – we took a big step forward since Miami and made the most of the weekend. I hope we can keep the same momentum for Monaco.”
‘Turbulent Montreal race’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28574
Hadjar laments ‘mistakes’ in 'hard to drive' Red Bull
Isack Hadjar was left with mixed feelings in Montreal after finishing fifth in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
25 May 2026
Formula One - Official Site
The 21-year-old managed to leapfrog Leclerc in the pit stop period, but soon came under pressure from the Ferrari man – and this is where his problems started. He was reported to the stewards for a late change of direction when defending, and was handed a 10-second time penalty for a defensive move he apologised for post-race.
"I didn't mean to send [Leclerc] in the grass obviously, he's a very clean driver, so I think I just apologised because it was a bit stupid," Hadjar said afterwards. “I don’t have the same feeling as [Saturday], I didn’t feel comfortable at all in the car. [Saturday] in the Sprint, Qualifying, I had very good pace, I knew what was going on. Today, I couldn’t make it happen. This causes then – I have to focus very hard on keeping it on the track and making mistakes so yeah…”
‘Apologised post-race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0eptQckTJSbQna
Isack Hadjar apologises to Charles Leclerc as he admits Canadian GP penalties were fair
Isack Hadjar was twice penalised by the Formula 1 stewards at the Canadian Grand Prix
26 May 2026
Sam Hall, Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
Isack Hadjar has apologised to Charles Leclerc and conceded his two penalties at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix were "fair". Turning specifically to the incident with Leclerc, in which Hadjar made three separate moves across the track - two in defence, and one to take the racing line for the final chicane - the Red Bull driver held his hands up and apologised to his rival, citing 'confusion' as being behind the near-race-ending moment.
“I was too harsh," he said. "If anything, it wasn’t even on purpose. I just got confused about where he was heading. So I didn’t mean to send him on the grass, obviously. He’s a very clean driver, so I just apologised because it was a bit stupid.”
‘Twice penalised’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109624...ties-were-fair
What Red Bull made of Isack Hadjar’s Canadian GP and double F1 penalty
Red Bull has cast its verdict on Isack Hadjar's Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
29 May 2026
Lewis Larkam , Adam Cooper
Crash.Net
“I think Isack did a very strong weekend,” Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies summarised to media including Crash.net. “In fairness to him, he did a very strong first three races. He had a difficult weekend in Miami. I think this weekend he was on the right window straight away. I think speed was not the issue.”
“The one-minute penalty is a bit too much. I think he got probably close to a one-minute penalty. But in terms of underlying speed, he was at the right level.”
‘Red Bull has cast its verdic’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109633...ble-f1-penalty
Mekies is aware that "the next three to five tenths are always the hardest ones to find”
26 May 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
“Firstly, congratulations to everyone at Red Bull Ford Powertrains. To claim our very first podium with our own PU, in only its fifth race, is truly a historic moment, especially when you consider the pedigree and experience of our competitors. A PU on its own is not enough and of course this result is also down to the hard work of everyone back on campus in Milton Keynes and here at the track.”
He noted that the team is steadily closing the gap to the front: “Overall, maybe we have closed the gap a little bit more to those ahead of us and this confirms we are moving in the right direction, but we are well aware that the next three to five tenths that we need to find are always the hardest ones.” Mekies highlighted Verstappen’s consistency and racecraft: “Max was as strong as always, very fast and very consistent, knowing the right time to apply pressure.”
He also praised Hadjar’s performance despite the penalties: “Isack was on the pace and got into the right rhythm from the start of the weekend and he delivered an impressive performance, also having to deal with a couple of penalties. It was important for the championship to have both cars scoring good points.” Mekies made it clear that Red Bull is far from finished in its development push: “We still have a lot to learn about how to extract everything out of the package we have, while at the same time, everyone in Milton Keynes is working flat out to bring our next development to the fight at the race track.”
‘Red Bull is far from finished in its development push’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/28575
