Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Wolff hails 'unbelievable' Antonelli after nightmare Monaco GP for Russell.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has sung Kimi Antonelli's praises yet again after the 19-year-old secured the his fifth win in a row at the Monaco GP. The Silver Arrows boss also addressed George Russell's P13 finish after the Briton suffered multiple penalties.
7 Jun 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff said: "One part of me feels so happy for Kimi and the guys made me go the podium they said 'this is your home place, you should go' but I had a look at George and he had a weekend which wasn't good. And I want to keep it balanced emotionally. Now it's about picking the team up, him up when we head to Barcelona."

Further expanding on Antonelli's maiden Monaco win, Wolff praised the Italian, who becomes the youngest-ever race winner at F1's Jewel in the Crown. "It's unbelievable what he's able to deliver. Having control, he's at times 1.5 seconds quicker than anyone else. Then restarts, builds the gap, it's really unbelievable." Wolff said.

The Austrian then revealed that both he and Antonelli's race engineer, Peter 'Bono' Bonnington, had been telling the Italian to slow down during the race - but clearly he didn't listen, continuing to build a huge gap on the chasing Hamilton.

"It's unbelievable what he's able to deliver”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...gp-for-russell


Adjusted 2026 F1 Monaco Grand Prix results after post-race penalty
Check out the full adjusted results from the 2026 F1 Monaco Grand Prix following a post-race penalty for Sergio Perez.
7 Jun 2026
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

RESULT RACE - MONACO
Adjusted 2026 F1 Monaco Grand Prix results after post-race penalty
# DRIVER TEAM TIME
1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes

2 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +6.271

3 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +23.394

4 Oscar Piastri McLaren +24.261

5 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +26.553

6 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +29.010

7 Pierre Gasly Alpine +30.369

8 Alexander Albon Williams +33.413

9 Esteban Ocon Haas +37.140

10 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +41.899

‘Adjusted 2026 F1 Monaco Grand Prix results’;

https://racingnews365.com/adjusted-2...t-race-penalty


F1 - 2026 Monaco Grand Prix Post-Race Press Conference Transcript
07.06.26
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Kimi Antonelli, this is your fifth straight victory, but I think in the context of right now, in Monte Carlo, you have been flawless all weekend. Congratulations.
Kimi ANTONELLI: Thank you so much. It’s been an incredible weekend, incredible race. It was one of those days where we had so incredible pace and it was just coming all so natural. And the car was feeling incredible and it just was giving me the confidence to push. So it was a very enjoyable day.

Q: The last time an Italian won this Grand Prix, you weren’t even born. It was Jarno Trulli 22 years ago. You’re not just representing your family, your team, you’re representing a nation.
KA: Yeah, I mean, the job’s not finished. It’s still a long season and we’ve got to keep pushing, keep raising the bar. And the goal is to keep performing like this. The team is doing an incredible job. They’ve given us an incredible car and I’ve got so much support from the team as well, from my family. So yeah, it’s a really good moment so far.

Q: Lewis Hamilton, you have now just had your eighth podium result here in Monaco. That equals the late, great Ayrton Senna. No one more than you two guys have had more podiums. You’ve been on it all weekend. Tell us about that journey.
Lewis HAMILTON: Yeah, well, I mean, I have to start by congratulating Kimi and to the Mercedes team, my whole family. They’ve done it again. They’ve created an amazing car and Kimi’s doing an incredible job, just delivering weekend in, weekend out. So, it’s great to see and I’m really happy for them. On our side, I think we’ve been progressing over the past months and can’t quite keep up with them just yet. And it’s probably going to take a lot of work for us to get to their level. But to get another second place is such a great feeling, especially in Monaco, under the trickiest conditions. It was the hardest conditions out there and we’ve had such a great turnout today as well. So, I’ll definitely take it.

Q: Isack Hadjar, congratulations, your second podium in Formula 1 and, of course, here in Monte Carlo. That was not an easy race for you, I can see it on your face. Take us through the journey.
Isack HADJAR: Yeah, I mean, we got off to a clean start and were managing the race, and then within the first 10, 15 laps I started having massive drivability issues. And around here… If there’s one track you don’t want that, it’s here. So yeah, it was incredibly challenging, having to cover 60 laps like that. And even towards the end, I was still lacking power on the restart.

‘Post-Race Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2026-mon...nce-transcript


‘I look like an idiot’ - Charles Leclerc on crashing out of F1 Monaco GP
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc reveals what caused him to crash out of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.
7 Jun 2026
Lewis Larkam, Adam Cooper
Crash.Net

Charles Leclerc fumed about his race-ending crash over team radio, and appeared to blame his brakes. “I’m not even going to take the blame! These f***ing brakes,” he bemoaned. And the Monegasque stood by that assessment after the race, dismissing suggestions that loose asphalt might have caused the crash. “It doesn’t help to have asphalt that is coming off but data speaks for itself,” Leclerc told Sky Sports F1.

“It’s extremely frustrating. I’ve always been very honest, and no matter how many mistakes I do, I would hate to look at myself in the mirror and see myself finding excuses when I do a mistake. That’s why I’m always bluntly honest whenever I’m in front of cameras, but I’m not going to take any of it today.”

“With cold tyre temperatures, the inconsistency and tires being more sensitive because you are on the limit, have just been an absolute nightmare. I look like an idiot, and when you look like an idiot for a mistake of yours, it’s fine, but it’s borderline dangerous.”

“These f***ing brakes”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109754...t-f1-monaco-gp


Kimi Antonelli makes history as he becomes youngest winner of Monaco GP following manic race
Mercedes driver dominates on streets of Monte Carlo finishing ahead of Hamilton and Hadjar to open up 66-point lead in title race
7 June 2026
The National

Kimi Antonelli wrote his name into the Formula One history books when he became the youngest winner of the Monaco Grand Prix after a manic race on Sunday. The Mercedes driver secured his fifth successive victory after a dominant performance in Monte Carlo, finishing ahead of second-placed Lewis Hamilton and third-placed Isack Hadjar. At 19 years, nine months and 13 days, Antonelli had beaten the record held by Hamilton, who was 23 years, four months and 18 days old when he sealed the first of his three triumphs in the principality in 2008.

And – after taking the chequered flag in China, Japan, the United States, Canada and now Monaco – the Italian teenager has opened up a 66-point lead over Hamilton at the top of the drivers' championship. Antonelli's teammate George Russell is now down to third in the standings after finishing 13th and out of the points in a race that included two safety-car periods and a red flag.

“It's been an incredible weekend, an incredible race,” said Antonelli, who had lapped the entire field up to third by lap 60 of 78, only for the safety car to wreck his advantage. “It was one of those days where we had incredible pace. It was just coming all so natural. The car was feeling incredible and was just giving me the confidence to push.

‘Youngest winner of Monaco GP’;

https://www.thenationalnews.com/spor...ng-manic-race/

[Fortitude]

Antonelli keeps focus after Monaco triumph: ‘The job’s not finished’.
Even with a 66-point lead now separating him from the chasing pack, Antonelli refused to frame Monaco as a defining moment in the title fight. Instead, he issued a clear reminder that consistency will be key if he is to maintain control of the championship.
07/06/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

“It’s been an incredible weekend, an incredible race,” Kimi Antonelli said after stepping out of the car. “It was one of those days where we had incredible pace and it was just coming all so naturally. The car was feeling incredible and it was just giving me the confidence to push, so it was a very enjoyable day.”

“The job’s not finished – it’s still a long season and we’ve got to keep pushing, keep raising the bar, and the goal is to keep performing like this,” he explained. “The team have done an incredible job – they’ve given us an incredible car, and I’ve got so much support from the team as well, and from my family. It’s a really good moment so far.”

‘The job’s not finished’;

https://f1i.com/news/566117-antonell...-finished.html


Hamilton thinks Antonelli is winning too much: 'You're catching me'
7 Jun 2026
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Kimi Antonelli won the Monaco Grand Prix in masterful fashion, becoming the youngest ever Formula 1 winner in the principality ever. Lewis Hamilton notes that the Mercedes talent is winning an awful lot.

As the F1 drivers watched the footage back, there was a lot of debriefing. For instance, Hamilton noted that his younger rival is winning a bit too much at the moment. “You’re winning too much, man. You’re going to overtake me,” he said with a laugh.

Antonelli, for his part, pointed out that the asphalt started breaking up in Turn 19, the reason for the eventual Red Flag in the closing stages. Hamilton reacted in surprise: “I had no idea the asphalt was coming apart!”

‘Winning too much’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...to-overtake-me


Wolff hails 'unbelievable' Antonelli after nightmare Monaco GP for Russell
7 Jun 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has sung Kimi Antonelli's praises yet again after the 19-year-old secured the his fifth win in a row at the Monaco GP. The Silver Arrows boss also addressed George Russell's P13 finish after the Briton suffered multiple penalties.

"It's unbelievable what he's able to deliver. Having control, he's at times 1.5 seconds quicker than anyone else. Then restarts, builds the gap, it's really unbelievable." Wolff said.

'Unbelievable';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/wolff...gp-for-russell


Antonelli composed despite extending championship lead: 'Job is not finished'
7 Jun 2026
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

"Nobody could have taken that away from you today. Totally in control," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff praised the 19-year-old after he crossed the finish line in Monaco. The Italian was ecstatic after the race. "It's been an incredible weekend, an incredible race. It was one of those days we had incredible pace. It was all so natural. The car was feeling incredible and giving me the confidence to push. It was a very enjoyable day."

Despite a fifth victory in a row, Antonelli is not getting carried away. "The job isn't finished. It's still a long season. We have to keep pushing and raising the bar. The goal is to keep performing like this. The team has done an incredible job. They have given us an incredible car. I've got so much support from the team and my family, it's a really good moment."

After a red flag in Lap 68, Antonelli had to clear a final hurdle to win the race. He added: "I wasn't super keen on restarting! I didn't really want to restart but once the notification came out I gathered my emotions, thoughts and started to focus again, looked at some data and tried to focus on restarting.

‘Antonelli composed’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/anton...s-not-finished


F1 young gun’s historic win piles pain on teammate; bizarre penalty party explained — Talking Pts
8th June 2026
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

The more Andrea Kimi Antonelli wins races, the more history he makes. A flawless performance in Monte Carlo makes Antonelli the youngest winner of the Monaco Grand Prix in the race’s esteemed history, at just 19 years and nine and a half months old. He’s the first Italian to win the famous race in 22 years, dating back to Jarno Trulli’s 2004 win for Renault. But perhaps the most exciting history is the chapter yet to be written.

No driver in Formula 1 history has won five grands prix in succession in a year without winning the world championship by the end of it. Perhaps it was recognition of this trajectory — subconscious or otherwise — that had Mercedes boss Toto Wolff join Antonelli on the podium for his first rostrum appearance in a decade. Antonelli’s story is Wolff’s story.

“It’s an incredible moment to live,” he told Sky Sports. “I tried to embrace the pressure as much as possible, because I don’t want to let the pressure destroy me like it did last year in the European season. I try to embrace the pressure, the challenge, and I try to enjoy it as much as possible without worrying about anything else other than just driving.”

‘The more history he makes’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...c692edeff8ae37


Russell ‘struggling to comprehend’ difficult start to 2026
George Russell missed out on points for the second successive weekend after a turbulent race day in Monaco.
7 Jun 2026
Formula One - Official Site

George Russell was left struggling for words after another damaging weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, which ended with Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli extending his championship advantage from 43 points to 68.

Asked for his emotions after the race, which Antonelli comfortably won, Russell sighed: “I’m flat. I’m beyond frustration. I’m in a state of struggling to comprehend what is going on. The team told me there’s nothing I did wrong in the pit lane... I pressed the limiter before the entry, I released it after the exit, but there was a software issue.”

“A five-second penalty, not ideal, not the end of the world, but then with the pit stop, didn’t serve it, drive-through penalty... the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, and I went from P3 to zero points.” Asked if he can take positives from what might have been a recovery to third, were it not for that drive-through, Russell added: “I know if things go smoothly, I’m fine.”

‘Struggling for words’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...AOhcLhkgzK31xA

[Fortitude]

Is Lewis Hamilton suddenly a surprise F1 title contender?
Lewis Hamilton has risen to second in the F1 drivers' standings, a position he has not found himself in since the 2021 season.
9 June 2026
RN365 Staff
RacingNews365

Back-to-back second-place finishes in Canada and Monaco have propelled Lewis Hamilton to second in the 2026 drivers' championship, yet the seven-time world champion knows that consistency alone will not be enough to reel in the rampant Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton sits on 90 points after six rounds, 66 adrift of the 19-year-old Mercedes sensation who has won five of six races this season.

It is the kind of deficit that demands more than damage limitation, and Hamilton has been refreshingly honest about the SF-26's shortcomings relative to the dominant W17. "Mercedes clearly have been ahead of everybody for quite some time and we couldn't match him," Hamilton said after Monaco. "They're just on another level at the moment. When they're at their best, they're very, very, very hard to beat."

Those words carry extra weight when they come from someone who spent 12 seasons at Brackley. Hamilton also pointed to a visible aerodynamic shortfall in Monaco, noting: "Apart from wanting more downforce globally, I think when we arrived on Thursday, we saw other people, those guys, with trick additions to their wing. We didn't have that, which was a little bit of a surprise."

‘Surprise F1 title contender?’;

https://racingnews365.com/is-lewis-h...itle-contender


‘Can’t believe it’ – Hamilton stunned as Ferrari gains expose Mercedes benchmark
9 Jun 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Having climbed to fourth in the standings after Canada, Hamilton’s 18 points in Monaco boosted him ahead of Leclerc as well as George Russell and into second place. The 41-year-old was elevated as he reckons his first success in red could not be closer. “I mean, it couldn’t be closer, but it’s still 66 points,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media in Monaco. “I can’t believe that I’m second in the championship and I’m really happy and thankful for that.”

“I couldn’t have done that without this team, without the reliability that we have, and also with Fred [Vasseur]. Fred has been awesome in supporting me. I think last year was really tough for both of us and [I’ve been] begging him for certain changes, and he pulled through and he did those, and now I’m seeing the fruits of that, and I’m able to finally deliver for them.”

“I think it’s still very early days in the season, so we just have to keep chasing. It’s actually easier to chase than it is to defend, I would say, in life. And so, whilst these guys [Mercedes] are very quick and they’re an amazing team, we’re going to keep pushing, keep chasing, and I have no doubt at some stage we’re going to get there.”

‘Can’t believe it’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...antonelli-lead


Hamilton’s growing confidence reflects Ferrari’s progress - Vasseur
09/06/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Following a Monaco Grand Prix weekend of mixed emotions in the Ferrari garage, team principal Fred Vasseur was determined to focus on what he believes is the bigger picture. Vasseur, who made a welcome return to the pit wall for Sunday’s Grand Prix after missing Saturday’s qualifying sessions due to medical reasons, was full of praise for his veteran driver's performance.

“We have to stay positive because, overall, this has been another strong weekend for us. Lewis secured his second consecutive podium and I think he achieved the maximum that was available with our package today,” Vasseur reflected. “Over the last few races we have seen him growing in confidence and feeling more comfortable in the car, which is encouraging and reflects the progress we are making as a team,” he said.

‘Ferrari’s progress’;

https://f1i.com/news/566274-hamilton...s-vasseur.html


Vasseur hails Hamilton’s rising confidence as Ferrari targets reset after mixed Monaco weekend
9 Jun 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari left Monaco with contrasting emotions: Lewis Hamilton delivered another confident drive to secure his second consecutive podium, while Charles Leclerc’s home race ended in heartbreak after a brake related crash in the closing stages.

Team principal Fred Vasseur, back in the paddock on Sunday after missing qualifying due to health issues, struck a measured but optimistic tone as he assessed the team’s performance.

Vasseur began by emphasising the broader trajectory Ferrari has established in recent weeks, highlighting Hamilton’s form as a key indicator of progress: “We have to stay positive because, overall, this has been another strong weekend for us.

‘Rising confidence’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28666


Hamilton claims maiden Ferrari win 'couldn't be closer' after Monaco podium
8 Jun 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Lewis Hamilton believes his first Ferrari victory 'couldn't be closer' after securing a second consecutive podium finish in Monaco, following on from his result in Montreal, while also moving ahead of George Russell in the drivers' championship.

"It couldn't be closer, but it's still 66 points. I can't believe that I'm second in the championship and I'm really happy and thankful for that. I couldn't have done that without this team, without the reliability that we have, and also with Fred. Fred has been awesome in supporting me. I think last year was really tough for both of us and [I've been] begging him for certain changes, and he pulled through and he did those, and now I'm seeing the fruits of that and I'm able to finally deliver for them."

I think it's still very early days in the season, so we just have to keep chasing. It's actually easier to chase than it is to defend, I would say, in life. And so, whilst these guys are very quick and they're an amazing team, we're going to keep pushing, keep chasing, and I have no doubt at some stage we're going to get there."

'Couldn't be closer';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...-monaco-podium


Hamilton feels he is “having to remind people of who I am” after third podium of 2026
9th June 2026
Keith Collantine
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton feels like he is “having to remind people of who I am” as his form has improved in his second season at Ferrari. “I’m grateful to have moved forwards because we started third and to get to second is awesome,” he said after Sunday’s race.

“To have two second [places], especially I think with the good race in Montreal everyone was kind of like, ‘Yeah, but he’s quick there’, I feel like I’m in a period where I’m having to remind people of who I am. My fans last year were telling me to [remember] who I am, and now I’m having to show up each weekend and try to do that.”

‘Third podium of 2026’;

https://www.racefans.net/2026/06/09/...odium-of-2026/

[Fortitude]

How could Hadjar keep his Monaco podium despite the spark plug attempt?
But crucially, the team halted the work immediately when queried and reverted the car to its previous state.
8 Jun 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

A stewarding document later clarified: “The team were reported as attempting to change spark plugs/coils but did not proceed with the change and the car started in the same condition as it arrived in the pits, therefore no further action is taken.” Hadjar and a Red Bull representative were summoned, but after reviewing the evidence, the stewards concluded that no prohibited part change had occurred.

‘Hadjar keep(s) his Monaco podium’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28657


Hadjar battled ‘undriveable’ RB22 in Monaco GP but ‘kept pushing’
09/06/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Team principal Laurent Mekies was full of admiration for both the mechanics and the driver who refused to let the setback define his weekend. “Isack’s weekend was not straightforward,” Mekies told reporters. “Obviously he got a big setback in FP1 when he crashed the car.”

“The team did a fantastic job to manage to put his car back into one piece and to manage to give him some FP2 time. A few minutes before the beginning of FP2, you had Max in the car ready to go and all of the mechanics had gone to try and gain time with Isack in the few minutes they had before Max had to go out. It was a massive effort.

“Honestly, he paid us back in the way he has managed to reset, in the way he has managed to find his confidence back. Not straight away in FP2, but through FP3 and ultimately to produce a very strong qualifying performance.” That qualifying performance delivered fifth on the grid and placed Hadjar firmly in the fight for a strong result. What nobody knew at the time was that an even greater challenge awaited on race day.

‘Undriveable RB22’;

https://f1i.com/news/566292-hadjar-b...t-pushing.html


Isack Hadjar voices podium relief after facing concerning issue
Isack Hadjar captured his first podium as a Red Bull driver at the Monaco Grand Prix.
8 June 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“For many reasons, it’s a satisfying result because obviously I started the weekend in the worst way possible,” Hadjar told media including RacingNews365. “It’s a track you want to build confidence throughout every lap. You want to be on track and I felt like I didn’t really have a Friday.”

“If anything, I lost all my confidence in FP2 because I just didn’t have any feeling with my car. And in FP3, I made a step and by pushing through and being competitive, I gave myself an opportunity for today’s race and it paid off. I wish it was going to be an easier race, but I faced so many issues in the car that I really thought it was going to be a weekend outside the points at some point,” he explained.

“Very early, from I would say lap 12, something like that, I started having driveability issues and it was just undriveable. In Monaco, especially here, it’s not like you can allow yourself to skip using first gear, second gear, and this is where the problem was. It was very hard to drive. I was down on power at some point. Also on the final restart, on that start, still need to figure out our problems, but I kept pushing and we’re here. I’m happy.”

‘Podium relief’;

https://racingnews365.com/isack-hadj...ncerning-issue


Isack Hadjar ends 'longest race' with hard-fought Monaco Grand Prix podium
8 Jun 2026
The Straits Times

France's Isack Hadjar began the Monaco Grand Prix weekend with a high-speed crash in first practice but ended it with his second career podium after a gutsy third place finish in his Red Bull on Sunday. Battling a power-unit problem throughout the race, Hadjar held on after the restart following a late red flag, although he had an anxious wait while stewards investigated a technical infringement by his team. No action was taken though and Hadjar could finally celebrate

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies explained the incident during the red flag stoppage which caused the investigation. "There was a fair amount of confusion there, but we were trying to rectify the (power unit) issue and we got instructed to leave the car as such, which we did," he said. With a near 40-minute suspension of the race for the red flag while the track was checked, Hadjar said it was 'the longest race of his life'.

'Longest race';

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...-fought-podium


Hadjar battles through “longest race of my life” to claim first Red Bull podium in Monaco
9 Jun 2026
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Isack Hadjar delivered one of the grittiest drives of the 2026 Formula One season to secure his first podium as a Red Bull Racing driver and the second of his young F1 career, overcoming severe drivability issues, shifting problems, and a late race red flag to finish third in Monaco. On a day when Max Verstappen retired before completing a racing lap, Hadjar became the team’s sole representative — and carried the RB22 to a result that looked almost impossible after the opening phase of the race.

Even then, the result briefly appeared under threat when the stewards opened an investigation into Red Bull for allegedly performing work on the car during the red flag suspension. Ultimately, no further action was taken. “Whatever happens with the stewards, it’s now completely out of my control. I celebrated and had my podium and I will always have that. My moment with the lads. Huge thank you to the Team, I trust these guys. Whatever happens, the emotions on the podium have already happened and I am proud of the Team.”

‘First podium as a Red Bull Racing driver’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/28667


HOW RED BULL HELPED HADJAR 'KEEP THE CAR ALIVE' TO CLAIM MONACO PODIUM
How did Isack Hadjar bounce back from Friday disappointment in Monaco to grab a first Red Bull podium?
8 Jun 2026
Formula One - Official Site

Team Principal Laurent Mekies: “We battled a number of issues on his car from quite early in the race. We had a lot less engine power, and as you may imagine that has a lot of consequences on the energy management, and so forth. So he had a very, very hard time.”
Hadjar always wears his heart on his sleeve, and at times he became quite emotional on the radio as he sought help with the issues he was facing.

Mekies says the Frenchman did well to cope with the requests that were thrown at him, while navigating his way around the twisty streets of Monte Carlo. “It's always very difficult for the driver in the car to understand what's going on when you have an issue,” he said. “And in that case he could not know exactly how much engine power he was losing.”

"The implication of that loss of ICE power on the rest of the management is massive for the way these PUs are working, and from his standpoint, at that stage, he probably feels like, what's going on? “So we understand the emotions. I think he has managed to keep the car alive. The team has managed to communicate back to him a number of changes to keep the car alive. As you can see, it's not a pleasant thing to do around here, keep changing switches to keep your car alive – but nonetheless it worked.”

‘Hadjar always wears his heart on his sleeve’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...JANxRWu7KfWgRi

[Fortitude]

Russell told Spanish GP is make-or-break: 'If he doesn't beat Kimi, it's over. No World Championship'.
David Coulthard believes the Spanish Grand Prix could be George Russell's last chance to keep his title hopes alive. Should he once again come up short against teammate Kimi Antonelli, the championship fight would be virtually over.
11 Jun 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Discussing the title battle between the two Mercedes drivers on the Up To Speed podcast, Coulthard argued that the Spanish Grand Prix could prove to be a defining moment in Russell's championship campaign.

According to the former F1 driver, Russell needs to demonstrate that he can still match Antonelli's level by fighting for pole position and, above all, finishing ahead of his teammate. With Mercedes possessing one of the fastest cars on the grid, Coulthard believes there are few excuses left for the Briton if he wants to remain a genuine contender for the title.

The Scot went as far as suggesting that another defeat to Antonelli would effectively put an end to Russell's championship hopes, given the momentum currently enjoyed by the young Italian and the growing gap between the two in the standings: “He needs to show he can take a pole in Barcelona, and assuming the car is quick enough, of course, he just needs to be beating Kimi. Let’s be honest. If he doesn’t beat Kimi, it’s over. No World Championship.”

‘Make-or-break’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/russe...d-championship


Formula One statistics for Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
10 Jun 2026
The Straits Times

The name of the race has changed, with Madrid hosting the Spanish Grand Prix in September. Lewis Hamilton has won six times at the Circuit de Catalunya (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), a record he shares with Michael Schumacher. Verstappen has won four times (2016, 2022, 2023, 2024), and finished on the podium in seven of the last eight Spanish Grands Prix, with Fernando Alonso winning twice (2006, 2013). Verstappen took his first F1 win in Spain.

The winner at the Circuit de Catalunya, which has a mix of fast and slow corners with two long straights and a smooth surface, has started on pole 25 times in 35 races there. Overtaking is not easy: the only drivers to win in Barcelona and not start on the front row were Schumacher (third on the grid in 1996), Alonso (from fifth in 2013) and Verstappen (fourth in 2016). It is likely to be a two-stop race.

‘Name of the race has changed’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...nya-grand-prix


Barcelona To Blame For Reduced F1 Role Says Domenicali
5 Jun 2026
GrandPrix.com

Speaking to the Spanish press, Domenicali defended the decision that will see Madrid host the Spanish GP for the next decade starting this September, while Barcelona is set to alternate on the calendar from 2027 onwards. “I'll be very direct, he said ahead of Barcelona's 2026 grand prix in a week. “I don't think I have anything to regret. Perhaps Barcelona does.”

“When negotiations are necessary, someone has to make decisions without delaying them or waiting indefinitely. We gave Barcelona the right information at the right time. I've always been very transparent with our friends in Barcelona.”

“It's not against Barcelona”, he said. “Barcelona has the opportunity to come back and do the right thing for the future. It's a better situation for the Spanish market that Madrid has pushed Barcelona forward to ensure that the value of a Grand Prix is seen and that it remains on the calendar for longer.”

‘Barcelona To Blame For Reduced F1’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/barce...omenicali.html


Hot Spanish summer is set to heat up the Barcelona Grand Prix
10 Jun 2026
Kieran Lynch
GPblog.com

The chance of seeing rain at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix is extremely unlikely according to the latest weather forecast. The height of summer in Spain means temperatures could reach as high as 34 degrees Celsius on race day, which could force teams and drivers into tyre management during Sunday's 66-lap race.

According to the competition's forecast, on Friday, temperatures will range from 13.75 °C in the morning to highs of 27.5°C in the afternoon. From there, the conditions only get even more hot and humid over the following two days with highs of 32°C on Saturday and 34°C on Sunday afternoon. Wind speeds will remain light to moderate, averaging 8.6 km/h with gusts up to 36 km/h but track temperatures will be a factor for teams, with early estimates that it may reach up to 56.2°C.

‘Summer is set to heat up’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hot-s...ona-grand-prix


What time is F1's 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix? Full weekend schedule
9 Jun 2026
THE RACE TEAM
The Race

Barcelona-Catalunya GP schedule (US times)
PDT = Pacific daylight time, EDT = US Eastern daylight time
Friday June 12
Practice 1: 4.30am (PDT), 7.30am (EDT)
Practice 2: 8am (PDT), 11am (EDT)
Saturday June 13
Practice 3: 3.30am (PDT), 6.30 (EDT)
Qualifying: 7am (PDT), 10am (EDT)
Sunday June 14
Barcelona Grand Prix: 6am (PDT), 9am (EDT)

Barcelona GP schedule (UK time)
Friday June 12
Practice 1: 12.30pm
Practice 2: 4pm
Saturday June 13
Practice 3: 11.30am
Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday June 14
Barcelona Grand Prix: 2pm

‘Full weekend schedule’;

https://www.the-race.com/promoted/wh...kend-schedule/

[Fortitude]

Russell leads Piastri and Leclerc in opening Barcelona GP practice.
Mercedes’ George Russell set the pace in opening practice for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, beating McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by two tenths of a second in a session that featured seven rookie drivers, with McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli making the biggest impression in P5 behind third-placed Charles Leclerc in a heavily upgraded and fourth-placed Max Verstappen.
12 JUNE 2026
Racecars

Russell posted a best lap of 1:16.363s to finish 0.203s clear of Piastri, with Leclerc a further three tenths back on 1:16.883s. Verstappen ended the session 0.684s off the pace and only a little under two tenths clear of Fornaroli, who replaced Lando Norris at McLaren.

The one-hour session featured no fewer than seven rookie drivers, with teams fulfilling the regulation requiring each race driver to sit out two opening practice sessions during the season. Paul Aron was the next of the newcomers, placing sixth for Audi, just under a second away from Russell’s benchmark, while Liam Lawson took seventh for Racing Bulls.

‘Russell leads Piastri and Leclerc’;

https://www.racecar.com/news/103779/...na-gp-practice


Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results
12/06/2026
Michael Delaney
2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:16.363s 27
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.203s 29
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.520s 29
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.684s 29
5 Leonardo Fornaroli McLaren +0.853s 22
6 Paul Aron Audi +0.958s 24
7 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1.109s 24
8 Antoniuo Fuoco Ferrari +1.415s 30
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +1.441s 29
10 Franco Colapinto Alpine +1.530s 28

‘Free Practice 1 results’;

https://f1i.com/news/566484-barcelon...1-results.html


George Russell sets pace in first Barcelona-Catalunya GP practice featuring seven F1 rookies
George Russell set the pace in opening practice at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
12 JUNE 2026
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

George Russell started the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Formula 1 weekend as he means to go on by setting the pace in opening practice. The Mercedes driver, who arrives in Barcelona 68 points adrift of team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the championship standings, topped the timesheet in a first practice session featuring seven rookies.

Russell was 0.203 seconds faster than McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Charles Leclerc was third-quickest and more than half a second adrift in his Ferrari, which features a total of eight upgrades.

Championship leader Antonelli was among the seven drivers who sat out of FP1, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and reigning world champion Lando Norris also watching on from the sidelines. Max Verstappen was fourth-fastest for Red Bull, ahead of McLaren’s Leonardo Fornaroli.

‘George Russell sets pace’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109770...ven-f1-rookies


F1 Full Results | George Russell sets the pace in Barcelona GP FP1
12 Jun 2026
Kieran Lynch
GPblog.com

George Russell has topped the timing charts in the opening practice session at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. The Brit's lap time of 1:16.353 was enough to edge out the competition after the first hour of practice during FP1, two tenths ahead of Piastri's McLaren and 0.520 ahead of Leclerc.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was not in action, as he was one of seven drivers who sat out the session, with teams deciding to use one of their young driver FP1 allocations.
Other drivers to sit out the session were Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Isack Hadjar, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg. The highest performing young driver in FP1 was Leonardo Fornaroli, the 2025 Formula Two champion, who finished in fifth, just ahead of the Audi of Paul Aron.

‘George Russell sets the pace’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/f1-fu...rcelona-gp-fp1


Barcelona GP FP1 Results: Full Practice Times from Barcelona-Catalunya
12 June 2026
John Smith
Total Motorsport

George Russell topped FP1 at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix as Mercedes made an encouraging start to the weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Russell set a fastest time of 1:16.363 to finish 0.203 seconds clear of Oscar Piastri in second for McLaren, with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari.

The session offered an important first read on the competitive order after Monaco, with Russell getting valuable mileage while championship leader Kimi Antonelli sat out FP1 as Frederik Vesti took over his car.

There were several rookie and reserve drivers in action, including Leonardo Fornaroli for McLaren, Paul Aron, Dino Beganovic, Ayumu Iwasa, Colton Herta, Vesti and Luke Browning, although Browning failed to set a lap after an electrical issue delayed his running for Williams.

‘Full Practice Times’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/bar...6-fp1-results/


Verstappen among drivers to take new power unit parts at Barcelona GP
12 Jun 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com

The FIA have revealed the drivers set to take new power unit elements at this weekend's Barcelona GP, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen among those getting a new engine. The Dutchman encountered power unit problems at the Monaco GP, failing to get off the line and suffering a Lap 1 DNF.

Verstappen will take a new Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), turbocharger, and a new exhaust set, alongside both Audi drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg. The trio will also take a new power unit ancillary component (PU-ANC) alongside Haas' Ollie Bearman.

Elsewhere on the grid, Haas' Esteban Ocon will receive a new energy store unit, as will fellow Amercian team Cadillac, with the part applied to both Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez's cars. As well as the new ES, Perez will also see a new control electronics unit (PU-CE) fitted this weekend. All of the new elements applied this weekend have been cleared as having been within the number of changes allowed by the FIA throughout the 2026 season.

‘New power unit parts’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...t-barcelona-gp

[Fortitude]

Barcelona GP: Norris edges Russell in second practice.
Lando Norris set the fastest time of second practice for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in a tightly packed session, edging Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.009s as McLaren signalled a return to form after a difficult Monaco weekend.
12/06/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Norris, who had sat out FP1 while McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli made his debut in a Formula 1 session, delivered his benchmark lap in the final phase of soft-tyre running with a 1m15.426s. The lap was not without its imperfections, featuring several slides and corrections as the McLaren driver wrestled the car through Barcelona’s demanding layout. Nevertheless, it proved just enough to displace Russell, who had earlier set the pace after initially trailing Oscar Piastri’s medium-tyre effort.

Piastri had topped the opening half-hour with a 1m15.724s before switching to softs, where he remained in contention but ultimately slipped to third in an extremely tight top three. Russell, who had led FP1, briefly took control of the session after switching to soft tyres, only to be beaten by Norris’ late improvement by less than a hundredth of a second.

The close margins between Norris, Russell and Piastri highlighted a significant step forward for McLaren on a more conventional circuit, particularly after their struggles in Monaco. Piastri’s consistency across both tyre compounds reinforced the impression that the MCL40 has regained competitiveness in Barcelona conditions, with the team now appearing firmly back in the mix at the front of the grid.

‘Norris edges Russell’;

https://f1i.com/news/566508-barcelon...-practice.html


FP2 Results Today: Barcelona GP 2026 Practice 2 Times
12 June 2026
John Smith
Total Motorsport

2026 Barcelona Grand Prix FP2 Results
Here are the complete Practice 2 results from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:15.426
2 George Russell Mercedes +0.009
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.057
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.373
5 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.589
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.895
7 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +0.985
8 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +1.185
9 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +1.205
10 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +1.248

‘Practice 2 Times’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/bar...6-fp2-results/


Norris quickest in second practice at Barcelona-Catalunya GP, Russell close behind
12 June 2026
ESPN

Lando Norris led the way in second practice for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix as George Russell got the better of title rival Kimi Antonelli. McLaren's Norris ended the day 0.009 seconds clear of Russell on a baking hot day on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Antonelli is chasing a sixth-successive win this weekend having stormed into a 66 point lead over Lewis Hamilton in the standings after six rounds of the season. The Italian finished down in fifth, having sat out the first practice session, with Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri third ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Russell has failed to score in the previous two races after his engine expired in Montreal and he was dropped out of the points by a late drive-through penalty in Monaco as Mercedes failed to serve his original five-second penalty correctly.

‘George Russell got the better of title rival Kimi Antonelli’;

https://www.tsn.ca/motorsports/formu...d-n1-49028297/


VERSTAPPEN ADMITS RED BULL HAVE ‘A LOT OF WORK TO DO’ AS HE EXPLAINS ISSUES ON FRIDAY IN BARCELONA
Max Verstappen has detailed the car problems he experienced with his Red Bull on the first day of running at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
12 Jun 2026
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen has conceded that Red Bull have “a lot of work to do” following the opening day of track action at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with the Dutchman explaining the issues that affected his running throughout Friday. After ending Free Practice 1 in fourth place on the timesheets, Verstappen ended the second hour in sixth place but looked to be struggling for grip at times.

The four-time World Champion also reported issues with the balance over the radio. Asked for his reflections on the day – and whether he had found the performance that he was seeking in high-speed sections – Verstappen responded: “Yeah, but we lose in the high speeds, the low speeds, the medium speeds, it’s pretty much everywhere. The whole day [we were] just lacking grip and feeling with the car and balance, so that’s something that we’ll try to work on.”

The 28-year-old went on to admit that “nothing felt nice” in terms of trying all three tyre compounds, but suggested that this problem was affecting others also, saying: “Every time I’ve been following people there’s no grip. The cars are literally drifting around, the tyres are not giving any kind of grip. From our side of course compared to the top guys we struggled a little bit more with balance, but I think no-one had a nice balance out there.”

‘A LOT OF WORK TO DO’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...hniLa89AVh9MQF


How many upgrades has each F1 team brought to the Barcelona Grand Prix?
12 June 2026
John Smith
Total Motorsport

The Barcelona GP has delivered one of the most revealing upgrade weekends of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Ferrari bringing the largest package as teams use Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to validate their development direction. Barcelona has long been seen as one of F1’s most important aerodynamic reference tracks.

Its mix of long straights, heavy braking, medium speed corners, high speed direction changes and tyre loading gives teams a clear read on whether upgrades are genuinely improving car performance. That makes the weekend especially important in a season where Mercedes have set the benchmark, McLaren are trying to stay in the fight, Red Bull are looking for balance and reliability, and Ferrari are chasing the step needed to turn podium pace into regular victory pressure.

The FIA car presentation submissions show that Ferrari have gone most aggressive, listing eight updated components on the SF-26. Red Bull, Racing Bulls and Cadillac have each brought two updates, while McLaren, Mercedes, Williams and Haas have one each. Aston Martin, Alpine and Audi have submitted no aerodynamic upgrades for the event.

‘How many upgrades’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...26-every-team/


Multiple drivers draw stewards' attention after Spanish GP FP2
12 Jun 2026
Tobia Elia
GPblog.com

Home hero Fernando Alonso was summoned to the stewards in Barcelona after crossing the white line at the pit exit during the second free practice session. Sergio Perez was also called before the officials for speeding in the pit lane, but both drivers ultimately escaped without any significant consequences.

After reviewing the footage, the stewards determined that the outside edge of Alonso's left-front wheel had crossed the white line at the pit exit. However, they opted not to impose any penalty, instead issuing the Spaniard with a warning for the incident. The two-time world champion endured another difficult session, with Aston Martin once again occupying the final two positions on the timesheets.

Both drivers finished more than four seconds adrift of pace-setter Lando Norris, as Mercedes-powered cars dominated proceedings on a circuit where engine performance plays a far greater role than it did at Monaco just one week ago. In addition to Alonso's warning, Cadillac was also sanctioned by the stewards during Friday's running. The American outfit received a €500 fine after Sergio Perez exceeded the pit lane speed limit by 4.4 km/h, surpassing the 80 km/h limit in place for the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.

‘Multiple drivers draw stewards' attention’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/multi...spanish-gp-fp2

[Fortitude]

Russell quickest in final Barcelona-Catalunya GP practice, Antonelli hit with traffic in seventh.
George Russell got the better of championship leader Kimi Antonelli to lead the way in final practice before qualifying at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
13 June 2026
PA
TSN

The Silver Arrows has won every race this season and Russell ensured the team were back on top after Lando Norris topped Friday practice for McLaren. Russell was 0.214 seconds clear of Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri in second, with the reigning world champion fourth.

Russell has failed to score in the previous two races after his engine expired in Montreal and he was dropped out of the points by a late drive-through penalty in Monaco as Mercedes failed to serve his original five-second penalty correctly.

The Italian raged at being hindered by traffic in Saturday’s opening running, which left him only seventh fastest and over eight tenths back from Russell. “Why do I always get traffic, I don’t understand,” he said on the team radio.

‘Russell quickest’;

https://www.tsn.ca/motorsports/formu...h-n1-49028332/


FP3 Results Today: Barcelona GP 2026 Practice 3 Times
13 June 2026
John Smith
Total Motorsport

2026 Barcelona Grand Prix FP3 Results
Here are the complete Practice 3 results from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:15.679
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.214
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.243
4 Lando Norris McLaren +0.246
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.702
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.755
7 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.821
8 Isack Hadjar Red Bull +1.005
9 Nico Hulkenberg Audi +1.282
10 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +1.341

‘FP3 Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/bar...6-fp3-results/


Barcelona GP: Russell comfortably tops final practice
13/06/2026
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

George Russell laid down a strong marker ahead of qualifying for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, topping the timesheets in Saturday’s final practice session, one that was interrupted by a red flag and ended in frustration for Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

Oscar Piastri came closest to denying Russell top spot, finishing just 0.214s behind in second. Leclerc slotted into third, splitting the McLarens after edging ahead of Norris, who ended the session fourth. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton completed the top five ahead of Max Verstappen, while Antonelli’s hopes of improving were dashed in the final minutes.

The young Italian abandoned one lap after encountering traffic and then ran wide at Turn 10 on another attempt, leaving him visibly frustrated and stranded in seventh with an earlier time. Isack Hadjar, Hulkenberg and Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top 10 as the field headed into qualifying with little to separate the leading contenders and Russell holding the advantage.

‘Laid down a strong marker’;

https://f1i.com/news/566614-barcelon...-practice.html


George Russell sends statement of intent in FP3 at Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
13 Jun 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

George Russell sent a statement of intent to teammate and title rival Kimi Antonelli by emerging fastest in final practice ahead of qualifying for the Formula 1 Barcelona Catalunya Grand Prix. FP3 proved to be the definition of the colloquialism of “after you”, as few cars ventured out in the opening minutes, with just Cadillac going out first. The majority of the field instead chose to wait until over 20 minutes had passed.

Once the first runs were complete, it was the McLarens at the top of the standings, but the session was brought to a halt with 25 minutes remaining, as Valtteri Bottas spun out after reporting his brake pedal had gone. As more soft tyres were fitted it quickly became apparent that only they only had one lap of lifespan, making the qualifying simulations all the more important.

When the Mercedes showed their hand, Russell jumped to the top of the timesheets with a time of 1:15.679, over two tenths clear of Oscar Piastri’s McLaren. Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three, closely behind Piastri, with Norris, Hamilton and Verstappen rounding out the top six.

‘Statement of intent’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...ya-grand-prix/


Valtteri Bottas suffers scary Cadillac failure in Barcelona FP3 red flag incident
Valtteri Bottas triggered a red flag in FP3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with his Cadillac suffering an unpleasant issue for the 36-year-old.
13 June 2026
RN365 Staff
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas caused the third and final practice session at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix to be red-flagged, after he "lost" the brake pedal in his Cadillac. "I lost my brake pedals. It's gone. Like, the pedal is gone," he told Cadillac over team radio. "I got very lucky." The fledgling American-based squad has had to overcome various build issues across its debut F1 season, and the team also experienced brake problems in Monaco, too.

Bottas has looked a shade off team-mate Sergio Perez this season, but it has since been established that there have been irregularities with his car and power unit, which has put him on the back foot. He has, however, had the edge over his team-mate so far in Spain, and has been around a couple of tenths quicker than the Mexican.

"I lost my brake pedals”;

https://racingnews365.com/valtteri-b...-flag-incident


2026 Barcelona GP FP3 – Highlights and Reaction
Live lap times, pace analysis and key updates from final practice as McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari battle for Barcelona momentum
13 June 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

7 minutes to go: Mercedes narrowly faster than McLaren! George Russell is the quickest man at the end of the qualifying runs as the Mercedes driver puts in a 1:15.679 to pip Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by just over two tenths. Lewis Hamilton slots into fourth but is over seven tenths off the pace of the frontrunners in the Ferrari, whilst Max Verstappen is just behind the 41-year-old for Red Bull. Kimi Antonelli had to abandon his first lap after coming across Lance Stroll at the pit exit, feeling the Aston Martin got into his way.

5 minutes to go: Leclerc slots into third! Qualifying for the Barcelona GP could potentially be a classic in Spain with just two tenths splitting George Russell’s Mercedes from Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in third, with Oscar Piastri between the pair for McLaren. Kimi Antonelli remains a wild card for the Silver Arrows, with both of his laps aborted due to traffic! Could the championship leader find something special later today?

CHEQUERED FLAG: George Russell tops FP3 ahead of qualifying. George Russell tops Free Practice 3 for Mercedes with a 1:15.679 ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, with the McLaren and Ferrari both within two-and-a-half tenths in Spain.

‘Highlights and Reaction’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/202...-live-updates/

[Fortitude]

Russell takes pole at Barcelona GP with F1 leader Antonelli third behind Hamilton.
Formula 1 leader Kimi Antonelli will face the toughest test of his breakout season at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix after he managed only the third best time in qualifying on Saturday.
13 June 2026
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline

The young Italian will now have to find a way past pole-sitter George Russell, his Mercedes teammate, as well as a resurgent Lewis Hamilton, to make it six wins in a row. Antonelli's spectacular winning streak includes four victories from pole and one from a second-place start. But a not-so-perfect qualifying session on Saturday means the 19-year-old Antonelli is off the front row for the first time this year. "I am not really happy, I'm struggling with the feeling of the car," Antonelli said as he faces the first dip in performance since becoming the sensation of F1.

Russell, however, looked like a man who banished some demons with his pole position. The English driver entered the season as Mercedes' presumptive top driver. And with the German outfit producing the best car, Russell looked poised for a title run when he won the season-opening Australian GP. "Nice to feel the groove again," Russell told his team radio on locking up the first spot. He will need to turn that into a race victory to show his title chances are still realistic.

"More important than the pole position is that I felt confident and felt like myself again," Russell said, adding he tried to stop obsessing about analytics and "got back to basics. It´s been a great weekend. I feel like my old self again. I came into this weekend with a clean slate. it felt good and it is just great to be on pole."

"Nice to feel the groove again";

https://www.dailymail.com/wires/ap/a...-Hamilton.html


F1 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix – Qualifying Results
12 Jun 2026
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

View the full results below!
Position Driver Team Lap Time Gap
1. George Russell Mercedes 1:14.679
2. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.064
3. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.319
4. Lando Norris Ferrari +0.322
5. Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.342
6. Isack Hadjar Red Bull +0.398
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +.0411
8. Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1.863
9. Nico Hulkenberg Audi +1.978
10. Charles Leclerc Ferrari No time

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...fying-results/


Explained: How George Russell adapted to secure pole position for Barcelona GP
13 June 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

George Russell says he adapted several factors at the Barcelona GP to help him return to form and secure pole position in qualifying on Saturday, June 13 for Mercedes. “I’ve got to be honest, just really happy to be back in my groove over the course of the whole weekend,” Russell told media, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“It’s been a difficult few races for me. Obviously bad luck, there have been some poor performances in there. But [I] went back to an approach that I knew works for me this weekend, and more important than the pole position for me was just in every lap of the whole weekend, I was in the top two positions. And I felt confident, I felt good. Just felt like my old self again.”

Russell attributed his performance at the Barcelona GP to track characteristics clashing with his driving style. His other struggles appeared to be tied to difficulties in optimising his W17 package compared to his teammate — particularly in tyre wear management.

‘How George Russell adapted’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/geo...des-antonelli/


George Russell hails “back to basics” F1 reset after taking Barcelona GP pole
George Russell took his second pole position of the Formula 1 season in Barcelona
13 Jun 2026
Sam Hall
Crash.Net

George Russell has revealed how a “back to basics” reset aided him on his way to pole position at the Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, after a poor run of form. “I went back to an approach that I knew works for me this weekend, and more important than the pole position for me was just seeing every lap of the whole weekend I was in the top two positions. I felt confident, I felt good, and I just felt like my old self again.”

“So, regardless of what happened in Q3 where Lewis did an amazing job and also could have got the pole position as well, that was the most important thing for me this weekend.” Asked if these changes had been from a driving or car setup point of view, he added: “Car setup, mentality, just going back to basics, really. These cars are so complicated, the tyres are complicated, the power units are complicated, and it’s challenging to get on top of things, especially when I’ve got a guy like this next to me who has been performing so well.”

“You’re trying to constantly improve and I think that doing some copy-pasting probably really put me on the back foot. So, as I said, this weekend, I’ve just gone in my own direction and that’s what I’ve done in the past for the last few years, and I’m really glad to see it paying off.”

“Back to basics”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/109815...celona-gp-pole


Hamilton suggests Ferrari braking advantage after Leclerc's Qualifying crash
13 Jun 2026
Henry Eccles
GPblog.com

Lewis Hamilton has offered insight into a possible reason behind Charles Leclerc's Barcelona GP Qualifying crash. With eight and a half minutes to go in Q3, Leclerc's Ferrari snapped at Turn 4, leading to a heavy crash into the barriers. Asked what could have gone wrong for his teammate, Hamilton broke down Ferrari's set up for the weekend. Speaking at the post-Quali press conference, Hamilton said: "We basically had this exact same setup now in Quali, and, you know, Charles's been quick all weekend.”

"I think on the data, I think I was braking very late into into turn four, which had been visible. And I think Charles probably tried to carry a lot of speed into that corner, and unfortunately, it didn't work out for him. But, you know, he's still going to be really quick in the race.” Focusing on the performance of the SF-26, Hamilton spoke of the "impossible" challenge of finding the perfect balance. He added: "I think, from the car standpoint, I think we're just constantly trying to strike that perfect balance, which is inevitably almost impossible to ever find.”

"But you're trying to get closer, and these tyres are very, very peaky. There's a small, small window that the fronts and the rears work. And you over push in turn one, two, and three, and then you're struggling through four and the rest of the lap. So it's the finest line that I can remember ever being able to get every ounce of the cast performance out on track. But I've been really happy with the progress that we made in terms of balance. Of course, we can always continue to improve."

‘Hamilton suggests Ferrari braking advantage’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...alifying-crash


Telemetry proves underpowered Ferrari engine cost Lewis Hamilton Barcelona GP pole
13 June 2026
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Ferrari power costs Hamilton in Barcelona. Telemetry data provided by Federico Albano shows Hamilton and Russell effectively neck-and-neck through Sector 1 as the Ferrari completes the opening complex of corners to the lap +0.030 faster, gaining +0.024 and +0.006 through Turn 1 and Turn 2. But then Russell comes back at the Ferrari through the run between Turn 3 and Turn 4, with the engine advantage of his car kicking in as he pulls him a +0.079 advantage, reaching eight kilometres quicker.

That leaves Hamilton with a +0.049 deficit to chase as they head into Sector 2 and that is where the 105-time Grand Prix winner immediately shows a response as his excellent SF-26 is massive 0.121 faster through Turn 5. He manages to extend this advantage through the fast Turn 8 and Turn 9 to add an extra 0.030 to his delta, whilst continuing to find pace through the Turn 11-12 complex, although the Ferrari is now almost even with the Mercedes in the medium speed corners. Hamilton closes the Turn 1-12 portion of the lap with a commanding 0.113 gap in his pocket, and at that point as pole position looks almost certain, only for his power unit to let him down from Turn 13 to the finish line.

From Turn 13 onwards, he loses almost two tenths to Russell as pole position escapes him, with the engine of the Mercedes proving exactly why Hamilton, Leclerc and Ferrari need their Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities tokens. The underpowered Ferrari engine simply doesn’t have the juice to reward its drivers’ valiant effort through the lap as Hamilton ultimately crosses the line 0.062 slower than Russell, as his wait for his next pole position continues to another race weekend.

‘Telemetry proves underpowered Ferrari engine’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lew...ine-telemetry/

[Fortitude]

Hamilton grabs first win for Ferrari, Russell takes second after Antonelli retires.
Lewis Hamilton grabbed his first victory for Ferrari after a Virtual Safety Car period played into his hands. The Ferrari driver opted for a three-stop strategy to apply pressure to George Russell, who took the lead of the race from pole position.
14th June 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

As Hamilton neared the time to make his third pit stop, Fernando Alonso came to a stop in his Aston Martin. That triggered a VSC period. Hamilton made it in and out of the pits just in time to rejoin the track ahead of Russell, and with fresher tyres headed to his 106th career victory and first for the Scuderia. Russell had controlled the race up until that point. As soon as Hamilton made his first pit stop on lap 12 Russell predicted “he’s probably going for the three”, and he complained Mercedes “exposed me” to team mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli by failing to advise him to push before his second pit stop.

Antonelli applied pressure to Russell, testing his defences at the mid-point of the race, before the pair made their second pit stops. He spent the final stint in pursuit of Russell but also with Lando Norris breathing down his neck. Meanwhile, Antonelli’s tally of track limits strikes was mounting up. McLaren told Norris they believed the Mercedes driver had already collected enough for a five-second time penalty well before the end of the race.

With six laps to go, Antonelli suddenly closed on Russell. He drew alongside his team mate on the pit straight and Russell’s attempt to cover off the move was too little, too late. Antonelli streaked ahead and looked to have the move bought and paid for as he drew out of range of Overtake Mode, notwithstanding a small amount of damage to the right-hand side of his front wing. But on the very next lap Antonelli slowed at the exit of turn five and crept to a halt. Almost simultaneously, Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari slid off at turn two with an apparent steering problem. While the VSC was deployed for Antonelli, Leclerc cruised into the pits and retirement.

‘Lewis Hamilton grabbed his first victory for Ferrari’;

https://www.racefans.net/2026/06/14/...nelli-retires/


F1 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix – Race Results
14th June 2026
Jack Oliver Smith
Total Motorsport

View the full results below!
Position Driver Team Gaps
1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
2 George Russell Mercedes
3 Lando Norris McLaren
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren
6 Isack Hadjar Red Bull
7 Pierre Gasly Alpine
8 Franco Colapinto Alpine
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
10 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls

‘Race Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...-race-results/


Barcelona GP Results 2026: Full Race Classification
14 June 2026
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton⁠ claimed a landmark first Grand Prix victory for Ferrari⁠ at the 2026 Barcelona GP after a superb drive and late drama for championship leader Kimi Antonelli⁠ blew the Formula 1 title fight wide open.

Hamilton won at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a seventh time, but this was about far more than statistics. It was his first win for Ferrari, his first Formula 1 Grand Prix victory since Belgium 2024, and the first non Mercedes⁠ win of the 2026 season.

George Russell⁠ finished second after starting on pole, 19.561 seconds behind Hamilton, with Lando Norris⁠ third for McLaren. Max Verstappen⁠ was fourth for Red Bull, ahead of Oscar Piastri⁠, while Antonelli retired late after fighting his way past Russell for second.

‘Full Race Classification’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/bar...lassification/


F1 Standings | Lewis Hamilton closes gap to Kimi Antonelli to 41 points after Barcelona GP win
14 Jun 2026
Kieran Lynch
GPblog.com

Antonelli's gap at the top of the standings has decreased from 66 to 41 points, after the Italian retired from second late in the race. George Russell's second position means he goes up to 106 points, 12 behind Hamilton. Russell was beaten to the win by Hamilton, after the British driver took advantage of a VSC to make his third and final stop and rejoin ahead of Russell. Antonelli was likely to take a second place before a late DNF.

Charles Leclerc stays fourth on 75 points, now 40 behind his Ferrari teammate after he also suffered a late DNF from sixth place. Lando Norris moves ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri into 5th, just two points behind Leclerc. Max Verstappen finished fourth and is now on 55 points, 14 ahead of Pierre Gasly in the Alpine, with Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson completing the top 10.

‘41 points’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...rcelona-gp-win


F1 Standings | Lewis Hamilton closes gap to Kimi Antonelli to 41 points after Barcelona GP win
14 Jun 2026
Kieran Lynch
GPblog.com

1. Kimi Antonelli 156 points
2. Lewis Hamilton 115 points
3. George Russell 106 points
4. Charles Leclerc 75 points
5. Lando Norris 73 points
6. Oscar Piastri 68 points
7. Max Verstappen 55 points
8. Pierre Gasly 41 points
9. Isack Hadjar 34 points
10. Liam Lawson 26 points

‘41 points’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...rcelona-gp-win