Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

What we've learned about Honda's 'abnormal' F1 engine problem.
Honda's reliability problems in Formula 1 testing have been attributed to abnormal vibrations that damaged the battery system although a root cause has not been identified.
Feb 27, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Speaking at an annual F1 pre-season briefing with Japanese media, not an emergency press conference as has been interpreted, Honda Racing Corporation leaders Koji Watanabe and Ikuo Takeishi admitted to suffering a "number of issues" in Bahrain, the most severe of which relates to the battery. Honda observed abnormal vibrations that caused damage to the battery, although it is not sure whether the battery system itself is the initial problem.

What Honda can see is the battery pack is being shaken because the structure it is attached to is vibrating more severely than expected. Honda is investigating a combination of factors that likely caused these vibrations to emerge and running virtual track testing at its Sakura base with a chassis, engine and gearbox combined, but is yet to pinpoint the root cause.

"If we could identify a single cause, it would be easier to fix, but because multiple linked factors generate the vibration, we don't know whether fixing just one will solve it," said Takeishi. "There is a possibility it takes time." "The wall we face as a result of these tests is certainly a high one," said Watanabe. "At this stage, our priority is to solve the current issue," said Takeishi. We are looking ahead, but right now we're fully focused on the immediate problems. Whether we introduce a major update or not is something to be discussed later."

‘Abnormal vibrations’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/h...ot-identified/


Adrian Newey asked Honda to change ‘almost everything’ when he joined Aston Martin
27 Feb 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Adrian Newey forced Honda to overhaul their 2026 power unit vision when he joined Aston Martin last year, according to the Japanese manufacturer. The brand-new partnership between Aston Martin and Honda got off to a disastrous start during pre-season testing. A succession of technical problems severely restricted the AMR26’s mileage and top speed. However, blame cannot solely be directed at the engine suppliers.

Newey’s aggressive chassis design has caused overheating, which is why the Aston Martin is now ‘riddled’ with cooling vents. A report this week suggested Newey was ‘shackling’ Honda’s efforts to improve by adopting an uncompromising philosophy. After leaving Red Bull in 2024, Newey wasn’t eligible to start work at Aston Martin until March 2025. By that point, engine development was already well advanced. Satoshi Tsunoda, the general manager of Honda’s F1 engine project, has revealed that the legendary designer ordered sweeping changes after his arrival.

There were indications even before testing that Honda were behind schedule, and perhaps this was the reason why. “Since Mr. Newey joined Aston Martin in March 2025, almost everything we’ve done up until now has changed,” Tsunoda explained, via Autosport Web. “We haven’t changed the engine structure, of course, but everything else, including the peripheral equipment and how it’s attached to the car body, has changed. Newey asked us, ‘Can’t you do it this way?’ and we were running out of time.”

‘Ordered sweeping changes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...-aston-martin/


Bernie Ecclestone warns Lawrence Stroll that Ferrari prove you ‘can’t buy’ the F1 title
27 Feb 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Bernie Ecclestone feels ‘sorry’ for Lawrence Stroll after Aston Martin’s dire start to 2026. Former F1 supremo Ecclestone likens Aston Martin’s early struggles with the AMR26, which seldom produced many laps in Bahrain owing to Honda’s reliability problems, to Ferrari and their 18-year wait to win the F1 drivers’ championship again, despite their raft of resources.

Ecclestone told Blick: “The fact that there’s always a missing piece in the title puzzle is best illustrated by Ferrari. They’ve been searching for the missing pieces for almost 20 years, despite having the best prerequisites, drivers and the necessary money.”

“You can’t buy the Formula 1 world championship title. If everything doesn’t come together, you will spend your whole life chasing that big success. That’s why I feel sorry for Lawrence Stroll.”

‘Title puzzle is best illustrated by Ferrari’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ber...-the-f1-title/


Martin Brundle says Aston Martin are in ‘dire trouble’ and raises Honda cost-cap concern
27 Feb 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle says Aston Martin and Honda are facing a ‘snowball effect’ after what he called a ‘dire’ pre-season for the new partnership. “As you said, new everything,” Brundle told Simon Lazenby. “It’s clear to me that the correlation between the wind tunnel, the CFD and the stopwatch on the race track looks like it’s miles out. The car didn’t exactly look stuck to the road when it was running.”

“Honda were pulling out, they came back in, they seemed a long way behind on battery recovery and reliability. They’re churning through their cost cap on the motor side already. The big problem they have is that there are four teams charging round with the Mercedes power unit. Can you imagine, after nine days of testing, how much data Mercedes have?”

“Ferrari have three teams. Audi have done well, but they’ve only got themselves. Honda have only got Aston Martin. If the Aston Martin isn’t going round the track, which it wasn’t by and large, they’ve got no data. It’s a snowball effect for them, and they’re in dire trouble at Aston Martin. I’m sure they’ve got the resource and the brainpower to do something about that, but it’s going to take time.”

‘Snowball effect’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...t-cap-concern/


Aston crisis deepens, Stroll pressured on and off track
27 FEB 2026
GrandPrix.com

Aston Martin's difficult start to 2026 has been compounded by serious turmoil in its road car division, intensifying scrutiny on team owner Lawrence Stroll. On track, Aston Martin's new era - built around Adrian Newey, Fernando Alonso and a works Honda power unit - has so far failed to deliver. Sky Deutschland pundit Ralf Schumacher believes the pressure is mounting.

The German warned that internal tensions could become the bigger danger. “They must avoid destroying each other internally. This will be a huge test of patience. Alonso is probably enormously frustrated. Lance isn't someone who stays cheerful when things don't go his way. And Adrian is certainly disappointed - he imagined it would all be much better. The pressure is enormous.”

“Must avoid destroying each other internally”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/aston...off-track.html


Adrian Newey has no immediate solution for his Aston Martin concept failing to meet expectations
25 Feb 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Newey’s design is hurting Honda’s efforts to improve Aston Martin’s engine, as well, as the Japanese brand agreed to build their power unit around the F1 design guru’s concept. But Aston Martin have not sufficiently designed their cooling for the engine and its peripherals. Honda’s reliability problems were the dominant reason why Aston Martin struggled to post many laps during the Bahrain test. Also, Aston Martin face a six-month timeframe to build a new gearbox, as they even encountered a flurry of problems with their first in-house design.

Aston Martin previously bought their gearboxes from Mercedes as part of their power unit supply deal, which the team scrapped to link up with Honda from 2026. But Aston Martin’s gearbox repeatedly broke, selected the wrong gears and caused rear-end locking in Bahrain. Newey and owner Lawrence Stroll will hope Aston Martin get on top of their issues quickly, as their early problems to start 2026 are making the team less and less appealing. It is said that Max Verstappen has no interest in joining Aston Martin in 2027 after seeing their woes.

‘No immediate solution’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...-expectations/

[Fortitude]

Fred Vasseur ‘only has until this summer’ to save his Ferrari job as F1 driver headache emerges.
Fred Vasseur ‘only has until this summer’ to convince Ferrari not to sack him according to F1 paddock rumours.
1 March 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Journalists Rebecca Clancy and Mark Mann-Bryans were speaking on the Inside the Piranha Club Podcast about Ferrari. Clancy suggested: “I think Fred Vasseur is under pressure as well. You mentioned there about the talk last year about his job not being safe, and then obviously they gave him a new contract in July. But obviously the rumours in the paddock now are that actually he still only has until this summer, and if the car isn’t performing by the summer then his job is at risk.”

“So I think if only he had the headache of whether to pick Leclerc or Hamilton, he would love that; otherwise, I think we could see more change and more disruption within Ferrari.” Mann-Bryans replied: “Nothing but winning is enough, is it for Ferrari? Let’s be honest. It doesn’t matter really. You can take as many podiums as you like. But to the tifosi, it’s all about being on the top step and winning those championships.” A report from the Swiss outlet Blick has also suggested that Vasseur is ‘under pressure’, with the Italian media ‘sharpening their knives’ already.

‘Only has until this summer’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fre...dache-emerges/


Lando Norris issues McLaren rally call over F1 title defence
Lando Norris enters the 2026 F1 season aiming to defend his drivers' championship.
1 March 2026
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has suggested McLaren is not in a position to compete for an F1 title with its current car following the end of pre-season testing. When asked if he feels a responsibility to defend his title this year, Norris told media including RacingNews365: "Honestly, I don't think there's a responsibility... I mean, there's a responsibility always in life.

"But I'll do my best to defend it and continue it. But it's a new season with loads of new challenges. So it's not as simple as just continuing from last year and saying it's the same thing again. At the minute we have to, from what we see, improve the car quite a bit if we want to compete a bit more, to be confident for the first race."

"I feel confident. I feel better than I've ever done," he said. "Certainly, after last year and winning the championship last year, that's given me the confidence. So it's reassuring to know that I've done it once and therefore I believe I can do it again. So that's a good thing. But it's a long season, and I'll make sure I do my part. And together as a team, we'll make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity to do it again."

‘McLaren is not in a position to compete for an F1 title’;

https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...-title-defence


McLaren have sacrificed downforce to build ‘more agile’ 2026 F1 car on the minimum weight limit
1 March 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

McLaren have built their car slightly differently to the rest of the grid to create a ‘more agile’ machine compared to their rivals. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will both have their sights set on the drivers’ championship again after two years of having the quickest car on the grid. However, McLaren have already acknowledged that they don’t expect to be the leaders in the paddock at the beginning of 2026 due to the changing regulations. Mercedes already have a power unit advantage over McLaren due to their familiarity with the new engine.

However, there are suggestions that McLaren’s gearbox is class-leading this year, and with drivers looking set to spend far more time in first gear to charge up their batteries, being able to put that extra load through the gearbox is going to be essential. Journalist Mark Hughes has now had confirmation that McLaren have shortened their wheelbase this year. It makes Andrea Stella’s team an outlier in the paddock and comes with its own pros and cons.

‘More agile 2026 F1 car’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mcl...-weight-limit/


What repeat of Honda's last F1 nightmare means for Aston Martin
1 Mar 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

If or when Honda sorts things out, objectively assessing the quality of the car will be critical. Newey's delayed arrival played a role in the chassis being at least somewhat compromised at the start of this year. Aerodynamic development was some kind of combination of paused/reset/delayed in the first months of 2025 until he came in. That means three or four months were effectively lost, whether because previous work was reconsidered or because development was consciously held back to avoid wasting allocation before he could validate it.

Organisational changes followed and that may be to Aston Martin's advantage long term, but it does not create extra time in the short term or the stability that top teams thrive on. There's bound to be some kind of clash between expectations and reality - or in other words a gap between what kind of progress Aston Martin demands and what Honda can deliver. It'll be a matter of striking a sensible compromise.

But even if there is low-hanging fruit, climbing from where Honda is now to a midfield baseline by the second half of the year would represent significant progress. A podium-contending package within one year would require an extraordinary turnaround. The more plausible arc, if the base architecture is right, is gradual: stabilise this year, build a stronger performance and reliability platform into the next, and only then think about sustained frontrunning potential. That's how it played out post-2017, after all. It's whether Honda has the time and the resources to do it again.

‘Striking a sensible compromise’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/h...-consequences/


Alpine admits to concerns over unique new F1 car feature
28 Feb 2026
Anirban Aly Mandal
Motorsport Week

Alpine boss Steve Nielsen has said the team is “nervous” over its unique interpretation of Formula 1 rear-wing design for 2026. Speaking to media including Motorsport Week, Nielsen admitted that it does make the team nervous, especially when no other team has decided to approach their rear-wing designs in a similar vein.

“Of course it does,” he admitted. “It would probably be a better question to answer later in the season, but when you’ve had the year we had last year, of course, you take comfort from that, and with the many. When something is unusual, it doesn’t mean that it is wrong, and we did it for our own reasons, but of course, you do think: ‘Wow, that’s not the same.’”

“It is an obvious difference, but whether it is the right direction or the wrong direction, who knows? We are evaluating everything, absolutely everything, together with what we see on other cars. If we see something, we model it, and we try to reproduce it.”

“Nervous”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2026/...1-car-feature/


Gary Anderson surprised more F1 teams didn’t copy Ferrari’s 2026 power unit solution
1 March 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

One of the biggest talking points during pre-season has been the power units, with the FIA announcing changes to the way compression ratios are going to be measured midway through the 2026 season and then again in 2027. However, Gary Anderson has admitted that Ferrari’s turbo solution could be a masterstroke, and he’s surprised no other power unit manufacturers considered the same solution.

Anderson was speaking about Ferrari’s new power unit on The Race F1 Tech Show and explained: “This turbo, the requirement for the drivers to put 11,000 RPM on the engine to get turbo speed up and the fact that Ferrari seem to have an advantage in that area with what’s called a smaller turbo. The thing about this is that all of the PU manufacturers, all of the teams, even will know how much electrical energy they used last year driving the MGU to get that turbo up to speed for the start line because last year it was invisible, but you had the electric motor on the turbo. So they will know how much they had to do that on a start line for their given turbo size.”

“I’m surprised that some PU manufacturers don’t seem to have ever looked at that at all, or even car constructors haven’t looked at that at all. Ferrari, if they’ve done this because they’ve actually looked at it all and said this is what we need, then fantastic, pat on the back to them all. If it’s just because their philosophy is running the smaller turbo, which it has been for the last few years, and by luck, it’s ended up helping them off the start finish line, then that’s fine. It’s interesting that the other teams didn’t have a look at it because if you’ve got the big turbo, you need to run higher RPM to get the exhaust flow and get the turbo speed up.”

‘Ferrari’s turbo solution could be a masterstroke’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gar...unit-solution/

[Fortitude]

F1 teams in Bahrain at a standstill due to Middle East unrest: here's the latest.
Mercedes, McLaren and Pirelli are working intensively to evacuate their personnel from Bahrain, where a tyre test had originally been scheduled. So far, however, all attempts have been unsuccessful, GPblog understands.
1 Mar 2026
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

According to sources directly involved, repatriating team personnel remains the absolute priority. The specific measures under consideration are being deliberately kept out of the public domain for security reasons. At the same time, Mercedes, McLaren and Pirelli are aware that facilitating the departure of Formula 1 teams and drivers is not among the local authorities’ immediate priorities.

When will the airspace reopen? The key question now is when Bahrain’s airspace will reopen — and, crucially, when airlines will feel confident enough to resume flights to the country. Several Middle Eastern media outlets suggest air travel may not restart until March 7 at the earliest.

For now, however, that remains pure speculation. Teams find themselves at the mercy of rapidly evolving geopolitical developments, with no clear indication of when the attacks might come to an end. What is certain is that all teams and drivers are safe. For the time being, they remain confined to their hotels with little to do but wait. Nyck de Vries — who had been scheduled to test with McLaren — shared updates on social media showing him staying active in the gym and making the most of the unexpected downtime.

‘Mercedes, McLaren and Pirelli are working intensively to evacuate’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/exclusive-...heir-situation


F1 chiefs issue statement on Australian GP following Middle East bombings
Formula One announced that an event in Bahrain was cancelled and have now put a second statement out ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
28 Feb 2026
Josh Lawless
SPORTbible

Formula One have responded with a response about the upcoming Australian Grand Prix after bombings in the Middle East. The 2026 season kicks off next week with the first race in Melbourne as McLaren's Lando Norris begins the defence of his crown. However, a F1 event in Bahrain has been cancelled days before the opener because of ongoing tensions in the Middle East. A two-day Pirelli tyre test was set to take place and collate important data but the event at the Sakhir International circuit, had to be postponed due to missiles in the region.

In a statement given to RacingNews365. Pirelli explained: "The two days of development tests for wet-weather compounds, scheduled for today and tomorrow at the Bahrain International Circuit, have been cancelled for security reasons following the evolving international situation. All Pirelli personnel currently in Manama are safe in their hotels. The company is working to ensure their safety and arrange their return to Italy and the UK as soon as possible."

Many F1 staff members have had to re-route their travel to Australia as a result, with major airports like Dubai and Doha closed for security purposes. Airport Hong Kong and Singapore are being used for alternative connecting flights but F1 officials may be forced to further shift plans if the conflict continues. An F1 spokesperson told The Sun: "Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan, not in the Middle East – those races are not for a number of weeks. As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities.”

‘Many F1 staff members have had to re-route their travel to Australia’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/f1-aus...28352-20260228


Unrest in the Middle East: Are the Grands Prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia at risk?
28 Feb 2026
Kada Sárközi
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

The United States and Israel's attack on Iran (and the latter's response) do not, for now, give Formula 1 cause for concern about the fast-approaching Grands Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia going ahead. The unrest may, however, lead to some inconvenience.

The United States and Israel have announced that the military strike on, among other things, nuclear targets in Iran will last 'a few days'. Although a missile from Iran has landed in Bahrain, there is, as yet, no reason to cancel the Grand Prix in the Gulf state.

The FOM's statement reads: "Our next three races are in Australia, China and Japan, not in the Middle East - those races are not for a number of weeks. As always, we closely monitor any situation like this and work closely with relevant authorities." Should the situation at any point become such that the safety of the teams and the public is at risk, measures can still be taken. That is not the case at this time.

‘Unrest in the Middle East’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/unres...arabia-at-risk


McLaren trailing ‘clear group’ at the front ahead of Australian Grand Prix
1 Mar 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley says there is a “clear group” that emerged off the front during pre-season, and reigning world champion McLaren is a bit behind it. “From the Bahrain test, there was, we saw a little bit of Barcelona then and then more so in the Bahrain test, a clear group emerging at the front,” he told Motorsport Week. “Definitely Mercedes look very strong to start the season. Red Bull look very strong, they’re up there with them, and probably have the edge on race pace.”

“Ferrari have done a great job, it’s really nice to see some of the innovations on that car. I think Ferrari will be there or thereabouts.” “McLaren,” he continued, “from the testing, were probably just a little bit off the back of that top three but not far away,” he said. “They’re still in the mix and then it’s good to see the midfield as well, the midfield was a little bit shaken-up and possibly, let’s see in Australia, edging towards that top four as well.”

“But I think what you have to take into account is this ruleset is so immature, that the development is all-important,” he said. “It’s good to start the season with a good car, but [in] Formula 1, what the pecking order is in Australia, won’t be the case, more than likely, won’t be there, won’t be the case by the time we get to Abu Dhabi, just because the development curve will be so strong.”

‘McLaren trailing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-202...-pecking-order


Damon Hill thinks Lewis Hamilton is ‘in the mix’ with Ferrari after watching him during F1 testing
1 March 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert have been very positive about Lewis Hamilton’s chances with Ferrari ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Damon Hill thinks Lewis Hamilton is enjoying the ‘driving experience’ of Ferrari’s 2026 F1 car. Hill was speaking to Herbert about Hamilton on the Stay on Track Podcast ahead of the season opener in Australia.

The 1996 world champion said: “I think Ferrari are very interesting. I think they seem to be quite happy with where they are.” Herbert replied: “Lewis has been positive with his comments about how happy he is with the car.” Hill continued: “I think there weren’t any long faces, so I think he’s happy with it as far as the driving experience goes. I think he seems to be liking it. They’re in the mix, they’re in the top four.”

“But it’s picking the winner from that, and the feeling is that the Mercedes have been hiding their light under a bushel. How many times have we been to Bahrain in pre-season testing and Ferrari have looked good, or Barcelona for that matter? This is the slight worry with Ferrari, they kind of get themselves too far ahead too soon, but anyway, it was a good performance. They weren’t breaking down all the time; there’s a difference, the drivers looked happy driving the cars.”

‘In the mix’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...ng-f1-testing/


The critical new trick F1 teams are racing to understand
Technical analyst Paolo Filisetti breaks down everything you need to know about the latest F1 buzzword: 'Super-clipping'.
28 Feb 2026
Paolo Filisetti
RacingNews365

Battery charging in F1 was the dominant theme of pre-season testing, during which time, it emerged that one charging mode in particular could be the best way for drivers to harvest energy, whilst not ruining the competition on track: 'super-clipping'. It has become the preferred method of energy recovery, although it is still not optimal.

Super-clipping is essentially the engine starting to harvest electrical energy whilst the driver is at full throttle. When it is being used, it can recapture 250kw of energy, with the new beefed-up batteries capable of holding the 350kw which is recaptured by the MGU-K under braking.

Teams are starting to gravitate towards super-clipping as the method for harvesting owing to the fact that, compared to lift and coast, there is no sudden slowdown of the car, something with strong implications for safety, with drivers also able to enjoy a more natural driving style.

'The latest F1 buzzword: SUPER-CLIPPING';

https://racingnews365.com/the-critic...-to-understand

[Fortitude]

Martin Brundle warns of ‘wild’ start to F1 2026 season.
Formula 1 could be braced for a “slightly wild” start to 2026 as drivers grapple with battery harvesting, boost management and inevitable reliability gremlins.
3 Mar 2026
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle expects unpredictable opening to F1 2026 “It’s a dramatic change, the biggest ever in Formula 1, and we’re right at the very beginning of it,” Brundle told Sky F1. “Teams have got to find ways of replenishing the battery and for it to not dominate the lap so much, but I think they’ll quite quickly do that and migrate together in terms of how they want to charge and use their power.”

“But, in the beginning, it’s going to be slightly wild. We’re going to get unreliability as well, much more than we’ve seen in the last few years, when the last hybrid engines became bulletproof, really, and so did the cars. I think you’ll not think you have won a grand prix until you literally see the chequered flag.”

“We’re going to see a lot of variability but we’re in a massively better place than we were in 2014 when the hybrid engines first came in because only Mercedes got it right then and everybody else was floundering around. This is much closer.”

“Slightly wild”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...f1-2026-season


Jos Verstappen says ‘everyone laughed’ when Max Verstappen warned them about 2026 F1 rules
3 Mar 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Why the Australian Grand Prix could be a farce. In an interview with Viaplay, via RacingNews365, Max’s father Jos Verstappen said that these complaints weren’t taken seriously at the time. In fact, ‘everyone laughed’. Verstappen feels that his son has been proven right by pre-season testing and accused the sport’s bosses of ignoring their drivers.

“They simply don’t listen,” he said. “Max was already negative about certain things based on the data, but everyone laughed at him at the time. Now they see the results, and everyone can see it. They should listen to the drivers more often, but they don’t.”

‘Could be a farce’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jos...2026-f1-rules/


Charter flights put on as F1 bosses try to keep Australian Grand Prix on track
3 Mar 2026
PA News Agency
News Shopper

Formula One has kept Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix alive by using charter planes to fly hundreds of affected members of the sport’s travelling circus to Melbourne. Following the travel chaos caused by airspace closure in the Middle East, the Press Association has been told that two chartered aircraft departed London on Monday night.

A British Airways plane, which stopped at Singapore, and a business-class only Air X flight via Tanzania, carried staff from 10 of the grid’s 11 teams as well as F1 officials to Australia. The eleventh-hour flights were coordinated by sports travel agency, Travel Places. The affected personnel are due to land in Melbourne on Wednesday morning, 48 hours out from the opening practice session of the season at Albert Park.

Roughly 2,000 people work at every F1 race, and it is thought at least a quarter had been due to travel to Australia via travel hubs such as Doha and Dubai. However, the conflict in the Middle East caused hundreds of staff to re-route or take chartered flights. One leading UK-based team told PA that more than 50 per cent of its travelling staff had been affected.

‘Charter flights put on’;

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/sport/...nd-prix-track/


Why Red Bull are the biggest wild cards for the 2026 season
3 Mar 2026
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

According to some engineers int he paddock, Red Bull could be the benchmark in terms of harvesting energy. Upon realising how competitive their engine was, Laurent Mekies’ personnel swiftly turned it down. Over the remaining weeks of testing, the RB22 was consistently at the bottom of the timing sheets.

Of course, this deliberate attempt to conceal performance did not go unnoticed by rivals. Mercedes have been particularly vocal about their suspicions regarding the Austrian team’s true speed. Suggestions that Red Bull’s engine could be the best on the grid – though perhaps just mind games – are evidence that the Austrian squad are already giving rivals headaches. Whilst it is impossible to say exactly where Red Bull sit in the pecking order, one thing is certain. The RB22 is seen as a threat.

Putting engine performance to one side, Red Bull’s 2026 challenger also impressed with its aerodynamic characteristics. The RB22 was a compliant and consistent machine in testing, demonstrating a strong platform to start these regulations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Max Verstappen is convinced that Mercedes have a huge amount of performance in reserve: “I can tell you one thing. Just wait until Melbourne and see how much power the suddenly find – I already know.” The Dutchman is not the only person to make this kind of suggestion about the Silver Arrows. Looking to the entirety of 2026, the Austrian team fancy themselves to beat their rivals in a mid-season development race.

‘One thing is certain. The RB22 is seen as a threat.’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...e-2026-season/


Adrian Newey made a sarcastic dig about Honda’s 80hp deficit as Aston Martin face reliability crisis
3 Mar 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Adrian Newey has sarcastically claimed Aston Martin’s Honda engine is not powerful enough to charge the battery. Aston Martin have sent chief strategy officer Andy Cowell, who Newey has replaced as team principal for the 2026 season, to Japan to help Honda fix their engine. But Autosport reports that ‘time is running out’ for Honda to find ‘basic reliability’ before looking for performance.

Newey is far from happy with the situation, and is even said to have ‘sarcastically’ taken aim at Honda by suggesting that the Japanese brand’s new V6 engine is not powerful enough to recharge the battery. Honda’s engine is thought to lack 80hp when it is charging the battery. Honda’s problems also ensured Aston Martin were unable to gauge the actual performance levels of the AMR26 over the two three-day tests in Bahrain. The Silverstone team will now head to Melbourne largely hoping to just avoid their image being undermined even further.

‘Honda’s 80hp deficit’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...bility-crisis/


‘Things might bubble over’: Davidson fears Alonso’s frustration
03/03/2026
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Davidson highlighted the gravity of the situation. "They're in a technically challenging position right now, as a whole collective,” he explained in an interview with RacingNews365. “Fernando is very much part of that team, and will be working in the background, trying to get things up to speed, quite literally, and [for the car] to be more reliable."

"He's not blessed with a huge amount of time on his side anymore, and as a driver that's been there and done it, it all might become too frustrating, perhaps," Davidson noted. While the prestige of the project is clear, the current setbacks are impossible to ignore.

"But he's a hard worker, and I'm sure he wants, more than anybody, for this to succeed as an operation, and on paper, you'd have to say that all the ingredients are there. So give it time, and I'm convinced that it will come good, but it comes back to my first point. Time isn't really on his side."

‘Things might bubble over’;

https://f1i.com/news/560022-things-m...ustration.html


Honda preparing Aston Martin updates for the Australian GP with ‘no 100% guarantee’ they will work
3 Mar 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Adrian Newey has his work cut out, while Fernando Alonso must be wondering when, if ever, his luck is going to change in Formula 1, 20 years on from his second championship victory. Both Aston Martin and Honda know they can’t afford to slow down the work they’re doing behind the scenes, and journalists Kemal Sengul and Thomas Maher have shared more details about what both parties are planning on bringing to the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

‘No 100% guarantee’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/hon...hey-will-work/


Aston Martin and Adrian Newey are racing to sort out a dud car as F1 season begins
3 March 2026
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline

The big problem is that there isn't one big problem. The Honda engine seems to lack power, but Aston Martin's exclusive works relationship with the Japanese auto giant means there's no other team with a Honda engine to compare it with, or learn from.

The Aston Martin is also unreliable and undercooked after arriving late to the first test and missing valuable time due to breakdowns. Battery problems limited testing time in Bahrain as Honda worked on the issue. Aston Martin also seemed to have gearbox trouble and a shortage of parts.

‘Racing to sort out a dud car’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...on-begins.html

[Fortitude]

F1 suspends curfew rules for Australian GP due to travel disruption.
Formula 1 has suspended its curfew rules for the Australian Grand Prix due to the travel disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
4th Mar 2026
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The FIA advised teams: “We wish to inform you that, following consultation with the stewards of the meeting, due to force majeure and specifically ongoing travel and freight disruptions experienced in the preparation of the Australian Grand Prix, the provisions of Article B9.5.1a i.e. ‘Restricted Period 1’ and Article B9.5.1b i.e. ‘Restricted Period 2’ shall not apply at this Competition,” race director Rui Marques told teams in an official communication.

The two periods last 13 and 14 hours respectively and apply to the 60 staff members defined as “Operational Personnel”, plus a further 16 designated “Training Personnel”, whose work on the cars is restricted to control costs. It does not apply to drivers or team members whose work involves media, marketing or similar.

‘F1 suspends curfew rules’;

https://www.racefans.net/2026/03/04/...el-disruption/


How F1 teams pulled out all stops to reach Australia in time for the Grand Prix after Iran war threw their plans into chaos
3 Mar 2026
AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline

'You're talking about teams, drivers, Formula 1 personnel,' Australian GP CEO Travis Auld told Nine's Today show. 'I'm guessing there'd be close to 1,000 people that would have already booked their flights and would be landing somewhere between sort of today, tomorrow, Wednesday. So they had to all be changed, but a lot of people around the world are on the same thing and so you're competing obviously with that increase in demand. But they've been able to sort it out, which is the important part.'

'All the freight is here and ready to go and so we're in a space where we're really confident there'll be no impact (on the race by the travel disruption from the conflict),' Auld added. 'The drivers will be here, the engineers will be here, the team principals will be here - they're the ones that have been prioritised.'

‘F1 teams pulled out all stops’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ans-chaos.html


Major change announced for Australian Grand Prix
The pit lane speed limit has been reduced for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix as Albert Park adjusts to Formula 1’s expanded 11-team grid.
4 Mar 2026
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe

With Cadillac making its debut as the sport’s newest entrant, organisers have confirmed the pit lane limit will drop from 80km/h back to 60km/h for the 2026 season opener at Albert Park. The change comes as the Melbourne venue works to accommodate the additional garage, freight and hospitality demands created by Cadillac’s arrival, which expands the grid for the first time in a decade.

Construction on a new $350 million paddock building is due to begin after this weekend’s race, with the existing pit complex to be demolished as part of a broader redevelopment plan. The current pit building, which dates back to 1995, is set to be replaced with a modern complex featuring upgraded garages, race control, hospitality and media facilities.

‘Pit lane speed limit has been reduced’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2026-a...dillac-update/


The craziest F1 start ever? Why Australian Grand Prix might see chaos from the off
3 Mar 2026
Laurence Edmondson
ESPN.com

What's the issue? The main problem is a phenomenon known as turbo-lag, which manifests itself as delayed acceleration when the driver hits the throttle. Turbo-lag exists because turbocharged engines need to produce enough exhaust gas pressure to spin the turbo before it can deliver the power advantage of compressed air to the engine. Put simply, it's a very noisy chicken and egg situation.

Under the last set of turbo-hybrid regulations, the complex Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H) held the answer. The MGU-H was a remarkable part of the hybrid system that not only generated electricity from the spinning turbo, but could also be used as an electric motor to spin the turbo in lieu of exhaust gas pressure.

Under F1's new regulations for 2026, the fiddly and expensive MGU-H technology has been removed from the power units to make the challenge of entering the sport easier for newcomers Audi and Red Bull. All well and good, but it means the relatively large turbos in F1 now have to rely purely on exhaust gas from a 1.6-litre engine to hit the optimum boost pressure for acceleration.

‘Turbo-lag’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/4...-see-chaos-off


Martin Brundle predicts Australian Grand Prix podium with Charles Leclerc winning
4 Mar 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle has talked up George Russell’s title chances and he believes the Mercedes driver will finish second. He rounds off his prediction with Oscar Piastri, who is bidding to end Australia’s long wait for a home podium. In Brundle’s eyes, there is no place on the podium for Lando Norris, the reigning world champion and last year’s Melbourne winner. He also leaves out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton. Indeed, it would be particularly painful for Hamilton’s podium drought to continue if his teammate were able to win in the sister car.

Karun Chandhok disagrees with Martin Brundle’s Charles Leclerc prediction. Turning to Brundle’s colleagues, Karun Chandhok left both Ferrari drivers off the podium entirely. He’s going for Russell to win ahead of the two McLarens, with Piastri second and Norris third.

Anthony Davidson agrees that Russell will start the season on top but expects Verstappen to be up there in P2. That would be a fine result on the debut of the Red Bull engine. Davidson also picks Norris third, while David Croft went with the same order as Chandhok. The variety in the predictions is exciting in and of itself, reflecting the uncertainty around the pecking order and the perceived closeness of the top four teams.

‘Martin Brundle: Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...clerc-winning/


Stella and McLaren ready to ‘put cards on the table’ at Australian Grand Prix
3 Mar 2026
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said that he and his team are ready for an "exciting but complex" season to get underway. "This season is an exciting but complex challenge, and it’s great to be back racing again. It’s the reason why we’re in the sport," stated the Italian in a McLaren press release.

"We’re looking forward to finally putting the cards on the table in Melbourne and seeing where we truly stand as the first races unfold. Everybody at McLaren Mastercard has played an important role in getting the MCL40 to the track, but the hard work starts now, and we embrace the task ahead.”

“We arrive at the 2026 season opener in Melbourne pleased with the successful work completed over the last few months of testing across Barcelona and Bahrain, having covered more than 1,000 laps in nine days of running. [Pre-season testing] has given the entire team satisfying learnings around the performance and reliability of the MCL40 at this foundation stage of its development," continued the McLaren team boss.

‘Cards on the table’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/stell...ian-grand-prix


Max previews Australian GP: 'Exciting to get out racing again'
4 Mar 2026
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen has arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday evening, ahead of Formula 1’s season opener. Looking ahead to the Australian Grand Prix, the Dutch Oracle Red Bull Racing driver says: “It will be great to be back on track and start up the season, it has felt like a long build up to this point and it is exciting to finally get out racing again.”

“In Bahrain, seeing the car with our own power unit getting in so many laps was very impressive: there were a lot of proud faces seeing it go out for the first time and the team have done a great job. We’ve been driving the car in the simulator for such a long time, so when it was finally time to come back and see the car ready to go, I did get goosebumps.”

“Now is the real test. Looking to Melbourne, I don’t know how it is all going to play out, but we have been learning a lot and working on optimising the car as best we can. Obviously, this track has many great memories for me, especially driving my first ever F1 race here. But this year will be a particularly exciting challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes.”

“I did get goosebumps”;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/6086/


Adrian Newey sets up Honda ‘crisis unit’ as Aston Martin aim for the bare ‘minimum’ at Melbourne
2 Mar 2026
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Adrian Newey has set up a ‘crisis unit’ to support Honda, with Andy Cowell now positioned in Japan to help get things up to speed as quickly as possible. Cowell oversaw much of Mercedes’ success when the engine regulations changed in 2014, but hasn’t yet been able to have the same influence at Aston Martin and Honda.

‘Crisis unit’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...-at-melbourne/